Scott Oldford Site

Tag: digital nomad

  • 5 Important Questions to Answer Before Freelance Writing Abroad

    5 Important Questions to Answer Before Freelance Writing Abroad

    The idea of life as a digital nomad is incredibly seductive.

    As we tap away on laptops in the comfort of our living rooms, more and more independent journalists, copywriters, bloggers and editors are thinking, “Why can’t I do this abroad?”

    With the prospect of working next to a tropical sea or exploring the ancient cities of Europe — all while furthering your career — it’s no wonder people are intrigued by location-independent work.

    But there are practicalities to consider.

    Simply being a freelancer won’t necessarily facilitate enough freedom to become a digital nomad, and while travel is usually a desirable goal, committing yourself fully to globetrotting may not be the best option.

    If the convenience and ease of remote working has you thinking about traveling as you earn, here are some things you’ll have to think about before setting off as a traveling freelancer.

    1. Is your client base strong enough?

    It’s pretty likely you’ll have to look for new work while abroad, but having a few clients you can rely on —  either for steady work or referring others —will make working abroad much less of a headache.

    This lifestyle may well open up new opportunities for you, especially as there will be huge scope to widen your writing experience by providing stories to travel magazines and websites.

    But heading out entirely into the cold probably isn’t a good idea if you are trying to craft a lifestyle rather than a short holiday.

    Do you have a fairly reliable stream of income?

    Are your clients happy with your work enough that they’ll be willing to forgive any issues you encounter getting an internet connection? Will you need to increase your skills in order to create new opportunities to earn money?

    These are all questions it’s best to answer before you go, so you don’t find yourself on the other side of the world without the career you had been carefully building in your own country.

    2. Are you prepared to make sacrifices?

    We are inundated with images of perfect foreign shores. Yet, while there are amazing experiences to be had from travel, there’s nowhere in the world where you can permanently escape the realities of everyday life.

    You may spend a lot of uncomfortable days traveling  between locations, lose the sense of security of having all your things around you, have to carry as little as possible, go weeks without speaking to loved ones or have real trouble finding a suitable place to work.

    If you can make it work abroad, any transitory issues will be well worth it.

    However, if you’re the sort of person who likes their creature comforts and you don’t have the budget to make life as easy as possible, it may be worth considering working abroad on a short-term basis in order to see if it’s for you before committing.

    3. Will accommodation be an issue?

    Simply having a place to sleep that’s clean and not completely awful may be all you need if you’re only going to be  away for a short time.

    But if you plan to travel or settle abroad on a more long-term basis, good accommodation will be essential. There’s not much more likely to ruin your motivation and working habits than worries about where you’ll be staying that night, or living somewhere that depresses you.

    Renting locally may be the most sensible and economical option if you plan on staying in certain areas for months at a time. Renting locally will also give you a much more authentic experience in an area, letting you really get to know a country. If your budget is extremely tight, house-sitting gigs or couch-surfing with the locals may be a way to facilitate your wanderlust on a shoestring.

    Whatever you choose, it’s important to remember your surroundings will make up a huge part of your peace of mind; even in the most beautiful locations, staying somewhere that feels unsafe or unpleasant will have an impact on your enjoyment of this lifestyle.

    4. Do you have an emergency fund?

    Traveling on a shoestring may seem romantic (and would probably create loads of great writing material), but make sure you have the funds for any emergency that may crop up.

    Being stranded, ill or completely broke in another country doesn’t seem like so much much of an adventure when you have no idea how you’re going to get out of the situation. Traveling needn’t involve having oodles of cash, but you do want enough to ensure nothing can go seriously wrong.

    Keep some money squirreled away for emergencies only, avoiding the temptation dip into it if you ever fancy a treat.

    5. Have you got patience for paperwork?

    Unfortunately, becoming a digital nomad is one of those fun, adventurous and exciting things that involves an awful lot of incredibly boring bureaucracy.

    Whether you’re sorting out taxes, trying to get visas or tackling any number of unexpected pieces of officialdom, if this is the sort of thing that drives you mad, committing to this lifestyle might be more trouble than it’s worth.

