Oh, you might think starting a business has a lot in common with having a baby.
They’re similar in a few ways, I admit.
But I was pregnant throughout the start of my freelance blogging business, so I can tell you from experience: the differencesย outweigh the similarities by approximately one metric shit-ton.
Sure, starting a business and having a baby both involve feeling excited, hopeful, and nervous all at once.
And sure, I can understand why some people call their businesses and blogs their “babies”. [I think it’s a bit wacky and melodramatic, but I can understand it.]
No matter how you slice it, though, there are vital differences between starting your freelance blogging business and having a baby.
SPOILER: The business is easier.
NO freelance blogging contract on this planet requires you to host your client within your body for 9 months.
There’s just no arguing against this one. Show me a freelance blogger who physically carries clients around *ever* and I’ll be astonished. [But fascinated. Because weird.]
You might sometimes feel like you’re “carrying your client” in a self-sacrificing, do-what-it-takes kind of way, but let’s not mess around. If you had to physically carry your clients for months on end, you’d quit. Damn right you would.
Meanwhile, if you do feel like you’re doing all the work while your clients take all the credit (and most of the hard cash), then the solution is simple — you need better clients.
Having a baby is a *lot* scarier than starting a freelance career.
Yes, starting your own business of any kind is a scary thing. There’s fear of failure and fear of regret.
But now imagine that every fear you have about starting a freelance business comes with a baby attached…
Afraid you’ll make no moneyย and have to move back in with your parents? Add “oh, and with my new baby” to that scenario.
Afraid people will laugh at you, call you crazy or tell you you’re doing it all wrong? A new freelancer might have that happen once or twice in the early months, but pregnant women and new parents get that shit all the time, even from people who oughta know better.
When I first turned freelance, I was so worried I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t even lie down. I used to sit curled into a ball on the end of my broken old sofa-bed at 3am, counting mould spots on the wall and trying to convince myself everything would be OK.
But being pregnant reduced me to hot tears of absolute fucking terror, any time of the day or night.
And by the time my baby was born, I looked like this (check out the fear in my eyes):
It was a planned pregnancy, yet I didn’t feel prepared for the reality. The RESPONSIBILITY.
Because I knew that although I could quit freelance blogging if I didn’t like it, having a baby was a totally irreversible decision.
Now that’s fear.
Freelance blogging has no age limits
Most people who have babies do that in their twenties and thirties. The society we live in views 16-year-old mothers with mixed sympathy and concern, fretting that their young lives will be ruined by the demands of pregnancy and motherhood. It views 65-year-old dads with bewilderment, wondering why anyone would have a baby “so late in life” (which is just a polite way of not having to say “so close to your death” out loud).
Yep, society is hideously prejudiced. And yep, there’s a small amount of biological justification for those concerns about very young or very old parents.
But freelance blogging isn’t tied to your age.
I’ve seen teenagers succeed in this business, and I’ve seen elderly retirees turn freelance blogging into their money-making hobby. No matter what age or stage of life you’re at, you can start a freelance business right now and your initial chances of success are just as good as anyone else’s.
Sure, you might get some well-meaning idiots who question if you’re not too young or too old to start your own business. The best thing you can tell them is you definitely plan to get older soon. If they think you’re too young, they can’t deny you’ll grow into it. And if they think you’re too old, they can’t deny that delaying would only make that worse.
Then ignore them, because their ageism is irrelevant to your freelancing success. ๐
Nobody tells you to “sleep when your client sleeps”.
And yet new parents are often advised to “sleep when your baby sleeps”, which is just plain stupid because, hello, that’s the only time in the whole day the parents get a chance to do anything at all without the baby.
You might have clients in different time zones. You might occasionally have phone or videoย calls with those clients, which can be a minor pain if it means getting up early or staying up late.
But your freelance business will never dictate when you’re allowed to sleep, or when you’re allowed to do anything you damn well please — because you can always say no to that meeting or that project, or reschedule it for a time that suits you better.
Starting your freelance blogging business is a total cakewalk compared to parenthood.
If you’ve never had kids, look at it this way: parenthood requires no training or special skills to speak of, and even total dumbasses seem to manage it with a fair degree of success. Freelance blogging is no harder, so you *can* do it.
If you have carried, birthed and raised a baby, trust me when I say you’ve got all the basic requirements of a freelance blogger: strength, courage, and an unswerving drive to make the future a better place to live.
