By Alan Kravitz
By now, pretty much the entire planet has heard the story of Ted Williams, who, in a matter of days, has gone from Homeless in Ohio to Media Sensation Everywhere.
He’s The Man With the Golden Voice. The New Susan Boyle. Don’t be surprised if he starts dating one of the Kardashian sisters.
Though we’re just days into the new year, it’s going to be mighty hard to top this as the Feel Good Story of 2011. I have to admit, I’m addicted to it.
Why? Well, I like happy endings as much as anyone. But there’s more to it than that.
I’ve been freelancing for six years now. Thank goodness, I’ve never been as down on my luck as Ted was. Still, I’ve hit some rocky patches. I used to get by on my reputation alone.
In the past year, I’ve learned the hard way that I must market myself like crazy. That’s why I think Ted’s story holds valuable lessons for us freelancers, such as:
1) Be optimistic. Yes, it is true – dire situations are not permanent. I still have periods where I think I’ll never get another writing assignment. Still, I don’t give up. Neither should you.
2) Be sure of your talent. Ted did more than hold up a sign on the side of the road – he let people know what he could do. That’s what piqued the videographer’s interest (“Hey, let’s hear that voice”) – and the rest is history. We can’t afford hide our own God-given talents. We need to, as the Sondheim song says, “Bump it like a trumpet.”
3) Be confident in your abilities. When the videographer asked Ted to speak for the camera, Ted didn’t flinch. He just went for it. Freelancers must always be prepared to demonstrate talent on a moment’s notice, but it’s hard to do that without confidence.
4) Be visionary. Certainly, Ted wants an announcer’s job, but he wants more than that. A music lover, he really wants a job in music radio or broadcasting. As freelancers, we must have a vision. Otherwise, we can fall into the “I’ll take anything” trap. Which leads me to:
5) Be picky – even in tough times. Here’s what impresses me most about Ted. He could easily just grab at the tons of offers coming his way, but he doesn’t seem to be doing that. He’s not taking anything that doesn’t feel right to him. As freelancers, we must be true to ourselves. Taking a gig that’s not a good fit – even for the money – almost never leads to anything positive.
Have you gone through your own tough times as a freelancer? How did you overcome them? Tell us about it in the comments.
Alan Kravitz is a freelancer copywriter and editor at The Infinite Inkwell. He helps nonprofit and socially conscious for-profit organizations with their writing needs.
