Let me tell you about freelance writing. Last year, my family went on four vacations — including a trip to New Zealand and an Alaska cruise. We’re not wealthy, but it’s been about two years since I worried about making all my ends meet.

And I do it on three hours of writing a day, from home, with my baby on my lap.

The point here isn’t that I’m awesome — I’m in fact less awesome than many other freelancers I know. The point is that making a good living as a freelancer is easy. You just have to avoid the worst freelancing mistakes.

1. Not Using a Schedule

I know, I know, I know. You got into freelance writing to escape from the constraints of a planner-driven life. Sadly, owning your time means you have to pay more attention to how you spend it. Sticking to a work schedule can double or triple your productivity — which means doubling or tripling your pay.

2. Scarcity-Based Budgeting

Too many freelancers look at what they’ve made at the end of the quarter, then figure out how to make that meet their needs. Instead, decide how much you want to make. Then find the work you need to reach that goal. Never spend more than you bring in, but plan your work according to what you want — not what you end up with.

3. Charging Too Little

Carol Tice of The Freelance Writers’ Den reports that the average rate for a single pro blog post is over $100 for 400 words. Those feature articles you read in National Geographic or your airline magazine each got the writer $2,000 to $5,000. Stop writing for $10 a post.

4. Avoiding Marketing

Lots of us don’t market because we don’t like it, and many aren’t sure how to do it anyway — but without marketing you’re doomed to a scarcity of work. Start with social network and community marketing, then work your way up to hitting up potential clients cold.

5. Working Like an Artiste

I’ve said it before…more than once…the problem with most freelancers is they don’t act like professionals. They flake on assignments, react poorly to requests for change, and generally act like a stereotypical prima donna. I came to this after spending years in business management and ownership, with all the frustration at flaky employees that involves. I spare my clients that frustration, and that has made all the difference.

Who among us is guilty of these five mistakes? Better yet, who among us has figured out how to avoid or correct them? Comment below.

Image credit U.S. Department of Treasury

This comes to use from Josh Sarz via the Make a Living Writing blog. I couldn’t have said it better myself, so I’m not even going to try…

I can’t do it.

That’s what I say to myself after reading how other people are making a living writing.

Sure, they can do it. They have experience. They have talent. They were born to be writers. I’m just a regular kid. I’m only good at playing computer games and watching TV.

That’s why I’m writing this piece to you. If you’re reading this with hopes of learning ways to make a living writing, stop.

Let me give you nine reasons why you’re better off looking for another way.

10 reasons why you can’t write for a living

1. You don’t know anything – That’s right. Just like me, you don’t know anything about writing. What makes you think you can just ‘decide’ to be a writer and then magically produce quality writing.

Click here for the whole post. Seriously. You’ll be glad you did. 

Once upon a time, I ran a martial arts studio with 120 students. I spent 10 to 12 hours every day surrounded by high energy people, teaching classes, solving problems and talking with a cast of just over 500 characters who passed through my doors each week.

Now, I type at a computer for a living.

I love my job. The money, flexibility and variety are simply better than working in martial arts. But it can get lonely.

Which is where writing communities come in. Besides curing “lonely writer syndrome,” they provide a sounding board for your ideas. They serve as alpha and beta readers for your manuscripts. They provide accountability via verbal gobslaps if you don’t meet your goals.

Writing communities are, as the lady says, “A Good Thing.” Though there is infinite variety in these, as in all other things, I see three basic categories of writing community.

Writer Groups

These are small cadres of writers who get together to share and critique work. Rarely part of a larger organization, they meet regularly to help each other out.

Pros include a tight group of people you know well, and a regular structure of meetings. The biggest con is that you end up with the same five or six opinions every time.

You can find writers groups on local meetups, checking at bookstores and through Facebook and other social media sites.

Writing Forums

If you have the thick skin necessary to deal with the inevitable troll, you can join a writing forum. At any time day or night, some random fellow member can provide research advice, encouragement and critiques.

Pros include a wide array of opinions and experience, along with constant access to help and guidance. On the con side, the medium doesn’t lend itself to forming tight relationships.

Some of my favorite writing forums include Children’s Book Isider, WritingForums.org, and the forums over at WritersMarket.com. Freelance Writers’ Den merits a special mention because it comes with a great suite of articles and tutorials that are really helping me out. There’s a link to them to the right.

Professional Associations

You’d be amazed how many writers’ associations there are. National freelance associations, regional associations, genre associations, regional genre associations…each with their own newsletter, fee structure and annual events.

For the most part, these associations don’t give you the day-to-day help or a forum or writer group. They instead keep you in the loop for news, opportunities and chances to network. Most associations offer at least one convention or workshop each year — and they’re well worth going to. Membership gets you discounts for these conventions in addition to the standard benefits.

One last thing about associations: The Pacific Northwest Travel Writers Conference runs on April 29 & 30 this year in Port Townsend, WA. I’m speaking, so show up.

Thanks for listening.