What do you love the most about what you do?

[katakatica]

After a couple of really busy weeks (both work and personal-life wise), I'm currently in a coffee shop typing away and couldn't help but wonder about the title for a second.  

I didn't always think I would be a writer, after all - mostly because I wasn't sure I'd actually make it. I never really had a 'plan' after I'd stop travelling and working as a nanny/teacher after all (though I knew I wouldn't be able to do it forever.) I wanted to keep moving, so I wanted something flexible and well... Here I am now, freelancing. 

Despite everything, I don't think the flexibility is my favourite part of the job. What I love is being able to be creative. All the different games I get to work on, all the fun projects - they are... hard, in a way, because even thinking requires brains (and something I burn out easier than I'd like) but... I LOVE coming up with ideas. 

And... I love it when people cherish my work. A couple of times I've gotten reviews that almost made me tear up. Working on longer projects is risky (to some extent) but when someone reads through 20-30k words and just raves about it makes me realize WHY I love writing. I love being able to share my 'world' with others, to sneak a bit of the quirkiness that makes me, well, out into the open. It's taxing and hard but it's... what keeps me going. 

(as an addendum, I'm very obviously neuro-divergent though currently in the process of trying to get diagnosed, so for a very long time I wasn't really understood by those around me. I'm very open about this now, but I struggled a lot with anxiety/etc. because of this - I'm on the mend now but things weren't always this way!) 

So... with my somewhat emotional rant on what I love about writing over... what do YOU love about what you do? Not just in a freelancing sense but just in general? 

[donnovan86]

Just like you, I love when people cherish my work. I always enjoy reading and learning new things, so for me the idea of always working on something different is creatively fulfilling. At the same time, I like the flexibility provided by freelancing, which is way better for someone that already had multiple 9 to 5 jobs before this. Of course it can always be even better, but my life was worlds apart pre-freelancing when compared to what it is now. So a simple step like this was worth it.

Edited June 13, 2022 by donnovan86

[katakatica]

7 hours ago, donnovan86 said:

So a simple step like this was worth it.

I'm in the same boat - though I do realise it's very risky (in the sense that freelancing isn't the solution for everyone!), for me, deciding to switch (basically) lifestyles worked out pretty well! 

[gongor32]

I love the ding! 🤪

[moikchap]

I feel more control over my future than I do from a day job. That gives me a feeling of a greater chance of success.

[katakatica]

14 hours ago, moikchap said:

I feel more control over my future than I do from a day job. That gives me a feeling of a greater chance of success.

I relate to this as well - though sometimes I miss a more fixed salary, it's just nice to be the one in control. I like having some choice over what I end up writing as well, to be honest. (AND the fact that it's not always the same food!)

[miian_hassan]

I feel good working on Amazon🤩👏

[azmain7]

On 6/13/2022 at 3:08 PM, katakatica said:

After a couple of really busy weeks (both work and personal-life wise), I'm currently in a coffee shop typing away and couldn't help but wonder about the title for a second.  

I didn't always think I would be a writer, after all - mostly because I wasn't sure I'd actually make it. I never really had a 'plan' after I'd stop travelling and working as a nanny/teacher after all (though I knew I wouldn't be able to do it forever.) I wanted to keep moving, so I wanted something flexible and well... Here I am now, freelancing. 

Despite everything, I don't think the flexibility is my favourite part of the job. What I love is being able to be creative. All the different games I get to work on, all the fun projects - they are... hard, in a way, because even thinking requires brains (and something I burn out easier than I'd like) but... I LOVE coming up with ideas. 

And... I love it when people cherish my work. A couple of times I've gotten reviews that almost made me tear up. Working on longer projects is risky (to some extent) but when someone reads through 20-30k words and just raves about it makes me realize WHY I love writing. I love being able to share my 'world' with others, to sneak a bit of the quirkiness that makes me, well, out into the open. It's taxing and hard but it's... what keeps me going. 

(as an addendum, I'm very obviously neuro-divergent though currently in the process of trying to get diagnosed, so for a very long time I wasn't really understood by those around me. I'm very open about this now, but I struggled a lot with anxiety/etc. because of this - I'm on the mend now but things weren't always this way!) 

So... with my somewhat emotional rant on what I love about writing over... what do YOU love about what you do? Not just in a freelancing sense but just in general? 

Positive review always effective for good work!😊

[ozan_erdi]

I havent quit my dayjob yet. So i cant speak for full time freelancing yet. Im still working in a company as an architect and doing fantasy illustrations as freelancer.

That being said; not quitting my day job and keeping my salary gives me some sort of freedom about freelancing.

I have been drawing for... for all my life to be honest. It was my biggest hobby and a big part of my personality i think. So i allways enjoyed doing it. And at 2013 i bought my first tablet, started drawing digitally. Still as a hobby, i just drew what i like, what i want. 

2.5 years ago, i started to do this as a freelance job. Now the real enjoyment begins. I do the same thing, same fun, same enjoyment and satisfaction. But now i get paid. And i relatively have it easy. %96 of the time im not having any trouble of satisfyng my client. And, i also like what i draw.

Now there is the freedom part comes in. Which is the answer to your question.

I still keep my dayjob, so freelancing is not that much a life and death situation. So i am really picky about the jobs. I just accept the clients if their job is fun for me, or im %100 sure if its easy to do. And i am really really picky. If i wasnt, i could have done more than twice the jobs i had done in this 2.5 years. But i have my day job, it consumes time but also gives me the freedom of choice. Being able to choose what im gonna do, and picking the thing i like also gives me motivation. Thus making the product looking better, so i guess my clients are happy about that too.

Of course i realise that is not how it always gonna be and not always be sugar coated as it is now. My day job is disgusting and takes too much time. I spend 3-4 hours on the road and work 1/2 of saturdays too. So adding freelance to that really kills my social life. That is a downside.

And in a year or two, i plan to quit my dayjob and focus on digital arts solely. That is when i may not be able to get so picky. I may do whatever i can grab. It might lose some taste at that point. But im tryng to build my foundation in a way that i dont have experience it too much. Time will tell.

 

[yingren0]

Honestly, I just love what I do. I can't really articulate why I love it which is ironic considering writing requires good articulation lol. I will say though I do enjoy when others enjoy my work. Knowing that people took the time to read what I wrote and actually liked it (and paid for it haha) makes me feel great. However, with or without feedback or pay, writing is something that just brings me pleasure.