Always writing, not always right

Even the most snobbish of writers would eventually have to succumb to the lure of The Blog. We're opinionated, you understand, and blogging gives us a place where we can air our views without offending potential clients, getting fired from sleazy press rooms and ticking off the person who's about to finally pay his long-overdue invoice.

Freelance writing is about learning new industries, keeping up with trends and keeping your opinions to yourself until you can retire to that beach cottage and write the Best Selling Novel. Your day begins with a picture of the beach cottage in your head and the sound of waves in your ears. When you realise it's your computer - the life blood of your business - making the wave-y noise, you're wide awake. If you're a lucky, busy freelance writer - and I am blessed this way - your computer boots up and your phone rings and the "briefs" come in.

Now here's the thing about briefs: If you're fortunate enough to have diverse clients like I do, your briefs will range from an almost perfectly written article asking you to write an article, to a three minute call from the mobile phone in a BMW asking for "another article like the last one, only updated, see".

It's all good practise, and many of your clients may well become character in your Best Selling Novel. If you come from circus family as I do - we're The Flying Faux Pas - you'll "get" the most inane brief and run with it. If you don't, you should look at a comfy job in a corporate environment where requests are made in triplicate and instructions come in all your country's official languages.

Freelancing is not for sissies. But it beats listening to some radio personality's opinion for two hours in horrible Johannesburg traffic. If you're a radio personality, no offense. I'm always writing, but I'm not always right.