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6 Obscure Places to Find Freelance Writing Clients

Find freelance writing clients

 

 

Every prospective freelance writer has the very same question at the beginning of their journey:

How do I find Freelance Writing Clients?

 

Maybe you think you’re supposed to wait until they find you.

Perhaps you search freelance writing jobs on Google every once in awhile.

Or you check the basic job boards and set up a profile on a content mill

 

While you might luck out with one of these strategies, you’re probably not going to make a profitable business out of your endeavor if you sit back and don’t do some proactive legwork on your own.

And that means cold pitching.

 

While there are a cashamillion places you could possibly pitch, I wanted to focus today on some more obscure places to pitch–ones you probably haven’t thought of yet.

 

{Don’t worry: if you want a master list of places to pitch–we’re talking a list so comprehensive you’ll never run out in your lifetime–I’ve gotchu! Check out my Ultimate “Where to Find Clients” mini course}

 

So, since cold pitching is one of the most effective ways to win you some new clients, step right this way to figure out who to pitch.

Watch the video and read the lowdown below!

 

 

 

6 Obscure Places to Find Freelance Writing Prospects

 

#1: Magazines:

Both mainstream and trade magazines are great places to find prospects to pitch. Think about the experts who are interviewed in the articles, products that are featured, and the advertisers at the back of the magazine.

For example, let’s say you write copy for cosmetic physicians (lots of money in that). You could look at who’s being interviewed for articles about laser treatments in a women’s magazine. I write health and fitness copy and I might notice a previously-unknown yoga bag designer mentioned on a page about fitness fashion. If they’re about to get some major traction because of the magazine mention, I could help with that!

Check out who’s advertising in the back too. Your Olay’s and Cover Girl’s in the front already have world-class marketing agencies working for them, but the businesses in the back might not. Pitch them!

 

#2: Niche directories

Type “your niche + directory” in Google.

Look, a list of hundreds of people to pitch!

Again, for health and fitness, I could easily look at a list of NASM personal trainers, a health club directory, companies who belong to IDEA Fit, etc. If you’re a real estate writer, you could easily find a directory of real estate firms in your area or a big city near you.

Find a directory of businesses in your niche, start at the top of the list, and pitch your way down.

 

#3 Twitter

Twitter is a great place to find prospects and warm them up.

[If you decide to use Twitter, don’t miss my guest post over on Make a Living Writing about how to use to Twitter to find clients]

Here again you can type in “[your niche] + business” in the search bar. Create a new “list” on Twitter (I call mine my “watch list”) for freelance prospects. Go through your search results and add relevant businesses to your list. By the way, your prospects will receive an email notifying them that they’ve been added to your list, which could pique their interest.

Next, check your list every few days and start interacting with these companies. Comment on their posts, share articles, and add value. As your name pops up repeatedly, you make yourself familiar to them.

At some point, you may decide it’s appropriate to pitch them. The cool thing is, this time it’s not a cold pitch, it’s a warm pitch.

 

#4 Organization members

See if you can find a directory of members who belong to niche-specific organizations.

For example, if you write for alternative education methods like Waldorf and Montessori, look up organizations related to these teaching methods. A quick search for “Montessori organizations” came back with results like the American Montessori Society.

All you have to do is click on their website and check out their member directory to find some really great places to pitch.

 

#5 Comments section on niche sites

Think about the blogs and websites your ideal client reads regularly. For example, say you write marketing copy for restaurant owners and managers. What blogs might restaurant owners be reading? What websites might they be consulting for advice?

A quick search leads me to the Modern Restaurant Management website, which is a goldmine of articles and advice. All kinds of experts and brands are featured in these articles. But think about who’s in the comments section of these articles. Likely restaurant managers, right?

 

Who better to pitch?

 

#6 Presenters and booth owners at conventions

Just like there’s a blog, an organization, a magazine for every niche, there’s also a convention. And who’s at those conventions? Why, people in the industry who are invested in their marketing, of course.

So, do a quick search for [your niche + convention]. Then, pull up the website for any conference that looks important. Then, search for the list of booths or presenters at that convention.

Lookie there, a list of potential prospects!

Going back to our restaurant management example, it sounds like the Restaurant Facility Management Association Annual Conference is the place to be.

