I agree with most of what you say @matt_62. I know writing for yourself is way more lucrative than writing for others and can earn you a lot, just that you should know how to promote your brand. Actually, I was a bit confused by this - That's why I made the point that some initial capital IS required; you can't rely on hard work, determination, skill and experience alone at the start. Sure, when things get going it's only these that take you a long way. I don't mean to challenge what you say, just that I wasn't able to follow some of it correctly.
Find clients, who are willing to pay more and/or build trust with your existing customers. This makes price negotiations a lot smoother.