Putting To Rest 4 More Myths About Freelance Writing

We’re the trending workers for a reason.

Either part-time or full-time, there are around 65 million freelancers in the US alone. The numbers are growing more quickly than those in more traditional lines of work.

That said, myths about freelancing abound.

Now I can’t speak for some lines of freelance work, such as computer programming or systems management, but I have over 25 years of experience working as a freelancer in printing, publishing, and writing.

With that background, I offer to debunk some of the myths about freelancing that don’t get discussed much.

Here we go.

Myth: Finding work will be too hard

Only if you don’t look for it to begin with.

Let’s start with the low-tier job sites. Upwork and Fiverr exist for a reason. They’re bursting with work, and if you’re desperate, you’ll find work there to get your career going.

If you’re smart and not willing to settle for low-hanging fruit, you try Indeed.com, LinkedIn, and Craigslist instead. Daily, all of them post work either explicitly looking for freelancers or with positions that you could leverage into a freelance gig if you ask right.

Then there are the word-of-mouth calls for freelancers via Twitter and Facebook.

And, finally, there’s the work that just falls into your lap. It happens. Once you let people know you’re open to freelance work, some people will just hire you.

Except for Fiverr-like sites, I’ve gotten work through these channels.

So don’t worry. The work is out there. Just look around. Are you a writer? Someone has to write all that content you see online or in magazines. Are you an artist? Someone has to provide all those graphics, whether they be photographic, illustrative, or digital.

The work is there.

Myth: Freelance is a full-time job

Personally, it’s the way I like to roll, but I didn’t start out freelancing full time. For years, I worked for a local print shop as a layout and pre-press specialist. I started taking on layout jobs for clients outside my area for some extra money and because the Internet made it easy.

I spent a couple of hours a day building a clientele. After a few years, I had enough clientele to replace my current traditional salary. As luck would have it, I was also laid off. (There were many things happening behind the scenes. The business no longer exists, and there are reasons for that.)

I moved to full-time freelancing and got to enjoy making my schedule. With even more time, I could attract even more clients.

But I was doing pretty well even while working full time at a traditional job.

You don’t have to hustle 12 hours a day to be a freelancer. If you can do a couple of hours a day, or even a few hours a week, you can make some dependable side money.

There are no minimum hours required for freelancing.

Myth: Freelancing is a young person’s game

I’m 54.

Beat that with a stick.

Okay, I started freelancing in my late 20s. I forget exactly when, but I was in my early 30s by the time I went full time. I had loads of energy back then and a lot of free time.

Guess what?

I still have loads of energy and still a decent amount of time. Making my own schedule means I have an easier time maintaining healthy habits, spending time with my family, and taking time for myself. All of that was more of a challenge when I was working a traditional job.

No more getting up at the crack of dawn for a commute. No more coming home in the dark. No more trying to cram my life into a weekend.

Honestly, these days, I don’t know why traditional work is still traditional.

It’s not how old you are that matters when it comes to freelancing success. It’s how you spend your time. There are plenty of freelancers who started their careers in their 60s.

It’s the 21st century. The old models are obsolete. It’s possible to start a freelance career at any age so long as you’re willing to work.

Myth: Work will constantly fall into your lap

Remember how I mentioned work being hard to find is a myth?

I stand by that.

Just the same, the one fundamental freelancer reality throughout this entire piece is that you have to do the work.

You won’t get any jobs from Indeed, LinkedIn, or Craigslist if you don’t follow up on the opportunities you see. You won’t land bigger jobs if you don’t research potential clients and send out pitches.

I mentioned earlier that work is plentiful enough that it may fall right into your lap, but you have to recognize it for the opportunity it is and seize it before it goes away. And, to be honest, it’s not a reliable way to get reliable work.

You’re better off being proactive and looking for freelance assignments if things are getting a little slow on your end.

Jobs come, and jobs go. Remember the second half of that sentence especially. I’ve had some great clients in the past, but there was never a guarantee they’d always be there. You always want to make sure you have enough work to carry you for a while should an anchor client suddenly drop out.

It’s on you to do the work to find the work.

Remember that the work is out there. You just have to make sure you go looking for it.

Will It Last?

I suppose that’s the question, isn’t it?

Freelancing. The gig economy. Will it be a boon or a bust?

People need writing. They need art. They need people to manage their computer systems.

Businesses seem willing to pay for these services — some paying well. They’re saving money on employee benefits and office space.

I think the future of freelance will rely on freelancers knowing their worth and standing up for that worth. If I were to debunk a fifth myth, it would be “Freelance work is not sustainable.”

I believe it is sustainable, although I’m also enough of a realist to say it’s too early to say for sure.

A lot of that will depend on us as a community.

So let’s keep the faith, gang.

And together, we’ll all benefit.

Thank you for reading. I’d love to share more with you via my Bi-Weekly Word Roundup newsletter sent to subscribers every other Sunday. It will feature news, productivity tips, life hacks, and links to top stories making the rounds on the Internet.