Tips for Successful Freelancing #10: Balance

Working as a freelance writer does not mean that you must be pounding a keyboard all day. There are other essential tasks which being a freelancer necessitates, not all of which require a keyboard. Of particular import to writing, is editing. Many writers believe that their status as writer absolves them of the responsibility of editing their material. They are sorely mistaken.

For starters, not all freelancing gigs come with an editor. If you've got one, count yourself lucky. Editors perform the vital service of informing you that your writing is not perfect and how you can go about improving it. Without an editor, you'd better get damn good at editing your own work. Handing in an unedited work brands you as unreliable, and can adversly affect your reputation as a freelancer.

You needn't go all out and rewrite a document 12 times before handing it in. Just give it a good once-over with spell-check and your own eyes. I say "and your own eyes" because if you don't already know, spell-check is not infallible. Print the document out if you need to. I strongly recommend doing this, particularly if it is a long document and you have no editor. Reading something on paper is very different from reading something on a screen. Most of us will catch things on the hard copy that will be missed on the screen copy. I know I always catch more when I'm reading a hard copy.

Think of writing and editing as Yin and Yang. One is light, the other dark; you cannot have one without the other; both are necessary to maintain harmony and balance. Even if you have an editor, you should still give your work a good look-over before handing it in. Make their life easier. If you find that yourself consistently handing work in unedited because of time constraints, either take a time management class, cut down on your workload, or both.

Lastly, remember that there are other things besides writing you must do to remain a successful freelancer. Doing your taxes, keeping your area clean and looking for new clients are all jobs that can be counted as "work" but do not require writing. Being a writer requires you to be more than just a writer.