5 Reasons I Love Blogging More than Freelancing
May 22, 2008 by J.C. Hewitt
If I had two kids, Blogging and Freelancing, Blogging would get most of the attention. I would play catch with Blogging in the backyard. I would let Blogging sit in the front seat (and yell at Freelancing for fidgeting). If I could only afford braces for one of them, Blogging would get them. Why?
I don’t have to send out query letters
I would rather be writing articles than query letters. It is just that simple. The process of querying publishers or potential clients can take months and there is no guarantee it will lead to a sale. With blogging, I spend my time writing actual articles (and occasionally poems). I don’t spend my time trying to convince other people to publish me.
I can write about whatever I want
The beauty of blogging is that I am my own publisher. I determine what I write about and then I go out and write it. I don’t have to tailor my writing to a certain magazine’s style, space or content rules. I can write in my own voice and develop my own style. I get to be me.
I don’t have to answer to an editor
I have no doubt a good editor could make my articles better. My site could certainly benefit from one of those pricey word polishers. Unfortunately, I have often found myself the victim of arbitrary cuts determined by either an incompetent editor’s ideas or a publication’s space limitations. These are not problems I have to deal with as a blogger. Bloggers have the freedom to determine the length and style of their work. I love that freedom and I hate it when I have to give it up.
I get published when I want to be
The beauty of blogging is that I determine my own publishing schedule. I can publish an article as soon as I finish it or schedule it for whenever I want it to appear. The decision is mine. I’ll never get that kind of freedom as a freelancer. As a freelancer, I have waited as long as a year for an article to appear (and to get paid). Also, in the rare cases when I am having trouble with an article and it is taking me longer than I expected, I don’t have to worry about explaining myself to an editor or a client. I simply keep working on it until I get it right. I can even quit and move on to something else without any repercussions.
I get to connect with my readers
When I write for traditional print publications or for business clients, the best I can hope for is one or two sets of comments. In many cases, I receive absolutely no feedback from the audience. If I do, it’s a one-time event. Readers don’t follow my work. With my blog, I can develop long-term relationships with my readers. Not only will they comment on one article, in many cases they will come back again and again with their own ideas and opinions. They catch things I miss. They let me know when they like what I wrote. They let me know when they don’t. Knowing they are out there keeps me writing.
Related links
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[...] If I had two kids, Blogging and Freelancing, Freelancing would get a little bit more of my attention. She’s a bit more serious and sometimes would need a little extra TLC to understand how important she is. She would need extra help with her homework, but hate to ask for it. Blogging would be an independent young woman and I would take advantage of that, in a way. I would love her, of course, but probably have to think hard to remember if she had come home from school yet and was just upstairs on her computer. [...]
John, love the analogy of treating freelancing and blogging as children. YOur talent shines through.
I agree with every one of this, mbut the main reason can be found in #1, specifically, “The process of querying publishers or potential clients can take months and there is no guarantee it will lead to a sale.”
Time is money, especially when you freelance. Therefore for me, anything I’m doing that’s not leading to a pretty quick sale (besides my blog writing) is a waste of time .
That’s also why I love SEO writing. Clients get back to you quickly, and they pay almost immediately upon completion of the project.
Once again, you’ve nailed a stellar topic squarely on the head!
Yuwanda
Yuwandas last blog post..How One New Freelance Writer Netted Enough Clients to Quit His Job in Just 12 Hours
Killer analogy to start with. I’m imagining the poor kid named Freelancing with crooked teeth, sadly waiting for Pops to shell out for braces, even though he obviously loves Blogging more…
I also agree on the magazine topic. One reason I love writing for trade magazines so much is the need for querying is eliminated. With a few good magazine relationships, I now have them coming to me, offering up story assignments and contacts. Much more rewarding, both financially and mentally.
Great post!
QuietRebelWriters last blog post..Lassoed Links in a Week of (Un)Success
What a great post! You remind of why I do blog and why I should keep on blogging. The best part is I get my words out there when I want them out there.
[...] can get published when he wants to be; and (5) he gets to connect with readers. Read his full post here or click on the RSS feed at the right-hand sidebar and keep up on his [...]
[...] Why John Hewitt and I might have children together: Our firstborn will be named Blogging. [...]
One big difference: Freelance makes the money, Blogging feeds the ego.
@ Yuwanda
I admire your success with SEO. I would love to get some links to your SEO work so I can see what writing choices you make.
@ QRG
A good business relationship can go a long way. My problem is that I have a job (call it the redheaded step child) so I don’t freelance often enough to establish strong relationships.
@ Marie
It is all about the words.
@ Anonymous
(looking up from counting my money on top of a picture of myself) Can’t it be both?
I know how you feel, freelancing is good for the quick buck but blogging can talk you some much further. I love the fact that with the push of a button that the world can read want I write.
By the way, I love your blog theme, it is very sleek.
Darryls last blog post..6 Amazing Ways to Make Money Writing Articles
John, it’s nothing brilliant, trust me. Most of the articles I write are 500-word pieces with an assigned keyword phrase thrown in. I take pride in my work though and won’t churn out garbage. There’s so much junk in SEO; it’s no wonder the industry has a bad name.
Even though I’m no Alice Walker or Toni Morrison, when assigned keyword phrases are contrived, I still do my best to put together a cohesive piece that will illicit an emotion – sometimes its pure entertainment, sometimes its purely to inform, sometimes its solely to pique curiosity — but at least you come away with a FEELING.
I can’t tell you how many times clients have actually been bowled over by what I’ve turned in; but I’m convinced it has more to do with the bad SEO writing they’ve become accustomed to, instead of some brilliance on my part (although if they’re handing out accolades, who am I to dissuade them
.
The sad part is, many people are so used to bad writing that when they come across even generally good writing, they’re impressed. They immediately see the difference — and are willing to pay for it (to a degree) in my opinion.
FYI, I don’t have SEO samples; I use old articles, press releases and/or blog posts as samples. That way clients get a feel for my style. When I do work for them, it belongs to them, so I’m unable to pass them along.
Yuwandas last blog post..Why Darren Rowse & John Chow Scare Me: How to Deal w/ Guest Posting Fear
Tempted to rename my kids
John, excellent points… and even tho’ it can be a hassle some times, it’s the connection with readers that I love the most. Books are great, but drop into a black hole as far as feedback is concerned. Websites and articles are the same, and of course, my major shtick, ghostwriting, means I almost never meet a reader.
And my open comment session last night amazed me… folks actually turned out. Liz over at SuccessfulBlog gets the credit for the idea, but I’ve now made it my own.
Thanks for the post.
Anne Waymans last blog post..News Designer?
@ Anne
Connecting with my readers is my mantra for the year.
@ Yuwanda
I just figured you could link to their site and I could read some in their native envirronment, but I understand if you want to protect your customer’s privacy or your client base.
[...] Reasons I Love Blogging More than Freelancing at PoeWar (I hear that, [...]
I like how you compared Blogging and Freelancing to kids. It was a cute analogy. It sounds like you like owning your own writing business. I think you can make a connection with a book but it’s a more direct connection with a blog. I guess you really get to know the people that read your posts. I think those are some great tips for aspiring writers to consider.
I believe that blogging is awesome especially because of all the comments mentioned by you. However not everyone can blog so we need free lancers too because blogging is independent and the only way in which publishers can survive is with the help of free lancers. Well its all about the individual after all.
Abids last blog post..Financial Meltdown, Credit Crunch et al. and what it all means?