How to Know If Freelancing is Right For You

Let me preface this article before you get any further, freelance writing is not for everyone.

If you have “tried” and “failed”, freelance writing may not be for you.

If you don’t get excited about producing great content, freelance writing might not be for you.

If you’re not compelled by story telling, freelance writing might not be for you.

And that’s okay, it’s not for everyone.

Here are just a few ways to know if freelance writing is for you:

You Don’t Mind Being Told No

I have pitched editors, ALOT and I have been told NO, ALOT. If you don’t mind being told no, you may be able to survive this world of freelance writing. We are often told no and to keep pitching almost like the kid who sucks at pee wee football but the parents tell him to keep playing, yeah that’s our lives more often than not. Being no doesn’t always mean you’re a bad writer sometimes being no simply means, you’re good but just not what the editor is looking for.

You Don’t Mind Hustling

Sometimes freelance writers have to take lower paying jobs just until the higher pay ones come through which sometimes mean you might have to find other hustles such as graphic design, digital assistant work, etc in order to help you as you build your freelance career. If none of that sounds appealing to you and you just can’t mentally deal with the anxiety that sometimes comes along with hustling, keep moving to the left.

You’re Tired Of Living an Unfulfilled Life

I am not an advocate against the typical 9–5 job, in fact I’m not sure if I’ll be a freelance writer forever it just solely depends on what God has for me and my life. One thing I did promise myself however, was to never live an unfulfilled life again which means refusing to take on jobs or work that makes me feel depleted more than it makes me feel fulfilled. If you’re tired of living unfilled and you know writing is what you really want to do but just don’t think the money is there, try writing for free as you build up your writing portfolio.

You’re Tired of Turning Down Freelance Projects Because You Don’t Have Time

When I worked at my 8–5 job I don’t know how many times I had to turn down freelance projects because I didn’t have time to work on those projects and also successfully navigate my full time job. At one point I was turning down 10–12 projects a week and I hated it. If you’ve reached this point then weigh out the pros and cons (especially financially) and if it makes sense for you and your family maybe it’s time to jump in full force.

While I am still trying to figure out my own life as a freelance writer,never take my advice as the gospel. Ultimately your desire to jump into freelance writing doesn’t impact my life but it does impact yours and your families so always make wise decisions.

Want to learn more about my freelance journey? Follow me on Twitter. Want to work with me or want to learn more on how you can protect yourself from online identity theft? Send me a message. If you’re an African American Woman who creates amazing content I’ve created aplatform to connect you with businesses who are looking to hire women of color. If you just enjoy reading: make sure you comment and recommend.