Freelancing: Can you gig it?

In certain lines of work, one can manage to put together a living by stringing together assignments for various individual clients or companies. Writing is one of those lines. Just about every industry produces written materials, often distinguished more by quantity than quality, which makes good writers an in-demand item. And many good writers find freelancing - a term that comes to us from medieval times, when some knights unattached to a lord offered their services to anyone willing to pay for them - a highly satisfying way to make a living.

Most industries don't need a lot of writers most of the time, and probably need good ones even less often. That's where freelancers come in. A business may seek a freelance writer to handle a specific project, like a report, presentation or company history, or fill a temporary need. Hiring a freelancer saves the business overhead costs.

Freelancing isn't just for writers, either. These days, freelance and contract work abounds in a variety of fields, from office administration to software development. Sales, marketing, public relations, and almost anything having to do with technology are all fields where freelancers can flourish.

Freelancing has its attractions for the worker as well. Some of the chief ones are:

• the ability to set one's own work schedule and pace


• the ability to work at home or offsite


• the ability to pick and choose your work, especially once one is well known and established

There are also costs associated with freelancing. Among those:

• the need to continually find and land projects in many cases


• the lack of fringe benefits or unemployment insurance


• the need to function as your own accountant, bill collector, and tax accountant, if handling finances doesn't float your boat

But for millions of Americans, the attractions of freelancing are worth the costs. A number of websites make the job of finding freelance projects easier than it used to be; of these, Elance is one of the more freelancer-friendly, as it is set up to handle one of the most important issues freelancers face: getting paid promptly.

If the search for steady, full-time employment has proved less than satisfying for you, you might want to consider going the freelance work. But give it some thought before you jump in: It's not for everyone, but it might be for you.

Of course, if you really want something more dependable, you'll find it on PhillyJobs.com.

By Sandy Smith

Sandy Smith is an award-winning writer and editor who has spent most of his career in public relations and corporate communications. His work has appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia CityPaper, PGN, and a number of Web sites. Philly-area residents may also recognize him as "MarketStEl" of discussion-board fame. He has been a part of the great reserve army of freelance writers since January 2009 and is actively seeking opportunities wherever they may lie.