Making money as a freelance writer is a perfect fit for a work at home mom and is definitely one of the most popular work at home ideas in general.  The great thing about being a freelance writer nowadays is that the Internet allows you to work for companies and individuals all over the world who need writing services on a regular basis. If you are willing to provide writing services at a competitive price and have a good command of the English language, you will never be out of work.

One spectacular benefit of being a freelancer writer and a work at home mom is that getting started is as easy as doing a little research online and then applying for a position or project. The only other things you really need are a PayPal account and a computer.

As with any business idea or career change, there are some things you’ll need to know and consider before you decide to take the leap.

Writing For Money
If you want to write as a way to make a consistent income, then you are most likely going to have to write non-fiction.  While you may find a job here and there that requires a different genre, steady income in other areas will be hard to find.

The upside is, if you are enthusiastic about writing non-fiction and finding work online, then you will have a ton of opportunities at your fingertips.

You can break it down your options into two basic forms of non fiction writing: writing for print and writing for the web.

Writing for print is what most people will still  think of when you tell them that you’re a freelance writer.  This is when you write articles for print publications like magazines and newspapers. Most writers begin by submitting queries (basically a resume and a pitch for a story idea) to smaller, local publications that have limited applicants and less competition to new writers to deal with. The smaller ones are  also more willing to give new writers a chance.

The downside to writing for print is that you often have to submit several queries, if not dozens, before you even get a response. Also, actually seeing a paycheck can take months.  For most work at home moms, this situation just isn’t feasible and so they turn to the Internet to get started.

Writing online is much different. There are ample opportunities to get started and you can start seeing payments soon after you decide that writing is what you want to do.

Here are just a few different types of writing you can do online:

• Ebooks (on various topics)
• Articles
• Blog Posts
• Sales Copy (copywriting)
• Press Releases

There are numerous freelance sites online, many which are free to join and have tons of job postiings daily. Here are just a few of the popular ones:

• Elance
• GetAFreelancer
• Scriptlance
• oDesk

If you’re thinking about taking the plunge and becoming an official work at home mom, chances are you’ve already thought of all the wonderful benefits like making money in your pajamas, flexible hours, and more. However, like every great idea, this one too has drawbacks that you should consider before you jump in with both feet.

The Transition
The first thing to consider is how hard the transition will be from your current job. For instance, you may be working a job that allows you to continue doing the exact same thing from home (i.e.; data entry, design, writing). However, it is an entirely different scenario if you have to quit your current job to pursue your new venture.

The Costs
Costs can vary a great deal when starting a new business, depending on what it is,  but regardless what you decide to, there will be expenses at the beginning that you will have to endure.  Also, if you do have to quit your job in order to begin your work at home career, then the costs become an even more serious aspect to look at since your current income will discontinue and you will have to wait until your new business gets off the ground to get ahead.  You will be paying your own income tax, purchasing software and office accessories to track profits, etc.  Make a detailed list of what you will need to get started and then make sure it is feasible before you begin.

Working At Home With Your Children
Although it’s definitely a benefit to work at home with your children in the house, it’s not always as easy as it may sound.  Small children (as you probably know) can be quite demanding, and if you are still in charge of them during the day, then you might have to do your work while they are sleeping. This can be tricky as it’s because it’s sometimes hard to start your work shift after a long day of energetic child care, especially when you’re at home with your big comfy couch a few feet away.

Isolation
Even if your whole family is at home while you’re in your office, you are technically isolated and it’s much different from the majority of jobs as an employee at a bigger company. At the very least you typically see a few co-workers in the morning and chat beside the water cooler every now and then. You have to be prepared to be comfortable working alone for hours at a time.

Ultimately, it boils down to commitment, dedication, and discipline. If you are passionate about being a work at home mom, then you can do it as long as you stick to it and treat it like a real business from the start.

Procrastination is fun, isn’t it? A stroll out on to the deck with a fresh cup of coffee. A “quick” stop into the playroom to see the kids as you pass down the hallway on the way to the bathroom. Those seemingly short breaks might actually do you good if that’s all they were; short breaks. However, when the your procrastinator side kicks in, a 5 to 10 minute break can turn into an hour and twenty minutes of play time.

When you have an unlimited number of tasks to do (being a work at home mom doens’t really ever come to a stop), it’s understandable that stopping to play with the kids is enticing. However, in order to make your business flourish, you will have to learn to recognize when your slip into procrastination mode and figure out ways to quickly get back to work mode.

Here are a couple examples of signs to look for and what to do to counter any  temptations.

• Heavy Sighs
  If you get into the habit of looking at your desk, or task list and follow up with a heavy sigh, then chances are that you are slipping into procrastination mode and are only one or two breaths away. Downtime is definitely a part of success, but you need to clearly define work and play time. A good thing to do is take a solid break in between bigger tasks or projects. So, when one is finished, go for a walk with the kids to the park for an hour or two. Not only will you be separating work from play, but you will actually enjoy the break more knowing that you are not scrambling to get porject number 1 finished when you get back.  You need balance.
• Noisy Distractions Lure You Away
  If your work space is in an area of the home that is close enough to the main living area, you may often hear laughter, bangs, or several other family noises that make you feel compelled to leave your work to investigate.  You’ll have to do whatever you can to discipline yourself from this as not only does it physically take you away from work, but mentally it’s hard to be productive while you’re working. If you can’t block the noise with a door, or move your office, then try other solutions like playing classical music at a very low volume.  Whatever you do, find a way to stay separated while you need to be productive.