What makes you a freelance writer?
When I sat down to think about this, my first post for Get Paid To Write Online, I was trying to think of a topic that all writers could relate to. A topic that everyone reading it could have an opinion on.
I sat for a while, pondering exactly what to write about. I flicked through a few of the blogs I read regularly for inspiration, but nothing seemed to jump out.
Then it dawned on me that this was one of only a handful of times when I was stuck for what to write.
I was then hit by the thought of does this happen to every writer? Or is it just me? Surely it doesn’t happen to those who’ve been doing it years upon years?
As I’ve found so many of my thoughts and ideas do, this one began to snowball and I started to question whether I was actually qualified to be a freelance writer.
I’ve always enjoyed writing since I can remember. I had some pieces published a few times when I was still in school and then when I began work, wherever I was I was put in charge of the newsletter, leaflets or press releases within a matter of weeks, irrelevant of what my official title was (I remember once my title was something along the lines of “Administrator’s Assistant”, when in truth it should have been “Chief Press Officer-cum-IT-Consultant”).
I was good at English when I was at school and read more books than most people of school age read. I even took a really keen interest in music – partly for the music itself and partly because I enjoyed learning the lyrics and understanding how they linked together.
But as much as I might have enjoyed writing and reading for years and people seemed to have both enjoyed and respected my work – even down to a basic news article – the question was still there.
How qualified does that make me as a freelance writer?
And then it slapped me in the face – it doesn’t.
To me, being a writer is being able to get your message across to people. It’s about being able to engage with the reader and deliver the point of the piece of writing to them in a clear and concise way.
I’m fully behind traditional education and I have no doubts that if you have a degree in, for example, English language, you’ll be able to write some wonderful pieces. But if you haven’t got that lust for writing, I honestly think it would be difficult to carve out a career as a respectable freelance writer.
But then again I could be completely off the mark – can anyone be a freelance writer?
Article by Dan Smith
Dan Smith is freelance writer and small business consultant. Specialising in business development, he has a strong background in Search Engine Optimisation and has a distinct (dis)ability of not being able to say no.
Dan has written 81 awesome articles for us at Get Paid to Write Online
{ 19 comments }
I enjoyed your post, and look forward to reading more. I found you through links on a couple other blog sites. It caught my attention because I enjoy writing, but I don’t know if I could ever get paid to do it. I write a devotional blog, so the niche is a bit different. Thanks for the food for thought and the resources.
Hi Joani,
Thanks for stopping by – you’re the first person to comment on my first post here!
If you’re already writing online in some capacity, you’ll be able to make money from it. I know that’s a bit of a sweeping statement, but I strongly believe that anyone who writes online can make money whilst doing so.
However, how much and exactly how to do it varies from person to person and it’s this that leads people to believe they can’t earn from their writing.
Have a look around here, Joani. There are some really good resources you should check out that will show you the different possibilities of – as the blog’s title suggests – getting paid to write online.
Twitter: pattistafford
August 4, 2010 at 12:34
Great post Sharon!
I’ve struggled with this myself. I don’t have a degree in English. In fact I literally sucked at English in high school. Maybe I was bored? Now my friends call me the Grammar Police. LOL
My personal opinion: I don’t believe people are required to have credentials to be a professional, a leader, CEO, writer. It just looks better on paper I think.
I believe anyone who loves writing, has a good grasp on language, the basic rules and can use reference materials when they forget a rule, should be a writer.
I do admire and respect people who’ve gone the distance to earn a degree; especially the ones who do so later in life.
Being stumped for topics? It happens to me all the time. Sometimes it’s because I have too many ideas and not enough me. LOL
Patti Stafford wants you to read 4 Things a Blogger Can Easily Outsource
Hi Patti,
As it’s only my first post here, I won’t go on about how I’m Dan and not Sharon!
I agree with your personal opinion about credentials and qualifications and whenever I’ve looked to hire people in the past, whether it’s been in the corporate world or as part of my freelance writing / small business consultancy career, I’ve tended to look at at a person’s qualifications after their experience.
What I’ve found in the corporate world is that there’s more onus on younger generations to have qualifications than there is the older.