You can start your own business and make it work.
You can become a professional, income-earning freelance blogger.
Now, think of me as the midwife or obstetrician at the birth of your freelance blogging career. What advice or help can I give you that will make it easier for you to succeed? Tell me in the comments here, and I’ll do my best to answer every single one.
Modupe says
Well said.
Sophie Lizard says
Thanks, Modupe! ๐
Alicia Rades, BAFB Moderator says
Way to scare me away from having kids, Sophie. (Just kidding!)
What an interesting article. This seems very encouraging to moms. If you can have a baby, you can be a freelance blogger.”
Sophie Lizard says
Oh, don’t let me scare you off, Alicia! It’s the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. ๐ Terrifying but rewarding.
And yep, absolutely – anyone who can make it as a decent parent has what it takes to be a freelance blogger. Writing skills can be learned, but strength of character is a prerequisite.
Heather says
Ha ha! Nice one Sophie.
I particularly love ‘sleep when the baby sleeps’ as I had to point out to my health visitor that would mean I would have to be asleep at the wheel or when pushing the pram around the park (the only times my firstborn would EVER sleep!!)
I’d also add that – while I’ve occasionally found it scary to talk about my freelance blogging/writing career (I’ve recently transitioned from freelance fundraiser to freelance writer) – I’ve NEVER found it scary to admit I’m a mother. Or to show off about how fabulous my children are. I could show off about them all day. But show off about how good I am as a writer? Hmmm, not so much (although it is becoming easier).
Great post.
Sophie Lizard says
Ah, health visitors. Gotta love them but they do sometimes drive you nuts with the unrealistic advice. ๐
I know what you mean about showing off. If I had a magic bullet solution to make freelance bloggers 100% *proud* of what they’re doing, I could probably close down this blog and step out of the way – you’d all be unstoppable.
Daryl says
My question is: how do you as a writer find the time to balance your freelance career (baby) and your full time job as well as other regular life events? Would love to hear more about your personal work/life balance Sophie!
Cheers!
Daryl
Sophie Lizard says
Hey Daryl! Well, I don’t have a day job (exclusively self employed since 2009) so that removes a lot of time pressure compared to anyone who’s moonlighting. ๐
My big secret of work/life balance is that I only schedule 3 days of freelance work per week, and try to keep the other days free for family and BAFB.
Christina E says
HAHAHHAHAAH Oh man, this post is AMAZING! And hilarious, wow.
That being said I will NEVER have a baby – but starting my own freelance writing business (license in the mail!) has indeed given me nail-biting anxiety. But you’re absolutely right – way easier than having a baby! (I think.)
Great post. Helped me relax a tiny bit about this bat-shit insane thing I’m doing…
Sophie Lizard says
We’re all bat-shit insane in the early days — I think you kinda have to be, otherwise you’d never commit enough to make it work. Sanity is overrated!
Hereโs to your success in your new business… Drop by the forum any time if you want to chat or get some tips from your fellow bloggers. ๐
Liam Evans says
Thanks. It was a pleasure to read from A to Z.
Sophie Lizard says
You’re welcome! ๐
Kayla @ Five Figure Writer says
I love being a freelancer but I don’t know that I’d love being a mom. I’d pick growing my business again any day because I agree that having a baby seems way harder!
Sophie Lizard says
I love both, but yep – once you’ve done it, you can look back and say “That wasn’t so bad, let’s see what other businesses I could start!” Never hurts to have a sideline. ๐
Elna Cain says
Wow Sophie, what a great post!
I had twins…can you say scared shitless? No earthly idea how to take care of two at the same time as a first time mum.
I’m surprised I survived the first year. Yeah, I never thought of freelance writing as my ‘baby.’ It’s totally different than raising my twins. ๐
Sophie Lizard says
I can’t imagine dealing with twins! One baby was tricky enough. You must be stronger than you thought. ๐ And that’s good for your freelance career too!
Elizabeth says
I loved this post and could totally relate, as my daughter was about 6 months old when I started freelancing. Now my 2nd child is due next spring and I’m still scared. Not about caring for the new baby–that I feel much calmer about this time around–but about making enough money to contribute to my family’s income. I’ve been following your site for about a year, and all the posts are great, but I still feel stuck, like I’m spinning my wheels in low-paid blogging limbo. I know I should probably quit the low-paying work I’m doing and devote that time to hunting for higher-paying work, but I need every cent and I’m afraid of how long it could take to find something better. So I guess my question is, how do I get to the next level?
