Not everyone has the personality to work from home as a professional writer. It takes a great deal of motivation, dedication and perseverance to make an income this way. The ability to spend long hours working in complete solitude is a necessity.
Many writers may name working alone as their favorite part of being a freelance writer. There’s no boss to look over your shoulder, office politics to navigate or annoying laughter from the next cubicle to distract you. However, it is to your benefit to build a network of other professional writers for several reasons:
- Everyone Needs Some Social Interaction – Writing can be a very lonely profession. Reaching out to other writers is important to fill the gap typically taken by coworkers and other colleagues. You can form these connections without even leaving your house. There are many forums and blogs devoted to freelance writing. All you need to do is start posting to become part of the online writing community.
- Find Out About New Opportunities – Most writers constantly have their ear to the ground listening out for new opportunities. When you network with other professional writers you can pass on leads and hope others will return the favor. As your network grows, you will have a large group of writers who are each sharing the leads they dig up. This will allow you to investigate a far greater range of opportunities than you could find on your own.
- Ask for Advise – Fellow freelance writers are a great source of information. Perhaps you are interested in publishing an e-book, are unsure of your tax responsibilities or need to find an individual insurance plan. Other professional writers have likely gone through the same situation and will gladly tell you what they did.
- Exchange Ideas and Expertise – Let’s say you’re writing an article on standardized testing and need a quote to tie your thoughts together. You probably have parents or former teachers in your network that are happy to give a quote. You can also send out a call for help if you’re stuck on where to take a piece. Even Writer Access runs contests each month for blog and article ideas. Networking with other writers gives you backup creativity when you need it.
- Get Feedback on Work – I don’t have a lot of experience with press releases. A professional writer I met online offered to read any press releases I’m assigned and offer feedback before I submit them. She tends to write in an authoritative manner and asks me to look over blog posts and articles in which a conversational tone has been requested. We’ve both learned a lot from the other and have strengthened our skills.
WriterAccess has recently made it easier to network with other writers by introducing writer forums. A simple web search will bring up dozens of similar options. Look for local networking events if you prefer face-to-face contact. Coffee shops, libraries and colleges frequently host networking events.
