Copywriters are people who write a wide range of advertisements for various companies. While many copywriters work directly for companies, others manage to make a career out of freelance copywriting. If you’re thinking that freelancing sounds like a quick-and-easy career, think again. If you have the skills, there are definite benefits of freelancing, but there are also definite disadvantages, too.
Pro: You Are Your Own Boss
You get to decide who you work for, and you get to be the manager of your own workflow. Freelancers certainly work for people on any given job, but they get to decide how and when to do their work.
Con: You Won’t Make as Much Money as Full-Time Copywriters
It’s true that freelancers can make enough money to live off of, but they still work per job. Ad copywriters who work for companies tend to be salaried, and therefore, the benefits and money associated will be higher than freelancing.
Pro: You Can Work From Home (or Any Location)
If you want to take a month-long trip to the beach, all you need is a laptop and Internet connection to complete your work while you’re relaxing in the sun.
Con: No Work Community
As a freelancer you get to be your own boss, but there’s also no work community to help the day go by faster. If your work community has always been a part of your social circle, freelancing can feel difficult.
Pro: You Set Your Own Pace
If you want to wake up at 1 pm each day, you can. If you only want to work part-time, you can. If you want to work full-time and make a decent salary, you can.
Con: Self Discipline
No work community also means there’s no social pressure during the work day. It takes a great deal of discipline to make sure you get your work done on time and efficiently. If you want to actually earn money from freelancing, you have to be able to get it done.
Pro: You Can Decline Projects That Don’t Interest You
At a formalized work setting, you can’t decline to do a task that a boss assigns. As a freelancer, you’re your own boss, so if you get an offer that sounds terrible, all you have to do is say no and find another assignment.
Con: Your Work Can Take Over Your Life
Alternatively, some freelancers find it difficult to turn off work-mode. Going to an office everyday helps people separate their spaces, but when you work from home it can be difficult to do that.
Pro: You Can Make As Much Money As You Want
Freelancers may not be millionaires, but there are plenty of companies willing to pay good money for good writing. If you’re willing to put in effort and work full time as a freelancer, it is definitely possible to make a comfortable living wage.
