I’m a freelance writer and have had a love for writing ever since I was a kid. I’ve taken it up full-time only after quitting my job last Jan.

I’m doing fairly well for myself and am able to live on what I earn.

As much as I enjoy writing, being a single mom, I need to grow as a writer and increase my earnings. I find your blog very inspiring.

Thank you for sharing such great information, Sharon!

@Cassandra: Thanks for your kind words. For me, the goal of going completely freelance is what is enabling me to juggle a semester where I am working 8 hours straight instead of six, working against the sleep cycle my body prefers, and dealing with a two-hour-each-way-by-public-transit-commute, and job conditions that are growing more stressful by the day. Whether I quit or retire when this job goes away, I am clear that working for someone else is no longer an option I want to pursue — at least not in the go to a gig, do scut work all day, then take home a miniscule pay check for my efforts.

@Neva: Boy does that ring a bell. The reason I ended up at the day job I have is that when I got downsized, I decided to live off the Unemployment and write. However, I did no planning, had no contacts or clues of where to look for writing jobs, and had already determined that sf/fantasy was not what I wanted to be writing. So while I cobbled together an existence for a year, it really ended up being more of a “what not to do” learning experience. I can;t say I have all the answers this time around, either; at least, however, I have a clue as to the questions I need to have answers for before jumping in all the way.

Re BICHOK: I actually found it a lot tougher to do that when I was writing fiction than I do now, even when writing about a subject I don’t know much about. I found that I enjoy the researching that goes into a project as much, if not more, than the actual writing, so for me, doing web content, articles, and blogging is a “best of both worlds” situation.

@Easton Ellsworth: Thank you for your kind words. I’m merely passing on what I have learned over the years. If it saves you any grief on your path, I am delighted.

@Clara Freeman: Yeah, I know about being stuck and raring to move ahead. Sadly, when I worked corporate, I managed to dig a fairly large (for me, anyway) financial hole. Before I make the jump, that hole has to be plugged. And, by that I mean the student loans need to be getting paid, all my credit cads and personal debt must be paid off, and I need to have a budget, so I know how much has to come in each month, as well as an emergency fund to make sure I can handle things if there is an emergency. This starting over at 56 thing is a bit more complicated than when I decided to start over at, oh, 18, because I know better what can happen if you don’t do the planning first. On the other hand, having a day job in this economy is not the worst thing in the universe. It means I can eat and pay bills while planning my escape.

Good luck to you in planning yours, by the way. What type of writing do you do/want to do? Is there stuff you could be writing where your professional credentials can give you a competitive edge?

Oh, and to everyone: I have found that two of the best ways to be a good write are 1. Be an omnivorous reader; and 2. Be curious about everything.

love your post…I’m a veteran nurse trying to get my freelance writing biz off the ground…want to badly quit my day job, but at this point gotta eat!

please visit my blog at http://clara54.wordpress.com...

Sharon is a great motivator as well!
Clara

Easton Ellsworth’s last blog post..My Struggle With Perfectionism and Procrastination

Thank you for sharing your story! I’ve recently become unemployed, and I’m using this time to rediscover my talents and pursue my dreams of a freelance writing career. The tips and information you’ve provided is extremely helpful. I wish you the very best. Continued success!