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The Key Thing Aspiring Writers Need to Do to Become Legit

Carol Tice

Do you feel like you can’t call yourself a pro writer right now?

If you introduce yourself to people as an aspiring writer, I want to help you change that today. Yes, by the end of this post.

Insecurity is sort of a pandemic in the writer community.

We never feel like we’ve got enough clips yet.

Or enough expertise to write on some topic we’d like to do.

We’re not old enough.

Or our novel hasn’t been published.

We only write copy, and that doesn’t “count.”

Maybe you’ve only written on your own blog and never gotten paid yet.

The conclusion we draw from all these situations is that we’re not ‘there’ yet. We’re not legit.

The litmus test for writers

I had an insight about this issue of aspiring versus “real” writers at Surrey International Writers Conference, where I was a presenter recently.

One of the keynote speeches was given by novelist Susanna Kearsley.

She asked the audience, “Do you write?”

All heads nodded.

She replied, “Then you’re not an aspiring writer. You’re a writer!”

Aspiring writers are the people who sit watching TV or playing Mafia Wars, all the while saying, “One day, I want to write that novel!”

If you’re sitting your butt in the chair and getting it done, you’re a writer.

If you’re lying there at night when you should be sleeping with ideas for stories racing through your head, you’re a writer.

How to stop aspiring

Kearsley begged the audience to remove the word “aspiring” from their vocabulary.

And if you’re a writer, you should do it.

When people ask, say, “I’m a writer.”

Remember, the marketplace is not the judge of whether you’re a writer.

Think of all the writers whose work was never discovered until after they died. Were they not writers?

Of course they were.

It’s just if you’re doing it.

If you are, you’re a writer.

Are you a writer, or an aspiring writer? Leave a comment and tell us how you view yourself, in light of this post.

 

20 Ways to Find Freelance Writing Jobs for Beginners

20 Ways to Find Freelance Writing Jobs for Beginners

Best Freelance Writing Jobs for Beginners. Makealivingwriting.com

Right now, a record-high number of people are considering a freelance writing career. My inbox is overflowing with questions from newbies. And the first question is: “Where can I find freelance writing jobs for beginners?”

If that’s you, sending hugs! I totally feel your confusion. The freelance marketplace is a big, complicated place. There are lots of types of paid writing, and different kinds of clients, too.

I’ve been helping writers get started for a dozen years now. And I know how mystifying it can be. You feel like there’s a door you need to find, a person you need to know, a secret you must unlock to become a freelance writer.

But really, the path to freelance writing jobs for beginners is simple.

You need to find someone willing to let you write for them. That’s it.

You get a few samples and boom — you have a portfolio to show. And you’re on your way.

There are fairly simple, break-in writing assignments that newbies tend to get. I’m going to outline what they are below.

But first, I need to explain something…

How to Write a Personal Narrative (And Why It’s So Important)

How to Write a Personal Narrative (And Why It’s So Important)

The purpose of a personal narrative is to describe a specific story in your life. No matter who you are, you have a plethora of life experiences, events, and stories that can be crafted into a compelling personal narrative for use in an article, blog post, case study, etc.

Writing an Article vs. Writing a Blog Post: What’s the Difference?

Writing an Article vs. Writing a Blog Post: What’s the Difference?

Ever wonder what the difference is between writing an article and writing a blog post? It’s a topic that comes up a lot when people ask how to become a freelance writer. Besides style and research, you might be surprised by one of the key differences between blogs and articles.