Sophie Lizard says
Oh, that’s a tough one when you’re pregnant at the same time — the extra tiredness and hormonal brain-rot make it hard to stay productive.
Yeah, in this situation I would definitely stop working with your lowest-paying client ASAP and work on replacing them with a new highest-paying client. Not only for the money, but because the higher the rate you earn, the less time it takes to make the amount you need. And you need spare time for resting and prepping before your new baby arrives!
Patricia says
This is funny ‘coz I actually think of my blog as my baby. ๐ My current concern with my “baby” is that it get traffic but not engagement. Figuring out how to spark engagement too. Needless to say, right now it’s still just more of a hobby.
Thanks for this post! I should think of a new way of referring to my blog. ๐
Sophie Lizard says
Working with the baby theme, what you’re talking about here is growth versus development — you don’t just want to grow your traffic, you want to develop a blog that’s popular and useful so that people stick around and talk to you. Once you make your blog a must-browse place for your audience to hang out, your traffic will grow organically anyway. ๐
The best place to start is your ideal audience: first of all, do people matching that description exist in the real world? Second, can you find out what they do for fun and info? Third, can you give them something they’re missing or something better than what’s already available?
If you can answer yes to those 3 questions, it won’t be too hard to develop a rockin’ blog for them.
Erica says
Hi Sophie,
I’m also guilty of calling my newly fledged website ‘my baby’. I am truly terrified of trying to make it as a freelancer but I will take your word for it that having a baby is a whole lot scarier. I had two of them so this post gives me hope that I have what it takes to make it. Love the way you write!
Sophie Lizard says
Yep, you can do this. After 2 kids, you’re naturally immune to tantrums and underhanded negotiation tactics. ๐ You’ll have no trouble choosing the right clients to work with (or to walk away from).
Lea says
Great article! I have to agree that they are both similar and yet, totally different. I have a quick question which, I apologize, is slightly off topic. I was so close to signing up to start a blog today. I literally had all my info typed in but just couldn’t force myself to take the plunge. After all, I made the decision yesterday this is what I’d like to do. I have a personal blog already but am looking to make some cash at some point with a different type of blog. My question is….how in the hell do I decide between starting a blog or a website? I keep going back and forth and want to keep it on the cheap side. I’m familiar with WordPress but it can be such a pain. I almost feel like It’d be easier to go with an actual website. All this technical stuff is what gets to me. I apologize if this was the wrong time and/or place to ask this question.
AusRV Adventures says
Hi Lea,
I am no expert, I have started this adventure only recently myself. However, this is what I have learned over the last couple of months;
Get a website. You use it the same way as you would a dedicated blog site but you have the added advantages of all the different pages you can ad to it.
So one page can be your dedicated blog page another page can be your contact page another for whatever takes your fancy and so on. Dad jokes for instance, is a page we have on our site.
What I am still learning about is what platform to use. You mention that you are familiar with WordPress and if that is the case or you already use it, go with it. I however, can’t use WordPress, I find it way to confusing and not user friendly at all. But I am very low tech. ๐ So we use Weebly. It has just about everything you need except it is self hosting, so you don’t have a choice of host, which for me is fine at the moment. I believe with WordPress most people are using bluehost. Worth checking that out though.
Weebly is free, has great templates that are easy to play around with and you are up and running in about 15 mins tops. It’s a great place to start and does not require you to hire a specialist to set up all your preferences. Which is a bonus when you are on a tight budget (or have a $0 budget like me) ๐
Both WordPress and Weebly are platforms for websites that you can use as blog hosting platforms. If that makes sense.
Any way, don’t hold back. Just jump in the deep end. Its the best way to find out if you can swim.
You already blog. So it is a natural progression.
Best of luck
Robyn
Sophie Lizard says
A blog and a website are basically the same thing, and you can use the same software (like WordPress) to create both/either. You can have a website that contains a blog, or a blog that has extra pages — whichever way you think of it.
My advice is to figure out *how* your blog will make its first income stream, and donโt start creating it until you’ve got that in mind. Otherwise you risk having a second personal/hobby blog that doesn’t add to your income.
