Maybe you’ve had it with pantyhose and office politics. Maybe you’re a parent who longs to spend more time at home with your children. Maybe you’re an introvert who can’t imagine a better gig than churning out words alone in your office. Writers become freelancers for different reasons, and there are real benefits to working from home — among them, creating your own schedule, having more control over the growth and direction of your work and being able to literally take your work anywhere (spontaneous Grand Canyon trip, anyone?)
I made my decision to freelance because there are few traditional career opportunities for writers in my Midwestern town. Although I’ve been successful over these four years, there have been setbacks and hurdles that I’m still working to overcome. Here’s how I’ve addressed them.
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The most jarring part of going from a “normal” job to freelancing is the lack of regular income. The best way to combat this is to establish an emergency fund while you’re still working your regular job — three times your monthly living expenses is a solid safety net. You can go with less if you’re only taking care of yourself, you have a partner who brings in steady income or you’re willing to live well below your means for awhile.
Did I have an emergency fund when I started freelancing? Nope, and that is my biggest regret. When I quit my waitressing job on a whim to be a full-time writer, my partner was going to school and working as a bartender. We had also just gotten married and had racked up a significant amount of debt on our expensive San Francisco honeymoon.
Three months into my freelance adventures (I’d earned about a measly $200 in that time), my husband lost his job. We started using a credit card for groceries and gas, the same credit card we’d stupidly used on our honeymoon. It took us three years to pay off the debt we’d accrued in just a few months. If I’d thought it through, I would have saved at least $1,000 before starting my freelance career — or I would’ve put off my wedding.
But an emergency fund and frugal living will only work for so long. When you do start making money, you have to ensure it’s going to keep coming in. In my experience, it helps to view each job as a stepping stone to the next. The more work you do, the more you can phase out the small stuff from your resume and replace it with the bigger stuff. As the quality of your work improves, you will gain confidence and experience to pitch higher-paying markets.
| “It helps to view each job as a stepping stone to the next. The more work you do, the more you can phase out the small stuff from your resume and replace it with the bigger stuff.” |
But I must warn you, this is not a fast career track toward the American dream. I have worked furiously and made small gains over time, while seeing others my age get promotions, buy houses and new cars, adopt puppies, take vacations and give expensive gifts. I am 27, my family of three lives in a two-bedroom apartment, I’ve never purchased a new car and all of our furniture is second hand or something that came out of a box from Walmart. One day we’ll be able to afford curtains, new clothes and trips to visit extended family, but we’re prepared to wait indefinitely for that. Are you?
Challenges as a new parent.
When I was pregnant, I had every intention of continuing my writing with my baby nestled close to me in a sling. I assumed as she got a little older, she would toddle around on the floor while I went about my work. As it turns out, babies aren’t fans of being left alone on the floor. And my daughter happened to be exceptionally skilled at crying out for me whenever I was just beginning to settle in to a writing project.
I decided to enroll her in daycare when she was 15 months old, and despite the heartache and disapproval of some of my traditional family members, it became the best decision I could have made.
While you may be able to “have it all” and squeeze in your writing time while your child naps, it will take you much longer to stabilize and make serious income if you’re only working a couple hours a day. Here are two major fears that held me back from putting my daughter in daycare (and why I’m so glad I overcame them):
- I can’t afford childcare on a freelance income. And even if I can, I’m only breaking even. This seems like a bit of a catch-22 (so you’re telling me I’m going to lose money and someone else is going to get to see my kid all day?), but the reality is actually very different. The more time you have to work, the more money you make. But you won’t have more time until you find care for your child. Yes, the first few months of full-time freelancing may only allow you to break even with your childcare expenses. But as I mentioned above, each writing job paves the way for the next bigger, better one. My real-life example: When my daughter was at home with me, I was earning about $200 a month. After her first month in daycare, I earned $600 a month — I broke even with the cost of daycare. Five months later, I earned $1,500, $900 more than the cost of childcare and with more writing experience to tuck under my belt for future opportunities.
- Having someone else raise my child is detrimental and selfish. Although you will hear reasonable arguments from both sides about whether a young child needs to be home with a parent for the formative years, there is also this undeniable fact: Even very young children are affected negatively when their parents are unhappy. If being a stay-at-home parent or only working part-time is making you unhappy, your child will know. A few hours a day of joyful, quality time with your child is far more beneficial to her health than a full day with a sad or resentful parent.
