Home > Blog > Blog > One Freelance Writer’s Surprising Strategy for a Revved-Up Career

One Freelance Writer’s Surprising Strategy for a Revved-Up Career

Carol Tice

By Pinar Tarhan

If you want to start a career as a freelance writer, you have two options:

You can quit your day job, dedicating yourself to writing full time. Or you can build your portfolio slowly, while keeping that office job.

Or so I thought. It didn’t occur to me there was a third option, until I failed to make either of those options work for me. Here’s how I found the perfect solution through trial and error:

Freelancing on the side

I had an office job when I decided I wanted to be a writer. So I first tried freelancing on the side.

Unfortunately, my job required me to work (and commute) six days a week. I was left with little time and energy to learn about freelance writing and marketing, much less time for actually sitting down to write.

It didn’t help matters that I didn’t like my job. So I quit.

Freelancing full-time

Feeling euphoric, I started writing full-time. But soon, I was lost in all the stuff I had to do and learn. When my initial queries failed me, I started applying to job ads and trying out content mills.

The highest-paying job I landed was $35 for a long travel article. I was starting to panic as my savings melted away.

Soon, I was producing a lot of articles for low pay. I wasn’t happy, and I wasn’t exactly making a living.

Freelancing with a twist

After months of hard work and no tangible results, it hit me. I didn’t have to choose between a full-time job (which left me with little time, energy and motivation) and full-time freelance writing (where I was under constant pressure to make money quickly).

I could take a flexible, part-time job I would enjoy to pay the bills.

So I started teaching English as a second language.

This part-time job brought me more than just a regular paycheck:

Benefits of my part-time job

  • Happiness: I make money doing something I love, so I no longer have to take unsatisfactory writing assignments to make ends meet.
  • Time: I only teach 14-18 hours a week. Not only do I have enough time for all my writing-related activities, I am also able to have a busy social life.
  • Peace of mind: A regular paycheck motivates me to research markets more thoroughly, craft professional queries and send them to my dream publications.
  • Inspiration: As I meet so many diverse people through my teaching, I’m not stuck for story ideas.
  • Exercise: I live in a big city, and the commute on my part-time job is far less than I had with my full-time job. That leaves me with time to hit the pool.
  • Broader network: Because I meet new people, the potential for new gigs increases. I also gain more readers for my blogs.
  • Better time management skills: I have a tighter schedule than when I freelanced full time, but a lot more time than I had with my office job. I manage my time better because time isn’t spent working at a job I hate, or worrying about the bills.

These benefits enabled me to finally put a red velvet rope around my work by rejecting content mills, low-paying jobs and unreliable clients. I can now refuse to take an assignment unless I am satisfied with the conditions.

I am happier, I make more money freelancing and I feel more confident pitching to the publications I’ve been following, such as Freelance Switch and this blog.

What’s the right balance for your writing career? Leave a comment and tell us whether you prefer full-time or part-time freelancing.

Pinar Tarhan loves writing — part time — about subjects including writing, dating and entertainment. She blogs about managing a freelance writing career while writing what you love at Addicted to Writing.

How to Make Money Writing: 113 Grow-Big Actions to Earn More

How to Make Money Writing: 113 Grow-Big Actions to Earn More

Long ago, I came up with a list of ways working freelancers can grow their writing income. If you’ve been wondering how to make money writing—serious money, that is—this list is for you. If you’re a newbie, you’ll find plenty of useful suggestions here, too.

Fire Up Your First Draft: 10 Time-Saving Ways to Boost Writing Speed

Fire Up Your First Draft: 10 Time-Saving Ways to Boost Writing Speed

The Blazing-Fast Way to Boost Writing Speed. Makealivingwriting.com

Are you struggling to boost your writing speed?

You’re not alone. Cranking out a first draft is agony for many freelance writers. It can kill your productivity and suck the joy out of your work. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

I used to hate first drafts, too. I could sweat for hours over one paragraph. Hours! My writing speed was so terrible, I even quit freelance writing for a while. Don’t do that, OK?

When I came back to freelance writing after a long break, I had a new attitude-and a new skill set. I learned how to triple my writing speed. I’m happier, I’m a better writer, and I make more money in less time.

No matter how slow, scared, and perfectionistic you are, you can light up your first-draft writing speed.

It’s not a mysterious, magical gift. It’s a skill, just like knowing where to put the commas or how to pitch an editor. And the better you get at it, the more you can earn.

Ready to fire up your first-draft writing speed? Check out these ten tips to write faster.