Confessions of a Freelance Writer
Some days are lonely, caffeine-induced fits of writing in my pajamas.
Freelance writing sounds like the coolest thing in the world. It’s just you and your laptop — go wherever the wind takes you. Sit on a beach. Feel the cool breeze on your skin and the sand under your feet.
Yeah, it’s not quite like that.
I’m not a digital nomad, but I also don’t have an office, so I work from my dining room table or couch. It’s not ideal, but I do what I can with what I have.
A laptop and an internet connection will get you quite far.
A freelance writing career is the right choice for me; however, I had a whole career before I did this. I worked in and ran retail stores for twenty years.
A career like that set me up to work for myself because I learned how a corporate system functions. I got great at systems, processes, and people. Now, I can implement that stuff for myself. I’m my own business.
Creating my own business would’ve been much more difficult if I hadn’t had the retail background. My career gave me the confidence to create something on my own.
Now, here I am.
I’m navigating this new career I’ve carved out for myself. I stayed up late every night for two years to learn how to write online and how to leverage Medium. I learned how to use LinkedIn like a pro.
I learned all kinds of stuff alongside my 9–5 that I now use daily in my career.
Here’s what you may not know about being a freelance writer — in no particular order.
It can be lonely
I spend a lot of time alone. I’m not complaining about that, but it’s quite a change from my customer service background.
I led teams with about fifty people, and I had to talk to people all day long. That’s all gone.
Sure, I have writing groups, and I connect with clients, but it’s a much different work style. It’s a lot of hurry up and wait. Like, so much of that. You meet a potential client and then wait.
You follow up, and sometimes they never get back to you. You must be comfortable with rejection, advocating for yourself, and setting aside time to improve your craft.
You also need to figure out how to leave your house.
I have to find creative ways to get out of my house
Today, I’m working in a coffee shop. I’m powering through an hour or so of a flow state so I can finish my writing and leave in a respectable amount of time.
I don’t like to stay at a coffee shop for more than two hours. I go during their off-hours. I don’t want to hog a table for most of their morning rush, so I head over in the afternoon.
The coffee shop was calling my name today. I needed to leave the house and leave my dog alone for a while. He’s used to me being gone for eight hours a day, so I don’t want him getting used to me being around all the time.
“Make sure you leave him alone!” My groomer advised. Okay, I’m on it. I’ve left the house. Now, back to work.
Motivation is solely on you
You need to figure out when you need to work on what. Yep, you could watch Netflix all day. No one will tell you not to — but it’s no fun to watch movies when you know you have work piling up.
My week is pretty well planned out. I know which days I’ll work on my different projects, but some days are a throwaway, and you have to figure out how to shift back.
Some days I get caught up running errands, and then I have to add some work to another day. Some days I opt for seeing my friends and then I have to work late the next day.
It all shakes out, and I get the work done, but it’s on me to figure it out.
My daily routine could use an overhaul
Leading up to quitting my retail career, I dreamt about how I would structure my days. I had it all planned out.
I would get up early, work out, make a healthy breakfast, and then get to work. Flow states would rain on me, and everything would be in perfect harmony.
Um…that doesn’t happen.
Some days I’ll wake up, reach for my phone, and immediately begin checking emails and all my social accounts. I’ll stagger to the kitchen to make coffee — still with the phone in my hand — then I’ll sit at my computer for two hours and realize that I’m starving.
That’s not a great way to structure your day.
I’ve started to rework things and not let myself check my phone or computer until after I’ve been outside for a run or a dog walk. It is helping, but it’s taking a lot of discipline.
Weird things happen too. My dog recently began barking at the washing machine when I was running it. Yeah, weird. This is a new development (same washing machine), and it throws me off when I’m trying to work.
You gotta bend, not break, and keep moving.
You need to keep learning
I’m convinced that continuous learning is the key to a happy life, and writing is no different. You can always get better at it.
Writing every day is a great habit to build. Learning from people that are better than you is a solid way to level up.
I’m currently learning how to tell other people’s stories. Later this year, I’ll join an advanced essay group and get better at pitching my essays to paying editors.
I can’t wait!
Looking forward to learning keeps the loneliness at bay.
Life can be strange. Keep going.
Every month I learn something new, and I get better at writing. That’s part of why I chose this as a career — there’s no end to learning about writing and writing online. Both are important to know when you do this full-time.
I get lonely, then I regroup and make plans with my friends, or I’ll work early one day so I can go to the beach with my husband on his day off.
I find creative ways to leave my house and tinker with things that motivate me to stay on track with my schedule. I’ll overhaul my week and join a new writing class where I’ll learn some great tips and make new writer friends.
Freelance writing is a really cool job, but it’s also a lot to ask of yourself.
It’s so much discipline, dedication, and not getting discouraged. I recommend writing to everyone! But as a career — it’s a maybe. It’s not for everyone.
There’s freedom in it, but there are these difficult situations to navigate that people rarely discuss.
Try a few things on the side for a while. I worked my 9–5 and wrote on the side for over two years. Take as long as you need to see if it’s a fit for you. If you’re unsure, dip your toes in the water.
When you’re ready, you’ll know.
Kit Campoy is a freelance writer based in Southern California. She covers Web3, travel, leadership, retail, writing, and more. She also writes personal essays on Medium. Connect with Kit on LinkedIn, DeSo, and Twitter. Give yourself a break, and join her weekly newsletter.
