Freelance writers can learn about marketing.
They can take classes on how to improve their writing.
But without one ingredient, the whole thing is going nowhere.
What is it?
Confidence.
If you don’t think you can do this, then it’s a non-starter.
If you’re scared to put yourself out there, then you won’t.
Or not enough to earn a living at this, anyway.
Freelancing simply requires hustle. You need to feel you have something valuable to offer, that people should pay money for.
When I did a bootcamp recently on breaking into freelance writing recently in Freelance Writers Den, writers told me the most important session of the four wasn’t the one on story ideas, or the one on how to write like a pro.
It was the one on how to build your confidence to actually get out there and get gigs.
I’ve done quite a few posts over the years about overcoming fear and gaining confidence, so I thought I’d turn them into a quick confidence-building course.
Here are more than a dozen posts that offer my best confidence-building tips for freelance writers from this blog (and one I did as a guest post, too):
- 6 Self-Confidence Tips for Writers (from WM Freelance Writers Connection)
- 10 Ways Freelance Writers Can Banish Fear
- Can You Help This Writer Find the Courage to Start?
- The Carly Simon Guide to Overcoming Your Fears and Achieving Superstardom
- Conquer Fear and Get Rich With This 7-Step Plan for Writers
- The Definitive Guide to Overcoming Your Writing Fears by Ollin Morales
- How I Got Lost…and Found 6 Fear-Busting Writer Tips
- How to Eliminate All Your Freelance Writing Obstacles — With a Simple List
- How to Ruin Your Freelance Writing Career
- How Writers Can Beat Fear the “Dune” Way
- How Writers Can Conquer Uncertainty (featuring Jonathan Fields)
- Two Easy Strategies that Eliminate Your Freelance Writing Mistakes
- What to Do if You Get a Freelance Writing Gig — But Then You Panic
- What Writers Can Learn from a Corny Old Movie
How are you overcoming your freelance fears? Leave a comment and add your tips.
As a stutterer and freelance writer, it is twice as hard for me to be self-confident especially when cold-calling or introducing myself to a potential client. I don’t let it stop me though because I know someday I’ll regret it if I don’t take action now.
Life is too short not to do what you want to do. I try to live by that idea every day by stepping out of my comfort zone. It’s been difficult but very rewarding. I would encourage everyone to do the same!
Not everybody has to make cold calls — as it happens, I never have. You might find email prospecting more your speed. Everyone has to find their own flavor.
My own rabbi is a stutterer…so I can tell you the sky is still the limit!