Lea says
Hi Sophie! Thanks for the advice. I am leaning toward a website because I do want interaction with people and it’d be nice ta have a blog or forum included. I’m not sure exactly how to get all the income streams flowing, so to speak, but that is my task for this weekend….Lots of research! I’d like to start building the website and get it to where I feel comfortable publishing it to an actual audience before I dive headfirst into the monetary aspect of the site. Anyway, thanks again for the advice! And thanks for doing what you do! It’s inspiring and I enjoy reading your stuff! ๐
Lea says
Hi Robyn! Thanks so much for the reply! I think, at this point, I may be leaning toward a website. I’ve read a little about Weebly but don’t know much. I will be looking into it further though. I am vaguely familiar with WordPress. I had a blog that I started on there earlier this year and I actually ended up putting all the content on a facebook blog because I didn’t like WordPress at all. Like you, I found it way too difficult to wrap my brain around. For some reason, the other day, Bluehost was what I was about to sign up for. I was very reluctant because of my dislike for WordPress and that’s why I decided not to take the leap. I’m looking to start a blog about writing and would like to include affiliate ads and whatever other ways I can to make some cash. However, I’m also at an almost $0 budget but I want to get this going soon! I have ideas I want to act on and not being able to is driving me INSANE! My goal is to have something figured out by the time this weekend is over! Thank you so much for the advice! Much appreciated! Have a great weekend! ๐
AusRV Adventures says
Hi Sophie,
I totally loved this piece. Thanks. I love your sense of humour. I have only just come across this site so I guess I know where I will be for the next few hours. ๐
I am very new to the writing game; 6 weeks and counting; and loving the whole learning curve. So articles like this are a great way to get to know what the business is all about and will hopefully set me up for success from the beginning. So again, Thank you. ๐
I am an old hat at the mum game. I’m doing things back to front I guess. Been there done that with regard to the babies, just getting started with the writing career. But I have always marched to the beat of my own drum; no reason to change now. ๐
I have to say, to all the gals out there that have been ‘put off’ having babies; Don’t think so much! ๐
Having kids is the best thing you will ever do and the most satisfying ‘career’ you will ever find yourself ‘non-employed’ in, regardless of all the ups and downs (and there will be ups & downs by the tonne).
It is full time, it is hard work and it is the only thing you will ever do that does not end; EVER.
Yes there will be times when you think to yourself “For the love of God, will you please just leave home already”. But you don’t really mean it, because when they do leave home you find yourself telling them they can move back whenever they need to, for as long as they need.
Parenthood is full of all the best moments you will have in your life. And, at the end (of your life), I am certain you won’t be thinking about that one amazing article your wrote for that one awesome publisher; you’ll be thinking about the wonderful family that you were able to create and who are there sharing your last moments with you.
So consider parenthood as one of the most amazing art forms you will be privileged to engage in and your life will be amazing. You can have it all.
Have fun in your life. Write for freedom and independence. Have a family for fun and fulfilment.
Have a great day.
Robyn ๐
Sophie Lizard says
Amen, Robin! ๐
Uju @Babesabouttown says
Haha couldn’t have said it better myself. I’ve been guilty of comparing my freelance/enterprise or writing career with having a baby sometimes, but let’s face it. The babies are much more work AND (in my life at least) they come first. Always. But like you said, once you’ve become a mum you have so many great freelance skills at your disposal and I think having kids brings out that creative drive and motivation you need to keep on trucking. Thanks for the great read and high five to all the other mothers making it work, no matter how!
Sophie Lizard says
High five, Uju! ๐
Hannah Romo says
I really like the comparisons. It makes alot of sense.
Leeann says
I discovered I was pregnant right before I started doing this freelance thing. My little one arrived in July of this year, and let me tell you nothing has been more difficult or rewarding. I will say this, I love writing a lot, it was the idea that I was going to be a mother that drove me to jump in with both feet, after all I was unemployed and pregnant what else did I have to loose. Becoming a mom made freelance writing easier in that it gave me a reason to jump head first into the uncertain pool. I’m coming to the end of my first year and I managed to average $200 a month. I recently got a part time work from home job to help supplement till I find my balance and figure out how to get this business to the level it needs to be, but I’d say considering the crazy year I have had $200 per month isn’t too shabby.