Freelance writing is a line of work cloaked in mystery. With the rise of the Internet, false rumors about how freelance writing really works have spread.
So today, I’m here to bust the toxic myths that might hold you back from pursuing a career as a freelance writer.
Here are the ten biggest freelance-writing myths:
1. You’ve got to have ‘connections.’
I knew absolutely no one when I started, and found my first editors by entering contests. Since then, I’ve coached literally hundreds of writers who’ve gotten clients through cold reach-outs. Once you learn how to pitch effectively, you can start from zero and find clients.
2. You need a degree in journalism, English, or communications.
Speaking as an N.D. — that’s No Degree, people — I am living proof it’s a lie. My take: You go to J-school for the relationship-building, but when it comes to writing I’ve yet to meet an editor who cared whether I learned my craft at an elite school or under a freeway overpass. Either you’ve got it on the page, or you don’t.
3. If you screw up one freelance writing gig, your career is over.
Good news — there is no Universal Editor Network that alerts the world to your failures. In fact, I wrote for years for the online site of one major magazine where the print editor had banned me from writing for their print edition! Often, even at one company, the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing. Much less that word would spread throughout the entire freelance world.
I can tell you, I’ve had writing gigs I failed at — and not just at the beginning of my career, either. And it’s had no impact on my ability to get new clients.
4. You have to put in years as a staff writer first.
I know quite a few writers who never took a staff job and are doing just fine, thanks. That includes my longtime co-teacher and The Renegade Writer co-author Linda Formichelli. Some folks are good self-starters.
5. You’ve got to start at the bottom and slowly work your way up.
Not necessarily. The first business I wrote for was a small, local software startup — and the second was a global, $1 billion consulting firm.
If you have knowledge of any lucrative industry from your past work history, it’s often possible to get great clients off the bat. Now and then, new writers get assignments from top magazines with a great query letter, too.
6. You need to be in a major American city to earn well.
Not hardly — I have great-earning writers in my mentoring programs who live in small-town America and in cities all over the world. This is a global business, and thanks to Skype, Zoom, and other online videoconferencing tools, you can easily connect with clients anywhere.
Not a native English speaker? The good news is, there are publications that need articles and businesses that need marketing help in every country.
7. It’s easy to quickly become a six-figure freelance writer.
Ever heard that saying about ‘If it sounds too good to be true…’? Yeah. If it were a snap to be a well-paid freelance writer, the cubicles of corporate America would all be empty. So watch out for charlatans who make unrealistic promises online about easy, instant success.
That said, if you write well and are willing to market your services, you can build a business and learn how to earn a real living from your writing. It takes some time and effort, but it’s definitely doable.
Funnily enough, the next myth is the opposite of this one…
8. No one really earns a living as a freelance writer.
This is possibly the most persistent, irrational myth out there about freelancing. But if you hang around content-mill chat boards, or ask your job-holding friends about it, you’ll probably get a skewed idea of how viable freelance writing is as a career.
The fact is, 57 million people freelance in America today, contributing $1.4 trillion to the U.S. economy. And freelancing is growing fast. The Freelancers Union forecasts that freelancers will make up half the U.S. workforce by 2027.
That wouldn’t be happening if all freelancers were starving, or it was only a viable side gig.
9. If you write for companies, then you can’t write for publications.
I used to think this too, until I asked a writer-friend who I worked with on a Seattle Times special section where else she wrote. Answer: Ford Motor Co.!
The only thing you can’t do is write for publications about your company clients, while not revealing that company paid you. That’s a no-no.
10. When you freelance from home, you have a lot of free time.
Ha! Not right away, especially if you’re trying to earn serious money. When you start any business, you tend to put in a lot of hours as you find those first clients. It usually takes a little time to build your portfolio to where you can up your rates and cut back your hours.
On the plus side, you do make your own schedule. So you can get to your kid’s soccer game, or take a weekday trip if you like. When you do the work is now under your control.
The reality
To sum up, freelance writing is a real business for motivated writers who want to chart their own destiny. It’s not a super-easy, fast-money scheme.
If you want in and are willing to learn how to run a successful, home-based business, you can literally write your way there. That’s exactly what I did.
I’ve earned far more freelancing than I ever did in a day job, enjoyed total freedom over my time, and have no regrets. Not having a boss is awesome!
Think freelance writing is for you? Then ignore the nay-sayers, don’t fall for freelance myths, and go for it.
