Are freelance writers really "free?" When I tell people I'm a freelance writer and they don't roll their eyes, they usually say something to the effect of what a great job it is, and how it must be great to have so much free time.

Free time?

What the heck is that? So I smile and nod and say to friends and strangers and acquaintances that freelance writing definitely has its benefits, but there's no such thing as completely free time. For one, I'm always looking for new article or story ideas. A lot of the best writers have minds that keep working.

The other side is my definition of freedom is different than theirs, and that's because I've wrote for years as a full time freelance writer, and I know what type of freedom the freelance writing life style allows.

So let's define freedom, according to at least this one freelance writer. Can I get up at 6 a.m. and get my fly fishing gear ready to hit the trout streams in the early part of the morning when the rainbows start hitting? As long as I remember to set the alarm, then yes, absolutely, I can get up and enjoy my mornings at the fishing stream without worrying about any office to get into at 8, 9, or even 10 in the morning.

By the same token, however, if I spend the early morning hours fishing, that freelance work on my computer will still be waiting for me when I get back and it still needs to get done. So guess who will be staying up into the wee hours of the night to get that work done? The work always has to get done by deadline.

There is freedom in that you can move around. I have wanderlust, and the thrill of travel and need for new horizons is in my very blood. So having friends across the country, I can travel and visit all the great friends I've met over the years, finding free Wi-Fi or spending time in coffee shops getting all the writing work done to get paid. That type of freedom is part of being a freelance writer.

But can I go hike the Appalachian Trail over the summer? Not unless I have no steady work and have enough money to pay all my bills automatically AND still have money for water, food, camping equipment, emergency medical bills, etc. So basically not anytime soon – not with my student loan bills. There are limits. Sometimes being a freelance writer feels like freedom at it's best. Sometimes it feels like I'm a dog on a very long leash.

That doesn't mean there's any other job I'd rather do, and part of enjoying the full benefits of being a freelance writer is learning how to truly love the small things in life.

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