👀What does freelancing life really look like?

[words_to_wow]

I guess I would be considered part-time. I love freelancing and I do it because I love the flexibility it provides. It's of course great to have the profit potential, but money is not my main concern; not yet anyway, but they way these gas prices are, I may have to up my prices. Other than that, I am a retired, disabled Army veteran, so my main income is from that. Thank you, Uncle Sam!

[dannykojima1]

23 hours ago, vickieito said:

I think it’s awesome that you were a kidpreneur!

Well, being a kid back in the early 90's is hard when without supportive from my parents. They didn't have a job and was unable to work, until my mother finally got her first job at the bakery in 1999, but she later retired in 2002 at the time my high school graduation. However, I have to find a way to support myself at the age of 11 (during the mid-90's), because I knew I couldn't rely on them to find work and support me. So I finally pick up the pencil again when I first created a children book about shoes titles with "Who Wear This Shoes?" won in 1993 with the helped from a dearest friend (who was a former 3rd grade teacher) at the book award for all kids who were young authors. Of course, she and I finally reconnected again through Facebook in 2017 after we haven't seeing each others from 1995. I'm glad we still staying in touch on Facebook everyday.

I stopped writing and creating book because I struggles a lot with paragraph and essay etc in school. So I decided to quit writing and stay focusing on art career instead, and creating art for book in 1999 after suffered from small seizure. However, I finally got a job as a graphic designer at Sacramento Bee for newspaper (only for 3 months as work experienced) as a high school student in 2001. I can say that my former boss at SacBee has been very fond of me. He admired my courage and my work so much. I'm so glad I had great experienced in the workplace, and having great communication with my former boss and awesome co-workers I met at SacBee.

With Fiverr today as a seller and buyer--I'm so glad I can browse around many great writer's gigs on Fiverr's online marketplace, maybe or sooner I can hire them to write me a book for my art, biography, web-design, resume or whatever I'm looking for.
 

23 hours ago, vickieito said:

And funny how you found Fiverr through “a friend’s niece who’s husband” told you about it!

I know, right? A friend of mine (a former 3rd grade teacher) brought me with her to her youngest daughter's birthday, so that's where I met her niece's husband who working as a real estate. He think I could make a living with my art on Fiverr, when I told him about I have been taking advantage of by several people who claimed they own a legitimate shoes company. I've done two piece of shoes concept design artwork which they were supposed to paid me $450 total, instead, they disappeared. That was while back in 2015. I never knew about Fiverr, and no one mention to me about the online freelance site until a friend's niece who's husband talked to me about it. Excepted Upwork, I tried signed up with the account, had to verified it through webcam with Upwork staff. Honestly, I did not like Upwork as much as I like Fiverr. So I just abandoned Upwork because I couldn't find a way to deactivate my Upwork account.

 

 

23 hours ago, vickieito said:

I also find the order system on Fiverr (and the timer) stressful.

Yes, it is very stressful for me. That's why I wanted to take the time away from freelance on Fiverr and focusing on my art online shop for short time, until I'm ready to come back. Also I have been thinking about coming back to freelance on Fiverr with new art style for book cover, maybe lower my price as much as $30-$90. Until then I can raise up the price once I reach to level 1, one day. As for order system's timer, and I hope setting the limit for queue system could help prevent many buyers order on the new gig.

Edited June 13, 2022 by dannykojima1

[ozan_erdi]

I will have a different approach from most of you i think.

As day job, im an architect and supervising constructions. Here are some things you should know about my job before going into the freelance life details:

-Usually im in middle of nowhere, looking at dust, mud and steel beams. 

-Trucks and heavy machinery making noises.

-Not more than 2 women around, and they have become something else in order to survive within that many men.(Dont look at me like that, it is an issue)

-Food is like a prison food. Just calculated callories you need, nothing about taste or any clunary value.

-There are not any social activities, gatherings or parties.

-Our offices are just the essentials. Nothing extra. Just a desk and computer in a container. There are no places to sit and relax. There isnt any decorative stuff. Not even trees. Its survival mode. We have a vending machive with cookies in it. Thats it.

-A lot of shouting, screaming, cursing, fighting.

-Its scorching at summer, freezing at winter. And its disgusting when it rains. Basicly every weather is horrible. 

-Saturday is defiently a work day. Sometimes Sunday too is a workday.

-Going to work and getting back to home takes 3-4 hours. I leave my house at 6.30 am. and get back to home at the 18.30. I dont see sunlight at winters. Its more depressing than one would think.

-There are no stores, no coffee places around. Nothing you can go after work or blow off some steam in mid day break.

-And thanks to the general mentality and economic-politic reasons. My job does NOT pay well, not only me, nobody in construction business is happy about payment.

Only thing i have as an architect, im not holding the heavy tool. Im holding a paper, looking at the guy who holds the heavy tool. And people listen to me when i speak. Thats what my degree provides. And saying that im an architect is a cool thing. Thats what my whole education did.

Some things good about it; nobody cares what you wear as long as you have your safety equipment on. You can just show up with Cannibal Corpse Tshirt and some jeans. And nobody takes timers to see how many minutes you have spent drinking coffee. And all the walking, standing, stairs and ladders made my legs and butxt like a terminator, im never tired.

