The Dark Side Of Writing
Running a freelance writing business is a great way to make a living. On the other side it also has its drawbacks. I like to talk about them in this article as I see it. You might already know about the benefits of working from home. Not only can you establish your own working hours, but you can also claim certain tax benefits which should not to be laughed at.
In times of economic downturn and job losses across many industries it is a good business to be in, since people will always need other people to write for them. Even more fun is the fact that anybody can do this, as long as your English is up to par. You don’t need an University degree or other accreditation to get started.
In the online world of writing, everything goes, as long as you have something to show. That is one of the reasons why so many new freelancers start out for pennies. It is their way to prove themselves worthy of the writing challenges, all the while raising their income until it is to their satisfaction.
However, even if you are a successful freelance writer, certain things make the business very tiring at times.
Lack of time off
Most freelance writers start out as a small business. In fact, it is often a one man or one woman show. As your business grows, you get busier and busier and soon enough you struggle with your freedom. The very freedom that was the main reason you became a freelance writer in the first place.
Soon you realize that the promised land is further away than ever and despite running a successful business, you struggle to relax for lack of time. This can also lead to lack of motivation.
Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. - Yoda
No room for growth
This very struggle also poses another problem. You can’t grow your business. Once you hit the ceiling, that’s it, you can’t go any further.
You only have so many hours in which to write. So what to do? Many writers struggle with this situation, me included. I’ll get to this tomorrow in my next article. In there I will write what solutions I have come to and how I’m going to implement them. If you want residual income, this part two is a must read.
Long hours
Soon enough you work all hours under the sun, totally neglecting the most important person in your business – you. You sacrifice yourself for the sake of getting more customers, more work and more money.
But at some stage you start to wonder whether this is really enough. Was this the reason you started your own freelance writing business, or were you simply not prepared for all of this.
Lack of residual income
By far the biggest challenge of any freelance writing business owner is the lack of residual income.
Unless you start to outsource some of your business and prepare yourself for automation, you will have to keep working hard to fulfill your monthly income target – even when you are sick, or on holidays.
Quite frankly, I don’t intend to do this myself and I tell you why tomorrow.
You might ask, is it possible to automate a freelance writing business?
Named must your fear be before banish it you can. - Yoda
My answer to this right now is: Yes, I think so, but I don’t know exactly how. Yes, you could run a membership site, a tutoring class, workshops, private mentoring and so much more. But without proper research it would be like fishing in the dark.
Naturally there is always the avenue of outsourcing. Through outsourcing you can offload a whole lot of work, but this isn’t as easy as we have already discovered last week.
Outsourcing challenges offer us a whole bunch of rhetoric questions. Questions we have to think through in detail before we throw away our money and reputation. A properly planned outsourcing strategy can make a huge difference, the secret is in the how.
Networking challenges
Another dark side of writing is networking, if you are an introvert person. It isn’t easy to stay chummy with all kinds of people for the sake of making new friends and branding oneself. For people who are naturally outgoing, this isn’t an issue at all.
But for the more introvert type networking is like stepping into the gates of hell and back. Plus, for some, there are also the question of whether this type of networking fosters natural relationships or forced ones.
The magic word
I’m not even sure there is a magic word, but one thing is certain. Unless you find ways to make your freelancing life easier and less stressful – to keep growing your income – you will meet your limit at some stage in your business.
You will know when that happens too – the going gets tough and you struggle to meet deadlines. When this happens, it is high time you do either of the following:
- Find a Virtual Assistant
- Get a holiday
- Scale your business
- Find automation
- Simplify the procedure
- Build residual income
- Or best of all, do the lot.
In a realistic world, this is perhaps the hardest thing to do. A combination of all these things rarely works for all of us. Finding ways in which to streamline your business in the long term is very important though, if you want to stay sane in the long run.
I’m working on these practices right now. What I have in mind is not a quick fix approach to reducing the pressures in my own business, but over the long term it will work wonders if it works out.
Right now, I’m working very hard and I do feel the pressures of this. But, I do it with a target in end. I have a vision and it is this vision that carries me through.
If you are a budding freelance writer or perhaps aspire to be one, have you ever thought about these aspects of your business before? Do you just wing it, or are there any plans in your mind that lead you through the tougher times.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.
