Last Updated on by Michael Brockbank
Being a freelance writer is tough. In reality, it’s harder than holding down a traditional 9-to-5 job. However, those who love freelance writing seem to make it work. But it’s often not a glorious career.
In fact, a lot of people can get easily burned out.
A lot of people will focus on doing something they love. After all, you’re less productive at a job if you’re really not into it. And for a freelancer, this could be financially devastating.
However, is loving what you do enough?[adrotate banner=”8″]
Love Freelance Writing or Get Sick of It
Doing something you love has a bit of a double-sided blade to it. In one instance, you’ll be more productive and enjoy your job. On the other hand, turning a beloved hobby into a career can make you sick of it.
At one point, I put my heart and soul into my computer business. I loved helping people and fixing PCs. Nowadays, I dread the moment anyone asks me a question about Windows or how to get more power out of their machine.
You need to be careful when you’re doing something you love. It can quickly sour you of the experience to the point where you despise it.
Bill Collectors Don’t Care if You Love Freelance Writing
The saying, “Love what you do” is all over the Internet. And I can see how it makes an impact on your career. In fact, there are studies that show how happy and engaged workers are far more productive if they like what they do.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out for the best.
I’ve seen a lot of people throw away careers for the chance of doing something they love only to fail in epic ways. This is one of the biggest reasons why I tell everyone I help to “not quit your day job.”
Bill collectors do not care if you love your job or not. It’s not like you can call up Excel Energy and tell them you can’t pay the bill this month because the job you love doesn’t pay enough.
Unless it’s your plan to be homeless, you need to find a way to sustain yourself…even if it’s through something you hate.
Grow Into a Freelance Career
There’s nothing that says you have to stick with a job you don’t enjoy. However, there is a right way and a wrong way to quitting and becoming a freelancer. There is no guarantee you’ll become an instant sensation, so you need to be able to keep the creditors at bay.
Whether you love freelance writing or not, keep up with the mundane job until you find your niche.
I worked for more than a year before I was able to make enough as a writer to justify quitting the school district.
Once you get to a point where your freelancing career can pay the bills, then consider quitting that terrible job.
But don’t put all your eggs into one basket.
Keeping the Romance Alive
Once you get to a point where you love freelance writing, it takes a lot of effort to maintain the relationship. Without having a regular paycheck from the job you hate, you have to drive yourself to bring in the money.
And here is where a lot of people fall out of love and into despair.
Being a freelancer means you are accountable only to yourself to work. It means you have to put in a lot of work to meet the demands of your household. It means you need to find a way to keep the passion alive.
For myself, I use blogs and Wattpad to keep my interest even on the worst of days. And yes, there are times when I’m just not productive enough. But then I realize I need to be or I don’t have a place to live.
What I’m saying is that you need to find a way to keep the feelings alive if you love freelance writing.
Otherwise, you could be up a creek without a paddle while the falls are closing in.[template id=”2087″]
Freelance Writing Isn’t for Everyone
What happens when you decide to call it quits? Do you feel like you failed? Don’t.
Not everyone is cut out to be a full-time freelance writer. But, at least you tried. And that’s why you don’t fail.
As long as you learn something from the experience, there is no such thing as failure. It’s just another learning experience.
But that doesn’t mean your bill collectors will understand. You still need to push yourself to make as much as possible before things start getting shut off or repo trucks show up for the car.
The trick is to find something you like, are good at and can make money doing.
When I lived in Los Angeles, I met all kinds of people who were “starving actors.” These were people who were trying to make it big in Hollywood or trying to get a script published.
Most of these people worked menial jobs to keep the bills paid while trying to kick start their careers.
Kindling the Fires When You Love Freelance Writing
How do I keep the passion alive for writing? Well, I can say what works for me might be what keeps you in the game.
However, here is what I do when I feel like I am getting burned out:
- Gamify the Experience
Turn writing into some kind of game. Like I’ve said before, I enjoy breaking personal records whether it’s time, words or income. For me, it’s fun. - Blog More
When I get tired of writing for clients, I turn to my blogs. It’s a way to create while feeling accomplished as an author. Every post is one more with my name on it, and that fuels my fire. - Setting Reasonable Goals
I don’t look at the year as a whole when it comes to making money. I break down what I need into daily objectives and strive to reach them. Again, this is what I find entertaining. - Research Self Improvement
I love learning, and I’ll spend hours researching how to improve myself as an author. Any kind of self improvement is beneficial, so why not start with my passion? - Experiment with Possibilities
Writers have access to a myriad of places to flex their literary muscles and possibly make a few bucks from the experience. And when I start getting burned out, I’ll take a look at different methods to see if there is something better.
My point is don’t give up until you exhaust the possibilities. You never know what awaits you around the corner. You may just find yourself a client who pays you an incredible amount of money writing content you enjoy.
Is it a Job or a Career?
When you really love freelance writing, you’ll find ways to make it work. But if it’s just a job, you’ll have a hard time keeping yourself motivated and focused.
Just remember to keep one foot on the ground when reaching for the stars. Doing what you love doesn’t mean you’ll be successful at it.
You can’t pay the bills on feelings alone.[template id=”2089″]
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