The Joys of Being a Freelancer
While I don’t consider my consider my consulting role that of a freelancer, I have, at times, taken on freelance clients for various projects. The beauty of being a freelance isn’t necessary the freedom to work wherever you want, but more so the ability to work with whomever you feel is a great fit.
I’ve turned down clients before because I couldn’t see a fit. I can not stress how important this is. The reason people go into freelancing is because they the freedom and flexibility to do what they want from wherever they see fit. That being said, it worth nothing that freelancers come in all different shapes, sizes, and have varied expertise and interests.
The key for those of us being able to enjoy all of the perks that come with freelancing is knowing what tools to have at our disposal. I, for example, can’t travel anywhere without my laptop and cell phone.
The tricky part is when our work relies on the technology available at our disposal. And while being on the road is very exciting, and discovering new things adds to that thrill, more often than not, it’s about getting into a regular habit of doing things. If you are a freelance writer, it can be especially hard to make it a regular habit, especially if you are one of the many travel writers out there. Being reliant on technology can be difficult if you are traveling from country to country, especially if you can’t seem to find WiFi. That’s why wireless broadband is a godsend, even in countries where the cost of living is high and it doesn’t seem like something you should invest in. But networking is something that won’t wait for your 3 week holiday to end, and even in countries like Australia, internet providers such as iiNet offer mobile broadband plans which cost a lot less than you’d imagine.
Besides my laptop and cellphone, I also rely heavily on the people in my network. I know exactly who I can send what part of any contract to, and feel good knowing that it will be done.
Being a freelancer has so many perks, but it is a life that you have to be prepared for or you end up spending more money than you make.
Very good points! Over my five years as a freelancer I’ve also gotten a better bullshit meter. I can tell when people are just bs’ing me and I listen to them talk and then I politely say I’ll consider everything…but more than likely I won’t get involved. I think in the beginning you are willing to do anything and everything, but as you get more skilled and savvy you can decide what is worth it and what is not.
I’d like to make the move to working for myself at some point in the future. I can definitely see how it might be hard to get into a routine when you work for yourself. I can be pretty regimented and I like schedules, so hopefully it wouldn’t be that hard to get into a “groove”.
Freelancing is an art/science (sciart). I just turned down a contract to do more work for someone I’ve already been working with for over 2 years. It was tough, but I knew I wasn’t right for the job. I kept a good relationship instead of making a few hundred dollars!
This is huge. Especially when you’re in the creative trades, you do tend to run into the folks who make unreasonable demands because they don’t understand the business and they don’t understand what you’re supposed to do for them…and you also run into altogether too many outright nut cases. I’ve learned to be careful about what jobs I’ll take on, and even then I occasionally err.