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Stop believing in freelance writing myths says Chris Bibey of ChrisBlogging – he recently exposed some common myths on his blog. All I can say is “Shhhhh Chris!!! The more people believe that crap, the better it is for the rest of us!” I’m just kidding of course. Chris makes some good points. I’d like to add one.

Chris says:

“It takes too long to become a full-time freelance writer. This is a myth for two reasons. First off, “too long” means something different to everybody. Additionally, there is no saying that it will take you years on end to reach your goal of being a full-time writer. It only took me a few months, and with so much work available, you may be able to build your income to full-time status even quicker.”

Oddly enough, I think the opposite is just as common of a freelance writing myth. People think it’s “easy” to quickly make a lot of money as a freelance writer. My situation is similar to that of Chris… it only took a few months. But those few months were filled with a hell of a lot of hard work!

I find it slightly frustrating when a writer contacts me for advice, wanting to know why they’re not earning a full-time income. First question: how long have you been at it? It’s usually a few weeks to a few months. They need money. They thought writing would be a quick way to get it. They miss the fact that there’s a lot of marketing and networking involved (and guess what… you don’t get paid for that!).

So yes, you can earn a real income from writing relatively quickly… just don’t expect it to be “immediate.” Even a few months isn’t going to cut it for a lot of writers. But as Chris says, it doesn’t have to take forever. My position is this: as long as you’re planning for, and working towards, a long-term freelance career goal and not just thinking about getting cash-on-hand quickly, you’ll have a better shot.

What are your thoughts? Can you think of any other freelance writing myths you’ve come across often? Do you think new writers should worry so much about how long it’s going to take to “make it?”

Related posts:

1. Is E-Book Publishing Right for You?
2. Exposing Some Myths About Blogging Pay Rates
3. Interview with Chris Bibey of ChrisBlogging.com
4. How to Budget a Freelance Writer’s Fluctuating Income
5. Chris Bibey on Offering Online Courses

About the Author: Jennifer Mattern

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Jenn Mattern is a professional blogger and freelance business writer. She owns All Freelance Writing as well as several other sites and blogs covering PR, small business, and related topic areas. She is also currently writing a nonfiction book for freelance writers called The Query-Free Freelancer, and is the author of the Web Writer's Guide e-book series.