Most writers long to get their words out there, to earn money simply by doing what they would be doing anyway - putting words to paper.
Want to be a freelance writer for a living? Who wouldn’t love to do their dream job, their favorite hobby, and get paid to do so? But no gig, not even the “dream job” is free of stress, worry…or criticism.
Freelance Writing Jobs
The Internet is becoming more widely available, and new features are turning the ‘Net into an outlet or replacement for many types of entertainment. Print media becomes increasingly less popular, online media thrives. Rising popularity means more content, more content means writers. This makes the Internet a great source of opportunity and income for freelance writers especially, but the road to writing success isn’t always paved with gold.
There are freelance writing jobs out there, especially for those willing to start out in low-paying venues. Blogging is a great way to earn a little extra income, and many sites exist for those who wish to cash in on their articles and posts. But the Internet is a medium quite unlike any other. Print an article in a newspaper, and millions may read it. Sometimes, some of those readers may take the time and effort to respond to the article - completing all the extra steps necessary to do so.
Criticism is Always Around the Corner
Print an article online, and potentially millions of readers have a one-click method to reply directly to the writer of that piece. In some cases, the comments offered won’t even relate to the actual writing of the article, but the subject matter therein. In other cases, comments may be constructive in nature, questions or tips on how the article might have been more complete. But sometimes, there will be comments which attack everything about the writer, not just the writing, comments that might even seem malicious in nature. It’s important to realize that, even when criticism seems to be there just for criticizing’s sake, it’s unlikely that any true malice or ill-will is directed at the writer themselves.
The Internet is a free-for-all when it comes to possibilities, and some will take full advantage of the privileges afforded them. Some may make negative, even hurtful, comments toward those who offer content meant to entertain and entice. Remember that it’s not personal, how could it be? There is always a risk to anyone who puts something out there publicly - be it a wardrobe decision, hair-do, Webcam video, even a bit of writing - that some of the response will be negative. In fact, there’s a very good chance there will be a negative response, at least in part.
Criticism is always just around the corner, or waiting in the inbox. Want to be a freelance writer? The job means learning how to deal with the good and the bad; even harsh criticism offered by readers, editors, and the world at large.
