To jack it all in and become a freelance writer?

[Elsia]

This really.

I’m a solicitor. My job is awful. I hate it. It has completely and utterly taken over my life. The stress and anxiety has been terrible for the past year and I am utterly done with it. I am a crap parent and a crap wife because of it.

I have been looking for a new job but opportunities are thin on the ground. My skills and experience are fairly niche and nothing seems to be the right fit.

I’m also struggling for time to apply for jobs because all I do is work. Lots of late nights and missed opportunities.

Anyway. I’ve seen a few adverts on Indeed for freelance writers. £25-35k (although from looking into it a bit further I think you pick jobs you want and so your earning capacity is in your own hands - I would guess you’d have to write a LOT for £35k!)

I’m a good writer (when I set my mind to it). It’s probably the only thing I’m good at really. I’m seriously thinking about jacking in my job, applying for a £20k receptionist job in the NHS (or whatever) and doing freelance writing to supplement my income and build experience.

Is this a terrible idea? We have just reached a place where we are financially secure, we’ve just moved house and my husband (while very supportive of my need to find a new job) is concerned about a big big drop in income.

I’m just getting to the stage where I can’t do it any more.

Being freelance is exactly that. You get paid per day or by piece of work. Just saying you're good at it isn't enough. To get work you need credibility, so you need experience and proof.

What kind of writing do you see yourself doing?

It's hard to build up a client base from nothing as a freelancer of any sort. Most freelances start off in jobs and move into freelance once they have a network of potential clients.

A lot of freelance jobs pit you against people in the subcontinent who can accept very small amounts of money, single-digit pounds, for assignments.

I did it. I left a job where I was earning 30k to set up as a content writer. To be honest I don't earn very much, but enough to get by and I'm way happier than I was before. There's a good group called the Freelance Lifestylers on Facebook. Lots of tips and a good hive mind of knowledge! People often post job opportunities on there as well. With your background you will have a lot of niche knowledge which would be helpful.
Life's too short to be unhappy.

Yeah I mean I suspect I would need to supplement it with another job but I would be happy with that if it was something low stress.

Freelance writer here (copywriting, marketing and some specialisms).

It’s a tough market at the moment for writers. I’ve got 20 years’ experience and I’m struggling for work.

Since last year a lot — a lot — of writers and journalists have come onto the market — agency freelancers and short-term contract people, basically, who all got booted when the first lockdown hit because they were easy to get rid of.

It’s flooded the market and driven day-rates down. I used to charge £500 a day for my work, now there’s less of it and I’m fighting to get £250 a day. Competition for every job is high.

Not to mention the increased competition from freelance bidding sites where Chinese and Indian writers will do a whole website for £30.

Be wary of those vague Indeed posts. Some of them are the age-old sales jobs under a different banner. Some of them are just advertising for bidding sites like Freelancer and People Per Hour.

That said, you might have some success if you can work in a niche. Writing for law firms, perhaps. Writing is very much a contacts game — who you know — so you might be at a natural advantage operating within the sector you know, and are known.

Thank you LadyCounterblast this is exactly why I posted this.

Tell you what though - I love writing training seminars and presentations. Obviously I’ve only ever done that in my own area but I wonder if I could develop that.

Really interested in this OP as I am also a solicitor tho have not worked for several years due to having 5 kids and I would like to get in to freelance writing too but also finding it very hard to find an alternative job outside of law as I am not that keen to go back in to a law firm again.

Yes I’ve been headhunted for a few roles which are essentially what I am doing now in a different firm (but for more money) but it’s just not what I want to do. I don’t want a life of stress and anxiety.

I am a freelance writer. Most freelance writers do not earn £35,000 a year!
It is a tough industry and you’ll need a decent portfolio of bylines and experience to get work.

Everyone thinks they can write but it’s about far more than that-you’ll need SEO knowledge to optimise online articles; have a good understanding for content that converts readers and contacts to pitch to. It’s not necessarily about writing whatever you fancy, some of it can be quite boring.

Saying that, if it’s what you enjoy and your current job isn’t making you happy then it’s worth pursuing. I’d recommend starting whilst you’re working (or in another less stressful job) or perhaps go part-time and freelance on the side? Why not start your own blog/site to get some practice or find some voluntary work writing for a charity or non-profit? That way you have content you can share when applying for jobs and can see if it’s really for you?

Honestly, I'd budget to make about 10k, not full time, with no experience, doing bits and bobs.

Tbh most jobs are stressful, you have to be lucky and/or honest up front. You mention NHS receptionist, that must be very stressful.

Go to an agency, tell them you are looking for low stress. My last manager was the person who would say "team, we've been set this pointless task by the CEO, let's get it done as painlessly as possible".

That's the kind of boss you need. Good luck.

