I don’t know how many single parents read this blog, but I tend to blog what I know, so this week, we’re going to look at something I know a lot about, making a living freelancing as a single parent.
You can look online and find hundreds of articles about how to make a million freelance writing, but in reality, I think the outlook is bleaker than people say. From most of the many writers and bloggers I talk to (not just single parents) money is short or just about on target vs. overflowing. If you’re a single parent the odds are way harder for you to make it as a successful freelance online writer or blogger.
As a single parent you’ve got:
- Kids, dinner, chores, etc., but all on your own vs. split in some nice way.
- A limited availability of long hours.
- No partner’s health insurance plan.
- No partner’s help should something fall through.
- Limited ability to take on a PT job doing something else should you have a bad writing income month.
- No back up.
- Limited ability to attend press events you’re invited to and you can’t just pop off to interview a good source at any old time.
- Lots of stress.
- Did I mention LOTS of stress?
Any writer can have the above issues sure. However, the writers I personally know who tend to make bank can work around the clock to make it happen. Many of them have insurance through their partners, and help and support for their goals. Or they’re single and have the ability to work day jobs and cultivate their writing career at night. Got kids? You can’t work around the clock unless you ignore said kids. As a single parent you’re on your own, and it’s tough. To make it as a freelance writer, who actually makes money (decent money) you have to give a lot, maybe 90-100% before you’re established enough to cut back, and single parents just plain don’t have that to give.
So is it all this bad if you’re a single parent? OR can you actually make decent money, reach your goals, and limit stress (at least some) while freelance writing?
Maybe. Maybe not. Many writers who aren’t single parents can’t cut it. My first thought would be to do something else. Something with normal hours and benefits. But I didn’t do that, so I’m not really one to lecture. If you still want to make it as a single parent and a freelance online writer and blogger stay tuned because I’ve got some tips coming up this week.
Are you a single parent and also a freelancer or a single parent thinking about freelancing? Let me know in the comments.
I am not a single parent, though I am single. In my opinion to earn a living online is quite difficult. It may take years for your site/blog to become popular. Also about being a freelance writer, you must be an awesome writer and popular as well.
It can be done, because I’m doing it, along with homeschooling my son. If I weren’t a full-time student, I would have more than enough work to sustain me and my child. However, because I’m going to school full time (12 credits) online, I can only write part time.
I write web content for On Demand Studios as well as blog (paid a set fee, and I also write for some sites where my articles make money based on clicks per page, views, etc.
I just began these endeavors in late December 2009 and was referred to On Demand Studios per an “e-friend” who, like me, is a single parent homeschooler.
God has blessed me abundantly.
Phyllis, do you actually make enough money to live on and pay for school and pay for health insurance with just PT work from revenue sites, Demand, and Examiner? That seems impossible to me. I used to homeschool (well, unschool) and was in college AND worked as much in my free time as humanly possible and there’s no way I made enough to support my son and me from freelance work alone at that point. Even after I was done with college and my son started attending a free school it was hard to get to a living wage point – where I could afford all the bills easily, pay for health care, and save some $.