Lovely Girl   +  open thread

Open Thread: Why Do You Freelance?

Amidst the deadlines and the invoices and the constant need to market, it's easy to lose sight of why you originally started freelancing. But keeping this in mind can help you set goals and stay focused. Here are a few of the many reasons why people decide to freelance:

  • Be your own boss.
  • Choose your projects.
  • Avoid commuting.
  • Spend more time with family or friends.
  • Earn based on output, rather than salary.
  • Set your own hours.
  • Pursue your passion.
  • Escape office politics.
  • Succeed on your own terms.
I started freelancing part-time out of a desire to earn some extra money and pursue my love of writing. As I got further along, I discovered more and more reasons to freelance, among them the flexibility to set my own hours and choose my projects (though realistically, you do need to be available to clients within reason and not every project I do is my dream assignment). What about you? What made you decide to freelance?