For busy families with small children, the job of all jobs would be working from home. For a freelance writer, most of the work that you do is completed from home anyway. The first tool needed to create a successful freelance writing business is a stable home office.

• One myth about working from home is that anyone can do it. It takes a disciplined person to establish an office in his or her home. With more than a few distractions, a home office is a necessity for the writer establishing his or her career.

• The home office location doesn’t change once established. Some writers are comfortable in an office with a door. Others prefer the dining room, den, or garage. Writers crave stability so that their creativity can flow better. Shifting the location of the office or worse, having no set office space is asking for trouble.

• A transient home office invites sabotage into the work day. First of all, files, supplies, and other materials get lost easily when they are moved constantly. Half of the day will be spent finding what you need to prepare to write. Find a desk that you like and park it in a spot where you will not be disturbed while working and that feels good for writing.

• Find a comfy chair. For a writer, comfort is paramount. That chair will be your companion every day. If it doesn’t support your back, arms, shoulders, and neck get rid of it. Sit in the chair before buying it. A good writer’s chair makes you want to pick up pen and paper or put fingers to keyboard as soon as you drop into it.

• With a few eccentric exceptions, writers have moved into the 21^st century and use computers to do their writing work. The computer chosen for the home office is supplying your livelihood. Look for deals through companies like Dell, Hewlett-Packard, and Apple. It is great to buy through a second party like Best Buy if you know something about computers. If not, stick with the manufacturer to get the most memory and features for your writing needs.

• The ability to access the Internet has come a long way in a very short time. A dial up connection won’t work for a writer looking to grow his or her freelance writing business. The best choices would be DSL or broadband access through a cable modem. For the home with more than one desktop or laptop, investing in a wireless router allows Internet access on every computer all the time.

• A writer would be lost without his or her tools of the trade—reference books. Every writer has consulted a textbook at one time or another. A small library of reference books can be kept on the desk for quick peeks every now and then.

• Invest in a backup system for your computer. Backing up your files is a preventative measure against computer theft, acts of God, and hitting wrong keys. Buy a flash drive with at least two or more gigabytes of memory.

The home office is your space to build a writing career. It represents a sanctuary for abstract thought and new ideas. Before taking your freelance writing career to the next level, set up a home writing office.

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