Why Freelance Writing Can Suck!

I have to warn you in advance that this is going to be a whining, wailing, gnashing of teeth type of post. I'm bummed out and discouraged right now. Why? I wrote an article for a client and turned it in with the note that it was a very rough draft due to the fact that the instructions were vague and I did not have a clear idea on what the client wanted to accomplish. Today I checked and the client rejected it citing a LOOONG list of reasons ranging from grammar to the fact that it was a fluff piece.

HELLO! I tried getting in touch with the client to get guidance. Okay so the topic was crapola. 5 reasons why dental sealants work? I researched for several hours and found 3 vague reasons. Now to be fair this client has already rejected 8 other writers so I'm not terribly surprised. I've found that clients with a high rejection rate tend to keep that trend going and can always cite reasons. The most humorous rejection reason is: overall tone. You have got to be kidding me. I do like when the client try to defend their reason on rejection. It's always the same: you, as a writer, suck and they know more and are far more talented. They may not be able to write clear instructions but it is obvious, at least to them, that they are far superior. This is especially true considering they were going to pay you the whopping rate of 1.4 cents per word. Bask in that lost 2.40! Yeah!

Okay I'm done whining about that but I does make me think about why I write. It obviously is not for accolades. It is hard work being a freelance writer. You often have long days trying to get an average hourly rate that is laughable to most. You take constant knocks. If you are not getting slammed by a client, rejected by a client or cheated by a client....you are facing scrutiny from family and friends. My husband says he understands that this is a real job but he always follows it up with a comment about the pay.

The simple fact is that writing, anything, takes dedication and a very thick skin. The critics are many and always have a vicious tongue ready to slash your work apart. Rejections happen frequently and sometimes for no real reason. The worst part is that the overall experience makes you feel less than you are. You feel like a talentless hack trying to imitate a writer. A good day can go to pot very quickly and you learn to dread Mondays with a fervent passion that borders on maniacal.

Freelance writing, or writing in general, is comparable to dealing with your bipolar, schizophrenic aunt who lives in a one bedroom apartment with thousands of hairless rats. She has plenty of time to bring you down while pointing out how great her life is when compared to yours.

But there are times when good clients make you feel great. They applaud your work and the dedication it takes to meet deadlines. Friends compliment you on writing. Family finally realizes that you are making a contribution other than laundry and cooking. That you have a meaningful job. Those days are golden for a writer. That realization that maybe you aren't as bad as you think.  You've managed to brush your teeth, take a shower and write a pretty nice article.