Thanks
Monika
If you like to keep peeking into the inner machineries of a successful freelance writing business and don’t want to miss part two of this riveting topic, don’t forget to feed yourself.
About the Author: I'm a passionate freelance writer and problogger. To further build my business I'm also in the process of building my own niche empire which pays me residual income.
Cath Lawson | Aug 25, 2008 | Reply
Hi Monika – I’m glad you brought this up. I’ve worked on my own and with employees. And both left me strapped for time, so your suggestions are brilliant.
And if people can put them in place sooner, rather than later, they’ll save themselves a lot of stress.
You mentioned that a lot of introverts struggle with marketing. And they’d probably have a much less stressful life if they actually outsourced that too, so long as the outsourcing cost less than they were earning for the same number of hours work
Another thing I would add that caused me a lot of stress in the past was technology. I had so many problems with it and I would have saved myself a lot of time and stress if I’d updated rubbish computers, backed up everything daily etc.
One year, on Good Friday, just before I was about to finish work, I lost a whole weeks data and wound up spending the whole night putting it back onto the computer again. That was really stressful and it could have been avoided if I’d backed up.
TDMV | Aug 25, 2008 | Reply
Excellent post, Monika. After reading it -and nodding my head a lot- I couldn’t help seeing the “silver lining” thats there.
There is a bonus after reaching the ceiling; you can choose. As an upstart writer, you can’t be too picky who you’re clients are, where they come from, or what they want from you. But, once you’re an established writer, in high demand, you can go take a long look at your business, and ask yourself a few questions. Looking back at one’s original motivations, dreams and ambitions, could give you some idea where to ‘cut’ the business. It’s like finetuning the work you’ve done, and time to think again about where you’re heading. That’s sheer luxury, and you should enjoy it.
It’s tempting, once you gain some succes, to expand, becoming ‘bigger’. Nothing wrong with growth, as long one stays focused on the most important thing: personal motivation.
best wishes from the Netherlands
Theo
Brad Shorr | Aug 25, 2008 | Reply
Monika, I’ve been writing for a long time, but only recently as a freelancer, so your post is quite helpful. I’m especially looking forward to your next post, which sounds like it will get into a problem that worries me most – budgeting writing time. (Found your fabulous blog via Cath Lawson.)
Virtual Impax | Aug 25, 2008 | Reply
Monika,
Brilliant, as always!!! I wish I’d thought of these things 10 years ago when I was “beginning” my business. Unfortunately, ignoring hese issues doesn’t make them go away! However, as you get busier, it gets harder to “insert” someone else into the process.
I just wrote an email to a gentleman who obviously isn’t good at the whole “writing” aspect of his business. As a consultant, he’d better either get to love writing or find a writer he loves. (Of course, I told him of a blog where he could find a GREAT writer!)
Cath is brilliant, as well (and as always). Any task that is a time suck that you hate should be outsourced! Also, another brilliant point – Redundant backups are a freelancers best friend! If you’re working with a computer, be sure to back up your data on a regular basis!
Tom Volkar | Aug 25, 2008 | Reply
Hi Monika,
One doesn’t have to be a professional writer to be experience the limitations and the challenges of self-employment. This is a good read for all solo-entrepreneurs and I’m looking forward to reading your suggested solutions. You’ve certainly nailed the problem; trading-time-for-money severely limits most professionals including my profession life and career coaching. Looking forward to evaluating my partial solutions with in light of yours soon.
Monika | Aug 26, 2008 | Reply
@ Cath: Brilliant tips of yours! Thank you for adding such great value to my post. I also lack updating enough. I’m well overdue to update my HD and will do that first thing in the morning. It is midnight now and I need some sleep. LOL.
I also like your tip on outsourcing of marketing work for introverts. It is a great idea actually and your suggestions makes 100% sense.
That Good Friday experience of yours doesn’t sound like it was fun, bugger if that happens. I also lost my old laptop, it just gave up, but luckily I had all the backup there. One can never be too careful. Thanks for the reminder.
Monika | Aug 26, 2008 | Reply
@ TDMV: Hi Theo. How nice to see another new face here. people from the Netherlands are always welcome on my blog too.
While I don’t speak your language, (too many ch’s) I have fond memories of some people from your country I met years ago.
I love your suggestions. They are very valuable and make perfect sense too. I think you also mentioned the most important aspect of running a business: Personal motivation.
