To some people, he idea of going freelance is glamorous. No more boss. No more working hours. Way more freedom! And yes, while all of those things are true, the freelance world isn’t always that easy. Nor is it glamorous.

If you want to go freelance because you think you can work less and get paid more, you may be wrong. Sure, a LOT of freelance writers can do this. But, they get there after a lot of hard work. It’s not impossible, of course, but it does take time.

And this is why you have to be ready to go freelance - especially to make the leap full-time. Let’s take a look at what life will be like.

You’re On Your Own

So first of all, you need to recognize that now, it’s just you. There’s no boss guiding you or to ask for help. There’s no sales team or customer service team or finance team supporting you - you are all of them. So alongside the writing aspect, you need to also keep track of what you’re earning, sell yourself, and communicate with your ‘customers’ the editors, too!

Pitching Can Be Ruthless

Now, the world of freelance writing is largely made up of pitching day in, day out. If you want work, you need to ask for it. And it can be ruthless.

Of all the pitches you send, say 100, maybe a handful will come through. But, the more you practice, the better you’ll get. So you need to get comfortable with firing out pitch after pitch and coming up with a ton of different ideas for different publications and media outlets all of the time.

It’s Non-Stop

Another thing to be aware of, is that it’s kind of non-stop. You pitch, you write. You pitch, you write. You pitch, you write. And you get paid. You also market yourself, maybe you even blog too. But it’s kind of like one big cycle that you get yourself into. But it can be fun!

Don’t panic! Eventually you’ll get a stable of reliable clients and won’t need to pitch as often. It takes time, though.

You Get Back What You Put In

And it’s not all bad! Because if you love writing, you’re talented, and you have something to say, you’ll want to give this your all. And the harder you work, the more it will pay off for you. That’s the beauty of being freelance, your earning potential can be endless!

Nothing Is Guaranteed

And finally, it’s important for you to know that you’re never really guaranteed to be paid! There’s no set monthly payday! You’ll be paid when you’re paid, and sometimes you have to chase money down.

Yes, you have options such as BCashflow Positive for this, but you should really factor this into your budget. It’s why it’s so importantly to have a safety net of cash ready before you take the leap so that your living expenses are covered.

So, ask yourself - are you ready to go freelance? If not, what do you need to do to get into the position where it’s possible?