Before I get to today's post, I just want to thank all the readers who've enjoyed my posts here on e-Junkie, and who've written in to let me know. My first post was published here in October 2012. I blogged monthly, sometimes twice monthly. This will be my last post here -- at least on a regular basis for now. This brings me to one of the first lessons I've learned that I want to share with you.

1. Your Goals Will Change. The reason I've stopped blogging here regularly is that I've started to write more fiction books, primarily romance. And you know what? It's been going amazingly well -- which I didn't expect; at least not so soon.

So I've cleared the decks to be able to focus on putting out more of these. In the Zen Habits post, The Magical Power of Focus, the blogger started with the following quote:

"Always remember, your focus determines your reality." - Qui-Gon to Anakin, Star Wars Episode I 

I know what I want my reality to be; what I want my future to look like in 10, 20, 30 years. Self-publishing is a big part of that, which brings me to the next bit of information I want to share.

2. Self-Publishing Has Changed the Game. … for a lot of freelance writers. How? Well, there's never been more ways to make money as a writer. You can write/develop and self-publish your own ebooks, e-classes and other info products; and/or offer services to self-publishers.

They need everything from proofreading, copy editing  and press releases, to content for their blogs/websites and social media account management, which brings me to the last thing I've learned I want to share with you.

3. Technology Will Always Provide Opportunities for Freelance Writers. Proof? Just look at SEO writing. Because of the way Google jiggles its search algorithm, the need for SEO (search engine-optimized) content is greater than ever.

Then, there are piggyback services that come along with this, eg, social media. It goes hand-in-hand with providing content for clients and is an easy add-on service that you can earn a lot of money with.

According to a 2012 Global Business Survey, which surveyed over 1,500 businesses around the world hiring on Elance and provided a unique glimpse into the hiring practices of global businesses in 2012 and their predictions for the future of work, the following types of jobs are benefitting from the freelance boom.

Most In-Demand Freelance Workers

(i) Web Programmers/Developers took the top spot (70%);

(ii) Graphic Designers/Multimedia Experts came in second (61%);

(iii) Writers/Content Creators/Bloggers</a> were the third most desired skill set (38%);

(iv) Online Marketers / Social Media Consultants came in fourth (32%); and

(v) Mobile Developers rounded out the top five (28%).

And all of these came by because of new technology, eg, mobile technology, social media technology, online marketing technology, e-readers like the Kindle and Nook (self-publishing income), etc.

Conclusion

Freelancing is a mercurial career, by it's very nature. So don't be surprised if your goals and aspirations change, especially as there are so many ways to make money as a freelance writer -- online and off.

I'm currently riding the self-publishing wave. It's still writing; just for myself -- and that's right where I want to … at least right now.

Here's hoping you find -- and enjoy -- your journey as a freelance writer.

All the best,
Yuwanda

Author Bio
Yuwanda Black is the publisher of InkwellEditorial.com, an authority site on how to start a successful freelance writing career. She can be found on Twitter at @InkwellEditor. Don’t know where to start as a freelancer? Take Inkwell Editorial’s in-depth SEO copywriting course! You’ll not only learn how to make money writing for clients, you’ll learn how to earn money promoting your own products and services as well – creating income security that will allow you to kiss your 9-to-5 goodbye forever.