I still do a bit of corporate work and the person who I report to is 30 years my senior. If I wanted their position, generally speaking I’d need to complete at least two qualifications that I can think of, even though I’m more than qualified experience wise.
Looking at it that way, it probably depends on where you want to go in your career as a writer.
If you’re happy freelancing, whilst you might find it a little difficult to secure some of the larger, well paid gigs if you have no writing-related qualifications and only minimal experience, after a few years your experience and portfolio would usually be sufficient in gaining the majority of projects.
If you want to be employed in the corporate world as a writer, however, I believe you’d stand a better chance of becoming employed if you had relevant qualifications, unless you had a fantastic portfolio showing several pieces of high quality work over at least five or six years of writing.
DanSmith wants you to read What Made You Want To Go Freelance
Twitter: pattistafford
August 5, 2010 at 11:13
Hello Dan! So sorry about the mix up. I read the post in email and assumed it was Sharon. It’s nice to meet you.
I’ve been freelancing for several years now. My career is on track where I want it for the time being. I don’t take on corporate clients or large projects because that’s not the type of work I want to do. My focus is mostly on helping others.
I think that’s another great thing about freelancing; you’re free to choose the type of work you enjoy.
Patti Stafford wants you to read 4 Things a Blogger Can Easily Outsource
Hi Dan, congrats on your first post here!
I used to study and play music, record CD’s and I played some tours. And everywhere I went people used to ask me, do you have to study music to become a musician. My answer was always the same: no. All you really need is the fire, the passion in you and awful lot of practice.
I think this relates to every profession, writers included. You don’t have to study English, although it helps. But if you don’t have the passion for crafting ideas with words you’ll never make it.
Good post.
Pawel wants you to read The Home Truth About Self Employment
Thanks Pawel!
Strangely, I know exactly what you mean.
A few years back I used to play in a band and we had a few gigs in the area, gaining a bit of popularity. It was nothing big, but it was fun nonetheless.
I remember thinking at the time that the bands we would support must be full of musicians who had spent hours upon hours every day learning all of the technical aspects of their instrument and muscic in general and who had most probably gone to college and university to study music.
Then I realised that those bands who were supporting us were most probably thinking the same thing about us, when the truth was, yeah, we could play our instruments well, but we didn’t have any major qualifications in playing and couldn’t particularly read music that well – but as cliche as it sounds, we had the passion for it and were willing to spend the time practicing.
And like you said, it’s exactly the same with writers. Whilst a degree would be great and would no doubt help you as a writer, as long as you’ve got the desire to succeed – and again, exactly as you said, are willing to put in an awful lot of practice – that’s the most important aspect.
It’s all interesting to think that this could relate to every profession – or at least the majority of them.
Dan Smith wants you to read What Made You Want To Go Freelance
I don’t call myself a freelance writer – mainly cause I don’t like writing about anything but what I WANT To write about – guess that makes me a blogger LOL. I was the science girl who was in the first year that challenged our school’s rules that every one had to take English in their last year. We argued successfully that English Lit (which was what it was) – had nothing to do with my science degree to come.
BTW I learned all the English grammar that was useful in Latin and Spanish clasees
Lis Sowerbutts wants you to read Online Income – The Secret to Success Is …
Hi Lis,
I’ve always thought that blogging was simply a form of writing and if you’re a blogger you’re in essence a writer.
Do you think there’s any benefit to not calling yourself a freelance writer?
Also, just because you only write about things you want to write about doesn’t mean you can’t be a freelance writer – it’s just a matter of finding the gigs that interest you, rather than going for those based on their financial rewards.
Dan Smith wants you to read What Made You Want To Go Freelance
Twitter: allenat
August 6, 2010 at 12:31
Dan- I have some perspective on this as I get a ton of email at About.com from those who want to break in. Sum of dem rite 2 me like dis. Yes, for real. Every now and then, though, I get a gem of a high school student who is doing diligent research and asking the right questions and I know the future of our field is just fine.
So, no, not everyone can. Those who don’t realize that this profession is a PROFESSION should not even bother.
I think that’s one of the points I actually forget on somewhat of a regular basis – not everyone can actually write.
I could be wrong, but for the majority of writers I know, writing comes naturally and the only time it becomes laborious is when you’re writing about something that you don’t actually want to write about.
