If I had a dollar for every time someone cocked their head and gave me that skeptical, yeah, sure smile when I told them I’m a freelance writer, I’d have… well, at least a few more dollars than I have at present.
The more salient question, though — and the harder one to answer — is how exactly I got here.
Given that I get to work remotely, live in sweats, and pretty much never set an alarm clock, I’m not surprised people want to learn how on earth to start freelancing. Unfortunately, there’s not an easy answer. Starting your own business is scary precisely because there’s no roadmap; it’s less step-by-step and more make-it-up-as-you-go (and don’t forget to cross your fingers). I imagine that holds true regardless of your industry.
But if you want to earn a living as a writer, there are certain ways you can prepare yourself, ways to sharpen your edge and give yourself a better shot at “making it,” whatever that means to you.
So if you’re curious, check out my recent post over at The Write Life on how to become a freelance writer. It offers no magic keys or top secrets, but it’s a good start if you’re scouting that slightly-treacherous, but oh-so-worth-it, freelance landscape.