Click up there on “Exhibit & Sponsor” to find a list of exhibitors and sponsors. Click on sessions and events to find the speakers. Think any of them have content needs? (trick question: they all do).

 

 

I hope this list gives you a great starting point and gets your wheels turning to come up with even more places to pitch, so you always have a nice, long, fresh list. Really, you could probably use the list above and be set for a lifetime.

 

So then, your next question might be:

How do I pitch these places?

>>Well, my dear friends, I happen to have the art of pitching down to a science <<<

And you can find my entire pitching process and swipe file in my brand new freelance resource library/course,

 

FREELANCE FREEDOM FROM CORPORATE

 

I say resource library/course because it’s kinda a mesh of both. It’s basically a full library of resources you can refer to at any time, whenever you need it. But you can also follow it in a step-by-step course format if you still have a day j.o.b.

We’re in the beta testing phase right now, which means just 20 participants can get in the course for a cutthroat rate for a short time. After that, the price will at least quadruple for good.

But even if you sign up for the beta round, you still get access to updates for life. And I plan to make updates as the industry changes, as new developments happen, and as I test new techniques.

If you want a comprehensive freelance course anyway, you might as well jump on this chance now, before the beta opportunity closes.

 

Love hearing from you…

Drop a comment and let me know which idea on this list you’re going to try first.

Break into Freelance Writing from Nowhere: 4 Essential Strategies

Breaking into freelance

Hey you,

You want you want to break into freelance writing with ZERO:

  • Writing Experience
  • College Degree
  • Relevant Background
  • Credentials?

I want to wrap my arm around you, pull you close, and reassure you that:

You absolutely can break in! From nowhere!

 

For one, copywriting, content marketing, and all facets of running a business can be taught. None of them are beyond your reach.

For two, your clients don’t give one rip what type of education you got or what your GPA was. You can start at zero.

The only thing they care about is: HOW YOU WRITE!

 

With that being said, you do need to pass a few required prerequisites before moving forward. You need to:

  1. Be a decent writer with a good grasp on grammar, mechanics, and flow. If you’ve always been told you’re a great writer and writing well just comes naturally to you, chances are you can make this work. If writing isn’t your strong suit, there’s probably something else that is (go after that!)! Copywriting can be taught, but it’s probably not for you if you don’t like writing or suck at it.
  2. Have an insatiable desire to make this work: if you tend to quit at the first sign of trouble, this will never work for you. You have to work through trouble and errors and setbacks to get good at it. However, if you’re determined to make it work no matter what, it will.
  3. Be teachable: don’t jump into this freelance business with preconceived notions about how this is going to work. You have to be open to learning and be adaptable to the ever-changing best practices. If you tend to think your first idea is genius or have trouble with criticism, you’re more likely to get discouraged and quit.

 

If you pass your prerequisites, let’s move on to the 4 best ways to bust into freelance writing from ground zero:

 

By the way, here’s the video version, if you’d rather:

#1 Put together relevant niche-specific writing samples

You need to have a portfolio of compelling writing samples in the niche you want to write for.

 

Do not send prospects your senior paper with your feminist criticism of Virginia Woolf’s literature because it’s sooooo impressive.

No one wants to read the flash fiction you submitted for publication because it shows how adaptable your writing style is.

The advice article you wrote for your local newspaper isn’t going to help you (unless your niche is advice columns).

 

Only send decent, relevant, niche-specific writing samples to your prospects.

What does that mean?

If you choose to write in the personal finance niche, write a sample article about paying off college debt before the age of 30.

If you want to break into the real estate writing market, put together samples like 13 Free Ways to Market Your Real Estate Business or How to Spot a Winning Real Estate Client From a Mile Away.

You need to put together samples that showcase your best work in the exact niche that you want to be writing for. Try to come up with topics that appeal directly to your desired audience.

 

Now, you can put together these samples in one of several ways:

  • On spec: write an example article that hasn’t been published anywhere
  • Volunteer: write example website copy for someone you know
  • Your blog: publish a niche-specific article on your own blog, if it fits
  • Pitch: pitch some ideas around and try to get a piece published to use as a sample

 

There are other ways too, but the easiest is to just “make one up” on spec and use that.

