Published:

06/04/2014 11:51pm

What is Freelancing?

The old saying goes “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. For some of us, freelancing has been a beautiful life choice – one full of flexibility and passion; for others, it is a bestial life of reluctant necessity, full of challenges and disappointments. At least in my experience, the episodic ups and downs of the freelancing life are countered by the limitless potential for professional and personal growth, enough to warrant a full-time venture into freelancing.

I wrote this article because my roommate's questions about my job and the magazine triggered an excellent point: as freelancers, we assume that because freelancing is so prevalent, everyone knows what we do. I'm not going to judge; obviously from my conversation with my roommate, I'm just as guilty of it as the next freelancer. This article is a manifestation of that very eye-opening conversation: an attempt to erase any confusion about who we are and what we do as freelancers. I also thought it imperative to introduce you to all the talent we have on the staff in this first article. So not only will I discuss the standard, universally accepted definition of freelancing, but also the very personal definitions of freelancing from my various staff members. I must provide a disclaimer: pieces of this article may be riddled with inexcusably poor humor or really great sarcasm – either way, we apologize ahead of time. I hope you enjoy this article and feel free to email editor@thisfreelancerlife.com with comments or questions.

The Etymology of freelancing

In 1820, Sir Walter Scott put the “free” in “freelancer”. No really, he did. He used the word to describe a mercenary not sworn to any lord's services. The “lance” is then available for “free” (If only the poor lance knew that nothing is really ever for free!). Since then, the word “freelancer” has evolved into a few forms of a noun (i.e. freelancing and freelancer), an adjective (i.e. freelance writer), a verb (i.e. to freelance) and some undeniably colorful variations of the word probably not appropriate for print.

What does a freelancer do?

Some may know the term “freelancer” as “independent contractor” (when I said that word, my roommate's eyes lit up in recognition): these terms are synonymous. Freelancers hold no loyalty to one specific client; in fact, many have several clients for whom they currently work. These jobs are substantiated (hopefully) by contracts that dictate all vital terms of employment including: method and frequency of compensation, amount of deposit required (if any), amount and frequency of work expected and any other professional expectations of either party.

Payment varies by contract: some contracts offer weekly payments, while other contracts provide payment on a monthly basis. These are often the most difficult contracts, as they require a substantial ability to budget finances in order to have enough money for living expenses over the course of the month. Payment also depends on the freelancer's billing methods: some freelancers charge hourly, while others see more value to their clients by charging on a per-project basis.

What industries have freelancers?

Every single one of them. We aren't pod people, but we are everywhere. Writers form the most common and widely-recognized job category for freelancers, but freelancers exist in specialty areas such as: teaching, nursing, engineering, accounting, law, programming, designing and pretty much any other career where one can work independent of traditional employment.

Benefits of freelancing:

Many freelancers enjoy the lifestyle because of the flexibility in their schedule that it offers. In most cases, freelancers can work as much or as little as they choose, which allows ample time for hobbies, travel and family. Freelancing also allows flexibility in work space. Though freelancers don't all sit on beaches while working like some people perceive we do, some of us do work in eclectic spaces such as lofts, studios, boats, trailers and coworking spaces. With freelancing, you are essentially your own boss but; be advised, this avenue is only recommended for the self-disciplined.

Pitfalls of freelancing:

It takes an extraordinary amount of self-discipline to become a successful freelancer, and not everyone possesses this quality. In order to make ends meet, sometimes a freelancer must provide services for multiple clients at once, which requires self-discipline along with other skills that might prove difficult for some such as: time management, assertive communication, active listening and organization. In addition, the competition for jobs within the freelancing business sometimes sets client expectations high and expected wages low.

Despite the pitfalls, there is great potential for success in freelancing and I would recommend this lifestyle to anyone. But don't just take my word for it, listen to some of my wonderful staff as they share their own highly personal definitions of freelancing.

I present to you, Team This Freelancer Life:

Heather Howell: Freelancing typically brings to mind web dev and other online-based work but; in my opinion, being a freelancer can mean a lot more. Freelancers are individuals who work for themselves in every industry, be it culinary, skilled trade, consulting or educational. This work can be done in person or online. A freelancer markets their skills to their target clients and delivers their product, without the need of a “boss” or other structure. So you can really freelance anything!

Anne Alberto: Freelancing provides an abundance of opportunities for individuals from different walks of life to be able to serve others and share their capabilities without sacrificing their personal goals and aspirations.

Cristian Rivera: A type of self-employment in which an individual sells his/her set of skills to multiple employers. Also, a hustle.

Susan Bailey, MSN RN-BC CLNC: Freelancing is independently selling your written works to a variety of different people for some semblance of a profit.

CJ Callen: For me, the ability to work online out of my home was a God-send. My job of 25 years was an extremely physical one: I was dealing with the big boys, usually the only woman in the kitchen, which made me work all the harder...I had to prove myself in their eyes (funny how the cook at home is a woman, but in a restaurant, it's usually a man's world).

[short story]
One day I went to the kitchen to get a glass of milk. I reached out with my left hand, and I was struck by a pain that I can only describe as being struck by lightning. From that moment on, my life would never be the same. After all kinds of medical crap, it was determined that my spine was falling apart (laymen's terms). So, I had to quit my outside job.

{fast forward}
Luckily, I was afforded a good education, and writing was a passion of mine since the fourth grade. I was trying to find out what I could do to make a living. I was initially sucked in by all the usual sh@#, Write and make money...but give us money first.

{now}
That is why I really care about this magazine...people like me, who had to feel around in the dark, make many mistakes, and earn less than their worth...TFL (thanks to us accomplished freelancers) will afford them our knowledge and they can avoid all the trappings that sucks beginning freelancers in.

Heidi Lis: Freelancing is a way to showcase your own creative thoughts you have gained with experience. Use your imagination to think outside of the box; let your skills and talents help you start a business all on your own. Embrace it and challenge yourself, this has worked for me, and let me tell you what an awesome adventure it has been.



Caitlin Campbell: Freelancing is a beautiful system. I can spend my free time doing what I love, and then share it with people for a little profit. Being able to work from home, or school, or my other job that is completely menial is nothing short of incredible. Again, I get to professionally do what I love and share it with people. Freelancing is an art, freelancing is freedom.