Journalism

What is freelance writing?

Over the past week or so, I’ve been posting a lot about freelance writing both here on this blog and on Instagram. Today someone on IG asked, “Exactly what is freelance writing?”

The person who asked said she thought it was a “dumb question” but it’s not AT ALL. In fact, I know people who have been writing for years who don’t fully understand what freelance writing is.

So, here’s a crash course in Freelance Writing 101.

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Why I Know You Could Succeed As a Freelance Writer

I want to tell you why I know you could succeed as a freelance writer.

But first, I want to tell you a story.

I should be broke right now.

In May of 2019, I quit my teaching job to be a full-time freelance writer and focus on growing See Jane Write. At first, everything was going well. I was getting writing gigs and speaking gigs and even landing opportunities to get paid to travel.

Then 2020 happened. Cancer happened. The COVID-19 pandemic happened.

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3 Books Every Freelance Writer Should Read

Stephen King once said, “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.”

Sometimes, the things we read will help us with the craft of writing. Sometimes we need to read books that will just keep us going. That’s why I return to books like Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott and Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg again and again.

Freelance writing, however, is a different kind of animal and requires a different kind of reading.

Here are 3 books I believe every freelance writer should read.

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