Freelancing Writing

Freelancing, in plain and simple English means work whenever you want and however you want! Imagine the luxury of not having a boss whose sole ambition is to make your life as difficult as possible, not having to wake up to go to office at inhumanly early hours, not having to beg for a leave to go on that long awaited vacation with your family and at the same time being able to handle family, domestic responsibilities and the likes without loosing out on financial independence! Sounds like a dream come true, doesnt it Well, thousands of people around the world live this dream and also make a living out of it and a large fraction of them are freelance writers.

Although freelance writing has not yet gained popularity at par with mainstream journalism, it has definitely grown from writing a couple of hand written articles every now and then to a booming internet business which is providing opportunities to many people around the world who find it an extremely rewarding and satisfying field to be in. Web based content writing typically involves creating Internet and intranet content that helps visitors navigate websites and delivers a clear, consistent message. The writers work with design team to provide user-friendly links, buttons and icons. The work ideally requires strong writing and editing skills; basic computer efficiency is a definite advantage. The writer should possess excellent attention to detail and should be able to catch errors and proofread content, and have an eye for what sounds/looks right.

Today, a plethora of "work from home" opportunities are available for individuals who are talented and dedicated. This profession is extremely beneficial to women in particular who are educated, ambitious but smothered with domestic responsibilities. Expressing their talent through this medium gives them a sense of pride and independence along with expanding their horizons on different topics and subjects. Any individual with an aptitude for language and original thinking can make a living from home and this applies to a lot of physically challenged people who are denied job opportunities in a conventional work environment and even if they are not, they are discriminated and may find it difficult to work efficiently in inhospitable social surroundings. Students often take up online writing so as to earn their college fee and expenses and some just do it to earn some extra cash for luxuries.

A freelance writer can adopt any genre of choice- he/she can explore areas in academic writing, creative writing, write lifestyle articles for magazines and newspapers or even specialize in writing for children! Most freelance writers associate themselves with Internet bases companies and organizations who provide them with orders on subjects and topics they are well versed with. The writer then works on the article and submits it before a pre-specified deadline. The customers and administrations response regarding the quality of work is the key element in determining the popularity and success of the writer. Although the rate of professional growth can be sky- rocketing, it can work the other way around too. Any work that lacks originality and structure can send the career graph plummeting to ground level. Therefore, consistency and sincerity are very crucial components in determining success. Another flipside is that a writer may not get enough work or assignments at times and therefore will not have a steady income. Considering this scenario, it helps to be part of more that one company so that work flow is maintained around the same level and one never feels jobless.

Financial returns in this field are totally dependant on individual capabilities, quality of work and the time and dedication put into the same. It can be taken up as a means to earn extra pocket money or as a full time income to support a family. All kinds of professionals can take up freelance writing- students, doctors, businessmen, engineers and anybody you name under the sun. Every company or individual contractor has different payment rates and modes. Also, it is important to verify the authenticity of the organization one is associated with and check if they pay honestly and on time. Much information on this can be gathered from online writers forums where one gets to interacts with other people from the same field and share experiences. Many companies who claim to offer large pay packets are fraudulent and exploit writers without giving them credit or payment for their hard work. One joining a new organization one should start of with a small number of orders and assignments and wait for the pay. If the system is transparent and consistent, the amount of work taken can be gradually stepped up to ensure that too much of time and effort do not go in vain. The spontaneity with which the concerned administration responds to doubts, queries and mails is also a good indicator of the quality and genuinity of an organization.

A freelance writer is his/her own boss and is under no obligation or liability to any company or organization in terms of contracts, pay raise, promotions etc. A freelancer can choose to work at self chosen hours and from any place in the world that has internet access.

The flexibility and control a person is entitled to, as a freelancer is unparalleled. Although an academic back-ground in English helps, it does not require fancy degrees from acclaimed universities or a mentor; all it takes is a flair and passion for writing, command over the language, dedication to meet deadlines and last but not the least- an Internet connection!

In summary, not every one is gifted with creativity and not everyone can befriend a pen (the keyboard in this case!). Creativity is an asset that cannot be taught or acquired; it is inherently bestowed on very few people. Therefore, anyone who believes they can do justice to a literary piece of work assigned to them within a given frame of time should definitely give it a try. Who knows, you might come out with a best seller some day!