Your samples are your gateway to breaking into the freelance writing world!

 

#2 Own it!

If you want to break into freelance writing, call yourself a copywriter or content marketer and just own it.

This doesn’t quite mean “fake it till you make it.” You’re not faking anything, you’re assuming the identity of something that’s already inside of you.

You might be a less experienced one, but you ARE a copywriter.

I want you to know that no one coronates a freelance writer in a fancy sword ceremony.

Every copywriter just calls themselves one, identifies as one, and just becomes one.

The same happens to you.

If you decide to be a freelance copywriter, call yourself one, act like one, update all your professional profiles to reflect the change, and start practicing as one. Just step right into the identity. You belong here.

Becoming a freelancer is a mindset.

 

#3 Always be Learning

In order to be a freelance writer, or be a better one, you need to be in a constant state of learning.

Strategies and platforms change constantly, and you need to keep pace.

Many of the underlying principles of copywriting don’t change, but how you apply them changes all the time. You need to be ready.

I would recommend front-loading your learning. Do a ton of learning at the beginning to wrap your mind about what copywriting is, learn the fundamentals, and practice. Then, dig deeper.

Keep digging deeper still. Always.

Read books, listen to audiobooks and podcasts, take courses, read blogs, any/all of it. Books on writing, books on copywriting specifically, marketing literature, social media blogs, business podcasts…you get the picture.

I take about 10-15 minutes every morning to learn something about my craft as part of my morning routine. Read Bible, read copywriting material, journal, brush teeth, work out.

Being an information sponge is a great way to help you break into freelance writing.

 

#4 Take a Course

The fastest way to learn a trade is to take a course. You get all the material in on place from someone who’s accomplished what you want to accomplish. You could piece a bunch of information together from the internet and books, or you could get it all compiled in one place, all organized and summarized for ya.

I recommend taking a course in business, copywriting, and/or marketing. A single course that teaches you specifically how to start, run, and market your freelance business is ideal. Online courses from someone actively involved in the field tend to be more relevant and up-to-date than books and college courses.

I’m re-reading The Copywriter’s Handbook (required reading <<affiliate link) right now and, though the principles of copywriting are the same, the information about digital copywriting is quite outdated. If social media copy is your jam, for example, a course from a current Facebook ad manager about ad copywriting would be way more applicable and relevant.

If you want insider information on what’s happening right now in the freelance world, with ninja tricks and of-the-moment advice, I recommend a freelance writing course.

*********

And you’ll never guess where this leads me…haha.

I have a course exactly like that coming out shortly, after a long and arduous creation process. It’s ready to go and officially launching on Mon, Sept 30. But the first round is only going to be open to 20 people at more of a beta price so I can flesh out any kinks.

 

[You can see some of the mini courses that will be included here]

 

You’ll learn exactly how to build your own freelance writing business from the ground up, whether you have experience or not, even if you’re working full-time right now. Every step.

 

If you want to be the first to know when it’s live or secure your spot right away, leave me a comment or message me at JessicaM(dot)Collins(at)hotmail(dot)com right away.

The ONE thing you need in place (aside from samples) before pitching freelance clients

freelance onboarding process

Your Freelance Onboarding Process

Not many freelance instructors talk about it…

But you need to have more than just a love for writing and a few samples to entice new freelance clients.

 

You need to have a freelance onboarding process in place.

An onboarding process is just the steps you take to bring aboard a new client to your business.

 

Although it sounds complicated, it doesn’t have to be.

It can be as simple as a few emails…

Or as complicated as a full-fledged proposal, contract, multiple phone conferences, and more.

 

It depends on you, your niche, your clients, and the complexity of the project.

 

But no matter what, you should have an onboarding system in place to:

  • Keep you organized
  • Make your business run more smoothly
  • Allow your clients to trust you

 

Think about it: you hear back from a client who’s interested in working with you.

What you do next could mean the difference between a sweet gig and a thank u, next.

So, let’s just role play this for a second. You’re on the phone and your prospect expresses interest in content from you. They ask about your work and are thinking about moving forward.

Your reply?