If you want to do the writing, by all means, but don't underestimate the impact of globalism, race to the bottom etc.

Have you thought about becoming a sessional Law tutor at a university!/law college? I used to know a few solicitors who did this and taught the foundation skill LLB courses. One eventually went on to become a law lecturer so there's a way to use your law knowledge.

I’m not necessary averse to any kind of stress. I am a hard worker, I’m not frightened of being busy and working to deadlines etc. It’s a different kind of stress and expectation though. I don’t want fee targets. I don’t want to make calls that could cost someone thousands if I make the wrong one. I don’t want to wake up in the night worrying about it. I don’t want to work till 11pm every night to stay afloat when the shit hits the fan.

@Elsia

Yeah I mean I suspect I would need to supplement it with another job but I would be happy with that if it was something low stress.

And you think reception work in the NHS is low stress. Have you not met the Great British public when it is angry, frustrated, in pain, anxious , entitled or just plain nasty? Who do you think gets it in the neck first?

I think if you go into it knowing you might earn very little, then that's okay. There is really nothing stopping you from 'becoming' a freelance writer, you could say you are from today. The issue is in getting work, sustainable over a long time, that feels worth the time and effort you are putting into it. Also, some of that work might be extremely boring as well as poorly paid. Are you okay with that, coming from a high pressure job?

Would it be possible to reduce your hours in your current job so you can give it a go properly before jacking it all in?

I also noticed you like creating training. There seems to be a growing market for people to create digital learning content. Might that be worth exploring?

I working in the creative industry's where we employ copywriters, it's so tough out there for them always, as not many people value how important good copy is.

But if you can navigate your way towards a digital course, learn the ins and outs of social media posting then a content writer for social is a whole other story. If you enjoy social media then you could pick up your own clients as well and pair your with agencies who need help writing for clients, most content writers are PR a background, so some PR attaining, social etc and you've got a great combination.

There are agencies after content writers, so basically a brand will need a digital plan of what to say, when to say it and you'd be working will the team developing that plan and writing the words, with your background financial sectors, insurance firms etc would all have roles.

Excuse typos..

I'm freelance op more in online tutitian and some course development, I'm only paid by the hour so no sick leave, no holiday pay etc.
The money is getting lower and lower due to what a previous poster said about a lot of companies using lower paid countries.
I do it because I'm a qualified teacher but can't get a job in my country, its the total opposite to the UK here as teaching jobs are scarce and ppl don't leave them once they are permanent.
I also have 3 young dcs, childcare is v expensive and no family support so needed something flexible.
Two sides to it, its way less stress as can drop and pick up work which has been v good as regards schools and childcare here constantly closing now, in all my dcs have been off school/childcare for a grand total of 8 months altogether so on the other hand I can't make any money and have no rights as technically I can work but in reality can't with a three year old and two other kids.
So I get the high stress as being a massive negative for you but there's assurance with having rights and a permanent job.

Extremely competitive and not very well paid without experience, reputation or portfolio of published work.

Perhaps you could look at specialising with writing about Law for industry publications as by utilising U.K. specific industry knowledge it’ll enable you to work within a niche and perhaps utilise existing contacts, and also provide a large degree of protection from offshore competition due to the nature of the topic.

Maybe try and find some freelance jobs to start to build up a portfolio of work and get some ongoing clients before jumping totally in. Look on peopleperhour for an idea of what’s around and start a blog/similar to build up a body of work at the very least.

(I’m not a freelance writer, but tried to become one thinking it’d be easier than it was. I am still freelance... but work in IT - much better paid!! 😂)

If you hate money and love grafting, by all means, become a freelance writer.

Don’t underestimate how much time you’ll spend thinking of pitches, drafting them, contacting editors, redrafting, only to hear nothing. Or to later see your idea written by in-house staff. Freelance budgets have been cut massively this year and as said above, competition is so high right now. Unless you have existing relationships with editors/publications it’s incredibly tough to get your foot in the door. And most of those relationships are built in-person, which isn’t possible right now. In your position I’d maybe try it as a side gig but definitely have a full-time role and steady income from elsewhere.

What about using your qualifications in a different arena that required a bit of writing but didn’t have fee targets? What region are you in?

I know the fee earning side of the law can be very cutthroat and stressful. Could you go in-house perhaps? If you find the right organisation whose ethos you agree with, it can be much more fulfilling.

Ohgod, stay as a solicitor. Seriously! I scrape by as a freelance writer, only because I own my house outright.

I’m trying to go in-house. It ain’t happening.

If I were you I would take a couple of weeks off work. Get together some solid freelance written pieces and whizz them off to various companies and see what they say. Then go from there. The feedback may be great or it may be not what you're expecting. That way you're not giving up your main source of income just yet but you're also putting some toes in the water.