Build Your Freelance Business Your Way

I'm noticing a common thread among the comments I've been getting on this blog and across several writer's forums as well.

People have this strange idea that they need to write articles all day every day in order to be working at home and earning money.

This just isn't true!

Your freelance business is YOURS. You have the freedom and the power to set it up however you choose. You can include article writing, content creation, paid reviews, forum posting, affiliate sales, ghost-writing, copywriting, ebook writing, paid emails, banner ads, - whatever you want to add. Mix and match your favorite bits of these with a few get-paid-to options and then break up your day with your different options to stop you going stir crazy.

It's YOUR business we're talking about here. You're the boss and you get to choose what happens in your business.

The word 'Freelance' simply means being self-employed. It doesn't mean writing. You could be a freelance photographer or a freelance consultant. You could be a freelance internet guru or a freelance online business owner. It's up to you.

If you plan on working at home for any length of time then not only will you need to be making money, but you'll also need to be having some fun or else you'll lose your motivation. By doing things you really enjoy every day, you'll be excited to get out of bed and jump onto the computer to start working because you're having fun.

However, if you only follow what the "gurus" are telling you will make money, you'll be working on ideas and tactics that they enjoy and profit from - not things you really enjoy doing.

In order to build a freelance business and then keep that business running strong you need to be passionate about what you're doing. It's fine to listen to the gurus' ideas, but see where you can replace their products and their profit making tools for your own business and your own passions.

My passion is writing. I love writing and I love helping people to get out of debt. I also love helping people learn about environmental issues and being a little greener in their every day lives. These are the topics I specialize in because they're what I enjoy doing every day.

Here are some things to remember when you're creating your own freelance business:

- Find your own little niche and create a specialization around it.
- Learn how article marketing works and use it well to promote your business.
- Talk to other writers on forums and learn how they established their freelance clients.
- Advertise your services.
- Learn to write great query letters and send them out to magazines that focus on your little niche.
- Build a portfolio of your own work (this goes hand-in-hand with the article marketing idea)
- Love what you do!

Most importantly - don't listen to the 'gurus' who want to take your money to teach you only how THEY do things that they enjoy. Listen to their ideas, but use your own version of the things you love doing instead.

Follow your own passions and do the things you love most. Life's too short to work at anything that's no fun!

:)