You are not alone. So how do you deal with this misinformation and stereotype?

Show Me The Money
So, freelance writers don't make that much money, correct? Wrong. As someone who has been freelancing for years, I can personally attest to the possibilities in earnings. The earning limit is only based on the writer's own limitations. According to PayScale, the average income for an author starts at $14,220 and caps at about $84,783.  Newspaper writers are estimated to make up to $51,288 per year. Surely freelance writers can't top either of those. Wrong again. Freelance writers are estimated to make up to $114,400. I personally know of freelance writers who make much more than that. Either way, freelance writers top both of the writing careers typically looked at as "real writers" by many others. Hmmm.

Fight Back With Actions, Not Arguments
For every 10 people who inquire about my freelance writing, 9-10 generally have a first impression of me as a lazy person who does nothing all day long. Those who know what goes into my work will laugh hard at that one. But people will think what they think and rather than argue, you can prove them wrong by letting them see what you do in action. Invite them over on a work day and if they are willing, let them try to do some of what you do in the process. Compare what they get done to what you get done and break down for them how much they would have earned and how much you did earn. Some people need more than words to understand how something works.

The "Real Writer" Test
While this is not a be-all end-all test, the following questions can help in determining whether you are a real writer or not. If you can answer yes to at least one, you're a real writer. If you can answer yes to more than one, writing is probably your career. If you can answer yes to all of them, you are most likely a real writer - a successful one at that.

1) Do you write articles, poems, stories, or other pieces of content?

2) Do you get paid for producing said content?

3) Do you pay taxes based on your pay for said content?

4) Do you make at least minimum wage for said content?

5) Do you make more than minimum wage for said content?

It's All in Your Own Attitude
Some of the reason people tend to be biased about freelance writing comes from the writers themselves. Yep, I said it. If you want to be taken seriously as a writer, then take yourself seriously. Stop going around with an apologetic tone about your writing career. You know what I'm talking about if you do this: "Oh I just write things for websites. Its not like a real job but I do make some money" (said with your head hanging in shame). Be proud of what you do and stand up for yourself and your career. When I got my current job, I had been freelancing for years prior to that. So the reaction from people was "Oh, so you finally have a real job now?" To which my response was "No. Now I have a second career that I enjoy as much as the freelance writing. I am and will always be a freelancer because it's what I like and it's where the money is." Do you see the difference? Be proud of your career. You know how lucrative this business can be. So act like it and forget what others say. At the end of the day, your bank account speaks louder than the misconceptions.

What? They Still Can't Deal? More on this topic:

Things Friends and Family of Online Writers Need to Remember

About the Author:

Lyn is a freelance web journalist and the Community Advocate at Yahoo! Contributor Network She's also the founder of Write W.A.V.E. Media, parent company to LifeSuccessfully.com and several others. She enjoys helping freelance writers succeed and supports advocacy through journalism. Lyn has been published all over the web with major media companies, as well as smaller businesses and organizations. Contact Lyn for guidance in the world of freelance writing.

Facebook: Lyn Lomasi
Twitter: @LynLomasi

In the world of web writing, getting assistance from others is inevitable and necessary. If you've never asked another writer for assistance figuring something out, you should. No one person knows everything about web writing no matter how long they have been in the business.

Stay on top of your game by asking for assistance when you don't know the answers and by asking questions and learning new things every day. You may not be able to help the person who once helped you. If you can, that's awesome. But if you can't, be willing to offer help where you are able to. Paying it forward is common as you move onward and upward in the field of web writing.

Are you doing your part and taking part in assistance both ways?

About the Author:

Lyn is a freelance web journalist and the Community Advocate at Yahoo! Contributor Network She's also the founder of Write W.A.V.E. Media, parent company to LifeSuccessfully.com and several others. She enjoys helping freelance writers succeed and supports advocacy through journalism. Lyn has been published all over the web with major media companies, as well as smaller businesses and organizations. Contact Lyn for guidance in the world of freelance writing.

Facebook: Lyn Lomasi
Twitter: @LynLomasi

_by Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer

How long does it take you to write an article from start to finish? Remember that the longer you take, the less writing you can do, which can equal less money in the long run.

Quick ways to shave off time without compromising quality:

• Use an outline or template. Having all of your key thoughts organized can cut back on time in a big way. You are simply filling in the meat of each thought, rather than thinking out the entire article all at once.
  
  
• Write what you know. The less time you have to spend on research, the more time you have to write.
  
  
• Have a good “Writing Buddy” system. Having a second pair of eyes for proofreading helps catch mistakes you may have missed. It also can cut down some proofreading time. Even though you may be also proofreading for that friend, if you're like me, you can proofread and edit your own articles to death and still miss things – but at the same time, you may be very good at proofing work for others.
  

More on saving time to increase writing income:

Free Article Templates by Lisa Mason

Maximize Productivity and Inspiration Through Timing by Lyn Lomasi

Succeed in Freelance Writing by Making Goals More Attainable by Lyn Lomasi

_Lyn is a freelance web journalist, the Community Advocate at Yahoo! Contributor Network, and a Y! Shine Parenting Guru. She's also the founder of Write W.A.V.E. Media, parent company to LifeSuccessfully.com and several others. She enjoys publishing freelance writers and supports advocacy through journalism. She has been published all over the web with major media companies, as well as smaller businesses and organizations. Contact Lyn for guidance in the world of freelance writing.

Lyn on Twitter: @LynLomasi
Lyn on Facebook: Lyn Lomasi
 

by Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer

As a freelance writer, it is your job to get the gigs, know your stuff, write all the articles, manage your website, do the accounting, and so much more. It isn't about just the writing when you are a freelancer. You have to do all those other little things that come with owning a business.

That's where group discussion can really come in handy. Sure, you may have an idea of how to proceed. You may even be extremely experienced. But it's always a good idea to network with others for ideas.

Giving and receiving advice should be a common practice among freelance writers and often is. When I first got started in this business, I had no clue what I was doing. All I knew was that I wanted to write and had a bit of talent. Because of the group discussion factor, I have learned so much more about the business that I did not know. From structural tips for my writing to knowing how and when to promote, I gained a great deal of knowledge from group discussion.

Are you in any groups related to freelance writing? Be it a forum, a facebook group, or face-to-face group meetings, freelance writers will benefit immensely from group discussion.