Tax and Business Advice for a Freelance Writer Overview

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To be a successful freelance writer, you must look at your writing as a business. You may or may not have an agent, but it is still up to you to develop your business and make it a success. You will appear more professional to publishers, interviewees, and clients if you adopt a businesslike attitude.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are over 300,000 writers and editors in the United States alone. Of those writers, a third are self-employed. Also according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the outlook for writers is good, and growth is expected to remain steady for the next several years. This is good news for anyone who is considering starting their own business as a freelance writer.

As with any business, you will need to determine what your expenses will be for running your company and what your income will be. While it is difficult as a freelance writer to always know what your yearly income might be, you should at least have a goal set for the year. You also need to set your working hours. When working from home it is very easy to let your work take over your life, and you find yourself doing nothing outside of your writing. On the flip side of that, it is easy when working at home to become distracted with friends, family, and outside activities and loose focus on your writing assignments. The trick is in finding a balance to be able to do both; work on your writing and have an outside life. Set up a calendar with time set aside for work, and time set aside for other obligations.

Businesses succeed or fail based upon the way in which they are managed. Manage your freelance writer business as a professional.



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