10 Best & Worst Things about Being a Freelance Writer

The five best things about being a freelance writer:

1. The work. I love to write and people pay me to do it. Life just doesn't get much better than that. I also love to edit. I have a deep and meaningful relationship with dictionaries and stylebooks. It's good. It's real good.
2. My clients. THE BEST. I work with amazing, talented, good-hearted, generous people. Have I ever had a bad client? Yes. But not for long. Because I am the boss of me and I don't expect me to work with/for schmucks.   
3. The hours. I make my own schedule, so I can stop writing to bake cookies during the day. Or exercise. Or do the laundry. I can also easily work on Sundays or evenings if I want. Whatever. My choice.
4. Business casual has its own meaning here. Jammies, for example.
5. The money. On a good month, it ain't bad.

The five worst things about being a freelance writer:

1. The money. On a bad month, it ain't good. Feast or famine is an occupational hazard. (Knocking on my head here. I've been very fortunate.)
2. Health insurance. I don't like making the decisions or the monthly payments. Out-freakin-rageous.
3. The other job responsibilities. I don't like billing and purchasing. But I am the CFO and COO. To which I can only say, POO POO.
4. No close colleagues. I keep this guy in my office for company. Sigh.

Sure, they all say the actual size is 12 inches.

Hmmm. It would appear that I'm one short on the worst list. Given my tacky Despicable Me joke above, I should probably say:

5. No editor. :-)