Freelancing in Romania | Honesty Digest

Back in my day, nobody dreamt of being a freelancer. That job description just didn't fit neatly amidst titles such as "engineer", "doctor", "lawyer" or the less defined "IT guy/gal". In fact, I had pretty much learned from American movies that if you wanted to support yourself while pursuing your dreams, serving tables and/or joining the mob were the only possible paths to follow.

So imagine my surprise when a friend first told me that he made money simply by writing stuff on the Internet. Not only that, he said that there were plenty of people who were willing to pay top dime for a few nicely-written pieces online. Back then, I was still working an office job I had gradually grown to detest, so I figured there was no harm in trying.

Fast-forward almost three years later and here I am, still successfully making ends meet using nothing but the English I learned from watching TV and my willingness to go above and beyond for my clients. Far from being a solitary writer anymore, I now coordinate an ever-shuffling team of dedicated freelancers, who all share my interest in good work for fair pay and are just as excited as I am to be living in a time that allows for profitable remote working arrangements.

Granted, living in Romania helps, as the purchasing power of the dollar is felt more strongly here than it would in your average first-world country. And the fact that I mostly enjoy working at home on my own is also a plus (freelance writers usually don't have a posse). But it's experience that has proven to be the most valuable aspect over the years. In my time as a freelancer, I've written everything from advertorials to travel guides to sex toy reviews, and, needless to say, it's been a pretty fun ride so far, one that has given me confidence in my own skills and fostered my growth as a person. For that reason, freelance writing is something I would definitely recommend to anyone who doesn't like feeling boxed in by life's generic choices for employment and isn't afraid of blazing their own trail as they go along.