It is certainly a luxury to have choices, but can quickly become a curse if the mind is fogged up and can’t see the trees for the forest.
What you suggested is actually part of what I have done over the last few weeks. Analyzing the why’s and hows at any stage in a business can be the best thing we do.
I will certainly keep your suggestions close to me when I further brainstorm the future of my business. Thank you.
Monika | Aug 26, 2008 | Reply
@ Brad: Hello and welcome to you too. Two is a crowd and three is a party. Including yourself this post alone has already three new reader comments which is fabulous. (Thanks Cath)
I will do my best to answer your concerns on budgeting time for writing tomorrow.
BTW, you got a cool blog too. Now I have to come and check out your place as well.
Monika | Aug 26, 2008 | Reply
@ VI: Hi Kathy, wow, thanks for the recommendation. You know I always love them as we all do.
I also made the same mistake though. I waited too long before I looked into outsourcing. And it does get harder for sure. But ignoring isn’t a good thing as in the end we only kid ourselves. Great comment.
Cath is brilliant. She really powers on since she’s read that book by Liz. I notice the style of her posts have changed to include even more communications and it is awesome to see the community grow like that.
I will take you latest tip to heart as I already said to Cath. High time for backup for me too.
Monika | Aug 26, 2008 | Reply
@ Tom: Thank you and welcome to you too.
Once again my apologies for having you toil on the “gates” for too long.
Looks like the pressures are on for tomorrows post, LOL. IO better get my finger out and come up with something useful for all of you.
Now it’s sleep time. Later all.
Peter | Aug 26, 2008 | Reply
Spot on as always. I suspect that part of the problem with a writer’s time comes into play with the “more customers = more money” syndrome. Better customers also yield more money. The tack I’m coming at the industry with is that I can rotate through lower-paying customers–while maintaining the relationship–by handing them off to writers who I train up. Bigger bite to chew? Definitely. Have I actually started this process? Not really.
Will it work?
I’m pretty certain. Like you said, the demand for writing never goes away. A lot of people are willing to settle for more mediocre writing on some projects (you don’t necessarily need a Hemingway to write all of your ad copy, for example). That isn’t to say that mediocre writing ought to be fostered in the place of good writing (mostly, I judge writing quality by the style, which is, as we have said before, the hardest thing to maintain with outsourced work); what I am saying, however, is that not all writers and writing projects are created equal. I think that by jumping into the business with that sort of mentality allows you to give a friendly handoff of a customer to a less-experienced or -skilled writer–assuming that you are willing to do what you need to coach that writer. I guess my business will be the ultimate test. Hopefully we’ll have our site running soon!
Thanks for all of the good tips, though, Monika. I love reading what you have to say.
Lillie Ammann | Aug 26, 2008 | Reply
Monika,
You’ve done a great job of pointing out the negatives. I’m an optimist and like to look on the bright side of things, but it’s also important to be a realist and face the challenges. I look forward to your next post.
One thing that worries me about my freelance business is what would happen if something happened to me. I had a stroke when I owned a much larger business. Though the business suffered while I was gone, my employees managed to keep the business alive. But if something happened to me now, I have no backup … and that bothers me.
Vered | Aug 26, 2008 | Reply
I have a blogger friend who’s been working crazy hours lately. I’m a little worried about him. He sounds stressed. He said that having too much work is a good type of problem, but working 16 hours a day can’t be healthy.
Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome | Aug 26, 2008 | Reply
My current income is a mix of things – some part-time teaching, some freelance writing, and soon to come some workshop sales. For me, I think diversity is the key to keeping my enthusiasm going and to ensuring that I have time for myself.
Plus I almost always keep my weekends free. Nothing is so important that it can’t wait for Monday morning. Of course that being said, sometimes life is easier when I put in a bit of time on the weekend, but that is very very rare.
Kelly@SHE-POWER | Aug 26, 2008 | Reply
Monika
I think too often freelance work is sold as ALL GOOD and the downsides are not mentioned. People have images that somehow involve all the perks of their regular job (constant stream of money, work hours, colleagues) and assume they’ll keep these and get the freedom of self employment as well. The “I’ll work in my pyjamas” thinking where life is one big relaxed party. The reality though is quite different.
