This is the first of four posts in my Freelance Writing Mistakes series. I’m sharing my mistakes and successes with the goal of making your freelance writing journey easier.
A career in freelance writing is not for the faint of heart. There are no freelance writing degrees or roadmaps to success. Your success is determined by four factors: trial and error; your experience and the experiences of others; and your drive and determination.
Unfortunately, many people who desire to live a freelance writer’s life never realize their dream because they never start the journey.
Following are three practices that stop freelance writers from starting and tips on how to overcome them.
Negative Self-Talk
Does this sound familiar?
“Pssst. Hey you. Do you really think you’re a writer? Hahaha. That’s a joke. I know third graders that can write better than you.”
That conversation usually happens when you’re feeling good about completing your work after ten edits; 5 cups of coffee; and 3 pity parties. And right before you press the submit button.
No one is in the room but you and the voice.
And still…you don’t submit.
How to Overcome Negative Self-Talk
- Tune out that voice and any others – real or imaged
- Speak positive affirmatives and read inspirational quotes and books
- Submit your work
- Keep submitting your work
The worst thing that can happen is getting no response. Many writers think that rejection and criticism are the worst things that can happen after submitting a work. They’re not.
In fact, they are probably the best responses to your work because 1) you know it was read and 2) you’re getting feedback, whether you like it or not.
Embracing Lack of Confidence
When negative self-talk walks in, confidence walks out. Do not allow a lack of confidence to stop you from starting your freelance journey. This impacts your psyche and self-esteem to a level that you may not ever take action.
How to Overcome Lack of Confidence
- Speak positive affirmatives and read inspirational quotes
- Surround yourself with people who will read your work and provide honest feedback
- Join in-person and virtual writing groups
- Get a writing coach, mentor or accountability partner
- Write daily
Not Writing Consistently
Not writing consistently is the final practice that stops freelance writers before they start.
It’s not enough to write when the mood hits. You have to write often. Not only will this establish a habit of writing; your confidence will also increase.
Once you gain a healthy level of confidence, watch out! You will develop your writer’s “voice”; experiment with different genres; and share your work more. You may even pen that piece that’s been screaming to get out for years.
How to Overcome Not Writing Consistently
- Write daily. This can be journaling, blogging or freewriting.
- Brainstorm topic ideas for articles, books, blog posts, etc.
Negative self-talk, lack of confidence and inconsistency in writing are three practices that stop freelance writers before they even start their journey. This happened to me which is why I provided suggestions on how to overcome them.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
What are some practices that your stopping YOU from starting your freelance writing journey? Share them in the comment box below.
Come back for next week’s post in My Freelance Writing Mistakes Series where I highlight practices stalling your freelance writing career.
That third one is where I am. I write only every other day at most, unless you count my long-winded Facebook posts. Do you recommend a certain daily word minimum?
Hey Jasmine, you have a pretty consistent writing schedule, so you’re off to a great start. However, I advise a writing goal that works for you. This could be word count; a certain length of time; or a type of writing (i.e. journaling, blogging, drafting articles and stuff). I would encourage you to commit a time to work on completing your book, even if it’s one hour a week.
Thanks for radiating the post…
Thank you for reading, Dr. Kant. Let me know if you need help getting started on your writing journey.