I agree with Ilise.The freelancing is like running your own business and it needs a combination of several activities.And it is not easy as it seems.But I should say,it gives immense satisfaction to work with these things and be on your own. Thanks for discussing the reality involved in freelancing.

I agree, but I think ti is important to include that the "business end" doesn't take as much time as we think. I have the luxury of coming from a finance background, I admit, but when you boil down the time it actually takes vs. the time stressing about it: it is not worth it. It is so much easier to just implement what your instincts already tell you are right. This isn't easy, but again, dreams aren't easy...

Michael Pope

There's no flocking involved. Beautiful!
This is one of the best and truest pieces on business I've ever read. (And I've read a few.) Pertains to freelance writing, for sure, but it also reminded me of what it was like to be a builder contractor.

Ilise, This is an amazing article. Thanks so much for debunking these crazy myths. Jennifer Kouyoumjian

G-whiz, Ilise. You nailed it here. This is the kind of stuff you learn after years of experience. You pick it up year by year, but many of the lessons get flogged into your hide after months and years of repetition. Advice: If you understand these truths early, you're way ahead of the game. Ilise... I'm betting that you've been freelancing for at least 10 years. .. ?....

All the points you make are so true. I used to think it would be easier as a freelancer. Its not. The pressures are different and since you work from home, no one takes you seriously.

Great article! …Right on the nail! …Being a freelancer myself, it's a surprise I was able to squeeze out enough time to read this article. I think the credit goes to Ilise for writing it so well and for making it so insightful. I would recommend everyone who wants to be a freelance to read this article, NOT to discourage them, but to give them a chance to see what lies ahead.

Myth #8 is rather misinforming. your client circle will shape up according to your own personality. everyone makes choices, and just like how your social circle gets shaped through choices, your client circle does too. in the end if you just be yourself, your client circle will be people who your personality type attracts. im personally quite fond of our client circle. friends ? yes ive gained 2 personal friends from the client circle in the last year and a half.

Illise,

This article is excellent because it sets the prospective freelancer up for success. I'm glad you also mentioned the term entrepreneur and that regardless of how good you are you've got to market yourself. That has been a major failure for me over the last three years and I've had three years worth of lack of income to prove it.

Looking forward to more from you.

Hi, In this flood of internet marketing, work from home type of business promotions, this article gives a clear cut advice to the novice and in the stream alike. Just thinking internet as a money generation tool wont help so much. One has to think in terms of Enterpreneurship, build strategies, make thorough plans for success and then weave internet in thier plans and take leverage out of this giant network. Thanks for the nice article. Amit Srivastava

This is a great article! I'd like to email it to a friend (not on facebook or the other methods of post available). Is there a way to email it?

Illise,

You are spot on! Everything you have mentioned has been true to my experience as an illustrator. Thanks for the Myth busting reality checks!

Kim Sponaugle

I found this to be not only informative but a breath of fresh air if realistic environments Freelancers face.

Thank you llise Benun for such a great article.

Hilary--just cut and paste--keep it simple...

Everyone else--I've been freelancing for about 16 years, since the birth of my first child. (Previously, I graduated from an elite design school, and worked for several years in NY.) Ilise is right on all counts. Keep in mind also, the era in which we're freelancing. When I started, work was abundant, clients and agencies were calling, freelancers made lots of money, and had free-time to boot. A simple portfolio review assured me months of work. Now? Not so much.
Bad times for freelancers right now (as well as everyone else.) But it's a good time to focus on self-marketing...

You did a nice job with this article Ilise. These are all common myths that people really should understand before starting their own 'freelancing' business. I added a link to it from a regional (Northern California) management consulting site I run.

Brett LaDove

In my opinion, freelancing is just another job, but you will have less restrictions, because you can decide the pace and the scope of the work, based on the client's needs. I can't really say "freelancing" as an entrepreneurial activity, because you will just do "other people" work and ideas, the only difference is you are allowed to do it outside the scheme of average full time job contracts.

Entrepreneurial activity is how you build your own image, and your product to serve the needs of the market, and this is far more comprehensive than just freelancing.

I cannot say that I agree completely with this analysis.
I think that some of these goals that you state are myths are achievable, but it does count on you making the right decisions.
I can only speak of my own anecdotal experience as a freelance programmer and front end engineer.

1. Avoid taking on jobs that contain significant requirements which lie outside of your core interests.
Consider liaisons with kindred spirits whose core competencies complement your own for projects that require it.

2. These are perhaps lifestyle choices, marketing derives its value from being able to sell your product for more than you otherwise could.

