I bet I got you at “procrastinate”, didn’t I?
All of us procrastinate – some more than others. I do think you’ll agree that procrastination seems to be most tempting when there’s a deadline looming, yes?
Why You Should Write Even If You Don’t Feel Like Writing
You’re probably thinking, “Sure, been there; done that. I didn’t even bother to collect the t-shirt.”
There is a point in every writer’s life when he just doesn’t feel like writing. Whatever the reason may be, it does not matter when you’re that point. You just probably want to do anything but write, but let me give you a little tug – back to earth.
If you’re a writer, you should write even if you don’t feel like it. Of course, there are exceptions, but if you want to be a better writer, then you’ll have to push yourself when these moments come.
Why should you write even if you don’t feel like it? Here you go. [Read more…]
Three Things to Help You Bounce Back When You Feel Like a Failure
I think it’s safe to say that we’ve all been there at least once.
A client sends back negative feedback that is so scathing even a rhino’s hide would burn in an instant. Or maybe your boss tells you you’re not doing a good job, and you need to step up. Sometimes, even a simple statement from a friend or family member may bring you down and make you feel like you’re a failure at what you do.
Circumstances and triggers will differ, but these things happen, and the result is the same: you feel that you suck.
Some people bounce back easily, while others may need more time and effort to regain their balance. If you could use some help convincing yourself you don’t suck, here are three things I can offer you.
Let it go.
By that I mean let your emotions wash over you. So you feel that you suck? Cry about it if you need to. Punch some pillows if that’s your thing. Do whatever you need to do to let the sucky feeling pass, because, yes, as bad as you may feel at the moment, it will pass. Ignoring it – or trying to – will not make it go away. It might actually only make it worse and explode later on.
A word of caution: feel bad for a while, but please don’t wallow. Don’t let yourself drown in that pool of self-pity.
Look back at your successes.
When the tempest has passed – this doesn’t necessarily mean you feel like you’re on the top of the world – take the time to look back at the good things that you have achieved. Go through old client emails that thank you and praise your work. Read the pieces you have written that you are most proud of. If you have a blog, look for old entries that make you happy.
Trust me, you will find more positive things than you might expect, and they will certainly help you realize the truth: You are not a failure.
Spend time with people who truly believe in you.
It doesn’t have to be face to face if you don’t feel like it. Send an email. Chat up a friend. Know who really believes in you and what you are capable of doing. Let them know about your current circumstances and channel their belief in you. Sometimes, all it takes is reassurance from other people who know your worth.
Whatever it is that makes your feel that you are failure (at the moment), you don’t have to accept it. You know what you have gone through to reach where you are now. yes, there may be times when you make mistakes or you burn out, but that doesn’t mean you suck.
As Eleanor Roosevelt said, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” So don’t give anyone, or anything, that consent.
What about you? How do you deal when something/someone makes you feel like you’re a failure?
Image via Tjook
When Writer’s Block Hits and Brute Force Just Doesn’t Cut It
I’ve always been one of those who believe in brute force when it comes to handling writer’s block.
Just sit down and write.
Just do it.
You have to chase motivation/inspiration with a club.
I like those motivational quotes that tell you to just plod along and get it over with, and most of the time, it does work for me.
There are times, though, when no matter how much brute force I apply, I just can’t get anything done – not even a single cohesive sentence.
I think that I wouldn’t be wrong in assuming that this happens to you as well. After all, writers do get burnt out, and it probably happens more than we think.
So, when this happens to you, when brute force can’t cut that block into thousands of tiny, insignificant pieces, what do you do?
These past few months have been a struggle for me on all fronts. I didn’t really realize the full extent of the struggle until very recently, but I know realize that those “useless moments” were byproducts.
Here are three things that I have turned to when brute force doesn’t work for me. While they do not help me to get work done directly, at the end of the day, I find myself being more productive once I get past the block.
Do something else.
This is counterintuitive if you, like me, believe in ramming into that wall of uselessness/depression/uncreativity/whatever you want to call it. Still, I’ve found that doing something else helps clear my mind.