After doing this for 10 years and seeing it going nowhere(and i saw my superiors got nowhere too), i started to do freelancing. Right now im a part time freelance artist, designing horror and dark fantasy characters for 2 years.

So as far as it goes;

-I dont spend hours and hours on the road.

-I dont have dust in my eyes all the time.

-My shoes and pants are NOT dirty.

-There are no heavy industrial machinery or whatnot making unimaginable noises, vibrations.

-I have good food and drinks

-I can watch stuff, listen music or whatever while working

-I am surrounded by people, i can just sit in some coffee place with beutiful people around. 

-No phone calls, no screaming, no walkie talkies(yes we use them in constructions) no fights.

-I can decide if i want to work that day

-You dont have to look over your shoulder all the time to see if something is falling on you or not.

-You have climate control in your house

-I can just decide "to hell with it" and go out, walk around, grab a lemonade and spend some time for half a day when i want.

Freelancing is amazing. Only thing is you need to keep an eye out, either have some money in the pocket, or make sure you have a consistent flow of buyers. I plan to make this full time job, in a year or something. Screw construction. Kudos to arts and working at home. It is like a dream, some of you people dont appreciate it enough(No judgement, everyone has their own life)

 

[vickieito]

On 6/12/2022 at 10:41 PM, melanielm said:

I've been a freelancer for about 22 years now. ... Flexibility and interrupt-ability were two of the most important considerations. Those are also the two greatest benefits. I have a disabled son and an elderly mother to care for these days ... Another benefit is the ability to follow new interests to hopefully profitable ends. I do a lot of different things these days and am very happy I have the opportunity. ... I am extremely grateful that I could create multiple streams of income for myself that I can do from home and while taking care of everything else I'm responsible for.

Wow ... 22 years is a long time! I sure hope I can last that long. I've been freelancing for months, not years yet. I'm glad that you are able to freelance, explore new interests, and take care of your family. I also like how freelancing allows me to attend to my family needs in the best way that I can.

On 6/12/2022 at 11:51 PM, words_to_wow said:

I am a retired, disabled Army veteran, so my main income is from that. Thank you, Uncle Sam!

And thank you for your service, @words_to_wow!!! You are awesome! 🤩

On 6/13/2022 at 2:33 PM, dannykojima1 said:

I have to find a way to support myself at the age of 11 (during the mid-90's)

I have a 9-year-old daughter who is determined to be an artist when she grows up. She spends most of her time on Procreate and FlipaClip. I might need to pick your brain for ideas on what I can do now to help her move towards that goal!

On 6/14/2022 at 5:23 PM, ozan_erdi said:

...Not more than 2 women around, and they have become something else in order to survive within that many men.(Dont look at me like that, it is an issue)

-Food is like a prison food. ...

-Our offices are just the essentials. Nothing extra. Just a desk and computer in a container. There are no places to sit and relax. There isnt any decorative stuff. Not even trees. Its survival mode. We have a vending machive with cookies in it. Thats it.

-A lot of shouting, screaming, cursing, fighting. ...

-Saturday is defiently a work day. Sometimes Sunday too is a workday. ...

Some things good about it; nobody cares what you wear as long as you have your safety equipment on. ...

Freelancing is amazing. Only thing is you need to keep an eye out, either have some money in the pocket, or make sure you have a consistent flow of buyers. I plan to make this full time job, in a year or something. Screw construction. Kudos to arts and working at home. It is like a dream, some of you people dont appreciate it enough(No judgement, everyone has their own life)

I can understand where you're coming from @ozan_erdi! I worked as a food scientist in manufacturing plants for 11 years and I was one of the few "women" who were in the facility. I only wore PPEs and didn't care about my appearance (I think I was 40 lbs/20kg heavier). The facilities had brick walls with no windows to the outside and it seems like we worked 8 days a week😂. I certainly don't miss those days!!!! I'm glad you are enjoying freelancing like I am!

[ozan_erdi]

15 hours ago, vickieito said:

I can understand where you're coming from @ozan_erdi! I worked as a food scientist in manufacturing plants for 11 years and I was one of the few "women" who were in the facility. I only wore PPEs and didn't care about my appearance (I think I was 40 lbs/20kg heavier). The facilities had brick walls with no windows to the outside and it seems like we worked 8 days a week😂. I certainly don't miss those days!!!! I'm glad you are enjoying freelancing like I am!

Oh im not even talking about how they look. But when it comes to construction, everyone is a little savage, and they have to compete against men in terms of savagery. And i guess they are not heard as much as they needed as a kind hearted people. So at one point they snap and transform into wild men. Its sad for the both sides. 

As i have experienced in military and in construction, if an establishment has only men and no woman, we are something else. Doesnt really matter how much professionalism is involved. Every group of people need some women to keep the men leashed. If not, at some point you forget how to interract with people in the social world. Im not talking about "this meeting has 9 men" Im talking about years of not seeing anything female for 10 hours a day. It changes people into wild dogs.

[guru3dart]

On 6/11/2022 at 8:03 AM, vickieito said:

"Are you still playing Fiverr?!"

made me smile. God bless them!!