• Content creators can do it with their clothes off — literally. There is no need to leave the house with content creation, so clothes are not necessary for this job.
• Content creators can procrastinate. This is good for people who have last minute things come up and may have to push their writing until close to the deadline. However, it is bad for people who love excuses to procrastinate and often miss deadlines.
• It is as close to traveling the world a person can get without leaving the house. Content creators talk to clients all over the world, if they network enough. They also get to research all kinds of interesting things that help them learn about the world through their clients’ needs.  And, to go along with this, there is actually a lot of people (students) who travel the world freely and fund their travels via freelance writing.  It can be done, but might take some time to establish yourself as a good writer.
• There is a cap to how much can be made in any business. However, when money is tight, content creators can work as many hours as they want to make up for it. There is no boss to say, “No more overtime.”
• Content creation lets trivial knowledge be put to good use. A content creator who has knocked a melted candle on the floor and successfully cleaned up the wax can write an article about how to do it.  You can write about virtually anything with a purpose.
• For people who make content creation a career, it involves finding clients and top-notch organization skills, but the level of participation all depends on the content creator. It is self-employment at its most flexible.

So where are some places where I can find freelance writing jobs?  There are hundreds and hundreds of sites all over the web that facilitate this process of connecting clients and authors.  Here are my top 5:

1. Elance – Best outsourcing site in general.  Professional platform, easy to use.  Personally have used it for manufacturing projects, not for writers but it basically has everything.
2. Scriptlance – Famous freelance writing site, probably most popular out of all writing-specific outsourcing sites.
3. Textbroker – Good built-in rating system, difficult navigation.  Must be US Citizen to write.
4. Pro Blogger Job Board – Exactly what the name implies.  Popular job site for writers.  Think Craigslist for freelance writers.
5. Craigslist – A lot of people (business owners, webmasters, etc) don’t know that freelance writer sites exist so they go to Craigslist to fulfill their needs.  Crowded space, but worth submitting to several cities.

What kind of schedule would you keep with this kind of flexibility?  Are you a freelance writer?

Jessica Silva is a Red Bull drinker, full-time mother, and PR manager of the bamboo iphone wallet case project, a start-up outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. 

1. Be ready to succeed. Don’t take on a freelance writing job without the confidence that you’re going to be a success. You’ve taken this plunge with the design of coming up with some much needed, extra cash. You’ll hear a lot of jokes from your friends and roommates, but try to block these out and stay committed because this is now your job.
2. Documentation is crucial. Make sure that your client signs a contract for the job that is expected to be filled. You’ll draft your ideas for a given assignment and run it by the client before you commit a ton of time on the project. This is important so you can make sure that the two of you are on the same page.
3. Suggest topics. The easiest way to make money is from repeat customers. The best thing you can do is suggest new writing topics to the clients that have showed interest in your past writing. They’ll already respect your talents and, in turn, you’ll have instant credibility. This will allow you to tap your creative juices.
4. This is a business. Never forget that this is a legitimate business and not just a hobby. Create a business plan and stick to it. This will make you feel more professional and will translate into your writing. This can only make you a more marketable freelancer.
5. Trust your instincts. If you feel like your client hasn’t expressed clearly what he or she is expecting from a project then you have to be proactive and clarify any nebulous information. Your client will ultimately appreciate your forthrightness as you’ll probably be on target with your concerns.
6. Receive half your payment up front. It’s important that you collect half your fee up front. This will show your client you mean business and once you’ve followed through on your end of the bargain, the client will complete the expected payment.

This is a guest article contributed by Heather Johnson, a freelance writer as well as a regular commentator on the topic of credit card review. Heather invites your questions, comments and freelancing job inquiries at heatherjohnson2323 at gmail dot com.