Freelance writing provides flexibility and extra part-time income

Freelance writers in the United States, the United Kingdom and elsewhere in the Western world often bring a wide range of work and life experience to their craft. As the current economic crisis deepens, people from all walks of life who enjoy writing are finding that working as a freelance writer can be among the best part-time jobs available, since hours are more flexible than anywhere else, and freelancing can often supplement a more regular salary. American freelance writer Caitlin Kelly knows about all this first hand and she published a column in the New York Times this past weekend, in which she examined her life as a part-time retail clerk and freelance writer. For some, working part-time at a retail outlet could not seem further from the world of freelance journalism and content writing, but Kelly has found that it fits in well with her other long-standing career, as a freelance writer.

Caitlin Kelly wrote in the New York Times that her frontline, customer service work allowed her to develop community contacts, which could prove valuable to her as a freelancer, while also sharing with others the rich experiences she gained through long years as a freelance journalist covering an array of topics.

There is no question that print journalism is in trouble and that writers affiliated with major brands—including the New York Times—are concerned about the future of their company and their own employment prospects. But online media is thriving, even during the global recession and it seems likely that many of today’s print journalists will have to redefine themselves as internet-based freelance writers in the near future.

Thank you to Caitlin Kelly for the initial report.