Swapping the 9-5 office job for that of a creative freelancer is becoming more and more frequent. Long gone are the pre-historic notions that if you haven’t secured yourself one of these jobs, you’re not successful. Creative Freelancing is a profession that may seem to take on a more relaxed approach to the day, rising at 9 and faffing in your pj’s till midday, but can be just as beneficial, if not more, as you are essentially your own boss.
But this isn’t for everyone. If you’re an individual who needs that 9-5 routine, or at the end of each financial month you need to know you’ll receive the same pay cheque as the month before, then this path probably isn’t for you… However if you’re that person who can’t see a future in that big company in a year’s time, or that you much rather enjoy taking on multiple different jobs then yes, creative freelancing might be just for you.
And that’s what we here at Fashion Rider plan on helping you with. But what advice do actual successful freelancers give when it comes to starting and working this way of live? Well we’ve spoken to Leif Kendall from Kendall Copywriting on what he thinks you need to become a successful creative freelancer.
To become a creative freelancer you need:
Persistence.
Freelance careers can take a little time to get going. And that can be scary. Especially when you have no money and bills to pay. Over time, many of the challenges of freelancing dissipate. You get more confident in your abilities. Word of your talents spreads across the land. You develop a network of peers. But you can only get to that stage if you persist. Just keep going. Even when it seems like nothing is going right. Just keep going, and you’ll get there.
Bravery.
You might need to try new things to make your freelance career work. You can’t just ‘be the creative’ any more. As a freelancer you have to be a business person too. You have to be the sales person, the manager, the bookkeeper and the office cleaner. It’s all down to you. Have the courage to try new things, and accept failure as a natural part of the learning process.
Energy.
Freelance work will not come to find you. You have to go looking. Repeatedly. Even when you have found work and are doing work, you must keep looking for more work! It’s a relentless process, although it becomes slightly less demanding with time. If you work your arse off in the early months of freelancing, you will succeed.
You should also buy Brilliant Freelancer, by Leif Kendall. It’s available from all good book stores. 🙂
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