Regarding parenting and freelancing, do what’s best for your family. I know a few wonderful women who stay at home with their children full time and write whenever they can, and it fulfills them. We are all different, and what’s most important is that you stay true to you. Just don’t let the fear of change stifle your potential for happiness and success.
| “Some of my best months as a freelancer were spent drinking bottomless coffee at my favorite caf_?.” |
No benefits package.
The way I feel about health insurance and retirement benefits is the same way I feel about unicorns: they seem so lovely and exotic and wouldn’t it be great to have them, but it’s a luxury I’ve never known. I have a Roth IRA to which I don’t contribute enough, and I have utilized walk-in clinics, community clinics with sliding fees and government health insurance to get me through some of my medical emergencies — but there are better options. Here are a few:
- Health. You may qualify for state aid (Medicaid) if your income falls under your state’s threshold. If you are 65 or older, you may qualify for Medicare. According to USA.gov, in October of 2013 you can visit your state’s Health Insurance Marketplace to find care under the Affordable Care Act. You may also consider joining the Freelancers Union, which offers health, disability and retirement benefits to independent contractors throughout the United States.
- Retirement. If you qualify, consider setting up a Roth IRA. Unlike traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs grow tax free, and when you withdraw from one, you don’t have to pay taxes on it. As of 2013, the most you can contribute each year to a Roth is $5,500 ($6,500 if you’re 50 or older). You must also, as an individual, have an adjusted gross income (AGI) of under $110,000; for a couple filing jointly, your AGI must be under $173,000. If you make more than that, you can’t contribute to a Roth IRA, and furthermore, please contact me @AmandaLaymanLow and let me know who you’re writing for and how you scored that gig.
Going stir crazy.
If you’re still working a traditional job, you may be itching to separate yourself from that one coworker who won’t shut up about baseball or last night’s episode of Mad Men. But believe me, having to keep yourself company for hours on end can be just as exhausting.
If you can, get a laptop. Some of my best months as a freelancer were spent drinking bottomless coffee at my favorite caf_?. There were regulars, like the sweet old man who would say sweet old man things like “working hard, or hardly working?” then go chain smoke outside and slowly scratch his lottery tickets. And the intelligent barista, Alex, with whom I had opposing views on religion, and the sassy barista Ashley who would tease my husband and toss us free snacks every once in awhile.
| “My first safeguard against distractibility is to have an inspiring workspace used only for writing.” |
The caf_? closed, and I went back to being stir crazy. Since then I’ve utilized the library, which is one of the few places where it’s okay to work and loiter without buying anything. A few months ago, I rallied together a community volleyball team — we were horrible, I think we won one game out of 20, but being around people made a huge difference. Most recently, I’ve taken up rock climbing at an indoor gym, and I’m starting to meet some fascinating people there. In addition, the total mind and body workout that comes from climbing helps offset the stagnancy of sitting quietly at my computer all day (you should see my guns, guys).
Difficulty separating home from work.
One of my favorite books is by Marcia Golub, and for all of its chapters on the distractions of working from home, it’s ironically titled, I’d Rather Be Writing. We often choose to become freelance writers because we’re invigorated by the idea of doing what we love all day long, only to realize that, as Golub puts it:
When there’s no boss hovering over your shoulder, and you can’t get that vision of the overflowing laundry basket out of your head, and you don’t really have any immediate deadlines, it’s difficult to stay on task.
My first safeguard against distractibility is to have an inspiring workspace used only for writing. The corner of our second bedroom is my office — everything from the green banker’s lamp to the stack of reference books to the idea-splattered bulletin board is dedicated to my work alone. If my husband uses my computer at night, he knows to clean up after himself like he’s fleeing a crime scene, fingerprints and all. He knows how important it is for me to have this area be a blank slate each morning.
At the end of each work day, I prepare a to-do list on a 3 X 5 note card for the next day. Here’s today’s list:
- Update invoice spreadsheet
- Work on MediaBistro piece
- Find experts for articles due in two weeks
- Follow up with consulting company on new project/start project
My little list serves as a guide, and while it keeps me focused and divides my day into concrete tasks, it also reassures me on days I’m feeling overwhelmed. Being able to cross off each task as I complete it gives me a sense of progress, and makes a busy day feel less daunting. And sometimes I’ll even have time left over for laundry!
It’s taken me four years to develop my little system, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t still duck away for the occasional afternoon nap or throw in the towel early to watch TV on a bad day. But like any other job, when something isn’t working, you adapt to the drawbacks and work to restore balance the best way you can.
Amanda Layman Low is a freelance writer and artist. Contact her on Twitter @AmandaLaymanLow.
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