This is a question I get asked a lot from people. It’s not just writing work they want to know about, but all telecommuting jobs. I hear you, folks! I’ve been telecommuting for several years now and love it. If you want to work at home, here are a couple things to keep in mind.

Ask Your Employer
When I say that I’ve “telecommuted for several years” it doesn’t always mean that I’ve been a freelancer. I had a few jobs where I worked super long hours, and on a couple of those I was asked if I could telecommute for a day or two a week. I did that for many years, and in fact, since I’d had that experience working from home it made it that much easier to go freelance later on.

Search Online
If you’re a writer, I list freelance writing and blogging jobs every single weekday on my Working Writers blog. (There are even a few editing, proofreading, and misc jobs thrown in for good measure.) Many of those are telecommuting jobs. A few aren’t, but even if they aren’t, it doesn’t mean you’re stuck going into the office. Communication is key.

Another great resource is the Work at Home Mom site which lists several companies in their forums section. This list is older now but still a very good resource.

Propose Telecommuting
If you feel you can do a great job at home, propose this to your employer. Of course, it won’t always work but you’ll surprised at how often it will. Arm yourself with stats and information, and NEVER say you want to work at home because:

• you want to be with the kids
• you’re sick of the office
• you’re tired of spending money on gas
• you hate your coworkers

Make your proposal about the benefits to the employer. There are many. I wrote about how to protect your telecommuting job for Blisstree a while ago, but many of the points I mentioned can also be used as part of your proposal.

Go Freelance
Where can you find freelance jobs? The above sites I’ve already mentioned are a start, but you can find them in many other places as well. If you’re a writer, there’s some great advice on starting out with no published clips, how to use twitter to find freelance jobs, and how to find better freelance writing jobs. (No one wants to work for peanuts.)

If you’re not a writer, the best way to start a freelance or consulting business is at the very place you’re working now. My first ever client was someone I actually worked for. Their business helped me get off the ground so I could keep going. Start there and then market yourself like crazy.