Freelance Advice: 7 Reasons You Should Freelance

You’ve flirted with the idea of freelancing for some time, but never took the plunge. You should – diving into the freelance world can be an incredibly positive experience – and here’s why!

Loads of gamers dream about freelancing and writing the next big adventure, sourcebook or game system. Very few, however, realise their dream of getting into print. That’s a shame, as with the vast array of indie and 3PPs in the industry getting into print has never been easier!

• It’s Fun: Freelancing is fun. You get to work at the hobby you love – and you get paid!
• Share Your Stories & Ideas: Every GM has a story to tell. Writing adventures, sourcebooks and campaign settings is a terrific way to share yours with the gaming community. Alternatively, you might have great ideas for new classes, spells, feats and other game-related mechanics. Personally, I get a real kick out of knowing my adventures and sourcebooks are used all over the world. I enjoy knowing I’m having a positive impact on people’s gaming experiences.
• Share Your Expertise: If you are interested in freelancing you’ve probably spent a lot of time with your chosen game system. Given that, you probably have a higher level of proficiency than most gamers. You should consider sharing that expertise.
• Build An Industry Profile: Everyone dreams of working for one of the big companies in the industry. To achieve this, you need to start small and work with 3PP (or indie) companies. As you get more practised and recognised, you can work your way up through larger and larger companies.
• Gain Insights Into Publishing: You might be thinking about becoming a publisher. Before you dive into the deep end, work with some other companies first. You’ll gain valuable insights into the design and development process along the way, which will serve you well later.
• Develop Your Skills: Successful freelancing requires many skills. You need to be good at time management, following a design brief and countless other disciplines. (Check out Golden Rules of Freelance Game Design for more on this). All these have applications in the real world. Freelancing is a great way of practising them and having fun at the same time.
• Pocket Money: You are unlikely to earn a living from freelancing. On the flip side, you can earn some decent pocket money doing the thing you love.

Help Fellow Freelancers!

Have you started freelancing for any other reasons? Share them in the comments below and help fellow gamers decide to freelance today!