Why Go Freelance Writing – Top 5 Reasons Why People Go Freelance Writing

by Kristine

A lot of people have been asking me why I decided to go as a full-time freelance writer.

Sure, I have a university degree up my sleeve, and though I didn’t have great grades, they’re still decent enough (my GPA wasn’t below 1.9). I could easily find an office job, but here I am – writing at home.

I always answer them one thing:

If you are earning as much as a regular office job without leaving home, would you consider freelance writing as a full-time job?

That usually gets them smiling and convinced.

As I said in my article here, I started freelance writing when I finished my internship in Poland as an English teacher. I basically started because I needed to get myself busy so that I won’t have to miss Poland and my friends so much, and to be so depressed with the reverse culture shock plus the humidity and heat of the Philippines. So I found something that would keep me busy.

While other people are running around, trying to score jobs in call centers, BPO companies, advertising agencies or events organization companies, I decided to stay at home and renew my love for writing and the English language. The pay wasn’t much – I started with a measly P60/500-word article. But that didn’t stop me from trying to get what I want.

As I write this, I could only think of 5 top reasons why people decide to go freelance writing.

You have more freedom – You get to set what time you wake up, what time you sit in front of your computer or laptop, and what time you want to start writing. Sure, you have deadlines to beat, but you have all the freedom in the world to set your own preferences without suffering the quality of your work. Like what Deb had written in ‘10 Empowerment Tips for Freelance Writers‘:

“You control your own destiny…If you want to write content for a well-known website, well, you know how to land that gig too. My fellow bloggers and I? We can help discuss options, methods and tools, but the decision of what to do with that is yours. What is your destiny?”
You set your own rates - When you are starting, it’s okay to charge low. However, once you’ve build on your portfolio and gained more experience in freelance writing, you can increase your rates. Yes, freelance writing allows you to promote yourself to a higher position, let’s say. In ‘Who Sets Your Freelance Writing Rates,’ Deb had written about setting your own rates.

The main reason you should set your own freelance writing rates is to get paid what you feel your writing is worth. As a contractor, you determine what you’re paid. Many writers are afraid of a client balking at a set rate and hiring someone else, and it’s true this can happen. If you’re a good writer, with a good reputation and stellar references, clients won’t mind paying your asking price. If anything, you can use your rate quote as a negotiation point without allowing the bar to be set too low.

It’s okay to refuse projects – When you are working in an office, you can’t say no to your boss. But with freelance writing, it IS possible. If you aren’t comfortable writing a topic, then by all means tell your buyer that you can’t. You don’t want your work’s quality to suffer just because you don’t feel the topic, do you? If you can’t do it, then don’t. Don’t risk your reputation as a good writer. Just say no.
You can write in your pajamas – This would probably be one of my favorites. You can wake up, go straight to the bathroom, then go to work without the need to change into a corporate attire, or to put on make-up. You don’t have to wear heels, you don’t have to think which bag would go with which pair of shoes. You can even work while naked – as if anybody would care.
You get to save more money – Freelance writing allows us to stay at home. That means we don’t pay for our car’s petrol, fares, highway tolls etc. And since we don’t go out, we don’t need to eat in restaurants for lunch break. That means you get to save more money that spending it on everyday expenses when going to the office.

I know there are probably a hundred more reasons as to why people decide to freelance write, but I can’t write of anything anymore. There are even a hundred more reasons as to why people decide not to freelance write – but I’d write about that next time.

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