3. Negotiating skills are invaluable.

4. Time management is critical, be conscious of how you spend your time, avoid wasting it replying to blog posts.

5. If you do quality work that enables your customers success you will not need to have new customers come flocking at your door. You will have a portfolio of clients who owe to you at least part of their success and know where to go for help with their next enterprise, find the 'right' customers and make them happy. I rely on a core group of 5 customers for 90% of my work.

6. Encourage your customers to leave positive feedback which consists of more than standard phrases, have them extol the merits of the actual work you did. Self-promotion is often misread as unfounded boasting.
When bidding for a project don't rely on past work, do your research, have an idea of how you want to solve their problem and why that solution is sound. Concentrate on one aspect of the project and detail how you envision it when complete. Avoid coming across as a spam script.

7. Love a challenge, if you come across a task that is tedious or repetitive, find a way to automate it or excise it, there are plenty of other freelancers out there that might do it for you.

8. I have only had 1 client that was problematic, and the solution was easy; released the escrow to him, canceled the project, moved on with my life.
It is critical that you don't just jump into a project, before accepting make sure that all parties agree on the specs and major milestones. Ensure that there is an acceptable solution to 'functionality creep'; a good solution is to bundle it up in a separate project.
Make sure that there is good, hopefully informal, communication. Identify the clients' fears and desires and move to alleviate those concerns first, then tackle the rest. Be honest. Are you having a bad day? Did an unforeseen impediment to the implementation process come up? Let the customer know. Avoid empty reassurances, it will undermine your credibility and confidence.

Thanks so much, everyone, for your positive feedback. I'm so glad the article struck a chord. I deal with these issues all day long with clients so not only do I know it from my own experience of 21 years being self employed, but also from watching and learning from my clients' experiences.

True and to the point!

What a great list. Thanks for debunking the myth. I am a WAHM. Freelance is my job. It is a constant juggle. I am trying to build my own site: http://momtrends.blogspot.com/ so I am less reliant for outside assignments. Selling ad space isn't my favorite, but it is a means to an end. My passion is my parenting writing and this helps me spread the word about great products AND get my writing out there.

Great article. It is a business and just because the initial contact is online, doesn't mean all the normal business rules don't apply. Doing your best work will garner you attention and more work. Elance is a great tool, no matter what your specialty. Elaine Williams Warfield

Well said Ilise! You have clearly listed the myths about freelancing. Though 9 to 5 job may have lots of difficulties attached to it, as a CEO, I can tell you that being a freelancer piles more problems/difficulties on one. Out of sheer experience I can say that it requires real patience, right approach and perfect marketing to find firm footing in the market. When I launched my company, it was just a start-up and it was with great difficulty we got projects. Though now we are well established and do more, it is still not an easy, hands-down job.

Some points in your post (like marketing/promotions) applies to companies like us also. After all let us not forget that CEOs/companies were starters/amateurs once

Venkatesh,
www.dotcominfoway.com

Very good post Illise. And so true. Freelancing gives you a freedom. Not so much freedom to do whatever you want, but more freedom in making choices. But if this is an easy way, everyone will take it. It also demands hard work, professionalism and constant self improving. Best Regards Goran Petko

You need salesmanship skills to be a freelancer and without it, you'll go nowhere fast! I can totally appreciate the sentiments about thinking like a business owner. If you think of yourself or the services you provide as a business, you'll start to understand how a freelancer makes it. You need to departmentalize your time into the departments that run your business based on your business goals: Prospecting, servicing, marketing, customer service, putting out fires, more prospecting, more services. Freelancing is a cycle and I think that is the Biggest Myth people don't get when they hang up their 9-5 outfits. You'll have routines as freelancers as much as you did as an employee for someone else. In fact, the only difference now as a freelancer in comparison to an employee is that you'll have all of the responsibility of every department within your company. This time though, you’re working for yourself. The buck stops with you, unless you decide to hire others, which will cut into your profits but well worth it if you intend to grow.

I think another Myth that people don’t realize is that all projects are profitable. I’ve taken on some projects that required more man hours because the client flip/flopped on their wants and needs, or the client was needy or I underestimate the amount of time it would take. But, se las vie for the life of a freelancer. It’s part of the game. Some clients/projects you will make your money on, others, you’ve spend too much time on. But all the while, you are learning and you’re getting better at doing what you do best. Keep up the faith and keep with other positive forward thinking people. Their thoughts and energy will guide you when stuff happens.

That's my take for now.