After months or years of planning, you have finally done it. You have weaned yourself from your pay-the-bills job to pursue a career that will pay less than half (and half is if you're lucky) of what you made before. In your new life as a freelance writer you will have to contend with jealous types who will question your motives, ask if you have really thought this through, offer (useless) tips on organizing your time (i.e. "Are you working so much because you are watching TV all day? Perhaps you should shut the tube off"), and generally not be as supportive as you have hoped.
I am here to welcome you into this new world and lifestyle. Revel in it. Congratulate yourself on making this courageous leap. Spend a week appreciating how great life can be when you make your own hours. And once you have done all this, take a deep breath, because this freelancing gig is not easy. But let's keep that between us, OK? We don't need to give those naysayers extra ammo.
Since you are a writer, you already know about the crosses we bear. The low self-esteem, never thinking a finished assignment is good enough, the pressure to live up to some Emersonian ideal of someone who is content just writing. This last one, where we are expected to write and revise for no other reason than the love of the craft is what outsiders think defines "true" writers. I am here to say that's a load of garbage.
Purists reading this will scoff at me. They will say that I should just write because I love to write. That is what real artists do. Then again, purists would be in some cabin in the middle of the woods, with no access to the Internet or electricity, surviving only on their inner passion to put words down on paper. So this must mean there is no one to judge me or the rest of you honest enough to admit that you will not be truly happy until your book is published or your short story is printed in The New Yorker.
This is not to say that you have made the wrong decision, so put that resume back in the trash. I chose this field — deadlines and all — and, for the most part, I like what I do. But, let's be real, shall we? Does an architect say, "I don't care if I never design a real building. I'm just happy sitting in my basement and making sketches?" Of course not! It's fantastic if we can do a job we like; that's not always possible. But why, just because it's an artistic field, should we apologize for wanting to get paid for it or to have dreams that don't consist of eating Ramen noodles for the rest of our lives?
My goal with this column is to give a glimpse into the writing life — good (yes, sometimes we can hang in our pajamas all day) and bad — provide tips on publication, answer all those burning questions new writers must have like "Were my four years of college wasted?" (The quick answer is no; so breathe easy). And to let other writers know that their neurosis, self-doubt, and aspirations are all normal. They are, after all, what makes us so unique and lovable.
Margaret Gelbwasser is a freelance writer who has written for various magazines including SELF, Ladies' Home Journal, and Women's Health and Fitness. She posts weekly epiphanies and writing advice on her website www.thewritingjourney.org. Check it out!
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Margie says on 2007-03-13 07:19:20 about Ranman's comments and others
As the author of this article, I wanted to throw my 2 cents in. I am glad that there is such a forum for everyone to present their views. And I am also glad that my column provided material for discussion. That said, in the camp of "disagree," I'd like to expand a little. When I said that a writer always strives for perfection and wants to make the article, book, etc. better, I did not mean that the writer just writes and writes w/out an end. What I had meant was that always--as with any other profession--you want to be better. You may hand in that book or article for publication thinking this is the best it will get right now, but as you continue to write and learn about the craft (because no matter how experienced you are, you are always learning), you will find additional ways to make the work better. For me, and every writer is different, I feel writing is about experience and learning and I can always learn more. And as long as there is more to absorb, there is always a way to perfect further what was written. In fact, both Stephen King and John Irving have said they have written whole books and then scrapped them. And even feel that some of their published books could still be better. This is how I think as well. And if that puts me in the same company as King and Irving, I'll take it. :-)
Ranman says on 2007-03-11 15:05:42 about Dawg and Marina:
Dawg and Marina:
Allow me to reply to your post.
I most certainly did not miss the point to the article, although, I will fight for your right to disagree, just as I am disagreeing with you now.
The 'need for perfection' in writing is the backbone for all writers, and most understand that fact, certainly those who have studied creative writing and or journalism.
My reply was based upon what was clearly written by the author, and I still hold fast to my disagreement that despite the mention of 'deadlines,' that sort of goes without saying really, although, let's be clear: there is an ocean of difference between striving for 'perfection' and knowing when to 'stop' and sit back and know when your work is finished. You have to reach that point sooner or later, and I feel that your reply was in defending the writer more than the obvious question. If a songwriter doesn't finish writing a song, it may never get recorded, and the same can be said in *all* forms of writing. You have to know when to stop *after* you have striven your best at the perfecting of it. Right?
I certainly don't desire to rub anyone the wrong way, although, being a 'Forum' as such, 'replies' are how we learn and grow from each other.
BTW: when I checked, before posting my original reply, there was no 'profile' or 'Bio' info posted on the writer. Perhaps when you checked, it was updated, or, I'll go a step further and say that maybe I pushed the wrong button and made a mistake. Only the writer and the webmaster knows for sure.
Thanks to both of you for your posts, and welcome to The Cheers!
Ranman
dawg says on 2007-03-08 19:54:05 about ranman's comment
I think that Ranman missed the point of the column. The writer was only expressing what many creative people feel: the need for perfection. Meeting deadlines is one thing and from the sound of the column it doesn't appear that that's an issue. However, that alone does not make a good writer. If you are blessed with great confidence, that's fantastic. But, from what I see in the writing world striving for perfection is quite common and a curse. BTW, I did just check out her profile and she certainly has experience from which she speaks.
Marina says on 2007-03-07 15:35:54 about re: Your Article/Column
I disagree with Ranman's comments about knowing when to stop since writers (and all creative people) notoriously strive for perfection.
Obviously writers have to meet their deadlines, but that alone does not define a true writer.
Ranman says on 2007-03-06 23:26:13 about Your article/column
I'm not too sure how to respond to your article, as in the beginning, you leave no room for yea or nays; only sort of a 'take it or leave it' type of attitude. 'Tough one to even comment on. May I suggest that you place some info about yourself in your Bio, or Profile section, which is now, at this writing, blank and devoid of any information as to who you are and where you are coming from. I mean, you write with authority all right, just show us where you have been. Please allow me to disagree with one of your first statements you made wherein you relate that you are never sure if your writing project is fully completed, or words to that effect. A true writer, certainly a 'free lance' writer, HAS TO KNOW WHEN TO STOP! You must meet your deadline, unless something prevents you like illness, although you have to know when to sat back and say, "It's done," then you submit it to the Editor and hope for the best. 'Right? 'Right.
I don't think that anyone who takes their writing seriously wouldn't desire their work to appear in The Washington Post, but The Cheers.org is a damn good pace to start, so I wish you all the best that you can muster. I, too, write a column at The Cheers.org, although not in the vein that you are going to try to develop, so that's all your's.
Be well.
Ranman, a.k.a.
Susiq says on 2007-03-06 22:25:27 about Writing
I can totally relate.I had some of the same thoughts that you expressed so well. Looking forward to more insightful columns like this.
another writer says on 2007-03-06 07:53:03 about she's got it
Wow! she is write on. It is such a brutal business and just because you are following your dream does not mean it will be easy. way to keep us on track!
sexygirl says on 2007-03-05 22:31:03 about pay
Freelance writers should be paid at least minimum wage!
the dawg says on 2007-03-05 20:11:59 about this mama rocks
I digg the way this columnist writes...she knows what I am going through
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