  • Why don’t you email me and tell me what you want me to do. Don’t nervously try to get off the phone and wait for them to tell you what they want. You tell them what you can do for them! They’re assuming you are the expert. If you leave the ball in their court, you risk losing them to disinterest or someone who’s more confident. They want you to take work off their hands, not make more work for themselves.
  • I’m not sure. I think I can probably write a few blog posts a month, and I’ll have to throw some numbers together for you. If you’re confused what to do next, don’t even know your rates or availability, your prospect may lose confidence in you.
  • Tell me more about your content needs and I’ll put together a proposal for you by this afternoon. After you accept the proposal, I’ll send over a contract and I require a 50% down payment. If you outline your process with them, they trust you know what you’re doing and will happily hand over the reins. You’re making the job easy on them!

See how much of a difference that last option makes? It makes you sound super professional, trustworthy, and serious.

It also helps you take on client calls with much more confidence and a much better sense of purpose.

 

{Ready to design your boss onboarding process today? Check out this freelance onboarding mini course}

 

Your freelance onboarding process also helps you stay on track, so you always know what comes next.

If you’re anything like me, then you appreciate a good ole organized process.

Checklists, strategies, and processes help you sleep better at night.

 

So make sure you have a strategy in place for your freelance onboarding process.

 

What does a freelance onboarding process actually look like?

Think about the steps you need to take to land a client, from the initial contact to the beginning of a project. Sit down and actually map them out. It might go something like this:

This process is usually much less involved for blogging clients than for website copywriting clients, but you get the gist.

Once you have an idea of what your oboarding process will look like, then you need to sit down and create the actual checklist and all the documents that are required during the process.

Save a copy of the checklist on your computer and make a copy for each new client that you can check off as you go.

You should also have copies of the questions you like to ask during your phone consultations, a proposal form, an invoicing system, and a client questionnaire in place.

 

Now, before you go thinking all of this is too complicated and over-your-head:

Simple.

 

Having all the documents written out and in place makes your entire process go seamless.

And really, it makes you feel more competent. And seem more competent to clients.

 

My challenge for you today is to write out your onboarding process and gather all the necessary files in a folder on your computer.

 

If you’re ready to design a really boss onboarding process, I’ve got you! Check out my detailed onboarding mini course!

 

Then, come on back here and tell me in the comments how much better your onboarding process goes with all of this in place.

10 Lessons From My First Year as a Self-Employed Freelance Writer

First year freelance writing

 

Holy cow, you guys!

February 17 marked my one year anniversary as a self-employed freelance writer!

I can’t believe it!

Cue the poppers and celebratory sip of wine! (A little late, but better late than never.)

 

I remember my first day of self-employment when I woke up and didn’t have to get all ready for work and drive a half-hour to start my day.

I simply rolled out of bed and walked five feet to my office. Okay, I worked out first, showered, and had some coffee first, but….then I rolled into my office.

I sat down at my desk like, whoa! This is my life now.

It was weird and exhilarating and against everything I’ve ever been taught about “how careers are supposed to work.”

I followed a rough schedule I’d made for myself and got to work. Since I’d been freelancing on the side for awhile already at this point, I had plenty to work on.

But I was also able to hold my little girl for a few minutes in her adorable “I-just-woke-up” haze before sending her back out to grandma. I was able to have lunch with my family at my own table, grab a few more snuggles, and head back into the office.

A few days in, it snowed. Like, a lot. And I didn’t have to try and attempt the treacherous roads. I just looked outside, shrugged, put my slippers on over my cold feet, grabbed my warm coffee, and snuggled in to work.

It’s a weird experience after spending 12 years in the corporate working world with no more than 15 days off in a year, long morning commutes, early mornings, dress codes, and nearly every summer day spent inside with barely a hint of sun.

It’s still surreal now, writing about it right now!

I can’t believe this is my life now!

 

 

So, now that I’ve made it a year, I want to gift some of my insights from my first year of self-employment to any of you that may be jumping off the corporate wagon or simply toying with the idea. These insights will help you make it through the first year with a little more grace.

 

Find your bearings

When you jump the corporate ship, you feel a little…off. It’s kinda against everything you know or have been taught. But it only took me a week to say, “I don’t think I could ever go back.”

leave corporate to freelance quote

 

You may feel a little clumsy and out of place at first, but once you settle into a routine, you feel “at home” again. Like I said, I created somewhat of a schedule for myself before I ever left corporate, and it worked pretty seamlessly. I made sure I included time for journaling/Bible time/exercise and enough “working hours.”

