One of the supposed advantages of being a freelance writer is that you can make your own schedule, whether that means you are working around another job or your child’s kindergarten class routine. In my case, I don’t have any children still at home, but family responsibilities take up portions of my day. The thing is that while I can make my own schedule, I still have to be available to pick up orders and get them completed by their due date. Making myself available to pick up orders is not always convenient as I go about my daily routine.
It would be so much better if clients could work around my schedule. Then I would truly be freelance, free to work when I want and not work when I don’t want. Freelance is really a misnomer, because the only thing I am really free of is having to go into a workplace and accomplish the work that my boss gives me. I can choose the work that I take, however I can only select from the list of assignments that come across my screen when I am at the computer. I cannot find out what is coming up next week and choose accordingly.
If I truly had my druthers, I would like to be able to see into the future in order to know what work will be coming down the pike. With that knowledge, I could plan my week ahead of time, be sitting at the computer when assignments are about to pop up that I want, and get my favorite assignments every time I look.
Actually, in addition to seeing into the future, wouldn’t it be nice if the computer did the work for me? Then instead of working, I could be swimming in the neighborhood pool getting tan while getting paid at the same time. My computer could store my expertise and style and whip out the articles for me.
Even better would be traveling around the world while my computer completed my work. I could have the time of my life seeing other cultures while making money as a freelancer.
Sigh . . .
Well, that would be fun, but it doesn’t work that way at all. Blog writers for hire like me can’t do any of those things. We need to work around our clients’ schedules instead of making our own schedule. If I am not there when a plum assignment comes in, I just miss out, because one of my peers will take it.
So, if you think that freelance writers really get to make their own schedule, think again. We don’t. Our clients make the schedule for us. Not so free after all, are we?
Paula A
is a webmaster, freelance writer, marketer and spending a lot of time on her computer typing away. No wonder she needs glasses!
