Ten Things I Wish I Knew Before I Became a Freelance Writer

When I decided to become a freelancer, it wasn't because I had always dreamed of being my own boss. It wasn't even that I always knew I wanted to write for a living. I became a freelancer because I had been made redundant.

I was working in a publishing house in London, and although it was my dream, I wasn't as happy and fulfilled as I thought I'd be. Then, I was made redundant. At the time, it felt like the world had been pulled out from under my feet. Looking back, it was the best thing to have happened to me.

I immediately started to panic and look for a new job. Then one evening, sat in bed on my laptop trawling through job sites, I made the decision that has shaped my life. Instead of getting a job, I was going to move to France and (finally) live with my partner. We'd been doing long-distance for seven years. It was now or never. The job thing, I'd work out later.

The next day, I told a colleague I wasn't looking for a job anymore. She mentioned freelancing. The idea was born, and now, I live in a small village in the south of France, working as a freelance writer and making more money than when I lived in London.

That makes it sound like a dream.

In reality, it was hard, scary, and full of lessons. If I could go back in time, I'd still make the same snap decision. But there are a few things I know now that would have been good to know a few years ago.

These are the top ten things I wish I knew before becoming a freelance writer.

I can say no

This is the number one thing I wish someone had actually sat me down and told me. Saying no doesn't mean my business will collapse.

In the beginning, I was so caught up in trying to please clients and make sure I had enough income that I'd say yes to almost anything. No matter how unreasonable the deadline or how long the piece needed to be, I heard myself say, "yes, of course, that's fine." My brain was screaming "NO."

As it turns out, asking for a longer deadline, saying no, or saying I can't do something doesn't mean I'll never work again. Most of the time, clients agree to longer deadlines and are happy to discuss pieces and make changes.

Saying no isn't the end of the world.

Some people just won't like your style

As someone very wise once said, "you can be the juiciest peach in the world, and some people still won't like peaches." I always thought it was a silly saying. As a writer, I totally get it now.

It doesn't happen often, but sometimes, you'll come across a client that doesn't like your writing style. When this happens, you've got to try your best to do a good job and listen to what the client wants. It can be frustrating when you have to write in a style you think isn't good. But it's about what the client wants. What you want doesn't matter.

If they don't like your style, you have to adapt. It doesn't mean your style of writing is bad or that you lack talent. They just want apples, not peaches.

Some people just don’t like peaches.

No one will understand what I do

I've spent so much time trying to best explain my work. Terms like "content creator," "writer," "online copywriter," "copy editor," and "ghost-writer" get thrown around a lot. I was always trying to find ways to explain my work and not be judged.

I've realised that people will always judge me. And they won't fully understand what I do, but that's fine. As a freelancer, my days are varied and my time is better spent actually doing my job than trying to find ways to explain my job.

Communication is the key

It doesn't matter that I'm juggling 12 clients. Or that I've got four major projects on the go, or that I'm having my wisdom teeth removed, staying in touch is critical. My clients just want to know where they stand. Have I started? Do I have questions? Will I meet the deadline?

Things that seem obvious to me may not be evident to clients. A client that knows what I'm doing is a happy client. Even if I tell the client that I haven't started and won't get started until tomorrow, they just want to know.

When I began freelancing, I took on projects and then went radio silent until I delivered. I always delivered on time, but clients couldn't build trust with me. Even if it's bad news, communication is a way of getting a client to trust in you and your process.

Procrastination is real

Not only is procrastination real, but I'm also very good at it. I spend my day looking at a laptop, writing, and researching. With the whole of the internet at my fingertips, I can easily end up down a rabbit hole of conspiracy theories or finding out what actually happened to that one-hit-wonder.

If you've only ever worked in an office surrounded by colleagues, you don't know the terrifying freedom of never having someone look at your computer screen as they walk to the kitchen. It sounds like bliss until you realise nothing is stopping you from just not doing the work.

I wish I was prepared for how easy it is to not work. What actually happened was a spiral of guilt when I wasn't working and then trying to punish myself by doing more work. Which, of course, led to more procrastination.

From one freelancer to another: procrastination happens. Accept it. Don't punish yourself. Take a deep breath and then start again.

Taking a break is important

During the early days, I thought I was so dedicated and professional. I was no longer chatting to colleagues or walking to the finance department. There was no waiting to use the coffee machine, and I could work non-stop.

To absolutely no one's surprise, it caught up with me. Those breaks you take in the office are crucial. They give your brain a reset, let you take a breather, and in the long run, help keep you focused. I only learnt how important breaks are after sobbing on my partner's shoulder one evening, claiming that nothing was wrong.

Nothing was wrong. I was just overwhelmed.

Breaks are important, whether it is half an hour to walk the dog or a week away to properly reset. Trust me, you need it.

Taking a break is hugely important to make sure you’re at your best.

You have to factor business admin into your pricing

As a new freelancer, I had no idea what to charge my clients. My internet history was full of searches like "how much should I charge as a writer." I settled on charging per word as standard and then per hour for other projects. My prices were based on how much work I could do in that hour and how many hours I could work in a day. 

But that just isn't realistic. I soon realised that I had to spend time on work that didn't directly result in pay. Things like paperwork, emails, taxes, and keeping up to date with SEO requirements. All these things took up my time and didn't pay me.

Now, my prices reflect the fact that I have a life to live outside of the work I do. I think that's fair.

Setting boundaries is a good thing

I have to admit, before becoming a freelancer, I used to arrive at the office on time and leave on time. This isn't a brag about my time-keeping skills. It's to say that I never did overtime unless I really had to. Then I started freelancing, and a 12- or 13-hours day was suddenly my new normal. I had no boundaries for when my work started or ended.

As I said above, this approach led to me crying on my partner. It wasn't healthy then, and it never will be. I will do my best to get back to being the person who arrives and leaves on time. I'm not there yet, and I still do considerably more than an 8-hour day. But I've got it down to around 10 hours. But once I've clocked off, I'm outta there (there being the dining room table).

I'm happier, healthier and my writing is better because of those boundaries.

High and lows are part of life

Two weeks ago, I couldn't be stopped. I was super busy, hyper-productive, and feeling good. Clients were giving positive feedback, and the money was rolling in. Last week, work was slow. I had to fight to get articles written, one client asked me to double-check an article for spelling errors (!), and the whole week felt awful.

When I first started, I would have beaten myself up over this challenging week. I felt like the highs of freelancing were the norm and any lows I experienced were utterly tragic. Now I've realised that the cycle of good weeks and bad weeks is normal. I no longer punish myself for bad weeks, and I'm learning to celebrate the good weeks.

It's only Monday, but so far, this is a good week.

I can do this

Oh, how I wish future me could have appeared to baby-freelance Emily and said, "you've got this." It would have been so reassuring. As it happens, I spent the first six months wondering when the bubble was going to burst, and I'd have to tell my friends and family that I failed.

I spent the next six months wondering if I got lucky and just happened to have incredible clients. When would the luck run out?

Now I've realised, I really am making my own luck.

My father has an expression he always told my brother and me; "when the ship of lucky is sailing past, swim out and get it." It's always stuck with me because, yes, sometimes you get lucky. But sometimes, you can give a situation a nudge, and you can do this. I can do this.

It just took me a year to understand that.

When the ship of luck is sailing past, swim out and get it.