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How Freelance Writers Can Make Their Dreams Come True

Carol Tice

How Freelance Writers Can Make Their Dreams Come True. Makealivingwriting.comAre you struggling to meet your freelance writing goals?

Maybe you’re having trouble even getting started?

You wish you had better-paying clients?

You want to move your writing in a new direction, but you can’t seem to get going?

Well, there is a proven, powerful way for you to ramp up your freelance-writing business. I’ve used it many times, and it always seems to work.

What is this awesome way to get the freelance work you want? The secret is right here:

Oh, you don’t speak Hebrew?

Let me help you out.

That says, “Blessed is the One who spoke and the world came into being, blessed is He.”

No, I’m not getting all religious on you. Stay with me here. You don’t even have to believe in a higher power for this method to work for you.

This opening line from a Jewish hymn points the way to how you can start making things happen as a freelance writer.

What that line is really saying is: When God speaks, creation occurs. His word is deed, his thought is action.

And we are created in God’s image, yes?

Whether you believe that or not, you’ll have to admit we walk this world like gods, in many ways. We, among all the creatures, are one of the few with the power of speech.

Whatever your spiritual beliefs, we can agree on this:

Our words have tremendous power.

We know that kind words can heal and hurtful ones kill.

By talking about what you want, you begin to make it real.

Of course, simply saying, “I want some $1-a-word clients to call me up right now” is not going to make them call.

But here’s the funny thing: If you start talking to people about what you plan to do to earn more, I find it’s highly likely to happen.

If you say, “I’m going to write 10 query letters this month,” your odds of getting those queries written and mailed just skyrocketed.

I recently started saying, “I’m going to start a free weekly call where I answer freelance writers’ questions,” and what do you know, last Wednesday the first Freelance Writer’s Free-for-All took place. I had no idea how I was going to make time for that in my schedule, but now, there it is, every Wednesday at lunchtime. (NOTE: This post is several years old, and I’m no longer holding these calls.)

Why does this work?

It’s because there is one emotion that can surmount our fears of putting ourselves out there as freelance writers — and that is our fear of disappointing (or looking stupid in front of) the people we care about.

Once you’ve told your parents, or your three best friends, “I’m going to cold-call 20 businesses this month,” you’re going to do it. Because you just know those loved ones are going to ask you later — “Hey, did you make those calls?”

And you’d rather die than say, “Oh, um, yeah…I didn’t really get to that.” Ugh! The shame of it.

Talking about it also changes something inside you.

There’s power in hearing your goal spoken out loud, instead of having it just lurking inside your brain. It makes it so much more real when you hear it aloud, doesn’t it?

Your can speak your dreams into being

To start changing your freelance income, start talking to those close to you about what you plan to do. Yes, feel free to leave a comment and tell us all what you plan to do here on the blog, but I don’t find putting it in print is as powerful as saying it out loud to someone close to you.

Break it down into concrete, achievable things you can do this month. Then, talk it up. See what happens. If this works for you, write and let me know.

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