What To Take Into Consideration When Starting A Freelance Writing Business

So, you dream of becoming a writer. Quite the noble occupation if I do say so myself! While many writers have visions and ambitions of someday writing the world's next great novel, the rest of us are just happy to be writing. There are obvious advantages to starting your own freelance writing business, namely the fact that you can work on your terms. There are also some things that you need to consider. Here is some guidance that you will find invaluable for getting your business off the ground:

Work space

Even though you are freelancing, you will still need somewhere you can call your own to work from. Unless you are one of those people who can listen to blaring music, keep one eye on the TV, return text messages, check in on social media pages, and write all at the same time, you will need somewhere you can concentrate. If you are constantly getting distracted then you will never get any work done. It doesn't need to be fancy either. Place your computer in a quiet area of your home and consider it your "office".

Where to get clients

If you want to earn any money then you will need to have clients. Apply to every job you are qualified for in the beginning (you don't have to accept them all). Once you have consistently turned in excellent work, you may find that you have a steady stream of work that comes right to you.

How to get paid

You are going to have to determine right at the start how you will be receiving your money. For obvious reasons, the more payment options that you give your clients, the happier they are going to be. One thing to keep in mind - fight the urge to say it is fine if they send you a check because you are only asking for trouble. Not to mention the fees you will incur if it bounces! For most types of freelance work, online payment providers work just fine. Payments are made into your account after you have billed your client and then you simply withdraw the funds to your personal bank account. Unless you are aiming high right from the beginning, there is no reason to consider taking credit cards.

What your goals are

Think seriously about how much time you are going to be devoting to your writing. How big do you want your business to be? If you are happy with writing for 3 or 4 hours every day, don't take on numerous new clients at the same time. Trust me on this - it can't be done! You would be much better off to start small and let it grow naturally.