- Being self-employed will present you with many challenges and some distinct advantages.
- Here, author Jamie Friedlander details 9 things she wishes she'd known before she started being self-employed as a writer.
In January, I received an unsettling phone call late at night. The magazine I worked as the features editor for was shutting down. The entire staff was laid off. My immediate emotions were shock and sadness. But I also knew this could happen when working in such a volatile industry.
At 28, I was still at the beginning of my career. I envisioned becoming a full-time freelance writer one day, but I always thought I'd wait until I had more years behind me. But jobs were sparse, and freelancing would allow me to take control of my future. I decided to do it.
Now 12 months in, I can say it was the best professional decision I've ever made. I'm making significantly more money than I did when I was traditionally employed, not to mention I have more free time, the flexibility to travel whenever I want, and the comfort of knowing I'm in charge of my own future.
In the past year, I've learned a handful of things I wish I'd known before I became self-employed as a freelancer.
SEE ALSO: 10 life lessons of adulthood that my 20-year-old self would never have understood
1. Ride the motivation tide.
When I first started my business, I was often given the advice that I should try to stick to a 9-to-5 schedule as closely as possible. After many sleepy Monday mornings and unproductive Friday afternoons, I learned that what's more important is working when I'm motivated. I can get more done in a 6-hour motivational stretch than I ever could in a 12-hour day when I'm just not feeling it.
2. Don't be afraid to ask where your money is.
It can feel awkward to follow up on an invoice that's overdue. This is especially true if you're new to the game. Will they not want to work with me again because they find my following up annoying? Am I being too persistent? I've learned you should never feel uncomfortable asking for money you're due. After all, you'd question a paycheck that didn't arrive on time at work, right?
3. Don't pigeonhole yourself.
My identity as a writer is and always has been formed around health. Most of my writing is medical in nature, and health journalism is what I'm most passionate about. Every time I took an assignment that didn't fit under this umbrella, I would feel anxious — as though I was abandoning my niche.
But I've learned it's important to have a breath of fresh air every now and then. After days on end full of health writing, it's often nice to have a break to write about hyperlocal news or personal finance. In fact, I've carved a second niche for myself in personal finance all because I was willing to explore new topics.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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