4 Excuses That Get in the Way of a Freelance Writing Career

What I’m listening to: Late March, Death March by Frightened Rabbit

I’m sitting here in the usual August lull. There’s something about the last weeks of August that sends clients into silent mode. That hasn’t been the case for quite a few years, but even so it’s not concerning. I have projects coming up this week and next that will have me busy all over again. So today, I get to concentrate fully on my private writing projects.

Yesterday I had some time to go back over my freelance writing career a bit. It’s always a bit shocking to see where I was ten years ago versus where I am today. Shocking in a good way, that is. I’ve evolved as a business person and as a writer. I’m sure most of you have, too.

Then there are those who haven’t. I was reading back over some old posts here when I came across a few that talked about how we are often our own worst enemies in our career progression. Particularly those people who are wanting to freelance, but just can’t make the leap from a secure job to one that is more of a financial roller coaster (at least at first).

We make excuses. It’s fear talking, and not unfounded fear, either. Four of the most common things I hear (and you may, too) are these excuses:

1. I wouldn’t get paid regularly.  That’s absolutely true. Unless you land a few clients who give you regular work (right now, I have three), you’ll not know when that check is coming. Right now, even clients I work with less frequently pay within three weeks. Also, the size of the checks — if you’re charging correctly — can far outweigh the steady paycheck. Imagine getting checks for $6,000 this month when your usual take-home pay is more like 2,800…
2. I tried it once. Didn’t work. Maybe you did. But maybe you didn’t market regularly (at all? Did you?), maybe you gave up trying after the first few rejections, maybe you weren’t hitting the right people with the right ideas… or maybe you really aren’t cut out for freelancing. Nothing wrong with that, but before you say it doesn’t work, look at your approach to see if maybe it was a lack of consistent action on your part.
3. I don’t know anything about… Right there is the biggest myth about freelance writing. The “write what you know” garbage advice is holding you back. Change that to “write about what interests you today” and see how that opens up your world.
4. I apply to job listings, but I hear nothing. And you won’t — think of how easy it is to answer an ad. Now think of how many other writers are taking that easy way. Plus, answering job ads is too much like employer/employee thinking. You’re a business owner. Business owners don’t search the job listings for customers. Imagine if your plumber did that — she’d never work. Neither will you. Instead, research your clients and be more proactive in attracting them to you.

Truth time: at one point in my freelance writing life, I used all of those excuses. I needed the money and I couldn’t make the leap while supporting two kids. I’d tried over the years to get up and running and it wasn’t working. I came from a small town in a rural area, so I figured I had little to add to any conversation. And lord, did I apply to job listings….

And yet here I am.

One thing I had that overcame that? It’s nothing magical — it’s simply perseverance. Honestly, if I weren’t so tenacious (a polite way to say “stubborn”), I’d be working for someone else right now.

That’s what you need.

Let’s dissect these fears (let’s call them what they are) and see how you can get beyond them.

Tried it – didn’t work

Then you didn’t plan, did you? You read something or had some idea that if you sent out a query to three magazines, one would buy your idea. Or you thought that client the size of Nestle or The Home Depot would be oozing with enthusiasm to hire a wet-behind-the-ears writer. Maybe they would be, who knows? But what approach did you use, and what were you offering? Did you make it about you and your background? There’s your mistake — they want to know what you’re going to do for them, not how many times you’ve published in the local paper.

And that approach — how often did you repeat it? Did you tweak that query letter regularly? Did you personalize it for each individual client prospect? Were you sending out feelers regularly? Were you trying to know their business by studying their website and any materials they’ve published? If the answer is “no” to any of these questions, you should try again and pay more attention to the details. The details matter, and they are what will get you hired.

I don’t know anything about…

And you don’t really need to know anything about it. Look, I don’t work in the workers’ compensation industry, but I write about it quite a lot. The same goes for the retirement advisory sector. A healthy curiosity and attention to what your client’s current message and approach are — that’s what you need. I call myself a 5-minute scholar. I learn enough to write knowledgeably about a topic, ask the right experts for commentary, and move on to the next topic. That’s what freelancers do. So get curious about something, then go for it.

I apply to job listings…

You and thousands of other writer hopefuls are applying to the same handful of jobs. You’re drowning your talents in a sea of sameness. Stop it. Instead, get curious about companies and project types. Want to try writing customer case studies? Look on social media for who is promoting those. Are you hoping to write for business blogs? Read a good number of them and then seek out clients with the same sorts of business focus that interested you from the blogs you read. Open your eyes to the potential lying in front of you. That press release has about four ideas in it. Make a game of finding the keywords and phrases that can be your next article ideas. In other words, actively create your work possibilities and your next clients.

I wouldn’t get paid regularly.

I saved this one for last because it’s a legitimate concern. Starting a freelance writing business is tough. Not impossible, but you will most likely struggle at first. If you’re trying to freelance while working full time, you know what I mean. But a writer friend said something to me years ago that helped me turn a corner: treat freelancing like it’s your only option. If you know you have to earn, you’ll be more inclined to research how you’re going to put together a business that will survive. You’ll be more inclined to market, to invoice, to use contracts, to network. You’ll also realize that protecting yourself means protecting your income. And you’ll be more likely to charge like you mean it.

Writers, what excuses got in your way?
How did you overcome them?