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As much as I love being a freelance writer, I occasionally wonder why I chose for myself a profession where I work at least double the number of hours per week of any of my friends or family? I wonder why when everyone else is enjoying Christmas celebrations or the likes, I am sat at a computer writing articles, posting to blogs or updating websites? Would I not be better off in a "normal" job, where I could also have a day off and a social life?

The truth of the matter is that I did not "choose" to be a freelance writer. It was something I had to do and still have to keep doing. Writing is something which I am compelled to do, whether it be writing about a travel destination, a hobby or pastime which I (used to!) enjoy, or even an instructional article on how to encode HTML. The writing process is what drives me and what makes all the life sacrifices and essential omissions worthwhile.

This is of course not to say that I do not still require to practise a great level of self-discipline as a freelance writer. There are certain times when, try as I may, the words just will not come in the fashion I would like. There can be great temptations at these times to abandon the project upon which I am working and move on to something else. I may feel that the subject is beyond me or that the length of the article required is more than I can effectively write to the subject. It would be all too easy in such circumstances to call time on the article or whatever it may be and decide that I quite simply was not capable of writing it.

There will be some few occasions where the above attitude and actions are actually correct. I have in the past begun projects which quite simply were not suited to my knowledge, writing style or even writing ability and sooner or later I have had no choice but to recognise this fact. In most instances, however, it is essential that any freelance writer in such situations push all the doubt and uncertainty aside and push themselves to get on with the writing and see the project through to its completion. There are always going to be days when we write better than others. Some days the words are coming in to our heads faster than we can write or type them and yet, on others, trying to get the words out is like trying to wring the last drips of water out of an almost dry cloth.

It is therefore essential that the freelance writer recognises their requirement for extensive self-discipline and knows when to put it in to practise. Without this attitude and determination, no freelance writer will produce enough quality material in a timely enough fashion to make a career out of their craft and will soon find themselves having to join the realm of "normal" people and once again get used to those alien occurrences that are such as days off and times of relaxation.

Learn more about this author, Gordon Hamilton.
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