How To Pick An Office For Freelance Writing

leomatthewadams

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I have done a lot of freelance writing in the past and my writing work and clients are really starting to pick up again. As I head into the New Year I was thinking of expanding my writing career and maybe even focus on specific niches of writing. Legal research and writing is at the top of my list of areas of expertise to get into. This got me thinking that it might be a good idea to start looking at different office spaces and options. I found this article on how to choose an office for a law firm but was looking for something a little more specific to writing.

https://connect.americanbar.org/gro...-importance-of-location-for-your-law-practice

What does everyone look for when picking a writing office to rent out? Are there any good resources out there that describe the process of picking the right office for a freelance writing career? Does anyone have any tips or advice on what I should be looking for in a writing space? As a small background to this project I am currently writing out of Southern California.
 

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I have done a lot of freelance writing in the past and my writing work and clients are really starting to pick up again. As I head into the New Year I was thinking of expanding my writing career and maybe even focus on specific niches of writing. Legal research and writing is at the top of my list of areas of expertise to get into. This got me thinking that it might be a good idea to start looking at different office spaces and options. I found this article on how to choose an office for a law firm but was looking for something a little more specific to writing.

https://connect.americanbar.org/gro...-importance-of-location-for-your-law-practice

What does everyone look for when picking a writing office to rent out? Are there any good resources out there that describe the process of picking the right office for a freelance writing career? Does anyone have any tips or advice on what I should be looking for in a writing space? As a small background to this project I am currently writing out of Southern California.

I wouldn't. Seriously, rent and utilities especially in SoCal will kill your profits.

Instead, I'd start scoping cafes, and libraries, and possibly shared coworking office spaces where you are a member of an organization/pay a monthly fee. I would not rent.
 
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Maryn

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I second that. If your home environment doesn't let you write, find a free public place that does. All you really need is an outlet and minimal noise that won't make it past earbuds playing something you can tune out when you concentrate.

Where I've lived, many local cafes and chains like Panera would meet your needs, as well as every library, both public and university (the part that's open to the public). Avoid the lunch rush, which will be noisy, and when the business won't be happy about you occupying a table while nursing a beverage and a muffin for a few hours. But when business is slow, they may be happy to have you. It looks better to passersby if the place isn't empty, right?

Another option--which depends entirely on who you know--is to use a spare room at the home of an empty-nester or retiree, so long as they understand you need to be left alone. Your great aunt or the parents of your boyhood friend might be happy to visit for a half hour, then leave you to it for the rest of the afternoon.

Maryn, who has unused rooms these days
 

Paul Lamb

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There's really not much more I can add to these good points except that I have found that when I vary my setting, I almost invariably find typos in my work that I completely missed before. I think there is something about being in a new place that allows me to see my familiar writing with a new eye. I mostly write at home in a repurposed bedroom, but when I take myself to the library, I make all kinds of changes/improvements/corrections.

So maybe don't settle for just one alternative space.
 

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Another thought is to check out any writing groups in your area. They have have solutions for you. The one in my town actually had rooms you could use (as long as they were open) for writing.
 

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Another thought is to check out any writing groups in your area. They have have solutions for you. The one in my town actually had rooms you could use (as long as they were open) for writing.


^^^ This. A local literary and book arts organization I belong to has space available on a first come basis. I've looked at it in comparison to shared office leasing and what I pay for three months is about one month's rent for shared space.
 

lonestarlibrarian

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Public libraries frequently have small rooms you can use for free on a first-come first-served basis, and plenty of carrels in the stacks.

Whenever I need to meet someone to discuss something in-person (for my biz, not for my writing), I'll usually offer to meet them in public somewhere that serves food and drink.

If you need office space to impress someone as being legit, you might look into an office-sharing company for a minimal monthly $$$. But even though I have plenty of space my back pocket that I could potentially convert into office space for my biz, I'm not interested in paying for electric/water/sewer/trash/gas/phone/internet/cable/whatever every month. My phone, my computer, and a filing cabinet are good enough for my main biz... and my writing requires even less.

I have other things to do with $3-$6k/year-- or whatever prices are in southern California. :)