Location Independent Freelance Writer: Sharon Hurley Hall
I’d like to introduce you to someone who has played a very important part in my life, Sharon Hurley Hall. Sharon and I met a long time ago on a site where many people converged to write about all different topics. I believe it was called WriteUp or something like that (maybe Sharon remembers). We became online friends and eventually she became my mentor. I looked to her for advice and she was the first one to believe that I could take freelance writing to a whole new level. She is an amazing person and I’m proud to have her here!
1. Tell me about yourself.
This is always the toughest question since I don’t like talking about myself. I’m British/Caribbean and I’ve been a self-employed writer for 6 years. During that time I also relocated to the Caribbean. I’m a polymath, a word nerd and I love playing Scrabble.
2. Why did you decide to live your life without a traditional job?
I returned to work as a journalism lecturer after maternity leave on a part-time basis, but I wasn’t happy. After sticking it out for about 9 months, I decided that there was no point in being at work all day while I missed key moments in my daughter’s development. I took the plunge and left my job.
3. So, what do you do to make money?
Mostly, I work as a freelance writer. It works for me because I love learning new things. In the last six years I have written articles and ebooks about all kinds of stuff: consumer finance, health, blogging – even informational articles on internet dating, believe it or not. (I have to admit that last one wasn’t my favorite gig.) I run a travel blog for a US client, and I also run Get Paid to Write Online, a mentoring blog for freelance writers, and that brings in a bit of spare change.
4. Was there a defining moment where you realized that you had made the right decision for you?
To tell you the truth, I knew right away. When you make a good decision, you often have that feeling of rightness, coupled with relief. I had that almost immediately, even before I’d actually written my resignation letter. But I really knew it would work about a year later, when I was making a regular income. And my timing was great: when I went freelance, there was an explosion in the number of blogs and websites, and they all needed content. Lucky me!
5. Since you left the 9-5, what was one of your favourite experiences?
One of the most fun gigs I had was writing for an entertainment website that dealt with models and film extras. It was a whole different world and it was fun to research and write the content for the site. Apart from that, I have fun almost every day – I know a great group of supportive freelancers (including you) and connect with them often via social media.
6. Have you had any experiences that made you question what you were doing ?
Not really. Everyone who freelances has to deal with fluctuating income and the occasional difficult client, but I just look at that as part of the package. It’s never for a second made me think I made the wrong decision.
7. Do you think you will ever go back to working a typical job?
No. I have considered doing some teaching part time, because I love it, but I don’t want to get sucked into lots of admin and office politics, so maybe it’s something I’ll consider down the road when I can tailor the job to my requirements. Going solo makes you think about those issues in a whole different way, so for me it would be essential that something like that fitted into my lifestyle rather than the other way round.
8. What are the top 3 things you would tell someone if they said they wanted to quit their job and live without a job?
1. Go for it. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it.
2. You will need to be able to cope with uncertainty, especially at the start while you are creating income streams.
3. Believe it or not, you will start off by working harder than you ever did as an employee, but it’s worth it.
9. Is there anything else you’d like to add?
If I had to do it all over again, I’d do it sooner – it really was the best decision I ever made.
Get to know Sharon a bit better:
Google+ – https://plus.google.com/u/0/108889813983683483840/
Twitter – http://twitter.com/shurleyhall
LinkedIn – http://linkedin.com/in/sharonhh
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/SharonHurleyHall
Get Paid to Write Online – http://getpaidtowriteonline.com
Sharon’s client site – http://sharonhh.com
Author: Danielle
Danielle McGaw loves life without a job. She lives in small-town, Manitoba, Canada and earns income by writing, coding, and occasionally tutoring adults. Since she has no job she can enjoy going for coffee a lot and reading and playing with her three cats and her adorable granddaughter.
Thanks so much for featuring me, Danielle. We’ve come a long way since WritingUp days.
Hi there Sharon! I learned a lot of good things from your interview with Danielle. By the way, may I know the address of your blog site? I’ll be glad if you can help me with this. I was hoping that I will learn more from you in your blog. Thanks a lot.
Candice Michelle recently posted..שליחת SMS
Just like Sharon, I believe that being a freelance writer is one most ideal career to choose from if you decide to live without a job, since it is worth it. There are a lot of benefits that freelance writing offers and to name a few one is that it is a good source of income and second you can work anywhere you want to.
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