I think because of this I find it difficult to realise that some people actually struggle to write or even form coherent sentences and so I guess in that respect, no, not everyone can be a writer.
But do you think people can learn and develop into being a writer? They may not have the natural ability, but do you think it’s possible to, for want of a better phrase, transform someone into a writer?
Dan Smith wants you to read What Made You Want To Go Freelance
Appreciate the discussion.
I have a degree in Journalism so I guess that makes me de facto qualified. But I don’t believe it’s really as important as caring about your writing. Always wanting to get a little better. No matter what your academic qualifications are – you can’t get lazy. Passion is far more important than a degree.
In the age of the Internet concise and succinct are always important – but you must also be emotionally compelling. Paint a visual image with your writing. Move people with your words.
Denise Michaels
Author, “Testosterone-Free Marketing”
Publisher, “Your Excellent Adventure”
Denise Michaels wants you to read I Didn’t Just Fall Off the Banana Boat- Y’know
Although on paper you’re qualified to be a writer, Denise, when you received your degree, did you feel instantly qualified or did you feel more qualified once you’d taken on your first gig?
Dan Smith wants you to read What Made You Want To Go Freelance
Hey Dan, great post! I enjoyed your original post and the feedback and comments that followed. I myself truly believe that a degree is a degree and if you don’t have the FIRE for it, then you’re eventually going to self-destruct at some point.
I love to write. I live and breathe it and it brings me to a place where I am at peace with myself and with the world. Even when I was a kid, it was writing that was my sole outlet in life. A lot of my friends are almost disgusted by how I can sit and write a story for half a day. When we were in high school, everyone got upset when the English teacher would announce a paper…and although I would go along with the crowd, on the inside, I’d get excited.
I actually ran across this site after typing in the Yahoo search engine, “I am a writer and I want to succeed.” I didn’t really expect any results, much to my suprise here I am.
So thanks, this helped and gave me a push and a hope that was slipping out of me. It’s time to convey my talent to the next level.
I’m glad you’ve enjoyed your first time here and that this post has helped you decide to push your writing career forward.
Take a look around as I’m sure there’s at least a handful of posts that can be of use – and if not, just ask. I’ve said it before and I’m pretty sure it won’t be the last time I say it, but the freelance writing community is one of the friendliest and most helpful that I’ve come across.
Dan Smith wants you to read What Made You Want To Go Freelance
Hi Dan –
I believe you can learn a lot in school about magazine or newspaper style, how to write more concisely, inverted pyramid format, reporting ethics, and so on. But ultimately, if there isn’t a drive from within that you NEED to write, and write more, and get better and better at your writing, it’s not going to go anywhere.
Congrats on your blog!
Carol Tice wants you to read Lessons From A Blogger’s Vacation
That’s a great point, Carol, but do you think you can learn things such as styles and formats by not taking the more formal education route?
I sit somewhere in the middle, as although I don’t have a degree in any type of writing or journalism, I spent a lot of time learning about different styles and so I didn’t just ‘pick it up’.
Dan Smith wants you to read What Made You Want To Go Freelance
Hi Dan,
I really enjoyed reading your post specially since a few days back, I was having the same thoughts cross my mind. I am a science graduate and was into software engineering. I used to get really annoyed when my professor could’nt speak proper english and I could’nt stand anyone speaking broken english. Thats when it hit me- I have always loved the English language, I switched to journalism and found being in the media industry more fulfilling than being in the software industry. Less pay but more satisfaction, however, I still get skeptical each time I hear stories of freelance writers being duped. I still have a long way to go.
I have a degree in Journalism and it is a waste of a piece of paper. There is nothing about the 3 years I studied for it that makes me feel like a qualified writer, and there is nothing about it that will get me any future jobs.
What does make me feel like a writer is seeking my own features and articles to write, interviewing and editing.
There was nothing about my Journalism degree that was pro active in showing people that they need to be writing to be a writer not sitting in a lecture room, spending X amount of thousands of pounds (or dollars) being TOLD about Journalism.
Many Editors have since told me that my Journalism degree means nothing, what will make people writers is them actually going out there and doing it. Whatever form of writing that may come in. If you can’t prove yourself then you will never get anywhere.