Freelance writing career?

Q: I spent five years in journalism -- the last as a religion and diversity reporter at a mid-size daily -- but circumstances and a family move lead me to quit five years ago to work as a staffer in the California State Legislature.

I'm now working as a communications director at a policy think tank. Although my jobs after journalism have been fascinating, I've never stopped missing the newsroom. How do I make a move back?

Complicating all of this is the fact that I have a husband and young child, and don't have the flexibility to move out of the Sacramento area. Yes, I've thought about freelancing. But is it really possible to make a decent living freelancing? Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Lisa from California

A: I'll confine my answer to the freelancing idea.

It is possible to make a good living as a freelancer. But it is damn hard.

For one thing, you have to work consistently. If you have a non-productive day as a payroll employee, you still get paid. If you have a down day as a freelancer, you get squat.

So, you have to be "on" almost all the time.

Then, there are the other, non-journalistic tasks you have to deal with: deal-making, billing, accounting, etc. Not fun, but necessary to a successful freelance journalist.

One successful formula for a freelancer writer is to have one to three major clients who will provide the bulk of your income on a steady basis and to then fill around them with other jobs that are fun but that may be one-time deals.

As an independent contractor, you would still have ethics, but one of them need not be the prohibition that many newsrooms have against working for other companies or organizations in the community. You could, as a freelancer, blend journalism clients with people who need non-journalistic writing.

A question: When you think about the things you miss in the newsroom, is it the work or the environment? And, if it is the environment, how would you recapture that as a lone gun?

Do any freelancers have advice for Lisa?

Comments

[newsy]

I took a 2 year break from journalism to work part-time (also in state service) so that I could spend more time with my baby. I returned a few years ago to a smaller market, but I truly believe it was the best decision that I've ever made in my life.
My advice: Follow your heart. If you miss journalism, come back. Do whatever it takes to get back in a newsroom, even if it feels like you're starting over again. You are -- but this time, you'll have more experience under your belt. You'll be a better reporter because you have worked "on the other side," and will be able to recognize when a PR person is playing around with you.
You'll appreciate your job more. As a parent, you'll set a good example for your child by going for the career that makes your heart sing.
Yes, you might have to take a pay cut, or work extra hard to get your career back on track, but you'll be much happier knowing that you're doing what you love. By the way, freelancing can be lucrative if you're super motivated, but it's tough when the market is dry.
Personally, I broke back into the industry through temping, and know several others who have taken that route.
I knew I was experienced enough for a staff position, so I thought of it more as a try-out to see whether I liked the paper, rather than a job try-out for me. Turns out, it was a good fit all the way around.
Good luck!