Lately, I’ve turned to cleaning the house whenever I feel off, and it works! I also get a nice, shiny floor as a bonus.
Take time to reflect and determine what could be causing the block.
This is not easy, especially if you’re the type who just likes burying yourself in work and not deal with issues. The thing is, issues won’t really go away unless you face them. So if you’re being unproductive, maybe it’s time to take some time to figure out if something’s bothering you – and to determine what that is.
The process may be painful, or irritating at the very least, but it will result in you getting back in the writing groove.
Ask for help.
Digging deep to resolve your issues may be difficult, but I think asking for help is even more difficult. Sometimes, however, it is the best way to move forward. Whether you reach out to a friend, your partner, or a therapist, it doesn’t matter. The point is that you get an outsider’s perspective, and that can give you a better outlook.
Going forward
I’m not saying these will definitely work for you, but if you’ve tried other things to no avail, maybe it’s time to try something else?
I’d also love to hear what you guys do when things get so bad you just can’t force yourself to produce something decent. Looking forward to hearing from you in the comments!
What Do You Value as a Freelance Writer?
At first glance, it may not appear that your freelance writing clients and your values are related. The types of gigs you go after, the people you decide you would like to work with and what you have decided is most important to you are very closely related.
Good Income
As a freelance writer, if you have made a decision that you want to make a lot of money (and there is absolutely nothing wrong with deciding that making a high income is one of your goals), you will make a point of seeking out clients who have deep pockets. To reach your goal, and get the thing that you value, you may decide that you are willing to do whatever it takes to attract and retain the types of clients who are willing to pay what you have decided you want to charge.
You may need to work longer hours to get the amount of money coming in that you have decided you want to make. Your marketing efforts may need to be directed toward a specific market to make it happen.
You would have to make choices about the kinds of writing you are going to take on. If making a lot of money is your goal, you will also need to be firm when someone approaches you about a project and isn’t willing or able to meet your financial requirements.
Flexible Schedule
Some people are drawn to freelance writing because they want to have a flexible schedule. They may be going to school or looking after young children or their parents. Since they value flexibility, they may want to work on short-term projects that they don’t need to devote much time to. They will target clients who can provide them with this type of work.
Building Relationships
Another type of freelance writer is a person who is interested in developing long-term relationships with clients. This is someone who may be more willing than the person whose main focus is on making money to work with a client’s budget when quoting for a project.
Start-ups and small business owners may not be able to pay huge amounts of money for writing, but if/when their business takes off, they will remember the people they worked with at the beginning who were willing to be flexible about pricing. As they are able to pay more, they will do so, and they are more likely to contact someone they have an existing relationship with than a person they don’t know.
These are examples of how your values shape how you run your freelance writing business. Whether you are conscious of it or not, you choose the opportunities you want to pursue based on your values. One is not better than the other; and a person can value different things at different points in his or her life.
When you are looking for clients or answering ads, what kinds of things do you value? I know that one thing that I value is my independence, so a client who wants to micromanage things wouldn’t be a good fit for me – no matter how much they were willing to pay. I also value the relationships I have with people I work with, and I try to be as flexible as I can when they need to make changes to the type of work, the volume or rates (without selling myself short).
When you are thinking about things that you value, don’t forget to put yourself on the list.
Waiting for Confidence to Strike
More than one person I know has said that they couldn’t work as a freelance writer because they don’t feel confident enough. I tell them that feeling confident is not a requirement; if I waited until I felt completely confident and I was wearing just the right outfit and the phase of the moon was just so, I would never reach out to any prospective clients.
If you take how you personally feel about your job hunt out of the equation, you can get a lot more accomplished and be on your way to finding a gig that is a good fit for you. You may not be feeling confident at this point, and some of us never feel completely confident in our abilities no matter how well our freelance writing career is going.
You don’t have to wait for the Confidence Fairy to show up and scatter pixie dust on you before you can start building the freelance writing career you want. To me, confidence is something that comes at the end of a job well done, not at the beginning.
