Every month hundreds of people give up the security of their nine-to-five job to enter the uncertain world of freelancing. This is particularly true of the publishing industry. So what drives people to go freelance? What are the pros and cons, and what is it like on a day-to-day basis? And what advice would the seasoned freelancer give to the uninitiated?

Advantages
The chief advantage is being your own boss, with the freedom to choose your working hours. Other advantages include a greater variety of work and potentially higher earnings, working from home and having greater control over the work done. Flexibility is a strong motivating factor for those juggling work and family responsibilities.

Disadvantages
Of the disadvantages, social isolation is the major one, followed by the irregular work-flow of peaks and troughs and consequent irregular income, sometimes working unsociable hours to meet deadlines and working in a very competitive market. Other disadvantages include lack of employment benefits, such as paid holidays or sick pay, the problems of setting boundaries between work and home life, and rarely getting any feedback on your work.