Dulee Paranavitana

  I f you want to dip your toes or in this case fingers into the field of freelancing, you are not alone. While you might be afraid to leave your comfortable yet inconvenient day job, there might be this nagging voice in your head telling you, “I wish there were better ways to earn money than sacrificing my life to the corporate gods who want me to work, work and work more from nine to five.” This was my situation when I started freelancing. While it was not at all a smooth path paved with marble, I do love the freedom freelancing offers. With freelancing, you are not tied down to a single job or a single boss, which means that you have the freedom to explore and perhaps even earn more. But a word of caution, I believe you need to have a good reserve of finances to start freelancing, because when things go wrong, there won’t be a paycheck waiting for you, no matter the level of toxicity at your workplace and despite you might be having to deal with in your workplace environment, y...

  Have you been dreaming of earning money on your own terms without being trapped in a 9 to 5 corporate job? If climbing the corporate ladder isn’t your thing, and you are tired of convincing yourself that it is so, you might want to take a look at freelancing or freelance writing. If you think you need a degree to become a freelance writer, you might want to rethink that, since to write well, all you need to do is write. But it is important to note that being a writer and wanting to be a writer are two different things. You can’t just want or wish, you must always take action if you aspire to become a freelance writer. In the world of freelancing or earning online, action taken, no matter how imperfect, is better than taking no action at all. Now without further ado, let’s start discussing and busting some common myths about being a freelance writer. You Need an English Degree to Get Started No you don’t, and how do I know? Because I don’t have an English degree. All you need is t...

  To start off a successful freelance career, I believe like all things you need to just do something about it. Reading articles like this one, watching tutorials and perusing books are all well and good, but the thing that will do the trick would be to just take action. As someone who has tried out freelancing, I can tell you without doubt that tutorial hell is for real and it is difficult to get out of it. The thing about tutorial hell is that you get caught up in it and go in circles, reading and watching content without actually learning and most importantly putting what you learn into action. Action beats studying any day when it comes to freelancing. It’s best if you can do both, but if you choose to do one, then choose to act. Without further ado let’s dive into the article. Start Where You Are Just like I mentioned at the start of this article, I would like to restate, reemphasize, reiterate and repeat (add all the relevant and related synonyms here) of the importance of ge...

  If you are anything like me, or what I was like and am sometimes now, you must be no stranger to creative blocks. Creative blocks happen when creativity literally meets a roadblock. Sometimes, though, I wonder if it is another name artists and creators use to get away with procrastinating or not doing the work. The thing is you can actually create something about your block if you are creatively blocked (do you see what I did there?). I think, as humans, we give a lot of excuses to get away from doing things. By a lot, I mean a generous amount of excuses. In this article, I will describe how you can get out of a creative rut, be it an excuse or a bout of self sabotage.  Create Something If you want to be a writer for example, watching tutorials is nice and all, and relaxing too at times, but they really don’t cut it, you need to simply write. Write anything. You don’t need to start to write a novel right away. You can start with something manageable. It’s very easy and conve...

  Staying creative in a fast paced digital world can be as difficult as it has ever been. We all have just 24 hours and having so many options on how to spend time or waste time at our fingertips isn’t really good for all of us. Most of us have access to some sort of smart device, which can either help you stay creative and motivated or make you feel drained or stressed. I personally believe that creativity is the best skill or trait you need to invest in as it is what leads to innovation and breakthroughs, allowing you to stand out in an increasingly competitive world.  Get off the Phone  I know how you feel when someone says that, cause my mom says that all the time. Though I don’t like hearing it too often, I know she has a point. While the phone might be entertaining and take your mind off your problems (at least for the shortest time span possible), it doesn't serve well when it comes to creativity. I used to think it was because it limited how one thought or imagine...

  Freelance writing can be the thing you were looking for to replace your 9 to 5 job, doing things you feel drain you to the core and working with toxic co-workers who have unjustified demands on your work. Welcome to the world of freelance, where your only concern is to deliver quality work that goes above and beyond your clients expectations. As someone who has worked both as an employee and freelancer I sincerely believe that being a freelancer is far more rewarding than working a 9 to 5 where the only nice thing is the juicy paycheck that disappears as fast as dew on a summer morning - sorry for being poetic, it is my strength, and I like to use it (you should too, if you want to stand out in the competitive freelance market). You might be thinking that money is enough to keep you happy, in my experience it has not been enough to keep me happy. So, without further ado, let’s explore some skills you need to become a freelance writer. Writing  If you want to become a writer,...