What does it mean to be a "freelance" writer?

Question

I am a stay at home mom. I have had some praise for my writing in the past. I would like to write articles online, but I don't really know where to begin. What exactly is "freelancing"? How do I begin? I am a bit of a recluse so I don't want to have to actually meet people to promote myself, I would rather do it with the anonymity of the internet. Is this possible? I have been published on www.associatedcontent, but they only pay Americans, which I am not. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Answer 1

Freelancing is where you write what you want to write and then try to get it published. Not employed by anyone. I am a freelance artist. So there you have it.

Answer 2

"Free Lance" is a term that applies to writers who are not employed by a company, but work on their own, selling their writing directly to anyone who will pay for the work. The term is derived from knights of old who offered their services to lords, as mercenaries. It was a matter of "have lance, will travel" in the era of the Crusades.

It is quite possible to develop a base of customers without making face-to-face contact. You can promote yourself to publishers, or to businesses by mail, e-mail, telephone or by advertising.

If you want to establish a client base in your own community, start by calling or visiting the local Chamber of Commerce office in your town and asking for a list of their members. Send letters offering your services to good prospects, then follow up with telephone calls.

Good luck with this. If you want some encouragement and support from other writers, you might check out ticket2write, an on line group of professional writers. The members have lots of experience and can provide good answers to your questions about free lance writing.