This is the first of a two-part series on breaking into freelance editing. Read part two here.

Freelancing can offer an editor a broad array of exciting artistic opportunities while providing some hefty financial rewards — provided he or she understands the sacrifices that may be necessary to build a thriving practice.

“I do tend to get more interesting work than most staff editors I know,” comments Martin Nelson, a Washington, D.C.-based freelance editor with 12 years experience. “Staff editors have a lot of work on their plates, but often it’s not as compelling as the stuff I get to do.”

In addition, Nelson notes that during 2000 he worked every day that he wanted or needed to work. “I worked 43 weeks and had nine weeks off,” he comments. “True, those nine weeks weren’t paid vacation, but it was leisure time that I planned for myself and got to enjoy.”

The cons

Ask about the drawbacks of working freelance, the list is equally consistent. Freelancers can’t count on a steady paycheck and so have to be financially savvy; it is easier to loose your professional bearings; there is less opportunity to be “promoted” into a supervisory capacity or into a different job; and sometimes freelancers have to take a less-than-desirable job to make the rent.

Uncertainty is probably the biggest issue that haunts freelancers. When working for yourself, you need to contend with certain hassles that a full-time staff editor wouldn’t even need to think about — such as marketing, billing, bill collecting, accounting and sales — and have nothing to do with honing your skills as an editor.

“I can understand how the uncertainty that is inherent in freelancing can kill some people,” remarks Rosalie Wong, a freelance editor in south Florida. She became a free agent in September after working 11 years as a staff editor at Broadcast Video Inc. in Miami, FL. “If you don’t have the personality that can take uncertainty or the pressure of doing 10 things at once that are not necessarily related to editing then think long and hard before you leap.”

“Working as a freelancer does give you a sense that you’re living a much more independent lifestyle,” says Bill Bauman, an electronic media specialist for the U.S. Army Safety Center who works freelance jobs on the side. “But, you have to balance that off against the fact that you don’t get a steady paycheck every week or every other week.”

Do you have what it takes?

Nelson says freelancers need both to believe in their own editing skills and to have faith that people will be willing to hire them because of what they bring to the table. “Freelancers need to have a certain mindset and a certain personality if they are going to be successful,” says Nelson. “You have to live on faith. You need to believe that the next job is going to come. It’s not going to do you any good worrying about where your next dollar is coming from.”

Wong says another key ingredient to becoming a successful freelancer doesn’t lie in just being a good editor or in just having niche skills that are in demand. You need to like people and have strong social skills. When calling potential clients, you have to be willing to chat and build relationships, even if they don’t have work for you.

“That skill is important because it shows you enjoy working with people,” says Wong. “In my case, it doesn’t matter if I’m working on a low-budget project or a high-ticket television show, I care about the people I work with and I care about their project.”

Yet, for all the tribulations, an intrepid freelancer bent on building a creatively and financially rewarding business may find the struggle is worth it. “I love what I’m doing,” says Wong. “Will I be doing this in 10 years? I don’t know. What I can tell you is that right now I’m excited about my work. I’m energized by my career all over again.”

Walk before you run

While the entrepreneurial-minded might be tempted to go freelance right after they finish their training or graduate from school, Wong, Nelson and Bauman urge newly minted editors to instead opt for a staff editor job for at least the first year.

“Just because you know what every button does on the Media Composer® or how to operate a piece of software or all of the technical issues doesn’t make you an editor,” says Nelson. “It’s like saying that just because you know how to use word processing software that you’re a writer. You’re not. Being an editor is more complicated than that.”

Nelson, who started his career as a contractor at National Geographic Television, says he gained valuable experience by working under veteran editors who were willing to let him experiment on the equipment.

“Usually more experienced editors are willing to share their technical expertise,” says Nelson. “I was fortunate because I worked on the last leg of film editing. My job as the assistant was to prepare everything so the editor could keep editing, but sometimes I was able to cut scenes and get a critique of my work.”

The best part, Nelson adds, is that you get an education while being paid. “It’s a very advantageous way to start out, even if the pay isn’t that great,” he adds.

Bauman notes that aside from learning the basics, working in a post-production facility will help you plan the direction of your career as well as help you narrow your focus on the skills you’d like to hone.

“I was fortunate enough to get a job in the video business while I was still in school that allowed me to explore all aspects of the business from schlepping gear to doing post,” recalls Bauman. “It took me two years to figure out what I really wanted to do with this knowledge, but once I did I was able to really focus on what skills I wanted to develop.”

In addition, work as a staff editor can help you develop niche skills that could help you sell yourself in the freelance market. For example, Wong notes that aside from her expertise in using offline nonlinear equipment, she also does online linear work, a skill that happens to be in high demand in her south Florida market.

“It’s funny that I’ve been getting a lot more calls to do linear work than nonlinear work because not many people can do that any more,” says Wong. “I don’t think the editors coming out of the schools today really know how to do linear. It seems to be a dying art.”

Read part two of this article.