[Requested by Vivian from my open call for blog entry requests]
more carefree days, when I didn't have to commute to work.
For awhile, I seriously considered being a freelance writer. I took a few books out of the library and talked to other freelance writers. And just to check in, I’ll still chat to freelancers about their decision to skip a steady paycheck, so I have a reasonably informed sense of what the job is like.
But I’m not going to be a freelance writer. At least, not as my full-time occupation.
There are definitely very successful and happy freelancers – but they tend to have built up a professional reputation in the industry before taking the leap. One freelancer’s biggest piece of advice was to keep your day job and write on the side. That, or have a spouse to support you.
Which brings to my next point – financial independence.
I’ve always felt an enormous drive to be my own person, whatever that could mean. That’s part of the reason why I haven’t given big consulting firms a try. (Although I’ve done my research on that, too.) And as much as I might daydream about letting someone else pick up the slack, I think it’s incredibly important – and as a woman, even more so – to make my own money. You can definitely make a full-time living as a freelance writer, but it can be a bumpy ride, and even if you “make it,” the financial payoffs are comparatively slim. But what about psychic rewards?
I love writing, and will always be writing in some way. But after having written in various capacities for a somewhat obscene number of outlets, I’m not sure I want to do this full-time – and I also want to succeed in a few other ways beyond writing. I find blogging rewarding enough that it satisfies most of my writing urges.
I can definitely see myself doing some freelancing part-time, but with an ever-shrinking number of publications willing to pay its writers, it’s harder cobble together a decent income. I once emailed a food writer for advice. Her reply was short and concise. “Not to be discouraging, but it’s probably one of the worst times to go into food-writing. The traditional media outlets are disappearing as we speak.” The amount of money you can make from a blog post just can’t compare. So you really have to write for whoever will pay you.
At that point, I’d rather write for myself, for pleasure.
What about you? Do you think I’m totally wrong? Leave a comment!
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When I first came to China I imagined that I would support myself through freelancing until I could hold up my bestselling book and scream: “YES, I AM AWESOME.”
Well, the book is yet to be started and after freelancing for 6 months, I realized that I am much too social (as in, somewhat social) to always be in my windowless room breathing in my own farts and eating takeout.
And I think you’re very right to say that having freelancing as your primary job is a very bumpy ride financially – I mean, everybody takes a long time to pony up the money (sometimes they forget all together..), you never really know much work you’re going to get. As a freelancer, I find that there is alot of unpaid work to do with new clients – specifically, having to adjust your writing to their personas and doing rewriters. I still love to freelance just for vanity and a bit of extra money, but I think the rewards are limited. And you don’t get health insurance.
Still, do what you love right? It could be that your blog is a better investment than any paid writing you do.
Posted by Joanne | June 24, 2010, 1:24 pmYou are an amazing writer, Lingbo, and you have a fantastic personality. I understand the importance of earning decent money, and freelance writing doesn’t often allow this, but please carry on writing!
Posted by Jo | June 24, 2010, 9:49 pmBlogging has done for writing pretty much the same thing the digital camera did for photography (and with the TV food boom…seems like there’s 50 food bloggers/photogs under every rock): mass influx of material. Everyone gets a platform, exposure and a lot of practice cheap and quick.
The result is, unless you’re really persistent, really good or really lucky (probably all three) you pretty much have to do either of those things for the love of it and not for a living these days, so I think your view is pretty much spot-on.
Posted by Dario | June 25, 2010, 1:36 pm@Joanne: HAHAH I love your comment so much. Srsly. That’s kind of the dream scenario in my brain which I know is not true. What are you up to these days, anyway? Pray tell!
@Jo: You’re too sweet! Thanks for the kind words, and I’m definitely going to continue writing.
@Dario: Good triage of caveats. It’s definitely a little like waiting for lightning to strike. (Actually, more akin to busting your ass in Tinseltown, waiting for your “big break.”)
Posted by Lingbo Li | June 25, 2010, 6:24 pmHey – I had another idea! Why not be a staff writer on a magazine?
Posted by Jo | June 27, 2010, 11:05 pmI’m working at Expo now with one of the smaller pavs, for an NGO. And writing for CNNgo.com, woohoo. Still doing the food and business beats. How about you? ^_^
Posted by Joanne | June 28, 2010, 11:00 pm