I need to stay off writers’ forums.
A recent conversation that started seriously enough turned ridiculous far too quickly.
The guy asked a serious question: How do you know if freelance is your choice? Facing a full-time offer, he was having second thoughts about taking that offer.
While right there he’s pretty much answered his own question (and I wish him all the best as it’s the best and worst job you’ll ever have), the answers that poor guy got had my head spinning. Actually, I was more than a little pissed.
Here’s how writers — people who freelance or have done so here and there — described a freelance career to him:
- A full-time job versus the freelance “lifestyle” (seriously called it that)
- A “break” from the career
- A nice interlude until the kids grow up
- A good part-time career until something better comes along
- A way to finally make time for that yoga class
This was a writers’ forum. A freelance writers’ forum.
You know me (and if you don’t, you’re about to get an education, I’m afraid) — I’m not letting that go down without setting things straight.
I’ll spare you my diatribe, but the gist of it is this:
- This is a viable career. I make more at this job than I ever did at any other
- This is my business. It’s not a “lifestyle”; I’m working my ass off and if I don’t, the business fails
- This is for my family, too. I raised kids on this income; this isn’t a placeholder until a “real” job appears
- This isn’t part time. I want to have a successful business; that’s full-time work even if I work just 30 hours a week
- I’m not into yoga classes. Seriously, all that sweating and people heaving and stretching in oversized t-shirts; I’ll do my yoga at home, thank you
I guess I didn’t spare you the diatribe. My bad.
So this Marketing Monday, let’s go there.
Today’s Marketing Move:
Take Your Freelance Writing Career Seriously
In every single bit of “advice” the original poster was given, there was fear. Make no mistake, these people were at one point, afraid of failing. Or maybe they were afraid of starting and failing. Or working hard. Or being judged. Their language revealed their fears, even if they never said directly that this freelancing can be scary shit.
They’re right — it can be.
What they’re not right about is that it’s something to fear and avoid. It’s not. Nor is it something to look at with skepticism, judge, or malign, particularly if you’ve tried it and left it behind.
[bctt tweet=”Freelance writing is not for everyone. But for those who love it, it’s everything.” username=”LoriWidmer”]
Those who love this career have faced their fear of failure, their fear of sticking their necks out, their fear of putting themselves out there and risking rejection. Yet they stuck with it and took it seriously enough to build a business and sell their skills to willing customers.
You can, too.
Writers, when did you start taking your move to a freelance career seriously?
What was stopping you? How did you overcome it?
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