Even with the schedule though, some things came up. Friends called, family chatted, Hubster requested a few errands. Which brings me to my next point…

 

Put boundaries around your time

I had a hard time finding a good work-life balance at first and to an extent, still do. However, I have much more strict rules around my time than I did when I started. Instead of answering friends’ phone calls, I text them that I’m still working, and they’ve gradually stopped calling during normal business hours.

I’ve also heard the ole “Since you work at home now…” line, and I shut that one down immediately. No, I can’t do your taxes for you or watch your kids because I work at home now. This career involves the same amount of commitment and responsibility, if not more, and I’m still not available from 7 to 4.

 

Expect bad days and bad experiences

When you learn to expect things to go wrong, you can handle them a whole lot easier. If you don’t expect things to go wrong, the wrongs will hit you a whole lot harder. And they may make you want to give up.

Things will go wrong. Most things will go right, but some things go wrong. This doesn’t mean you’re a horrible writer. This doesn’t mean you need to go beg for your job back. This just means you’ve hit an inevitable snafu. Deal with it. Move on.

Every client wants something different. Every personality is different. Here’s a perfectly good article I wrote for a client that got rejected. It happens. Turn tough situations into positive ones by posting articles like this on your own blog or pitching them elsewhere.

 

Try to make it right

One of the best ways to get past these bad experiences or dissatisfied customers is to do everything you can to make it right. In my experience, this approach changes everything.

After submitting one particular writing assignment, I got the dreaded reply: “This isn’t what I was expecting.”

Don’t ever just walk away at this point and say “I’m sorry.” Always ask what you can do to fix it. Always ask more questions about what they were expecting. Don’t get defensive, simply say you want to get it right for them.

Usually, after you discuss the expectations more clearly and make the requested revisions, your clients come out trusting you even more. That’s the type of relationship you want to come out of bad experiences. A better one!

 

Keep track of what you accomplish daily

Keep a “to-done list” of what you accomplish each day and keep a running tally of your weekly income. This tactic has been a huge motivator for me. It lets me know if my income is on track for the month and gives me a clear picture of where my time is going.

I just keep a simple Google Doc to track my “to-done list” like pictured below (with client names blocked for privacy) I write the date, what writing projects I worked on that day, and the total income earned from that project. I then tally up the income at the end of the week to come up with my weekly income. It’s really gratifying to me to see what I’ve accomplished each week.

 

I also use a separate Google Sheet to track all income and expenses as they come and go from my bank account. This document is necessary come tax time, but it also gives a clearer picture of cash received.

 

Perform regular audits

Speaking of taxes…hire an accountant right away. It’s not worth the time and pain and suffering to try and “figure it out” yourself. Trust me. While you’ve got your financials in front of you, perform a business audit on yourself (or with the help of your accountant).

You have to tally up your income and send out a tax check every quarter anyhow, so use that time as an opportunity to perform a quarterly review. You don’t have to do anything fancy. Just answer a few questions such as:

  • What’s going well in my business right now?
  • What’s not going so well?
  • Where is my best earning potential?
  • What can I do to make next quarter even better?
  • What are my big-picture goals?
  • What are my quarterly goals?

Get even more picky about who you work with

After a few months of freelancing, I started to get overwhelmed. Suddenly, I didn’t have enough time in the day to get all my writing projects done. When this happens to you, your first inclination might be to try to organize your time better, learn how to write faster, start delegating tasks to others…

However, this is actually an amazing opportunity to level up your business. This means you get to start to choose who you want to work with. You can choose the work that lights you up the most! You can choose the work that pays the best.

freelance writer quote

Don’t dread it. Celebrate it.

 

Be true to yourself

Once you start to find the work that lights you up? You feel like you’re being truer and truer to who you are as a person. You feel more and more like you’ve found your true calling. There’s no better feeling!

I have never felt more like myself to the core than I have in the past year. I get to write about subjects that I’m passionate about (Related: finding the freelance writing niche of your dreams). I get to work with other amazing passionate business owners doing good in this world. I feel more connected to my work. The work feels more meaningful. I get to work outside, where I feel most energized. I get to be a bonafide introvert. I don’t have to drive around as much.

