As the late, great Freddie Mercury once crowed, “I want to break free!” And it seems he is not alone. Freelance life is on the rise. In late 2015, the Freelance in Australia study revealed 4.1 million nationals were freelancing in some capacity, which no doubt has continued to increase in the four years since. But before you tell your 9-5 corporate job to jog on, there are some things you should consider. And who better to consult than those who have done it before? Those who have panicked about delayed invoices, or forgotten about putting adequate tax aside, but who are also free to get coffee and do yoga as they please. We asked four freelancers working across different realms of media to share their knowledge learned from their time as contractors – including what they wish they had known prior to jumping ship from full-time employment.

Image credit: Instagram @hannahroserose