All you really need to get started is the willingness to do the work of finding gigs and once you land them, giving each one your best shot. If you show up and follow your client’s instructions carefully, you are well on your way to building a successful freelance writing career, whether you happen to feel confident or not.
One more thing…..
Feeling a bit insecure about your writing abilities can work for you in a positive way if it means that you take extra care to read and follow your instructions properly because you don’t want to make a mistake and lose the client. I think some level of insecurity is normal and you can decide whether you want to treat it like an asset or a handicap in your freelance writing career.
Are You Trying to be a Big Deal or the Real Deal?
Before I started freelance writing, I worked as a legal assistant. My first job was working at a very large firm (250 lawyers at the time) and I’ve worked for a sole practitioner, as well as a few firms with staffing numbers in between. One thing I noticed was that the lawyers who had the worst attitudes were generally the ones at or close to the bottom of the firm letterhead. (If a law firm lists its lawyers, the most senior ones are at the top.)
The senior partners have already proven themselves and don’t need to go around telling everyone how great they are. Generally speaking, they stay in their offices and anyone who wants to talk to them goes to them. I learned very quickly that there were lots of things that I couldn’t do at work on my own – because I didn’t rate, apparently – but if I put my boss’s name on the memo or the requisition, I could get things done much easier. He was a Big Deal.
When you are looking for freelance writing jobs, rather than indulging in posturing and trying to impress upon the client that you are a Big Deal, a better approach is to take it down a notch or two and show them that you are the Real Deal.
- You are someone who listens carefully.
- You are reliable.
- You will give the client what he or she wants.
- You’re easy to work with.
- Your attitude doesn’t suck.
- You are prepared to offer suggestions and your opinion, but you understand that the client has the final say on the project.
It’s never too early to behave like the Real Deal in your freelance writing career. Showing up when you’re supposed to, meeting your deadlines on time and generally showing some class will pay off in future assignments and referrals to other clients.
If you are truly a Big Deal, you don’t have to tell people. They’ll know.
Freelance Writing Isn't Brain Surgery, But….
Recently in my online travels, I came across a comment on a message board that got me thinking. The commenter stated that freelance writing is “an open door that invites anyone in.” This person goes on to say that well-educated and informed writers have to prove themselves.
I agree that the Internet has opened up many possibilities for freelance writers. There are opportunities available online that simply weren’t offered a few years ago. And yes, many people think that they want to “get into” writing. It’s a situation of many being called, and few having what it takes to stick to it, build their skills and develop the contacts they need to make money from it.
It may seem like the doors are open and everyone is welcome, that’s not really the case. Some clients are very open to giving new writers a chance to work for them, but rest assured that if you submit work that is subpar, riddled with errors or you simply don’t follow instructions properly, you won’t be given more assignments.
I do agree that freelance writing isn’t brain surgery, or even rocket science, but that doesn’t mean everyone can do it. I used to have a gig where I reviewed aerospace research sites with educational content and the basic principles of rocket science are relatively simple to understand. It doesn’t mean that I can go out and build my own X-plane, though.
Freelance writing is part art and part skill. Even if someone has the skill part down, i.e. they can put a sentence together correctly, it doesn’t necessarily follow that they have a talent for choosing the right word patterns to effectively convey an idea or evoke a feeling in the reader. I used to get criticized when I was in school for not pumping up my work with a lot of flowery language; my writing was relatively short and to the point. Who knew that this style would be what works best online?
The second comment about how well-educated and informed writers have to prove themselves applies to any field of endeavor. Someone hiring you wants to know what you can do for them moreso than what you have done in the past. You will get a lot further by showing up, getting your hands dirty (figuratively speaking) and doing the work than trying to impress someone with your background.
And the brain surgeon I mentioned earlier? Part of their training involved reading texts, which were written by someone who at that moment at least, was a writer. We may not be brain surgeons, but the work that we do educates, informs, entertains and persuades people to buy a product or support a cause. Pretty cool stuff, if you ask me.
