In a February, 2008 blog post, Tom Johnson answered 13 questions about the job of technical writing. As with many of Tom’s posts, this one got me thinking. This time, about the questions people have asked me concerning becoming a freelance technical writer.

If you’re considering a move to the contract side of the fence, you might want to think about the questions in this blog post before making a decision.

Can you handle uncertainty?

Being a freelancer has its advantages. But one thing that it lacks is security. Of course, there are no guarantees with a full-time job either, but at least you have a regular pay cheque and benefits while working. As a freelancer, things are different. You have to pay for your own benefits, and rely on your current contract to supply you with a salary.

As a freelancer, it’s hard to predict where and when your next gig is coming from. Or, if that gig will materialize in a reasonable amount of time. So, budgeting is a necessity, as is saving.

If you can’t handle uncertainty, or the potential for it, then maybe becoming a freelance technical writer isn’t the best choice.

Can you handle the hours?

Freelancing is more than a nine to five job. Getting the contract and doing the work are only a small part of the freelance life. You’re constantly hustling and marketing yourself. You need to constantly line up jobs and just get your name out there constantly. That takes a lot of time and effort; time that you might want to spend doing other things, and effort that you might want to expend elsewhere.

This is quite time consuming. It involves (among other things) keeping your resume updated and in front of potential recruiters and clients; putting together a Web site and portfolio; and more. It’s all about visibility. Aaron and I use this blog, our Web site, our podcast, presentations, and articles to get our names out there.

Marketing and promotion isn’t easy. Often, the ability to market and promote doesn’t come readily to creative types. If you’re interested in learing more about promoting yourself and your business, two good books are Self Promotion for the Creative Person and Buzz Marketing with Blogs for Dummies.

Is technical communication a job or a career?

It really boils down to passion versus a pay packet.

If you parachute in, do the job, pocket your fee, and leave without caring about the quality of your work then you’re doing yourself and other freelancers a disservice. Thinking that doing a good enough job, and letting the next person to come in clean up any mess that you may have left, isn’t the way to approach the contract life.

You really have to have a passion for technical communication in order to thrive as a freelancer. It’s a matter of taking pride in your work, and doing the best job that you can under whatever the circumstances of your current position. That passion will come out; you can’t fake it.

That said, keep in mind something that I always say: take the job seriously, but don’t take yourself too seriously.

Are you willing to improve your skills?

In many companies, full timers can get their employers to pay for courses and books, conference fees, and the life. If you’re a freelancer, then you have to pay for these types of things out of your own pocket. Although you can use these expenses as a tax deduction, the up-front cost can be high.

Think of all the facets of the job that you need to keep up with and how much it will cost to keep with what’s important for your short and longer-term growth as a professional. Of course, there are other ways to learn that will cost you little or nothing.

Remember, though, that investments in yourself are also investments in your business.

Do you have any questions about becoming a freelance technical communicator? If so, leave a comment and Aaron and I will respond.

Related posts:

1. Stepping into the freelance world, part 2: getting to work
2. Stepping into the freelance world, part 1: getting set up
3. Hiring the right technical writer