As self employed entrepreneurs, freelance journalists can have flexible work schedules and creative freedom. Being free from a boss comes with negatives most people can not deal with though. While recent outsourcing and downsizing at news agencies has made freelancers in greater demand, downward pressures are being applied by the resulting increase in the number of writers in the pool, lacking business sophistication. The opportunity still exists for competent professionals in every endeavor, provided they can manage the business and give the customers value.
Setting one's own hours, choosing which projects to take on, and taking time off when wanted sounds good to everyone. Most people though, lack the discipline needed to get work done without working under deadlines, being supervised, and threatened with loosing their livelihood if they do not preform.
People in the writer's life will not recognize working at home alone as a real job. Friends and family will not allow him to complete his work free of distraction unless he puts his foot down. This can be stressful and harmful to relationships but not having firm work schedules will cause failure.
Before starting one needs to count the number of hours and days in a year that will be available for work. Care must be exercised to account for all time off for holidays, vacation, and non-work projects.
Next the required annual income needs to be established. Be sure to anticipate all living and business expenses for the year. Remember that when working for yourself, your business will need to furnish your health care, retirement, and other benefits that an employer normally does.
Divide the hours into the income needed. This tells you the average rate needed per hour of work. Working consistently on projects for less than this rate inevitably results in an inability to pay the bills and have the desired standard of living. This increases stress levels considerably. Writing and running the business will be stressful enough in themselves.
Hours will need to be allowed for marketing and administration since not having enough work coming in to fill all the allotted hours will have the same negative effect. More hours must be allowed for billing and accounting or you will not get paid for completed work and will not know how the business is doing until it is too late to make adjustments.
Freelance journalists must be business professionals and work at least as hard as they would for an employer. If they have writing skills but cannot market, sell, or manage their business, they will be better off finding the best job they can. Read more about: freelance journalists
Setting one's own hours, choosing which projects to take on, and taking time off when wanted sounds good to everyone. Most people though, lack the discipline needed to get work done without working under deadlines, being supervised, and threatened with loosing their livelihood if they do not preform.
People in the writer's life will not recognize working at home alone as a real job. Friends and family will not allow him to complete his work free of distraction unless he puts his foot down. This can be stressful and harmful to relationships but not having firm work schedules will cause failure.
Before starting one needs to count the number of hours and days in a year that will be available for work. Care must be exercised to account for all time off for holidays, vacation, and non-work projects.
Next the required annual income needs to be established. Be sure to anticipate all living and business expenses for the year. Remember that when working for yourself, your business will need to furnish your health care, retirement, and other benefits that an employer normally does.
Divide the hours into the income needed. This tells you the average rate needed per hour of work. Working consistently on projects for less than this rate inevitably results in an inability to pay the bills and have the desired standard of living. This increases stress levels considerably. Writing and running the business will be stressful enough in themselves.
Hours will need to be allowed for marketing and administration since not having enough work coming in to fill all the allotted hours will have the same negative effect. More hours must be allowed for billing and accounting or you will not get paid for completed work and will not know how the business is doing until it is too late to make adjustments.
Freelance journalists must be business professionals and work at least as hard as they would for an employer. If they have writing skills but cannot market, sell, or manage their business, they will be better off finding the best job they can. Read more about: freelance journalists