Stepping into the Scary World of Freelancing

The hardest part about becoming a freelance writer, or any kind of freelancer really, is telling the people close to you. Even though freelancing has become a booming field you can’t get past the traditional mindset that most people have. Conventional wisdom tells us that the only way to really be successful is to go to that four year school and find a safe 9 to 5 job.

So you might be frustrated if a loved one tells you that while your writing or designing is a cute little part-time thing, you really should be focusing on being a mature adult and getting a stable office job. And what do you say to that? They care for you and in a way they are correct. Freelancing is tough, and filled with rejection more often then not. Again, like I said in my last post, it’s important that you have a part-time job that can help bring in funds until you’re in a position where you don’t have to anymore.

I think the best way that I can answer this question is to be completely honest. There was a point, where my parents asked me this question. I had just quit my teaching job in Japan, and come home. I took some time off and decided that I would really focus on achieving my freelancing dreams. What really set off this train of thought? Well, not to get to personal, but a relative had lost their high paying job. They were completely downsized and at an age where companies are more interested in youth than experience. They received their severance package, and are still flummoxed about what to do. Looking at reapplying to the company and jobs like it.

It was then I set out to never be put in that position. I wanted to make a living doing something that I loved, but also something that put me in control of my life for the most part. I love to write, and the appeal of freelancing to me, is that I work for myself. I am responsible for my own success and my own failures. Yes, a frightening prospect, but one that I relish. What also motivated me was a close friend who also went into the business as an artist. She to struggled getting a company job, but decided to freelance. Once she did, she built her reputation and has carved out a living.

So what is the moral to this story? Well, that it’s important to stick to your guns. If this is what you truly want, then despite your loved ones reservations you should go for it. Keep your full-time job or get a part-time one to bring in money while you pitch or apply for jobs. It won’t be easy, but at the very least you’ll be forging your own destiny.

Other Money Making Means Online

One thing that worries freelancers is how else they can support themselves between working jobs/searching for jobs. There is nothing worse then a drought between assignments while you’re praying that someone else see’s your dedication and decides that they’ll give you an opportunity. This is especially true if you don’t have a steady client base to rely on.

Personally I go for the other work at home jobs. I have a position tutoring ESL students online through a private website. The hours are incredibly flexible, the work is steady, and I get paid even if the students (usually adult learners) don’t show up. Now many of these ESL positions are open to those who don’t have either a certification or experience as the managers do offer training. And let me also tell those of you who may have been in programs like JET that teaching online is a whole different beast from teaching in a classroom.

Still as long as your prepared everything should be find and you can have a pretty steady stream of income to help pad your wallet while you wait for that latest pitch to be accepted.

Of course their are other things that you can do online that can help with giving a small source of income. People are always looking for website testers, virtual assistants, and customer service reps. Now I haven’t worked any of these positions, but my understanding is that the pay is usually okay and they are very good about paying on time. Though most of these positions require that you have a paypal account so that would be the first thing that you should set up.

I’m actually testing out a few of these website reviewer positions, so I’ll let you know what I think about them and how much they pay. I would say, that other than the customer service rep jobs and the virtual assistant positions, I would consider a lot of these WAHM positions to be for people who need an extra couple of bucks. For the most part, things like website testing aren’t incredibly regular and you don’t get enough website to make a full living out of it unless you’re incredibly lucky.

Still, I hope that this does help those of you who are looking to fill in the void between your work without having to work in an office. Not that that’s a bad thing, but once you are able to get up from bed and work in your incredibly comfortable pjs and robes, it’s hard to break that habit isn’t it.

It’s amazing what you can find when you leave your house

I have to be honest and say that I am a bit of a homebody and at times can be set in my ways. Modern technology just makes it so easy for you to stay home and lounge around the house. Hungry? You don’t even need to leave your doorstep, just sit in front of the computer look up a restaurant and it’s more than likely that they deliver.

Or better yet, that their on Grubhub letting you take care of the entire transaction online. Or on your phone. And let’s face it it’s not that hard to entertain yourself. There are video games, Netflix, e-Readers, really there is just so much entertainment at your fingertips that the only reason to not stay home is if you have a social life. Or, well a job.