Will Taking a Low Paying Freelance Writing Job Hurt Your Career?
I spotted a thread on a discussion forum in my online travels recently that caught my eye. The subject was whether taking a freelance writing job that pays at an entry-level rate is a good idea or if doing so will hurt your career.
I have always been of the opinion that it’s better to be working than not doing so. My family enjoys eating and living indoors, so that’s a prime motivator for keeping busy. Simply because someone takes on a project that pays lower than they would normally accept doesn’t mean that they have done the one thing that is going to mess up their entire career.
I’ve never had someone who has hired me ask how much I charge other clients for my work. I don’t discuss my clients with each other, and I consider that the work that I do for them is confidential. In some cases, I have been asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement that prohibit me from discussing anything about the work that I do and my rates.
When someone is looking to hire a writer, I doubt they have time to follow up with the candidate’s previous clients to find out how much they were charged for their work. A client cares about getting their own work done. Period.
In the brick and mortar world, people generally start their working careers in entry-level positions. Over time as they get more experience, they move onto more lucrative work. The same thing happens for freelance writers. Taking an entry-level gig means you get some experience and some green in your pocket. During times when more lucrative work is lean, taking on something at the low end of your acceptable pay scale keeps your skills sharp and some money coming in.
If you are concerned about your lower-paying gigs appearing on your resume, do some editing. You don’t have to list each client you have ever worked for if you choose not to.
Getting back to the original question, I don’t think that you can hurt your career by taking a certain gig. If the subject about rates you used to charge ever comes up, you can explain that you have gained some experience and honed your skills since that point and now you charge $X.
What do you think? Can taking a low paying freelance writing job mean the Kiss of Death for your career?
Overcoming Your Freelance Handicaps
My New Oxford American Dictionary defines “handicap” as follows: “a circumstance that makes progress or success difficult.” When it comes to finding work or completing our assignments, freelance or otherwise, we all have them. It could be a fear of rejection that keeps us from applying for a freelance writing gig or making a pitch to someone we really want to work with. The barriers may be due to a health condition, family responsibilities, or a lack of support from our nearest and dearest.
In no way am I suggesting that we should all dump our respective baggage and find a desert island somewhere so that we can write in peace and amass huge fortunes. (Besides, if you’re on a desert island, why would you need money?) I’m just saying that we all have areas of strength and things that make it more challenging, but that doesn’t mean that anyone should give up on their dream of finding freelance writing work if that’s what they want to do.
I’ll use myself as an example. I’m not the fastest typist on the planet. Back when dinosaurs ruled the earth and I was in high school, we took a battery of career aptitude tests. When I got my results, I was very surprised to find that I scored high in the area of Communications (I was struggling to keep a B average in English). The portion that I scored the lowest on was….Clerical Ability.
Fast forward a number of years and I decided to go back to school. My career choice at the time was governed by what course can I take where I would be virtually guaranteed a job on graduation. There was a big demand for Legal Assistants at the time and I was interested in law, so I signed up. I did well, except when it was time to learn how to type. No matter who often I practiced, when I heard the word “Begin” to do a typing test, I was all thumbs. I came in just under the minimum speed requirement to advance to the second year and one of my teachers adjusted my mark down by a grade but decided to let me pass so that I could complete my program.
I did get a job after graduation, and I know that if the hiring decision was made solely on typing speed, that I wouldn’t have been able to find work. I also live with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, which means that some days I’m quite uncomfortable when I’m working.
When it comes to freelance writing jobs, my clients don’t care how fast I’m typing. They care about getting clean work submitted, on time. When I’m quoting for jobs, I prefer to do so by the word instead of by the hour. That way, the client pays for results, not the fact that it takes me a little longer to produce copy than someone who is more gifted in this area.
We all have things that make it difficult to reach our goals, in freelance writing and otherwise. They don’t have to make it impossible.
What kinds of things do you find especially challenging about freelance writing work? How have you overcome your own handicaps?