I am in a unique position in that I freelance only as much as I want to because I’m the full-time mum and the second earner. This means I don’t stress about cashflow or take jobs I don’t want “just to pay the bills”. I work with businesses I can enjoy helping and who will pay me within a month.
For me the biggest downside of freelance writing is I get lonely. I’m a people person and the isolation of writing is what I struggle with. The reality is some days I talk to a 4 year old, others I talk to myself and communicate with a computer. This has led to a kind of slow breeding depression and I know something has to change, I’m just not sure what. I used to teach ESL and I liked that, but the pay is shit compared to my copywriting rates.
So, people should definitely think about all aspects of freelancing before they go dump the day job. It is a good life, but as with anything there are downsides.
Kelly
Monika | Aug 27, 2008 | Reply
@ Peter: Like you I have come to the same conclusion about outsourcing. You can read it in my follow up post, it has gone live 10 minutes ago.
I agree with you that by transitioning in bite size bits it will make the process do-able. I get what you mean about about the equality or lack of it with all the projects we get in our business. There can never be a comparison since many of them are based on different needs of the client.
Your idea to train writers up to the desired level sounds reasonable too. I can see this working as long as the time investment is not taking away from your own business.
I’m happy you enjoy my posts, I love getting feedback as this validates what I do is right for my readers. Can’t wait for your site to be live, you really got me pinning for it.
Monika | Aug 27, 2008 | Reply
@ Lillie: Thank you Lillie, like you I’m also an optimist. But like you said, we need to be honest with what’s happening as shutting our eyes to the challenges don’t make them go away.
Your worry is very validated and you will see that I touched on this especially in my post (it’s live BTW). I’m interested to see what you have to say to it.
I think you are seeing the right picture. Maybe some of my suggestions will help you to implement some backup procedures.
Monika | Aug 27, 2008 | Reply
@ Vered: You are so right. I also work 16 hour days and I can tell you it isn’t healthy at all. The body does start to wear down, especially at my age.
I do understand where your friend comes from. He probably feels that by being so busy he doesn’t have to fear failure. Of course I’m assuming he is running a business. He might be working at a job that hard and then blog for fun at night.
But it isn’t a long term solution for sure. I don’t intend to work my butt off forever. In fact I do it with a goal in mind.
Having said this, I understand that I need the balance now before I get sick. To do this I do take weekends off (or close to, bar a few tasks) and I also try to fit in some me time during the day. One hour here and there does wonders.
Monika | Aug 27, 2008 | Reply
@ Alex: I’m with you on that Alex (see my update to this post). Diversity is a must for all of us. I also keep weekends free, at least I try. I have worked on occasion, when clients wanted deadlines moved forward.
But usually I take at least one day off each week. Like you said, we need the time for us to think and refresh.
Monika | Aug 27, 2008 | Reply
@ Kelly: Great point. I understand you and feel for your loneliness. I too get lonely at times and instead of talking to a 4 year old I talk to my birds. I swear my neighbors probably think I’m cuckoo.
You obviously have a hard decision to make to change your existing situation. have you ever thought of teaching copywriting instead? Good money in that.
You could offer local workshops, offline. That would get you in touch with people again. And keep you paid as you deserve.
Kelly | Aug 27, 2008 | Reply
Monika, why don’t you make freelancer writing team? I believe many new writer will be happy to work with you. By having writer team, you’ll be able to devide your working load. Meanwhile, you can focus on developing the business.
Monika | Aug 27, 2008 | Reply
@ Kelly: I think eventually I will end up doing just that. Right now, I want to focus my energies on building my niches but at the same time I don’t want my business to fall back, so if the need arises I will exactly do as you have suggested.
I intend to give upcoming writers a chance to build their business when I grow mine. A win-win for both parties.
Dan | Jun 22, 2009 | Reply
I guess my method is time tested, but I am working on an idea for a nonfiction, political theory book. In between, I work on short articles for local business outlets and magazines. Actually, I use work on the book as a “filler” to take me away from the freelance work every now and then. I have heard that most successful novelists do the same thing…..work on several projects at one time. Not only does it keep my mind fresh, but it seems to ratchet up my time management a bit. I also used my political science degree to carve out a niche market. Most local political candidates in my area have little or no public speaking experience, and don’t like to write speeches. I have carved out a small but growing niche market writing speeches and political ads for local candidates.