I started getting questions about the ins and outs of being a freelance graphic designer. What would you do here? How would you approach this? How much do you charge? and so on.
Most of the questions were from other Graphic Designers and like me they had been working as designers for a long time but were relatively new to freelancing or weighing up the option of going freelance.
I'd been freelancing for about two years and for some reason they wanted to know how I did things. I guess I've had a mix of different experiences from in-house studios through to working with my own clients and I'm also a bit of a nerd when it comes to the admin side of things like estimating, invoicing and tax (most designers despise that stuff).
At the end of last year I knew I had to start using my Instagram account for the greater good (and not just selfies). I didn't want to throw up quotes from famous designers or just show off my work, I wanted to help people, make some sort of difference and show-off my knowledge and experience. So I thought I'd post freelance tips weekly (mostly fortnightly and sometimes monthly).
I started writing down everything I had experienced. Everything from getting started to working with recruiters, from finance through to dealing with rejection. I want to talk about what a freelance Graphic Designer goes through on a daily basis. Our industry is all about the work, the agencies and the clients, which is awesome, but rarely is there any information about how to deal with the business and personal side of being a freelancer.
I can easily say I love everything about freelancing, even with all it's ups and downs. From being too busy to not having any work to being able to arrange my deadlines so I can spend time with my family. I get to work on a variety of projects and get to work with amazing creatives and wonderful clients, I can't ask for anymore (except a few more clients - hint hint).
I will continue on with my freelance tips each week. Hopefully you get something out of them.
www.instagram.com/desolvedesign/