The Myth Of The Lonely Writer

People often wonder if freelancers lead lonely lives. After all, we don’t have an office to go to, we can’t catch up with the days news around the water cooler, we just don’t see anyone. In these circumstances, it can be tempting to feel very lonely.

However, there’s no reason to be isolated just because you’re working at home. We all need someone to talk to, and talking to other people also makes us better writers.

Since I started freelancing, I have made a lot of writing friends, most of whom understand my writing side far better than my offline friends. I have met these friends through blogging, through forums, through shared enterprises such as InspiredAuthor and through chats (also thanks to IA).

I communicate with at least a couple of these people every day. We commiserate over difficult jobs, give advice on handling clients and share our successes. We care about what happens to each other, just as we would if we were office colleagues. The proof — since I’ve been ill this week, I’ve had half a dozen emails asking how I was and an e-card. So I’m not a lonely freelance writer at all. I may work alone, but I am not alone. Have a great weekend.