This weekend I had an opportunity to get together with two friends I’ve known for many, many (many) years and, thanks to life and family and work getting in the way, we rarely see each other. One is a kindergarten teacher ready to start the new school year, and the other is an office manager for a highly visible and very busy chiropractic practice. We exchanged family updates, and the conversation eventually rolled around to work.

After hearing about the comings and goings of a constant stream of chiropractic patients, and adding her account of days spent “herding” hyperactive five year olds, the teacher turned to me and said, “Most days I can’t hear myself think – I envy the freedom you have to work whenever you want and days filled with quiet creativity.”

I envy that, too.

My friend’s perception of what a freelance writer’s day is like is far removed from reality. So I gave them a quick “tour” of what a typical day in this freelance writer’s life can be like… and told them the one thing that freelance writing is not…

I used Friday’s timetable as an example.

6:00 am: Get out of bed, start the coffee, throw myself in the shower

6:30: Power up the computer, check emails and appointment calendar

6:45: Filter through more than 100 emails, identify about 10 that weren’t SPAM and respond to the seven that needed immediate attention.

7:15: Check notes to prep for a conference call with a client on the east coast

7:30: Conference call with book client; discussion and review of comments/questions for the first draft of his manuscript

8:45: Make myself presentable for a client meeting; drive downtown

10:00: Client meeting to discuss website copy development with two co-owners, the marketing person, administrative assistant, project manager, an IT guy and a graphic designer (plus drive time home)

1:00 pm: Review proofs from publisher for Chapter 4 of a commemorative history book I’m working on

2:30: Conference call with my editor for the commemorative book to discuss the edits for Chapter 4, the outline for the next three chapters and photos needed to accompany them

3:15: Package and label the edited proofs and take to FedEx to send to publisher; swing by office supply store for ink cartridges and paper

4:30: Return two phone calls from voice mail messages while I was in meeting

5:00:  Conference call with a book client on west coast—conduct and record the sixth of 12 interviews for her book’s content

6:15:  Phone husband and ask that he pickup take-out for dinner on his way home

6:20:  Write a project proposal I promised to send to a potential new client by end of day

7:15:  Check and answer email, prepare to-do list

7:45:  Dinner with husband, hug the cat, power down the computer and call it a day

So… in that nearly 14-hour day, where does the “work when I want to and quiet creativity” part come in?

Okay, I didn’t REALLY get that detailed with my friends about “when I did what” throughout the day, but I gave them enough of a taste of the reality that soon had each of them thinking I should be envying them.

The truth is that there are days I do live the “perceived life.” The phone is turned off, I am alone, and the creativity in my head somehow finds its way to my fingertips to tap out a little something on a blank screen that I can be proud of. That’s what motivates me to keep getting up every day to live a writing life that mixes a huge dose of reality with enough of the perception to perfectly season the complete experience.

Oh, and the one thing that I told them freelance writing is not? My hobby.

Writing is my business. It requires long days of doing non-creative tasks. It requires being available, accessible to clients, and putting on your energetic face when you are anything but energized. And it requires acknowledging that every day won’t be perfectly balanced between life and business because, well, it is my business.

If you want greater success as a freelance writer, invest yourself in the whole experience and make it your business, too.