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If you're reading this, there is a 99.9% chance that you are either a freelance writer already or someone who's gotten tired of working for a job that you don't like anyway and are thinking of getting into writing as a freelancer. If you are the former, congratulations on making it this far: it takes vast amounts of dedication, persistence and determination to still be in freelance writing.

If you are the latter, then I cordially welcome you to an occupation that requires vast amounts of dedication, persistence and determination! If you think that freelance writing is a way to lessen your workload and allow you to earn oodles of cash without much creative thought, kindly close this browser window and return to your realm of reality, wherever and whenever that may be.

Truth be told, working as a freelance writer is hardly the easy way out at all. If you don't know even a little about sales and marketing (which are essentially what you'll be doing for yourself to get your work out there), freelance writing may be a difficult career to start on as freelance jobs don't just plop on your work table the way it does when you're in a 9-5.

Getting freelance writing jobs

Aside from building a writing portfolio that reflects your style and command, the freelance writer has to build up a strong network of clients that continually grows. Because of the arbitrary nature of freelance writing work, having a growing solid base of clients as well as auxiliary ones allows the freelance writer to get busy as much as possible, which comes in handy during the lean periods (and there will definitely be lean periods, just like in any other business). If you haven't started yet, frequent writing seminars, trade shows related to your written work, and other client/writer haunts where there's potential to gain new leads. Coffee shops and bars are also great places to network with new clients and meet other freelance writers over a cup of joe, a beer, or if you're feeling especially Sex and The City-ish, vodkatinis.

Getting into the freelance writing habit

Probably the biggest thing about working freelance is that you have the freedom to choose and keep your own time: if you're more productive in the afternoon, your workday starts in the afternoon. If you get more inspiration to write at 2 in the morning, your "workday" starts at 2 in the morning. This boon, however, quickly turns into bane once you start making excuses not to work during your self-imposed work hours. Writing articles

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