Can you support a family as a freelance writer?

Thanks to Huw for this question.

Here's my answer.

Yes you can. I'm basing that on my experience as someone who has built up writing work over several years and the experience of other parents who work as freelance writers. But, guess what, it's not easy. (Already I feel like I'm stating the obvious - sorry.) Rates have hit a downward spiral for one thing and publications or sections that used to welcome freelance contributions are no longer so accommodating. More seem to be springing up, asking you to write for free. Many freelance journalists and writers, whether they are parents or not, will tell you how much of a struggle they are finding things.

My own situation is that at times I have been the sole earner due to my husband being made redundant and at present he can't work. We have twins aged 13.

These days I earn money through writing, editing, training, social media and commercial writing work, including media relations. Today my jobs include:

• Contacting management to find out about any future for regular editing work
• Checking over a new contract for another website I have contributed to, working on two features for them and thinking of new ideas
• Proofreading an architect's newsletter
• Contacting a local hospice to begin work on two press releases for local media
• Putting the finishing touches to a writing workshop for a group of 16 to 24-year-olds tomorrow 

Perhaps you may read this and protest: "But these jobs aren't all writing jobs!" My answer? No, but they all depend on writing. 

That's not to say there isn't what some people may consider 'purer' writing work out there. But lots of people have lost secure, regular or employed positions, also going freelance, so arguably, we're all fighting for the same work. 

For many, times are undoubtedly tougher than ever. While some freelance writers apparently may earn upwards of £60,000 a year, the reality is some may earn £6,000.

What sort of writing?

It's important here for me to emphasize the fact that I am talking about freelance writing as a whole - not writing as a journalist for specific publications - though of course some high flyers are earning sums many can but dream of. Plenty more are making a decent living - though with increasing pressure and difficulty - selling their words to newspapers and magazines. My  view is that this is the toughest way of getting paid for writing if you have a family and there are opportunities to be grabbed elsewhere. It's really important to spread your work across a number of customers if you can so that should one door close, others can remain open.

Real-life experience

Yorkshire-based Hazel Davis, who works for a variety of national and regional media and commercial clients, says the following:

I am fully freelance and the main breadwinner at the moment, supporting a baby and a part-timer. It's a little bit terrifying and I also have no real "regular" (as in contracted) work (although I do have some regular clients). I would never have done this without already being an established freelancer and were I not confident about getting work. And I don't live in London either, which helps I am sure.

I have to say, though, I am more keen on getting regular contracted work than I ever have been.

Kelly Rose Bradford, a freelance journalist and broadcaster writing for the Daily Mail, Sunday Telegraph, Daily and Sunday Express and AOL's Parentdish, adds:

I would imagine people would fear the perceived lack of regular work and therefore regular income, and, even when you have work, the chasing of payments, getting paid on time etc.

For me, now it is fine – early on, I could not have supported my family, but then I have always worked around my child. Before I separated from my former partner, my earnings were kind of the added luxury, but since my son has been of school age and I have increased my hours and since separated, I am the sole earner and I earn a comfortable living for me and my son. But having said that, you never know what is round the corner, and I think the very nature of the business means that you always have in the back of your mind the fear of the rug being pulled from under your feet... (and that is not a bad thing – it keeps you on your toes!)

Kelly says her biggest difficulty has been the knowing that if she doesn't work, she doesn't earn, and it is as simple as that.

"The summer holidays can be a killer," she says. 

"I want to spend time with my son so I slack off a bit and as a result am always skint in September. I do try and do a couple of 'low stress' pieces over the hols to keep my hand in and to know there will be something in the coffers though."

Asked if anything has been easier than you expected, Kelly says that once you are established you can make a good living and that there is work out there.

And what about money? What does Kelly consider a reasonable expectation as a monthly income for a freelance writer?

She says: "That is hard to say and depends on people's personal circumstances. I have a lot of outgoings, and am a single parent, and obviously I need to put money away for tax, and also for holidays and family treats, so there is a financial level I NEED to reach, and then also the one I WANT to reach each month so that I am working for 'pleasure' money as well as necessary money. I can't see the point of working all hours if you are not going to enjoy the spoils of your labour."

Minimising unpredictability: My experience

The way to end the unpredictability of when money is coming in, I have found, is to aim for other types of writing work that are regular, pay higher and allow you to still do stuff that you may love where payment may be lower/more erratic.

For me networking -- joining and launching groups for businesses -- has been key, as well as maintaining relationships with those businesses and organisations. These days social media work seems to have become as important and regular work is in blogging and maintaining Twitter/Facebook presence for people/companies/organisations. Money has also been earned through blogs I set up to see where they took me.

When I first went freelance, I did a lot of networking and it really paid off - it is hard work though and some people seem to detest it. All I can say is, it worked for me. I saw a massive return on it early on and kept it up as the benefit had been proved. I think when I went freelance I thought I would try everything as I needed the money and took it from there - I don't know perhaps that seems too simplistic - but I felt I had no choice. I'd worked as a news editor, columnist, sub, feature writer and editor, TV critic, you name it, even editing a paper in Russia. But as soon as I was freelance, you could find me typing up property pages for a local paper. I took what work was available, in those days, plenty was being offered through existing contacts for a start.

