The Blog

Secret Diary of a Freelancer, part 1

Posted on 03/10/10 in blog, business about business, development

This series of posts will chronicle my journey from life in the midst of the corporate machine to the brave new world of freelancing. I’ve no idea how things will turn out, but I’ll be sharing the experiences – good and bad – as I go. Wish me luck…

Before I take that step off the mountain top, I still have to reach the summit.

It’s in sight though. Since I set off to realize my goal of becoming a freelancer, I feel I’ve made great progress.

The last time I considered myself ‘expert’ in technology was over ten years ago. Back then, I had taught myself HTML, CSS and JavaScript in their earliest incarnations, and I was viewed by my then employer as the person to turn to for advice, consultancy and deliverables in those fields.

Then, the powers-that-be decided that a move into management was suitable reward for my dedication, and I found myself with less and less opportunity to be able to keep up with the technology I loved.

I continued to dabble, but even the shift towards tableless CSS-driven layouts passed me by.

Then, last year, I had a mindshift. I knew I was capable. I knew I wasn’t fulfilled in my day job. And I knew, that with a little bit of effort, I could get myself up to speed again with the wonderful world of web design and development.

So here I am, nine months later, making the final push.

I have:

• taught myself PHP, MySQL and Apache configuration
• rebooted my XHTML knowledge (this probably required the least effort – the markup is by and large the same; it’s the usage – things like semantic markup and progressive enhancement – which has changed)
• dived into the worlds of CSS2 / CSS3 and style-driven layout (I have the likes of Dan Cederholm and his excellent books on the topic to thank for that)
• had my eyes well and truly opened by the capabilities, elegance and beauty of jQuery

I’ve built database-driven websites; created WordPress-powered portal sites with bespoke themes; used CSS3 & jQuery to develop UIs and designs which I thought previously only achievable with Flash.

I’ve embarked on an evening course to understand the pros and cons of being self-employed; beat my head off the desk trying to get my head round UK tax laws; struggled internally with the prospect of giving up paid leave and subsidized healthcare.

I’ve devoured the information on the following sites (and dozens more) and am eternally grateful to the people behind them who share their knowledge for free:

• Boagworld
• Smashing Magazine
• Freelance Folder
• Zen Habits

So now, I feel I have all my equipment: polished and prepared. I feel revitalized and excited – and a bit scared – but firm in my belief, conviction and abilities.

The last thing I have to do before reaching the summit is launch my own site, market it appropriately – then prepare myself for that first step into the unknown.

I know it’s not going to be easy. Nothing’s certain, and things I’ve taken for granted will no doubt morph and change into new challenges and opportunities. I know I’ll always be learning and will have to work hard to keep up with the pace of change of the industry.

I can’t wait.

See you at the top.

About the author
After over 15 years working for The Man, Keith D from the UK has decided to leave the safety and comforts of corporate life behind him and set out on his own as a freelance web designer. He enjoys photography, swimming, gaming and trying not to be terrified at his decision.

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