What would you like to see on this blog?

Hi! I just wanted to let any readers know that I am alive, and I will be back to posting regularly. Right now I am working to try and get a website set up (finally), and it’s taking more time than I thought it would. I think that having a business website is important, but it sure isn’t easy!

Anyway, I’ve had several people contact me in the past while, asking questions about getting started as a freelance writer. I have several post ideas that I’d like to write in the next while that I hope will help those of you just starting out. Here are just some posts I’ll be writing in the near future:

• Finding writing jobs – a series of posts that shares several methods for finding the jobs
• Finding your niche
• PLR – a series covering the basics of what it is, how to do it, and the pros and cons of it
• Updating your resume
• Creating a business plan

Those are just a few of the articles I’m planning to share here in the near future. Is there anything else you’d like to see here? I truly want this blog to be useful to you, the reader. So if there’s something you’d like me to cover, speak up! I am absolutely not an expert, but I am happy to share what I know.

Where to Start as a Freelance Writer

I talked to a friend today who wants to get me in contact with a woman who dreams of becoming a freelance writer but doesn’t know how to make it a reality. I can so relate to this woman, because that was me nine months ago.

When you’re on the outside of the freelance writing world looking in, it seems quite daunting and elite. I didn’t know how to break in or even know if I had the ability to do it. I had the sad thought that I’d probably die without ever realizing my writing dream.

But here I am, a *nearly* full-time freelance writer. And if I can do it, then you can do it, too. Here are my three main tips for getting there:

1. Get some writing samples and clips – immediately! This is probably the most important tip I can think of. Just about every job requests that you send samples. If you don’t have any, you can’t apply.
2. Learn from other writers who are successful. There are so many people out there who are willing to help you and can provide advice and tips. WAHM.com has a writing forum that I sometimes frequent. The people there are so nice and helpful. There are plenty of other forums and writing blogs, so start looking!
3. Start applying for the jobs. I’ll do a separate post on this next time. There are so many ways to find writing jobs that it really warrants its own topic.

So how do you get writing samples if you don’t yet have any writing gigs? These days, it’s fairly easy.

• You can simply write something. Fire up a word document and write an article on a topic you know about. Voila! You have a writing sample.
• You can create a blog. This is what I did. I chose a topic I was interested and wrote quality articles there as often as I could. I’ve used these blog posts as samples many times. If you plan on applying for blogging jobs, creating your own blog is a must.
• You can write for content companies. Associated Content, Helium, eHow, etc. are ways that you can write some articles and get published (and potentially make a little money as well.) I’ve heard that Helium doesn’t pay very well, and that Associated Content is paying less than they used to. I decided to try out eHow the other day, so I’ll let you know how that is.

Self-Confidence and Freelance Writing

Who has confidence in himself will gain the confidence of others.
-Leib Lazarow

Do you have confidence in yourself as a writer? I’ll admit that sometimes I struggle with feelings of inadequacy at times. I don’t yet have a ton of experience or clips, but I know people who have been freelance writing for years.

Most of the time this doesn’t bother me, but sometimes I lose my confidence and start feeling like an impostor. And then the voice in my head tries to derail me- “I don’t have as much experience as everyone else…What if I can’t meet a deadline?…I shouldn’t apply for this job; what do I have to offer them?” The voice has tons of ammunition to make me feel inadequate.

But one freelance writing secret that I have learned is that you must have faith and confidence in yourself and your writing skills. Because nobody else is going to promote you and your services. YOU have to do it. And without confidence in yourself, it’s hard to effectively promote yourself.

I’ve seen many writers lately who lack the confidence to charge the kinds of fees they are really worth. They accept low-paying jobs because they feel that’s the best they can do. This makes me sad. And honestly? Sometimes that writer is me. I don’t always have the confidence to apply for the higher-paying writing gigs, and that’s something I want to change in 2008.

So what do you do about the feelings of inadequacy, especially if you’re like me and are just starting out? I think the most important thing is to realize that EVERYONE lacks confidence at times. When you realize that you’re not alone in feeling this way, it’s much easier to push those feelings aside. Here are some of my techniques for overcoming my fears:

• Push through fear. A venture like starting your own freelance writing business will put you outside your comfort zone. It’s okay to feel scared, but as Susan Jeffers would say: Feel the fear and do it anyway! Don’t let feelings of fear or inadequacy hold you back.

• Create a blog. If you don’t yet have a blog, start one! Choose a niche you enjoy writing about and start your own blog. This has several benefits – it gives you writing samples you can use, you get regular practice writing, it gets your name out there, and it builds your confidence.

• Remember that you and your writing style are unique. No one else can write exactly the way you write, so you definitely have something special to offer potential clients.

• Keep trying. Rejection is a normal part of a freelancer’s life (unfortunately!), so don’t take rejection personally and keep querying and applying.

• Know that you can do it. When you signed on as a freelance writer, you probably didn’t bargain for the feelings of self-doubt and fear. I didn’t. But every time I ignore those feelings and trust myself, something good happens. It may take time, but you will be successful if you believe in yourself.

These are some of the things I do when I start to doubt myself. As a writer, how do you cope with your own fears and self-doubts?

Can you write for a living?

“Almost anyone can become an author;the business is to collect money and fame from this state of being.”
-A.A. Milne

I‘ve seen several blog posts lately that talk about the fact that writing for a living is not for everyone. Deb Ng wrote that not everyone can do freelance writing. Freelance Parent posted a while back that the ability to type doesn’t make you a writer.

These posts are informative and true. Writing can be a difficult profession and the ability to string words together does not mean you can be a freelance writer. A writing business doesn’t take much overhead to start, so it’s often the default for someone looking to make extra cash or work from home. Posts like the above help dispel the myth that a writing career can be accomplished by anyone with an Internet connection.

But I think there is another side to the story. Chrisblogging wrote a post called Is a Freelance Writing Career Really a Possibility? Chris has managed to become very successful in his freelance writing career and has been brave enough to post his monthly writing income. His take is that if you have writing skills and a desire to succeed, it’s very possible to make it as a writer.

And I agree. If you truly have the drive to be a successful freelance writer, you can find success. I feel like a prime example of that. I used to think that I needed more knowledge or skills; I thought that writers knew some secret that I didn’t know. So I didn’t attempt to sell my writing or make a career of it.

Then I moved to Athens, Georgia where the job market is fairly anemic. Rather than continuing to apply for jobs that paid half of what I made in Arizona, I decided to pursue my dream of a freelance writing career. I started a blog which gave me writing samples to use to apply for writing jobs. I had no other clips or professional writing experience, but I started networking and applying for writing gigs.

My first paying gig came within a month through a friend who recommended me to a company that builds high school websites. They hired me as a copywriter, and to my amazement, I got paid to write! Then I found other writing gigs and opportunities, and even though I’m not yet at the salary level I’d like to be, my writing income has consistently increased every month. I feel amazed I didn’t pursue my writing dream sooner. The main thing holding me back from a writing career was me not starting because of fear.

So I guess what I’m saying is – if I can do it, you can too. If a writing career is what you truly want, and you’re willing to do what it takes to make it a reality, you will succeed. I plan to share more details of how I broke into the business, and share information I wish I had known when I started. But start now! You may make mistakes, and you probably won’t achieve instant fame. Don’t put off your dream to become a freelance writer – if you have the drive and desire, you can do it.