Second, that you need to be the world's greatest writer to make a living at this. Seriously, I'm a good writer... that is, I'm competent and I express myself clearly... but I'm no writing goddess. Chances are good that if you can write clearly, concisely, and in an engaging manner, you can make a living at this. At least as important as talent is your ability to meet deadlines, take criticism, and do research.

Third, that you have to come up with groundbreakingly unique ideas. You don't. You have to take topics you've seen before and just find one little new angle, one way to twist it differently. How many articles have you seen about how to lose weight? A zillion. And most of them can be summarized "Exercise and eat right." But each of those articles has to offer something new on the topic, something readers haven't read a million times before. Maybe it's a new study, a new diet, a fitness expert you can interview who has unconventional ideas, an interesting way to get motivated, a way to calculate how much starch is okay in your diet, a way to substitute healthful snacks for junk food without feeling deprived...

Finally, some new writers assume that going full-time means that you get to live a charmed life where you play with your kids all day and write when the muse strikes. Ha! Well, okay, I do get to sleep in whenever I want, and I can skip out of the office to go out for lunch or for a movie, and I do get to listen to music and watch TV when I want, and I do write in my pajamas with my cat on my lap, and... wait. Okay, it is a charmed life. But you still have to work sometimes! Grin.

What would you say are the most important qualities one needs to possess in order to be a successful freelance writer?

Perseverance, a thick skin, patience, a general curiosity about life, an interest in people, a willingness to listen to rewrite suggestions, a strong work ethic, and self-motivation.

What would you say to a beginning writer who is concerned about a steady income?

I'd say it's a legitimate concern. There are a few ways to ensure a regular paycheck:

Become a columnist. After you've written a few articles for a magazine, newspaper, or e-zine, if you have an idea for an ongoing column, propose it to the editor.

Become a contributing editor. For example, I'm a contributing editor at Writer's Digest. They guarantee me a certain number of feature assignments per year, at their best pay rates. You can do this by proving yourself to the editor... then asking for the position. Contributing editors receive different sorts of "perks" -- sometimes it's a guaranteed salary per month or per year, sometimes it's a certain number of assignments, sometimes it's higher pay, and so on. Typically, the trade-off is that you can't write for competing publications.

Become an established expert in a niche area. Let's say you have a strong interest in saving money. You write a bunch of articles about different ways to save money, and accumulate a good pile of clips on this subject. Editors get to know you as the "save money" writer... that is, when they have an idea they've developed in-house that deals with how to save money on something, they'll think of you first.

Develop relationships with a handful of editors. While it's always a good idea to keep making new contacts and approaching new markets, make sure there are three or four editors you concentrate on. Get to know them on a personal level. Get to know their tastes and the areas of the magazine they cover. Let them know you're available for assignments. I have a few editors I know I can turn to if I'm ever short on work -- I can just write to them and say, "My schedule's light next month. Anything I can cover for you?" Poof. Assignments land in my inbox.

All of these things require you to prove yourself; be willing to put in lots of hard work up front to reap these benefits.

Page 2 of 3