by Dawn Hawkins

Created on: March 13, 2009   Last Updated: November 17, 2010

Being a freelance writer takes a special kind of dedication. You have to be willing to put forth effort on a continual basis so that your work is still up to standard and creative. This can often be difficult to do when you run into your first writer's block.

As a freelance writer, you must set daily goals for yourself and be able to stick to them. You must learn to manage your time well so that the job gets done. There is no time for slackers in the world of freelance writing.

Self-discipline is required in order for you to be successful in your goals. Goofing off too much will mean that you can't pay your bills when the time comes. There may be times that you need to leave your work area, but you should submit yourself to certain rules to get your job done.

Here are some suggestions on how you can give yourself discipline in order to be successful:

Set Your Work Hours

This is the first step in having a successful freelance career. Set the hours that you will work. The hours should work well with the other events in your life. Keep in mind that you will want the house quiet when you are penning your words. People with young children often use the late night hours to get their work done because the kids are in bed. Others choose to work during the day when no one else is home.

Whatever hours you choose, stick to them. If you don't, you will find yourself saying things such as "I don't feel like it now, I will catch it up tomorrow." The problem is that the work often never gets caught up and you will find yourself running short on cash when you need to pay the bills.

Set Your Daily Goal

Setting a realistic goal for work that you wish to get done is very valuable. It keeps you in tune with where you are or where you need to be. It doesn't have to be a large amount. Just having a goal and accomplishing or exceeding it can really boost your self-confidence. Having work scheduled each day is an important part of self-discipline for a writer.

Keep Distractions Out

When possible, turn the phone off or don't answer it. Anyone who calls can leave a message. It is important to keep distractions to a minimum when you are trying to write. It cuts down on errors and keeps your thoughts on task. People will often disturb you when they know that you don't have a "regular" job that you go to. You can not allow them to disrupt the work that you need to get done. Be firm with this and you will find your work gets done on time or early.

Stay Organized

Keeping your office and files in order are utterly necessary for saving time and efforts. Discipline yourself so that you keep things done as you go. This will be one step that you will never regret. You won't forget what you wrote and what needs to be sent if you have kept it organized all along. You simply have to go to the file that you were working in to see where you are at with it. This can save hours of wondering where it is in your computer or in a pile of papers stacked high on your desk.

Training yourself to have self-discipline will not only promise that the work gets done, it will make you feel better about it as you work. You will improve your writing skills and you will make enough money to pay the bills and maybe go get the family an ice cream. The choice is yours. Success and failure are your choices. Without discipline, you will surely fail.

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