Freelance Writing For a Living: The Skills You Must Have to Survive

Today's writing tip discusses freelancing for a living. If you are thinking about becoming a freelance writer and wondering what skills you need to survive within the freelancing world, today's writing tip from I'm an English Major--Now What? can help.

Whether you are writing, editing, or both, being a freelancer is a challenging
enterprise. Freelancing requires constant hustle, networking, time
management, and project management.

Here are the most important skills for freelance writing:

Idea Generation. Reporters and writers for magazines and newspapers are under the gun to come up with ideas for hundreds of stories a year: They benefit from being big idea people. How do you get ideas? Read. Read newspapers, read magazines, read material online. Other people’s ideas will inspire and motivate you, and every now and then, give you an idea to steal outright.
Record-Keeping. Depending on how much money you spend on tools and equipment in your freelance enterprise, and how much of your home you dedicate exclusively to the operation of your freelance business, it may be to your advantage to declare these expenses on your tax forms. Keeping assiduous records of expenses, invoices, and payments can only work to your benefit.
Hustle. Freelancing does not favor people who rest on their laurels or the seat of their pants. When you’re full time, people stop by your desk and dump work into your inbox. When you’re freelance, you need to scare up the work yourself, and you have only yourself to depend on.

Buy this book & get more information on everything from going back to grad school to possible careers for English majors to writing for magazines or corporations.

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Courtney CarpenterAuthor