Why Should I Become a Freelance Writer?

Are you dreaming of kicking that 9-5 job to the curb?

The thought of going back to that 9-5 job making you cringe every time you wake up?

Freelancing allows you to plan your work around your life instead of planning your life around your work

Well, did you know there’s another way you can make money and actually be happy about it?

It’s being a freelancer in the gig economy.

Ready to jump into the gig economy and find out what all the fuss is about?

If so, read on for the top four reasons you should become a freelance writer today.

Reason 1 – Flexibility

Let’s be honest for a second here. Life. Is. Busy.

We all have a million balls in the air at any given time. We’re trying to juggle family life and work responsibilities; doctor’s appointments and grocery shopping; cleaning the house and taking the kids to practice.

On and on and on…..

The simple truth is that the workforce hasn’t adapted fast enough to the needs of modern families.

It’s not 1950 anymore; Dad isn’t working 9-5 while mom’s home cooking a pot roast.

But traditional employers just aren’t getting the message.

As a result, people are turning to the gig economy in droves. In fact, it’s estimated that 80% of the workforce will be in the gig economy by 2030. Today’s parents need serious flexibility. Not just lip service.

Freelance writing jobs offers just that.

It’s the ultimate flexible job because you can make it as big or small as you need it to be. And with freelancing, there are no more arbitrary work schedules. You can work at 9 am or midnight, whatever works for you.

Need to pick the kids up from school? Go ahead.

Have a doctor’s appointment in the middle of the day? No problem.

Only have time to work while the kids are sleeping? Get some coffee and go to town!

Freelancing allows you to plan your work around your life instead of planning your life around your work. Now that’s real flexibility.

Reason 2 – Minimal Start Up Costs

I’ve wanted to start my own business for as long as I can remember. In fact, if I had a nickel for every scheme I’ve come up with over the years, I’d be a zillionaire!

But there’s always a problem. And that problem is always money…

Most businesses require investment upfront.

Perhaps you have to build a prototype, purchase inventory or rent office space.

These start-up costs are very hard to overcome; you’ll need to be approved for a loan or find investors.

Plus, you’ll need to be in the financial position to cover the costs if you fail.

Starting a freelance writing business, on the other hand, requires very little (if any) investment upfront.

Your first expense will be creating your website or blog, which can be done for less than $60.

You can get started without a website but it would be a wise investment if you’ve got the cash.

It’s also a good idea to take some online courses and save yourself from repeating common mistakes.

Elna Cain’s “Write your way to your first 1k” course, for example, is invaluable and completely worth the investment.

She also offers a website building tutorial, “Writer Website in a Weekend.”

If you’ve never built one before, take my word for it and take the course. Trust me.

You’ll save yourself some major frustration.

Another advantage to starting a freelance writing business is that it can easily begin as a side-hustle.

There’s no need to quit your job or invest long hours from the go. You can write in the evenings and on weekends at first.

Just dip your toes in the water and see how it feels. If you like it and are finding success, you can build your business at your own pace.

Reason 3 – Work From Home

Before I started freelancing, my life was like this…

Get up super early
Get dressed up in uncomfortable clothes
Rush around like a crazy person making breakfast and packing lunches.
Leave without seeing my kids.
Waste an hour sitting in traffic.
Waste two hours sitting in meetings that have no point.
Waste 17 billion hours listening to co-workers ramble on about every minute detail of their lives (are you feeling my frustration?).
Waste another hour sitting in traffic.
Miss picking my kids up at the bus stop.
Miss their baseball games.
Pick up a crappy drive-thru dinner for everyone to eat in the car.
Stay up too late folding laundry, doing dishes, and helping my exhausted kids with homework.
Crash into bed feeling unproductive, unsatisfied, and sad.

Sound familiar?

It doesn’t have to be that way though. Working from home is magical. Here’s what my life is like now that I’m freelancing…

Wake up and get dressed in comfy workout clothes.
Make some coffee, check my email, and calmly pack the kids’ lunches.
Have breakfast with the kids after they wake up.
Walk everyone to the bus stop.
Spend the day focused on writing, pitching to clients, and managing my business.
Take small breaks to fold laundry, empty the dishwasher, or even throw dinner in the crockpot.
Pick everyone up at the bus stop.
Help the kids with their homework.
Make dinner and eat together at the table.
Go watch the kids’ baseball games.
Spend some time finishing up projects and/or planning for the next day.
Go to bed feeling in control, productive, and happy.

Working from home truly puts you in control.

By eliminating all of the time-wasting distractions that surround you at the office, you can be more productive in less time. Plus, you can be available for your family and WAY less stressed out.

Reason 4 – Steady Demand

Did you know there are over 1.7 million websites out there!!!!????? And out of that 1.7 million, over 500 million are blogs?

Now that’s a lot of content… And lucky for freelancers, someone needs to write it!

In today’s saturated online world, it’s blog posts that drive traffic.

And content marketing is three times more effective than paid search advertising.

Since there’s so much content out there now, it’s even more important that it stands out.

Businesses need content that’s well written and converting.

Most small business owners know this.

But they don’t have the time or expertise to do it all themselves. And even for large companies, it’s often more efficient to hire freelancers than to have a dedicated staff.

So when you hear people say there are too many freelancers out there, just think of those 1.7 million websites.

Those websites need people to write their page copy, their email newsletters, their case studies, and their daily blog posts (of which there are over 2 million per day).

Are you thinking about trying your hand at freelance writing? What’s holding you back?

If you’ve already made the plunge, how’s it going? Tell us your story in the comments below.

And good luck out there!