Many paranormal romances, sexy magazines, and romantic comedies delve into some pretty explicit scenes. Horror fiction can include gory details or social taboos. Religious articles require the author to have faith; and writing manuals can get pretty boring, really quick.

Even if you find (or get offered) a freelance writing assignment, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you should feel obligated to take the assignment. Sometimes, you may want to decline the assignment based on what you’re comfortable writing.

The drawback to making those kinds of decisions, is that when you’re just starting out as a freelance writer you have a different set of decisions to make than if you were an established writer. When you’re “established,” you have a reputation to protect. When you’re not–you’re trying to get one. Picking and choosing projects is not a luxury many new freelance authors have, but at some point you’ll understand you need to establish guidelines for what you will and will not write.

As a general rule, if you’re not sure about the assignment, re-read the fine print in your contract to ensure that nothing will happen to you legally if you were to bail on the project early. Sometimes, you’ll only create more problems by being indecisive than if you were on board, especially if your departure screws up a publication’s project development.

Regardless of what you decide to do for your career, don’t be afraid to say “no” to work you don’t want to write—even if it pays.