What I didn't think I would be able to manage was having to deal with the demands of busy newsdesks when I had twins to look after, but that worked out too when the time was right and work was available - I will never forget answering subs' queries on quite a racy story for a Sunday broadsheet paper as I attempted a supermarket shop with two little girls in tow.

It was always the prospect of unpaid bills that kept me going as my husband was made redundant so many times. The first year I went freelance properly working up to four days a week, the first month I earned £160 and a year later it was 10 times that in a month. This sounds ridiculous I know. Of course I was knackered. That's why I set up a company, to share the work out and take a regular wage so money earned was ploughed back into the firm.

Another thing that I have found helpful is that if you are working for an organisation/company that you should get as much work as you can from them as early as possible. So if we do a newsletter say, and they are pleased with our work, we also do our best to also get social media work, media relations work, any training connected with writing etc, so you get more work from fewer customers, same as if an editor takes one piece you keep at it with ideas. We drew up a checklist of what work we can do and try and tick off to make sure all clients are offered the lot!

Five-point reality check: Can you afford to support your family as a freelance writer?

1. Look at your own income and expenditure - what do you need to live? What are you currently earning and how can that be replaced with freelance work? Don't compare yourself to other people. My jump into freelance life came 10 years into various jobs in journalism, some of them senior.  I live outside London. If you're already a journalist or writer, how long have you been doing the job? Have you been doing it long enough to have forged contacts and trust with people who could give you freelance work? Can you spend some time alongside your current position building up such possibilities or gain part-time work to allow you to do so? A discussion on the JournoBiz forum among freelancers sparked by this question concluded this was by far the best idea.

2. How organised are you? I am a nightmare - but I read early on that businesses may be as likely to hit trouble due to not keeping up with paperwork,  as not having enough work. I recognised I needed help and sought it.

3. How are your people skills? Can you get on with potential customers enough to not want to throw the towel in after one bad experience?

4. How tenacious and resilient are you? Does chasing for money or cold calling potential customers, including editors, freak you out? You need to develop a thicker skin if this is the case. How can you handle rejection ( you can't take it personally) and how good are you at coming up with and recycling ideas? All of these are skills that will stand you in good stead as a freelancer. Finding the strength to deal with accounts departments that may be legendarily inscrutable is an added bonus. 

5. What about marketing yourself? Does the prospect of telling strangers -- and even people you know -- why they should pay you to write stuff, fill you with dread? If so, you need to get over that - and keep at it.

 Expert advice from Kelly Rose Bradford:

Aim for regular gigs so you know there is always something coming in. Set up a direct debit so an amount is going into a separate account for tax every month so that you are not panicking at the end of the tax year.

Do not over-spend.

Do not rely on credit cards.

Invoice as soon as you file and CHECK your invoice has been signed off and is with the finance department.

Be realistic. It can take years for your business to become established, and it is always a good idea in the early days to have something else that is going to bring you a guaranteed income so you know there is always something coming in.

Money stresses are not good, and cause all kinds of other troubles too, including stifling creativity. So being realistic is my top tip, that and getting a regular gig – but even then, make sure there are also irons in other fires –

Never have all your eggs in one basket, just in case!

Always put money away for tax, rainy days and emergency bottles of wine!

See also: Freelancing when you have a family (from 2008)  

Freelance journalism when you're a parent (from 2007)

Should you write for free? (again, 2007)

Next time: Should you pitch book ideas to an agent or publisher?  

 

If you have any questions about freelance writing you'd like me to answer, then please let me know:

By email: Linda@passionatemedia.co.uk

On Twitter: @LindaAitchison (My married name.)

On Facebook: Freelancewritingtips

Or of course, you can leave a comment here. 

And if, by any chance, you'd like to pre-order my new book, here it is: 

 

Comments

[Huw L. Hopkins]

Brilliant. Thank you for the response. I'd better get working :)

[Linda]

You are more than welcome Huw, good luck.

[Molly]

Great advice. I'd also say that pitching for new work, social networking and keeping blogs etc up to date are just as an important part of the day job when you're a freelancer. And being open to all new opportunities for work!

[Linda]

Thank you Molly and I agree with every word - though blogs may be the first to 'give' when more lucrative work comes along - *ducks for cover* :)

[G]

Surely there must be an agency that specializes in finding projects for freelance non-fiction writers! I'm not interested in proposing book ideas - I'm happy to write to brief for publishers who know what books they wish to publish. Any contacts would be most useful.

[Lisa Burn]

Lots of great practical advice and more than a few tips I should take on board. Developing a thick skin is something I need to work on and pitching - well don't get me started on that. Thanks Linda :)

[200kfreelancer]

This post is spot on and mirrors a lot of my experiences in freelancing for the past four years while supporting a big family with my husband (also a freelancer, in a different field). I am really looking forward to reading your book!

[Freelance writing jobs]

I think you can also support your family even if you are only freelancer unless you do your work well because there are also freelancers that become successful.