The Pros and Cons of Being a Professional Writer

Being a professional writer sounds like the perfect job, right? You get to do what you love and get paid for it! Not to mention, you get to be your own boss and work from home. And the cherry on top?  You get to be creative and express yourself in new ways.

Most people believe that being a professional writer is the dream job. But is it really that great? While there are some major benefits to this profession, there are also several cons as well. In this blog post, we explore both sides of being a professional writer to help you decide if it’s the career path for you.

Pros of Being a Professional Writer

Let’s start with the good stuff. In general, there are some major benefits to this profession. Hence why many people want to become professional writers in the first place. These include

You Get to Do What You Love and Make Money From It! 

In a world where most people are unhappy with their jobs, being a professional writer is refreshing. People want to do what they love and make money from it! There’s no greater feeling than making your passion into a full-time job.

What’s more, you get paid for writing books and articles about topics that interest you. There are also numerous opportunities to make money online by writing content for blogs, magazines.

No Commuting Time or Expensive Office Space Fees

Any employee who has to commute every day will tell you that it’s a time-consuming process that can be pretty expensive. Writing is one job that allows you to work from home or anywhere else, as long as there’s an Internet connection. 

Besides, writers can fit their writing around their daily schedule and spend less on office space fees because they can write at coffee shops or at home for free!

You Can Retire Whenever You Want

Another reason to consider a career in writing is that you can retire whenever you want. As long as there’s an internet connection, writers can work from anywhere they choose, regardless of their age or social status.

Anyone Can Start Any Time

Unlike other careers,  writing is available to everyone. You do not have to spend millions of dollars on school or get permission from anyone if you want to be a writer. All that’s required is desire and motivation, which means almost anyone can start any time they like!

Not to mention, there’s never a shortage of jobs. There are various job opportunities that a writer can choose from, including novels, short stories, screenplays for movies or television, and even non-fiction articles.

In fact, most people who decide to start writing do it on the side while they’re still working another job! While this is not recommended because you need time to dedicate yourself to your career full-time, it works well for some people.

You Can Work Your Own Hours and Set Your Own Pace

Many writers prefer to work their own hours and set their own pace, which means you can take the time to go with the flow as needed on any given day without having your livelihood on the line! This is another reason why becoming a professional writer is enticing to many.

Source: Issa Basca

Cons of Being a Professional Writer

While there are many pros of becoming a professional writer, such as working your own hours and setting your own pace, there are some cons that you should consider before deciding to become a full-time writer. These include:

You Need Discipline

To make money from a career as a professional writer, you need to have plenty of discipline. Unfortunately, many distractions can keep you from working on your writing, and if this is the case, it becomes challenging to make money off of your written works.

This career choice isn’t for everyone. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to be successful as a full-time writer.

Becoming an Author Will Take Time

Another factor to consider before becoming a professional writer is that it will take time to become successful. There are no shortcuts or quick fixes in this career path, and those who expect overnight success may be disappointed with the results of their efforts.

You May Make Less Money Than You Expect

If you decide to pursue a career as a full-time writer, you should also not expect to be making a lot of money right away. While you may make a decent income, it is unlikely that you will be making six figures for several years at least.

You Will Need to Market Yourself

Another factor of being an author is the need to market yourself and your written works. Without marketing your books or writings, no one would know about them. As a result, it will be impossible to make money from it.

You May Be Out of Work for Long Periods

Writing does not always come to people easily, and some writers may go through periods where they cannot produce new content due to writer’s block. Unfortunately, it will be difficult for them to make ends meet without any income coming in during these times.

Since you can never guarantee how much money a writing gig will make you, you may find yourself working multiple jobs to make up for times when you do not have a writing job.

Rejection is Part of the Job

Another downside to being a writer is that even if you produce exceptional work, there is no guarantee your client will accept it. This means having to go through the submission process again and wait for further feedback before making changes. You may also have to do this multiple times until someone decides they like your writing enough.

Source: Irish Times

Wrapping Up

If you’re thinking about becoming a professional writer, these are some of the pros and cons you need to be aware of. However, if working as an independent contractor and having the freedom to define your own schedule is appealing to you, then this may end up being the perfect job for you!