5 Harsh Realities of Freelancing

This is the article I wish I could have read before launching into full-time freelancing. No one wrote it for me, or I didn’t find it. So, I’m writing it for others who are considering a launch into freelancing.

“No one ever told me that!”

Have you ever experienced the frustration of struggling, or even failing, only to discover that someone had the recipe for your success all along, but didn’t share it?

I remember that scenario replaying itself over and over again in the corporate world. It is as if everyone around you wanted you to fail, so they withheld vital information that could have made a difference.

Sometimes that was something so simple as the location of free materials or the user codes to the company copy machine. Even little things can matter a great deal.

Lessons Learned

For example, I remember an episode in my first job out of high school, working at a car dealership. I was given the task of prepping a new car for a customer. I had previously been given instruction on how to do the various tasks required.

But halfway through my assigned project, another workmate asked me to assist with another task right away. Being new (and 17 years old) and assuming everyone had authority over me, I stopped my assigned project and began helping on another job.

Even little things can matter a great deal.

An hour later, my boss came stomping up behind me and demanded to know what the hell I was doing piddling around on a job that could wait, when customers were waiting impatiently in the showroom on their new car!

Large lessons about priorities and authority were learned that day. I rushed to complete the original project and never forgot to find out how successive jobs ranked in order of priority when taking them on. And, I always made sure who had the authority to give me orders.

So, here are five harsh realities of freelancing that I have discovered personally since becoming a full-time freelance writer. It doesn’t matter if you write, or design, or code, or whatever your skill; these harsh realities must be faced and dealt with if you are to succeed in your freelance career.

Work = Livelihood

Freelancing means it all depends on you. Writer Kitty Hannah Eden said, “When you don’t have the luxury of a guaranteed salary, you live in an effort-based economy.” That means no more loitering and watching the clock when you don’t feel like being productive.

It means you no longer have the luxury of sick days, vacation, or a guaranteed income every month. As Kitty went on to say, “Time is the only tangible currency there is.” You trade your time and skills for income. How much and how often depends totally upon you.

Freelancing is an effort-based economy.

You cannot play on social media, entertain doubts about your skills and abilities, hesitate, or take large chunks of time to drift. Freelancing is truly an “effort-based economy.” It all depends on your efforts. No luck is involved.

Writer Shaunta Grimes puts it succinctly when she admonishes writers to, “Uncross your fingers so that you can put them on your keyboard and write.”

Clients ≠ Forever

Nothing lasts forever, even the best client relationships. Even the best and most talented people, for various reasons, lose clients. Sometimes it’s the larger picture that filters down to you, like a turn in the economy where people aren’t spending money. Sometimes it’s smaller, more personal things, like major clients being bought out or going under.

I recently lost a valuable client because of a state supreme court ruling that redefined how freelancers are defined for businesses within that state. This ruling just made things more confusing for employers and freelancers alike, and some companies felt they had to cut freelancers loose. I was caught up in that silly mess and it cost me literally hundreds of dollars a month.

Nothing lasts forever.

Ideally, you need to be preparing for when clients stop sending work, whether they formally end the relationship or simply drift away. Always have irons in the fire — make sure you keep a high profile in forums and social media where your clients are likely to see you, and keep a regular check on freelancing websites.

Underselling = Bankruptcy

One of the greatest blunders new freelancers make is to undersell their skills and talent. People do this because they’re unsure of their worth, or because they hesitate to ask for a reasonable amount. Believe me, if you don’t think you will get paid what you’re worth, clients will be very happy to take advantage of your lack of confidence.

Calculate what you need to earn to survive each month, how many hours you will work, and divide the money by the hours. The result is how much you need to earn per hour to get by; but you don’t want to just “get by.” You need to be adding to your profit margin at every opportunity. As you gain experience, and expertise in a certain field, you should charge more.

Also, larger, enterprise clients can afford to pay more. But they won’t unless you ask. I remember starting out in freelance writing, doing anything and everything just to get a writing job, and taking virtually any offer. I gained valuable experience, and the most important lesson was to ask more for my services.

Clients will be very happy to take advantage of your lack of confidence.

A client that provides articles for law firms contracted me to write several articles per month for different lawyers. What they offered was below my standard rate. Plus, I knew that law firms can afford to pay top dollar for services. So, I doubled my asking rate and sent it back along with some samples of previous law articles I had written for other clients.

After seeing the samples, the law firms said yes, and I now earn a lucrative rate per article from this client, all because I chose to ask for a better rate from a client who could clearly afford it.

Quality = Everything

Did you catch the key that unlocked a higher asking rate in the section above? It was the writing samples I chose to send to the prospective client. Once they saw the quality of writing that was available, they did not hesitate to pay a higher rate for it. Quality work is what will ultimately cause you to succeed, no matter what your freelancing niche.

I remember when I began freelance writing, my skills were rudimentary at best. I had the benefit of some writer’s conferences and great editors that greatly advanced my learning curve. But the best teacher I’ve had is experience. Years of writing have helped me become a better writer. My skills improve because I’m always reading about writing, but also because I’m always writing.

Quality work is what will ultimately cause you to succeed, no matter what your freelancing niche.

Now, my writing and editing rates are far higher than when I started. I routinely get offers through freelancing sites, and many of them I turn down because they offer a low rate that I cannot accept. However, good clients have often responded affirmatively to my counter offers, and I still got the contracts.

Quality should be the watchword of your work, but it should also characterize your client interactions. You should be prompt in all your communications, speak or write professionally, treat your freelancing work as a business (because it is!), always deliver work on time or ahead of time, and treat everyone with courtesy.

Burnout = Real Danger

In this freelance, effort-based economy, burnout is a real danger. Churning out fresh ideas and content every day can drain you mentally and physically. You can find yourself out of energy, out of ideas, out of time, and out of money, all too soon.

Burnout is a real state of mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion caused by stress. And freelancing can be extremely stressful.

If you think you’re in danger of burning out, recognize the danger signs and find ways to manage the stress that’s causing your problems. To back away from burnout, you need to take control.

If you’re working too much, carve out some downtime. Learn some relaxation techniques and take breaks to recharge. Do things that take your mind completely away from your work.

In this freelance effort-based economy, burnout is a real danger.

The solitary nature of freelancing leaves the door wide open for burnout. Get out and enjoy interacting with friends and family, or even other freelancers in your community. Don’t face burnout alone.

Talk with someone or get the help you need. Everyone needs help sometimes. Do whatever it takes to conquer burnout and return to the joy and productivity that first attracted you to freelancing.

Conclusion

When I considered freelancing as a career possibility, everything I read touted the positives to be enjoyed. And there are many positives. But nothing warned me about the possible pitfalls of freelancing.

More and more, I see articles where freelancers like me are sharing their experiences, so others can learn and hopefully avoid, or at least prepare for, the harsh realities that accompany the freelance life.

If my personal insights have helped you prepare for a career in freelancing, then my purpose in writing is fulfilled. I would love to hear from you if you found this article helpful.

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