A Quick Guide To Working At Home As A Freelance Writer

So you have decided to make the leap from mainstream to freelance. Congratulations, while there has been a sharp increase in people opting to take this route in recent years, it is still viewed with suspicion by a lot of others. Whatever your reasons for choosing to work out of the comfort of your own home you need to make sure that you are fully equipped and ready to do the job. So, for those of you just starting out here is a useful guide to working at home:

Be realistic

Be realistic in terms of the volume of work that you can fulfill and also the kind of jobs you are likely to be awarded initially. If you only have a few hours to spare, then there is no point accepting a lengthy assignment or one with a tight deadline. If you know, you are going to be going on vacation in a few weeks plan for that.

Get in the right mindset

You need to lose your office mentality right now. Freelancing is not your regular 9-5. It has many benefits but also many booby traps for those who aren’t careful enough. Even though, you are at home, you…and those that you love need to accept that you are working. It is not fair to accept paid work if you are not able to give it your full attention.

Make sure you have all of the tools

You can get started as a freelancer with just a laptop. However, it is also useful to have a grammar checker, access to Skype, a cell phone etc. Set yourself up in a comfortable, distraction-free place in your home and get started.

Be disciplined

When you first start out, working from home can be a little overwhelming. It is very easy to get caught up in the household chores that need doing, or the gardening, or simply playing with your kids. If you are going to succeed at this then you need to work conscientiously for a set amount of hours, and you need to do this in exactly the same way as you would work a regular job.

Be selective

You don’t have to accept every assignment that comes your way, but you do have to do them well. It is perfectly acceptable to turn work down if it is not suitable, or if a client becomes too problematic for you. Ultimately you have to do what is right for you.