Still, you get used to a routine. Certain places that you always visit whether it be a specific movie theater, park, or restaurant. Most people have a radius in which they travel and unless you have a wandering spirit or an enterprising friend, it’s unlikely that you’ll ever really travel outside of that zone.

For example, one thing that I miss is Jamaican food. Real, authentic Jamaican food. And I never believed that I would find it anywhere near me. I had pretty much resigned myself to having to east frozen Jamaican patties or make the effort in learning how to make them from scratch.

That is until my brother came home with a takeout order that he had kindly brought over for me. To my surprise, there in that little box was some of the best Jamaican food that I had in a long time.

Of course I immediately started to interrogate him as to where he found such a treat, and learned of a restaurant the next town over called Morgan’s Island Grill. Well, I really had no choice but to drive over there and try it for myself.

Morgan’s Island Grill is very popular, with a live band that played the night I went there. So I’m not certain if this is a regular occurrence. Also if you’re going for takeout, it might be better to call ahead if it’s on the weekend as my order took about an hour.

Still it was worth it. That had to be some of the best jerk chicken that I have ever had and even the small platter was packed with food. Rice, chicken, fried yellow plantains, and a mixed cabbage salad. It was all delicious. What makes it better is that they don’t skimp on the sauce for the jerk chicken, which is a pet peeve of mine.

The jerk chicken is on the right side of spicy, no it doesn’t really burn but it adds a tingle to every bite. The sauce hits the right note of slight sweetness and you get a smoky taste in your mouth from the grill.

So far I haven’t gotten through their extensive menu, but I’m excited to go back for more. If only they delivered ,then it would be perfect.

Why reviewing is hard

Of course I am limited in what I review. Specifically I review and write mostly about video games, and that is something that is far more difficult than you might imagine.

You have to remember that if you work in a field that has ravenous fans, let the video games industry, than those fans will scrutinize your work incredibly closely. If you give an entry into a much beloved franchise a low score, than be prepared for criticism in social media. Such is the way of the world.

Honestly I am not as involved in sites like Twitter or Facebook as often as someone who is trying to be successful in this field should be and it can be incredibly problematic. Maybe that helps with the reviews I write as it prevents me from being influenced by the fans and what they have to say on the matter.

Of course with the dust-up over gamergate, reviewers and writers in video games are being watched very closely for any signs of impropriety.

One thing I can say, though I am in no way commenting on gamergate, is that I do try my best to be fair in my reviews. Currently I am preparing to write a review for Leviathyn.com all about the latest edition of Smash, Super Smash Bros for the Wii U. I’ve already written a review for the 3DS, so this is basically a follow up to that piece. I can say that I highly enjoyed the 3DS version, and so far love what the Wii U installment has to offer.

What will my final score be in the end? Who knows as there is still so much to discover before I will post the final product on the site. But I do know that by posting my opinion, there are people I may upset. Again this in no way suggests what my score will be, only that to review something people love is something one most understand is dicey at best.

Scary step into a brave new world

What does one write for their first foray into the world of blogging? I had to think hard about this question, and finally after deleting the first sentence multiple times, decided that it was best just to write from the heart.

It is hard to decide what the goals should be for a blog. Do I want to spend time reviewing things to prove my prowess, do I seek to provide advice, or do I want to express my inner most thoughts?

Frankly, the answer is all of the above. Of course I do have a goal in mind, and that is to become self-sufficient in the freelancing field but I have tempered my expectations. Frankly I do not expect to become an overnight success, or as they say quite my day job.  However, I do understand that one of the most important things to do as a freelancer is have a portfolio of my work.

Currently I write for a small site called Leviathyn.com, which focuses on video games culture, and have now started on another site called Animekiosk.com. I podcast, which is always fun but the drive to go forward is never ceasing.

Freelance writing is a difficult field to succeed in because there is always someone better than you, providing better or lower prices, with far more experience. Most companies/businesses have someone that they trust and to worm your way into their affections is no easy task.

However I do understand that persistence is key. It is my hope that this blog not only because a way for me to express my thoughts and chronicle my freelancing journey, but to reach out to other prospective and current freelancers, as well as improve my writing ability.

I hope to look back on this post in a year’s time and see my progression, and with any luck see marked improvements on my writing and client status.  Here’s hoping that you’re all willing to take the ride with me.