The Elephant In The Room

I found an interesting post over by Tamara and Lorna over at Freelance Parent. They often field the question "how much money can you make as a freelance writer?" So, they decided to share their gross income for the past month. It made for an interesting discussion, because I know that's always the "elephant in the room" when the topic of what a writer does for a living comes up in a casual conversation.

Honestly, for me, it fluctuates. Certain times of the year are busier. I typically find that the fall is extremely busy for me, and things pipe down a little in the summertime. (Or it may be the for the past few summers, I've had both kids home a lot so I haven't had as much time to prospect for new leads). And it all depends on how much you work. For the past two years, I'd say I've probably averaged 20 hours a week working, and that includes the not-so-fun business aspects of the job like filing, invoicing, prospecting, etc. So, without further adieu, I share with you the fruits of my labor:

• So far this year, my gross monthly income has averaged at about $750 dollars. That typically includes two to three regular clients. My largest client is an online Web site, and one or two regional magazine articles fill in the gaps.
• My biggest month last year was November, where I was working a lot as a stringer for the local newspaper and picked up extra assignments from one online site. I grossed $1,600, and worked extremely hard that month for every penny!

Now I'm hoping to triple my current monthly income once school starts, as both my kids will be in school at least six hours a day this year. I'm already trying to get my work lined up so my plate will be nice and full next month.

If you're working a full-time job but want to quit to become a freelance writer, Deb Ng has some good tips for you over at Freelance Writing Jobs. Good luck!