It appears that some graduates who excelled in the research and essay writing field as undergraduate students think that becoming an earning freelancer is as easy as pie. I often read questions regarding how to start as a freelance writer without having to join a company. These are the potential freelance writers who have a misconception about how easy it is to start up your own academic writing business. In truth, it is difficult to start on your own because you still need money to invest in yourself as both the employee and employer of your company. You still must deal with the normal overhead that unestablished businesses need to come to terms with.
Sep 4, 2019 / Visits: 4,884
There will also be times when the business will be in the red, and you will have to go without paying yourself because of it.
I am not trying to scare anyone out of the freelance writing business. I am trying to open the interested parties' eyes and mind to the fact that being a freelance writer will not make you rich. It will only allow you to work on your own terms and earn depending on how much drive and determination you have to gain that dollar figure you have in mind. Still determined to strike out on your own without the safety net that working for a company provides? Then consider these factors when getting started:
What speed do you currently get from your internet service provider? A home account doesn't require too much speed since it is just used for regular browsing, some YouTube viewings, and social media. A freelance writer should have a subscribed speed service of at least 20 mbps to ensure smooth and fast downloading of graphic heavy websites and other information. If you are using a capped internet service, then this line of business is not for you. An academic freelancer needs an unlimited cap on their data because the work is data download intensive. If you have a simple home account, you are going to have to switch that up to a business account or, at least the highest possible speed offering and data cap of your provider. No data cap is preferred. The question is, can you afford to pay for the premium internet requirements that the freelance writing job entails?
If the current computer you are using has seen better days, or came from your college dorm, or worse, is a hand me down that still runs on Windows 7, it's time to get an upgrade. You need a computer that runs on Windows 10 and is subscribed to Office 360 due to the benefits that the new software and paid software use offers. Writing an academic paper has never been easier because of the prepared templates that Word comes with. It has a stellar editing tool and has proven to be a writer's best friend since it first launched. While there are other free word processing programs out there such as Office Libre, such programs do not come with the stellar editing package that Word does. This is one time when being a cheapskate isn't going to help the writer get started in the business.
The most difficult thing for a freelance writer to do is to get the word out that he has started in the business. Word of mouth through friends, family, and other associates will only help promote you so far. Getting an unpaid social media account means your profile or page will be suppressed and placed in the lowest ranking of the search engines until you start to pay for advertising through their services. This is where the capital on the investment comes in. As they say, it takes money to make money, being a freelance writer is no exception. Even blogging is not going to be an assurance of students finding your services if you don't pay for at least a professional hosting service that comes with site promotions and a masked work email account as part of the monthly fee.
This is one time the chair that your mother gave you when you went off to college and the writing desk that your dad used in the kitchen will not qualify as proper work furniture. The breakfast counter in your apartment isn't going to help you work any more comfortably either. You are going to need to buy a proper ergonomic workstation, find a decent and quiet place to work in your apartment, and then set yourself up to sit at that workstation for at least 5 hours a day, 8 at the most. Hey, nobody said that freelancers don't need an office space. It's just that the office space is in the most work conducive place in the house. No, setting up a desk in the kitchen doesn't qualify either, no matter what your mother said.
A freelancer who is unknown in the field can't expect to start earning immediately. It will take a few months before you see your first paid client. There will be several inquiries along the way though. Inquiries don't translate to money so there is a great chance that the freelance writer will not be able to pay for his work and personal expenses immediately. Living off the credit card(s) just means you incur debt. You still need to pay it back. That's why you need to have a nest egg of 6 -12 months to keep you afloat. Without it, you will be calling yourself a failure after the first month of running short on cash, having rent due, student loans to pay, and creditors knocking at the door. It's important to be financially prepared to give your career enough time to take off. That's just how the business goes.
Based on these considerations, a freelancer would have to be a fool to simply jump into work without being financially prepared. It is because of the financial requirements of the job that I always advise those interested in the business to work for a company first. Let someone pay you to do the job for as long as you can, even after you have launched your business and are doing financially well already. It never hurts to have an extra line of income in this field.
What Internet Package Are You Subscribed to?
What speed do you currently get from your internet service provider? A home account doesn't require too much speed since it is just used for regular browsing, some YouTube viewings, and social media. A freelance writer should have a subscribed speed service of at least 20 mbps to ensure smooth and fast downloading of graphic heavy websites and other information. If you are using a capped internet service, then this line of business is not for you. An academic freelancer needs an unlimited cap on their data because the work is data download intensive. If you have a simple home account, you are going to have to switch that up to a business account or, at least the highest possible speed offering and data cap of your provider. No data cap is preferred. The question is, can you afford to pay for the premium internet requirements that the freelance writing job entails?
Upgrading Your Computer
If the current computer you are using has seen better days, or came from your college dorm, or worse, is a hand me down that still runs on Windows 7, it's time to get an upgrade. You need a computer that runs on Windows 10 and is subscribed to Office 360 due to the benefits that the new software and paid software use offers. Writing an academic paper has never been easier because of the prepared templates that Word comes with. It has a stellar editing tool and has proven to be a writer's best friend since it first launched. While there are other free word processing programs out there such as Office Libre, such programs do not come with the stellar editing package that Word does. This is one time when being a cheapskate isn't going to help the writer get started in the business.
Research Service Promotions
The most difficult thing for a freelance writer to do is to get the word out that he has started in the business. Word of mouth through friends, family, and other associates will only help promote you so far. Getting an unpaid social media account means your profile or page will be suppressed and placed in the lowest ranking of the search engines until you start to pay for advertising through their services. This is where the capital on the investment comes in. As they say, it takes money to make money, being a freelance writer is no exception. Even blogging is not going to be an assurance of students finding your services if you don't pay for at least a professional hosting service that comes with site promotions and a masked work email account as part of the monthly fee.
Creating a Home Office
This is one time the chair that your mother gave you when you went off to college and the writing desk that your dad used in the kitchen will not qualify as proper work furniture. The breakfast counter in your apartment isn't going to help you work any more comfortably either. You are going to need to buy a proper ergonomic workstation, find a decent and quiet place to work in your apartment, and then set yourself up to sit at that workstation for at least 5 hours a day, 8 at the most. Hey, nobody said that freelancers don't need an office space. It's just that the office space is in the most work conducive place in the house. No, setting up a desk in the kitchen doesn't qualify either, no matter what your mother said.
Money Saved up for at Least One Year
A freelancer who is unknown in the field can't expect to start earning immediately. It will take a few months before you see your first paid client. There will be several inquiries along the way though. Inquiries don't translate to money so there is a great chance that the freelance writer will not be able to pay for his work and personal expenses immediately. Living off the credit card(s) just means you incur debt. You still need to pay it back. That's why you need to have a nest egg of 6 -12 months to keep you afloat. Without it, you will be calling yourself a failure after the first month of running short on cash, having rent due, student loans to pay, and creditors knocking at the door. It's important to be financially prepared to give your career enough time to take off. That's just how the business goes.
Based on these considerations, a freelancer would have to be a fool to simply jump into work without being financially prepared. It is because of the financial requirements of the job that I always advise those interested in the business to work for a company first. Let someone pay you to do the job for as long as you can, even after you have launched your business and are doing financially well already. It never hurts to have an extra line of income in this field.
Author Info
Printable
Freelance EditorPrintableCanada
More about Author
An active freelance writer and editor. For more information visit: freelanceessaywriters.com