We've all heard rumors about big name actresses who, early in their career, posed for a batch of photos dressed in little more than a string bikini, if that. And while it's less likely that you'll find scandalous photos of a local freelance journalist plastered all over the Internet, it's also unlikely that freelance writing is going to pay the rent, at least at the beginning. To start, there's the catch-22 all new freelancers face, namely, that you need clips to get clips. To overcome that challenge, freelancers often pitch lesser-known pubs like community newspapers, or they might consider starting a blog. Both are great ways to showcase writing style and amass much-needed clips, but neither will pay the bills, at least not yet. In order to avoid finance-induced depression or worse, near constant laments that you didn't major in finance or accounting, it's a great idea to get a job that will supplement your writing income, while still leaving you time to write.

Since starvation and eviction are things I aim to avoid, I became a freelance mortgage closer. In essence, when someone takes out a mortgage on their home, I attend the closing to notarize documents and clear up title issues. I won't pretend that closings are thrilling, but I console myself by thinking of accomplished writers, like Charles Bukowski, who started out doing less than gripping work. At times I consider going to work as an editorial assistant at a big-name publication, but also realize that it would leave little time for the exhaustive work of pitching. Beyond basic people skills, doing closings has very little to do with writing, but it does help pay my rent and buy groceries. Plus, I picked up a different skill set that has seen me through the early stages of freelancing and even a stint in graduate school. With a consistently paying position, I can afford to pitch lengthy features to smaller venues. That way, I get the beefy clip, and I can still afford to go out on weekends.

— Jaime Jordan

(Image via clipart.com)