5 Things You Should Know About Freelance Science Writing Jobs

Everyone secretly dreams of making money as a freelance writer. A job as a freelancer allows writers to work from home, set their own schedule and choose who they work with. In order to succeed as a writer, individuals must find a niche like science or technology. For writers in these fields, the following tips are intended to make it easier to find and keep clients.

Consider the Opportunity Cost

Writers have to consider what they are giving up to become a freelancer. The amount of money that they gain in a normal career may be more than what they make as a writer. From enjoyment to lower gas costs, other factors must make up for this difference.

Create a Goal List

One of the habits of successful people is goal creation. Individuals who are successful create goals for each month and year. Before starting as a writer, individuals should create a goal plan for the first five years of writing. This will help them determine the type of projects and pay that they are going after.

Find the Three Important Things

Every project that a writer takes should have the three following qualities: passion, career boost or money. Ideally, a project should have two of these goals. Since writers exist in the real world, money may occasionally trump the other two goals. If a project does not satisfy at least one of these requirements, it should not be taken.

Business Matters

Being good at science and writing is a must-have for freelancers. More importantly, the individual must be able to manage the business side of their work. They must be able to track invoices, request payments and figure out their taxes. For a freelancer to be successful, they must be able to handle the business side of their work.

Diversify

Science writing may be the individual's area of expertise, but that does not stop them from completing other projects. The easiest way to ensure a consistent work flow is to take on other projects. Other than bringing in extra money, taking on projects could be a great learning experience. Writers may discover that they like other projects. At the very least, they will reaffirm their love for scientific writing.

Find Bread and Butter Clients

A client may not pay particularly well, but they could become the writer's main source of income. These bread-and-butter clients are an excellent way to ensure a steady source of income. Roughly half of the writer's income should consist of steady clients that always have work.