WritingThoughts

©Laura Spencer

We freelancer writers are known for self-examination. To succeed, we must learn to make the best of our strengths and overcome our weaknesses.

We must also persist in the face of likely rejection of our writing. And in the face of uncertainty.

Nothing less than total honesty about one’s self and one’s abilities helps a freelance writer to get ahead.

But no self-examination list is truly complete without adding an inventory of the good things in our lives. Yet, we often forget about the good things, especially when things are tough.

There are plenty of good things about freelance writing. That’s why I’m sharing them today. Feel free to add your own list of why you’re thankful for freelance writing in the comments.

What I’m Thankful For

Freelance writing has been good to me. Yes, I’ve had my share of bad experiences and downturns over the years. But I’ve found that the good outweighs the bad.

In no particular order, here are some of the reasons why I’m thankful for being a freelance writer:

1. Better Work/Life Balance. I love that I can take a day off whenever I need to and I don’t have to ask anyone. As long as my work is caught up, no one even notices.
2. Interesting Projects. Looking back over past projects, I have to say that most of what I’ve done has been interesting and challenging.
3. Great People. Freelance writing has allowed me to meet great colleagues and great clients from all over the world. These are people I met directly through my writing.
4. Good Income Potential. As a freelance writer, I don’t have to ask for a raise. If I want more money, I can promote my business harder and take on more clients or raise my rates.
5. Variety. As a corporate writer, I often did similar projects over and over. As a freelance writer, I have the opportunity to work on a lot of different types of projects.
6. Opportunity to Learn. I’m always amazed at the amount of free classes that are available. And there are also many excellent resources worth paying for.
7. A Way to Help People. A great deal of my writing is informative. I enjoy helping others learn. Freelance writing lets me use my talents to be helpful.
8. Better Control. As a freelance writer, I decide which clients and which projects I accept. If a project or client is not a good fit, I don’t have to take them on.
9. I Get to Work With Words. As an avid reader, I love words. As a freelance writer, I get to work with words and get paid. How great is that?

By the way, this is a great list to review when I’m feeling less confident or during a slow period. If you make a similar list, you might also find it helpful during setbacks.

Your Turn

Are you thankful for your freelance writing career? What’s on your gratitude list? Share your thoughts in the comments.