    A few hours of mind-numbing form filling could be far from enough to put you off, but it’s important to be aware that a footloose and fancy-free lifestyle still comes with its own annoyances.

    Have you taken your own writing work abroad? What other questions would encourage writers to ask before they pack their bags?

  • Freelance Writers Can Work Anywhere, Right? Maybe Not.

    Freelance Writers Can Work Anywhere, Right? Maybe Not.

    Is the life of a digital nomad even possible? Is it real?

    Yes. No.

    Over eight years I’ve lived in four different countries, hopping between the United States, England, New Zealand, Australia and, now, Germany.

    The only reason I’m able to do this is because my work is portable. I started early as a social media consultant and recently moved into full-time copywriting.

    So I was eager to read The Freelancer’s last post, Expat Freelancers on the Advantages and Challenges of Working Abroad. Writer Joann Plockova lives and works in Prague, and many of her experiences working outside America mimic my own.

    Taking advantage of your dual-culture knowledge? Check.

    When I lived in New Zealand, my experience running social media campaigns in the United States was a huge benefit. The technology hadn’t yet picked up steam there, so my knowledge and expertise were in demand.

    Needing to hustle no matter where in the world you live? Check.

    It’s harder to hustle abroad. My work is portable, but my network is not. It’s hard to maintain a solid professional community when you can only stay connected online. I’ve had to more or less start over in each country, making the hustle that much harder.

    Trying to run a business in “foreign waters?” Double check.

    I’m still not sure I’m correctly registered with the German government. It’s hard enough dealing with taxes in America. Try dealing with German tax paperwork.

    Plockova is right though: freelancing is freelancing, no matter where you are. Unless you’re moving with an already healthy client load and established business, you will likely not be typing in outdoor cafes in Ubud.  

    Speaking of outdoor cafes, Plockova missed a crucial issue for freelancers considering expat life.

    File under: WiFi problems

    It took me three months to get reliable Internet in Germany, and very few cafes offer WiFi. I spent more than $200 per month on data sticks and sent a lot of frantic emails to clients when I couldn’t send big files due to slow Internet.

    Easy WiFi is not as prevalent outside the States, and it’s been a massive headache in every country I’ve ever lived. So if you plan on country-hopping, find a long-term portable Internet solution. And if you’re moving to a specific country for a longer period of time, expect at least a month or two of shoddy Internet.

    I also wish Plockova had talked about her tax situation.

    Freelancing: When tax time is all the time

    While not a sexy topic, taxes are often the biggest source of contention when you work outside the States.  

    The US is one of the few countries that requires you to file taxes no matter where you live or for how long you’ve lived there. On top of that, you still have to file in your chosen country.  

    You’ll likely need to hire two accountants. And, remember, if you plan on working anywhere in the European Union, expect significantly higher taxes. I’m expected to pay almost 50 percent of my income to lovely Germany. And sure, you could argue I’m getting more benefits — free healthcare being the big one — but it doesn’t truly even out.

    Basically, it depends what kind of freelancer you are.

    I work primarily as a copywriter, which means a lot of business clients. Plockova, on the other hand, is a journalist. “Standing out from the crowd as a foreigner can be a massive advantage,” she wrote. “I’ve had numerous editors express their appreciation about receiving story ideas from Prague since I can provide perspective both as an insider and an American.”

    Since I don’t write for many traditional publications, I have yet to experience this benefit. I’ve actually had the opposite response. Many businesses are not eager to work with a writer who’s so far away. Our massive time difference means I hold many meetings at night, which isn’t ideal for a good night’s sleep and romantic dinners with my husband.

    That said, she is right about having great material when you travel and live abroad. I’ve written a number of essays about my experiences and there’s a constant curiosity on how I make it work. What visa do you get? What are your expenses? The answers to these questions make great content, what can I say.

    I live abroad for adventure. To experience the world. For me, freelancing has been harder abroad. But the benefits of a lower cost of living and being able to hop on a train to Amsterdam for the day? That’s what makes it worth it.  

    International freelancers, what do you think of Plockova’s article? How would you rate your experience as a freelancer?