Apr
3
88% of freelance writers like to bitch. 76% are snobs. 52% make less money than I do. 34% write more pages per day. 13.2% are people I want as friends.
In case it wasn’t obvious, I made up those numbers.
I’ve never liked statistics. I always come out the loser.
When I read stories about people who get struck by lightning more than once, I’m never surprised. If 1% of the population is going to get a disease or a medication side effect, I’m going to be one of them. Fate likes to screw with me.
Beyond that, I don’t like statistics because they’re highly subjective. The numbers never include everyone; until they do, I’m simply not interested.
But say all the numbers were there. Say someone spelled out for you how much you should earn, how many words per day you should write, what the standards should be for good content, what the exact procedure should be for getting business, how you should measure your business success. Would you listen? Would you nod along saying “Yes, Mr. Dictator Sir” and set out to fit that mold?
I wouldn’t.
I began freelancing because I was tired of working in a little box. Didn’t you?
Yet as freelancers we like to tell our fellows what to do. We tell each other to dress for success, not to write for literary magazines, to get up early in the morning to produce better quality work. I’m not above this; I’ve passed out my share of advice. What I wonder is why we do it.
Many of us want to be helpful. We want to help new freelance writers and bloggers succeed. We’re excited that we’ve made it as far as we have, and we want to share our experience.
Others like to brag, or maybe they just like to lie. They like to feel important. Or they want to sell a book, a product, an affiliate scheme.
Differentiating one type of advice from the other can be difficult enough. But even if you’ve got a good bullshit-detector, who says any advice is always going to be good?
You could spend all day trying to measure up to someone else’s standards. Or, you should set your own standards and save yourself a lot of time.
Sure, take advice if it helps you. Listen to success stories if they inspire you. But don’t feel like a failure or beat yourself up just because your way is different than someone else’s.
How heavily do you rely on other people’s opinions, experiences, advice?
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16 Responses to “Freelance Writing Standards: Who’s Setting Yours?”
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About Amy Derby
Formerly a corporate paralegal, I ditched the pantyhose to begin freelancing in 2004. I enjoy long walks to the coffee maker, never setting an alarm clock, and not wearing a bra to the (home) office. I can be reached at amy.derby (at) gmail.com.
Um, I don’t. But then again, I’m James. I don’t do anything that I’m supposed to do. In fact, Naomi at Itty Biz once said that I was the topic of conversation between her and her husband.
They agreed wholeheartedly with each other that whatever everyone else is doing, James will do the opposite. If it’s war, James plays peacemaker. If it’s calm, James creates chaos.
I don’t mean to. I’m just like that
But you have a good post and interesting thoughts here. The problem is, humans crave acceptance. It’s the survival instinct at its best. By belonging to a group, we stay alive.
By being the odd one out, we risk ourselves.
So the question is more, are you willing to take risks?
James Chartrand - Men with Pens’s last blog post..Fiction Writing: Research is Just a Road Trip
See! That’s why you’re my hero, and possibly the other half of my brain.
Even though I don’t always agree with you, we seem to see eye-to-eye on most of the big things that matter to me. Only 1% do. 
They tried giving me a formula for success as a Realtor. I looked around the room and said to my boss. “Are all these other 50 people doing that?”
My boss said”yes”
I said “How’s it working for them?”
His lack of an answer told me everything I needed to know. So I tried it a different way. There weren’t 50 people in that office sitting at the top.
I don’t believe in formulas. But I read everything I can get my hands on and then spit out what I don’t want and do what I like. It’s NEVER going to be about a formula. It’s going to be about the people.
And yes James..I am always willing to take risks if they are the right ones to take.
Wendi Kelly’s last blog post..Stop and Smell the Goodness
I’m just trying to keep up with undoing everything James was doing when he wasn’t trying to do anything at all.
Harrison McLeod’s last blog post..Fiction Writing: Research is Just a Road Trip
Wendy - I absolutely LOVE that! I don’t believe in formulas either, for similar reasons. Yours is a great story though.
Harry - Poor James……
Poor, poor James…
James Chartrand - Men with Pens’s last blog post..Fiction Writing: Research is Just a Road Trip
*waits patiently for Harold*
@James: Poor James my ass…
@Amy: You called? I’m sorry, I was a little distracted.
Harrison McLeod’s last blog post..Fiction Writing: Research is Just a Road Trip
Just waiting for you to call me Pandora.
PANDORA! *smacks self in head* Forgive me, I’m slipping.
Harrison McLeod’s last blog post..Fiction Writing: Research is Just a Road Trip
Please don’t hurt yourself, dear. You’ll need your head to be the VOR.
James, what did you break this time?
(At least *I* didn’t break anything today… that I know of…)
*looks around hopefully, crosses several fingers and various other body parts just in case*
@Pandora: It’s okay, I’ve got mittens on. They’re hell to type with, though.
Harrison McLeod’s last blog post..Fiction Writing: Research is Just a Road Trip
My bunnies like to eat mittens…
Scruff up the cat bellies for me!
Thanks for the link Amy.
It sounds like you’ve got yourself a system that works.
I think that it’s great to do your own thing, BUT personally I hate to reinvent the wheel.
That’s why I’m always reading, asking questions, and trying to figure out a better way to do things. If someone else has that better way, I’m not adverse to using it just because it didn’t originally come from me. I guess it’s in my personality to assimilate information.
That’s just me, though.
On the other hand, there’s a lot of bad advice out there. I totally ignore that stuff. I think it’s safe to say that no one should follow every piece of advice that they find.
Laura Spencer’s last blog post..WAHM Wednesday: How Many Pages Should A Writer Produce in a Day?
Hey Laura - I’m TOTALLY with you on the reading and learning, etc. I love to learn everything I can. What works for others, what doesn’t, and so on, if only because I find it interesting. Like you, I incorporate what’s good for me and leave the rest. I do sometimes get a little peeved at certain bloggers (not you) who put themselves on pedestals and hope others will do the same.
I’m all for offering (and taking) advice. But when folks start saying stuff like “you’re wrong for doing this” or “you’ll never succeed if you do that” or “you couldn’t possibly be a good writer if you do it your way” it really gets under my skin. Not because it affects me so much at this point, but because a lot of new writers do blindly seek advice and listen to anyone who has placed himself/herself in a position of authority. Not to mention, it all causes a lot of unnecessary bad feeling between fellow freelancers. I’m not a mom, so I’m no good with watching people fight.
so you made up the stats,who cares.I don’t.what I do care about is pretty simple a blog that telles me something,or teaches me something,or even dare I say it entertains me.Hope that you are haveing a great day.
mike golch’s last blog post..A thank you.