Psychologic Issues to Consider when Embarking on a Freelance Writing Career -- and You Thought it was Just About the Writing!
For fun, let’s start with a definition of freelance: According to Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freelance), “a freelancer is a self-employed person working in a profession or trade in which full-time employment is also common. The word’s etymology derives from the medieval term for a mercenary, a free lance, which literally described a knight who was not attached to any particular lord, and could be hired for a given task.”
Just by digesting this definition, we can ascertain some mental traits one would need to succeed as a freelance. First, you have to consider that you will be working for many ‘lords’ and maybe all at the same time. Can you juggle the demands and boundary setting when 3 different bosses are asking you to accelerate your schedule? What happens when 1 lord changes mid-project (retires, quits, etc.) and leaves you to pick up the pieces with the new one? Can you work independently if the lord doesn’t have time for you and act as a boss if need be? Can you handle sometimes being the scapegoat for mismanaged projects? Freelancing is very demanding and you have to know how to manage your various lords. You need leadership, mediator, and negotiation skills. You must perform well under deadlines and have not only a “can do” but also a “let go” attitude. Oh, by the way, good writing and editing skills also help!
Now let’s examine the ‘given task’ part of the definition. How many given tasks can you support at one time for the same boss? How many tasks can you support at the same time for different bosses? Can you switch gears quickly to write on many and varied subjects? It’s fun to write about an interesting topic, but can you write about a boring topic? And do it well? Can you write given very little direction and guidance (working with no outline) and enjoy the freedom and creativity? Can you write given too much guidance (working with a heavy-handed outline) and accept the restrictions? Can you accept micromanagement gracefully? Can you accept no management and still get the job done? And finally, can you live with the possible financial anxiety caused by the feast-or-famine nature of the given tasks. After all, the tasks are assigned at the convenience of the lord’s schedule, not yours!
I’m sure we don’t need to define ‘mercenary,’ but, just for fun, let’s do it anyway. Webster’s says that a mercenary is one who is “hired for service.” This is your livelihood just as with any other job. Freelance writing is not a lark, not something to pass the time—it is your job. Your mindset must be serious; you and your office must be professional. No writing in your bunny slippers! If you don’t treat yourself like a professional, then no one else will either. Writing is a paid profession (albeit often underpaid). Paid means that you should expect to negotiate fair and regular payments for your work. Profession means that your family, friends, and neighbors must be taught to respect your work time and your workspace. Are you up to the task?
Lastly, let’s consider the ‘self-employed’ part of the definition. You are it baby!¾you will have to be everything from the janitor to the collection agency, from the technical expert to the photocopy grunt—change the toner, fix the computer, do the research, deliver quotes, get new business, put out fires, fix the office equipment. Also, don’t forget that you have to handle your own taxes, social security, retirement, and medical coverage. And, did I mention, write every day whether you want to or not. You would go into the corporate office every day, so you must go into your home office every day. You know those newspaper reporters in the movies who always say, “I am on deadline”? Well, you are too!
Do you have the humbleness to handle the scut work in your jeans and the panache to wear your best suit at a client meeting? If so, then you are a knight that is ready to be a “free lance.” And if you are also a person who likes a lot of variety, a lot of learning, and a lot of hard work, then you will also have fun. And remember—you can take a power nap in the middle of the day, which has been scientifically proven to increase productivity.
Barbara Rinehart, MS
Freelance Medical Writer
brinehart@comcast.net
