For years, the comic book industry was dominated by two pillar companies: Marvel and DC Comics. In 1992, multiple writers and illustrators came together and decided that they wanted to create their own stories and characters without having to submit their rights of the former to a big company.
Creator ownership was a big debate in the field and the writers and illustrators felt that they were entitled to the copyright of their own characters instead of losing thousands, if not millions of dollars in revenue to the publishers. Thus, Image Comics was born. Image Comics would not own any of the creator’s work and would not interfere with any of the processes involving the creation of such.
Image Comics is just one example of everyday employees charging out of their big corporations to produce new and original products or services for consumers. Freelancing has taken over and is the future of the American Workforce. As of 2017, freelancers account for 36% (57.3 million) of the workforce and that number is expected to rise to 50% by 2020 according to Monster. The culture of being an American is a culture of freedom, a culture centered around the idea that “the sky is the limit.” So, it makes sense that the United States breeds free thinkers who want to increase their standard of living whilst doing what they love on their own terms.
The Full-Time Employee VS Freelancers
Freelancing is often the product of regular employees being unsatisfied with their full-time jobs and deciding to pursue work they find enjoyable. Too long have they sat at their desks, doing hours of meaningless work with little reward! While being a full-time employee for a company can offer steady hours and pay, this is not enough to satisfy their intended quality of life.
As of 2017, Return to Now reports that 85% of workers across the globe hate their job. Why do we humans constantly endure work that gives us little to no enjoyment?
The standard 9-5 job provides us with two things that humans are addicted to – comfortability and stability. “Sure I hate this job, but this company gives me insurance and free time off with a steady paycheck. Why would I quit to follow my passion when I have mouths to feed and a lifestyle to support?”
Too often we trade away the things we want because it’s easier to take the safe route, leaving the risk far out of our own hands. The possibility of failure scares us into sitting idly while our hopes and dreams feel completely out of reach. In reality, our hopes and dreams may be just beyond the horizon. Sometimes we need to roll the dice and bet everything on ourselves. And we’re not alone. Millions of people are turning to freelance opportunities to support their families and pursue their passions.
Freedom of Freelancers
Freelancing offers many obstacles as well as perks to the life of someone in the workforce. Drawbacks that ultimately keeps people from moving into freelance work usually involve finances. Cash flow varies and there are no paid days off when you work for yourself. Having a family to support provides enough incentive to keep the 9-5 lifestyle and diminish thoughts of breaking out of the cubicle.
While entering the freelance world can be very intimidating, there are plenty of reasons why you should. The freedom that a freelance job offers is limitless. There is no cap on how much money you can make! While freelance jobs are demanding, you work as many hours as you want, whenever you want. This can provide a significant increase in quality of life.
An artist would rather make a commission on their work than being stuck in an office, which prevents them from doing what they were meant to do. Freelancing is the way to do what you love and making a living doing it. It requires a certain amount of drive and perseverance that not everyone can tap into, but everyone is capable of doing what they love if they put hard work into their passion.
Last year, a friend of mine left his job of over 15 years with a big corporation to start his own home and pool business. Before he made the jump, he sat at his desk all day looking out the window, wishing he could be more active in his work and help others. Now, he works outside all day with his sons and interacts with local consumers who need him. His quality of life has increased as he spends more time with his family and makes a living doing work he enjoys. This man could have struck out on his own years ago, if only he had more faith in himself and his dreams!
Your dreams of freelancing, no matter how big or small can be capitalized. You can walk away from your job to pursue what you really want to do in this life. It takes courage. And it takes planning. But with your dreams as fuel and your ambitions driving your every move, who can stand in your way but yourself? With a good work ethic and a passion for what you do, it will be a very satisfying way to make money.
