Freelance writing full time???

I was talking to a couple of people yesterday. When I mentioned that I was a freelance writer, one asked me if I freelanced full time.

"Yes," I said, "I'm a full time freelancer, but I don't just freelance for a living."

Before I chucked the corporate world for my freelance writing career, I took a long, hard look at our finances. The wife has a nice, steady job and I'm on her medical plan, but we needed more than that to live on. So, I went to my boss at the time and explained what I wanted to do. Together we worked out a way that I could stay with him part time. I still have enough hours to work on freelance writing 8 hours a day so, technically it is a full time job, but I also have enough steady money coming in to survive on.

This is really important. If you are just starting out like me, you gotta realize that jobs won't just drop into your lap just because you announce that you are now a freelance writer. You gotta pay your dues and, it takes lots of time and tons of work to get a freelance career going.

I just started full time freelancing this year. So far, one magazine and one website have published (and paid me for) my articles. A third story is scheduled for next spring. The money, when it comes in, is nice...but, there is no way I could live on it without a plan.

Thank goodness I took the advice of other published authors/freelancers and got my ducks in a row before I made the leap to full time freelancing. Otherwise, I'd probably be out on the corner, bumming quarters, with a "out of work, God Bless!" sign around my neck.

That wouldn't be a pretty sight, believe me.

JB