Although it may sound like a flashy, fun, and free-roaming option for employment, successful freelance writers can attest to the fact that it likely wasn’t easy getting to a point where work was available, and lucrative enough, to merit the words career or employment in the first place.
Underestimating the Workload
Very often, those new to the self-guided world of freelance writing lack the basic understanding of how long content creation can 
take. For this reason, many may underestimate the time required to adeptly data mine, study, and create original content.
Too Soon to Quit Your Day Job
Many who initiate a career in publishing, online content creation, or professional blogging do so as a secondary job while still working a full-time position outside the home. Although this is definitely the prudent path to take before embarking on a freelance position, gaining a profitable client or two may be a source of disillusion. Those new to a freelance writing career should understand fully that a well-paid contract or two is not serious cause to quit your day job, quite yet.
Blazing Burnout
For some who are first introduced to the possibility of a lucrative, beneficial, and legitimate work from home job, the excitement can be barely containable. This may cause a writer to rush out, grab up as many jobs as they can, and work ruthlessly and with great determination for long periods of time. The work is so convenient that taking a break, slowing down, or in general controlling the overflow of work seems unnecessary and detrimental to the bottom line. However, without creating a healthy and steady pace for themselves, many writers can quickly begin to experience burnout, a very effective freelance career killer.
Ignoring Social Media Opportunities
Any freelance career may be heavily dependent on networking opportunities. For freelancers who have chosen a ‘specialty’ niche, this could not be a truer statement. Naturally, those who specialize will have far more limited resources than those who openly take on a variety of industries. In these instances, refusal to utilize the career ops available through social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Thumbtack, or even Twitter may reduce overall opportunities greatly, and cause a full-time career to dwindle to little more than a part-time hobby with pay.
Improper Time Management
Those who choose a career that allows them to work from home may do so for many reasons. Most common reasons include those that involve the care of others such as children or adults who cannot care for themselves. However, sacrificing a career outside the home may not be the only required personal forfeiture. If yelling children or constant interruptions are a part of your day, you may need to set aside time at night when the house is quiet to begin your work process. Providing distracted or disjointed content due to constant interference is sure to interrupt your workflow, perhaps even destroy it.
The most important thing to remember about any type of freelance work is that there is indeed much work involved. If you begin to slack on a career that self-controlled, there will be no one to prod you along, supplying gentle encouragement, and stimulating increased focus. Those who cannot initiate their own self-driven ambition and desire to follow through may quickly find themselves submerged by the freedom they sought when they considered this type of career in the first place.
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