I feel more at home inside what I spend my energy on every single day.

That being said, make sure you’re taking on work that feels aligned for you, that’s ethical. If it makes you feel icky, skip it. If it makes you feel passionate, run with it!

 

Journal

Yep, I attribute a ton of my success to my daily journaling habit. Though no actual money comes from my journaling, the power it has over my mind is instrumental in my earnings. I use journaling to refocus on my goals every morning (so I don’t go goal blind), to change damaging thought patterns, and to explore what lights me up and what holds me back so I can harness them.

 

I might ask myself questions like “Why have I been having such resistance toward finishing this project?” The answer might give me insight into my natural inclination to drag out the last 25% of every project, so I can overcome that next time.

If I’m feeling incompetent one day, I might handwrite some affirmations about confidence to change how I’m feeling. I sometimes write out lists to explore all the ways I could fix a problem. The self-imposed challenge to come up with 20 possible solutions may be the catalyst I need for a breakthrough.

(Related: Grab 26 free soul-searching journaling prompts at the bottom of this post)

 

power of journaling quote

Don’t burn bridges

I never felt like “take this job and shove it” with my last employer. I left on super good terms, with a cupcake and a cute poster to boot. I still teach barre class at my previous employer, meet friends there at lunch, and keep in touch with the content team.

First of all, that job was an important catalyst in my career and the people there still have a valued place in my heart. Secondly, every person I knew there is naturally a part of my network now. People there could potentially refer me to their friends, put in a good reference for me, or come back to me for content work.

Before I left, I even pitched my employer as a potential client. It may seem like a really out-there idea, but pitching your own employer before you leave may lead to lucrative work. I personally know several people who have done it and now do freelance work for their former employer.

 

What’s next?

I’ve said before that I plan for 2018 to be the year of “explosion.” Now that I have my bearings, I have compiled a ton of work experience, and I know where to find work, I can start building my business upward. I can leverage what I’ve already built this year to increase my prices, handpick my clients, and expand my network. I can start working more on projects I believe in and my own personal passions, like my forest bathing site.

I want to explode my business more by:

  • Going to a big business-related conference
  • Learning everything I can about online business and setting up more passive income streams
  • Building my connections with other freelance writers
  • Helping other freelance writers build their careers
  • Reading everything I can get my hands on about being better at freelance writing

 

These goals are all part of my quarterly review, by the way. I’d love to hear about your business goals…

How about you?

Where do you hope to be one year from today? What are your business goals for 2018? For quarter 2? 

The Top 5 Lies That Keep You From Freelance Writing {And How to Destroy Them}

freelance writer mindset

 

 

You’ve thought about freelance writing before, but you quickly drop the notion because it seems silly or insensible. You have a ton of reasons in your mind why it wouldn’t work:

  • You don’t know anything about business.
  • You’re not even a quote-unquote “writer.”
  • You have no English degree or certifications.
  • Your job is fine, you don’t want to ruin that.
  • Etc

 

I had those too, my dear!

So did every other freelance writer at the start of their career!

 

But the more I looked into freelance writing, the more I saw that I actually could become a freelance writer, the more people I saw doing it “right,” the more times I noticed that it wasn’t actually a pipe dream, the more real the notion became in my mind!

That’s what I hope this article does for you: Change your entire mindset so you see how accessible freelance writing really is!

 

Let me see if I can hear what you’re thinking:

 

Lie #1: I don’t even know where to start!

Okay, this one isn’t so much a lie as an obstacle that’s easily solvable.

Just start!

Ready-fire-aim

That’s how you make it work.

Okay, I know some of you aren’t wired that way, but let me just say, you can start today. I have a few practical steps to help you get started.

What you need to do to start a freelance writing business:

  1. Set up a business website in 5 minutes
  2. Then, design it for free without any design skills
  3. Start creating some writing samples. Go big right away with the Huff Post
  4. Create a portfolio, on your website, Pinterest, or Contently
  5. Start marketing your freelance business, so people know it exists
  6. Start pitching! {More on this subject to come!}

Written out like that, it seems pretty simple now, doesn’t it?

Now, of course, there are many more details that go into these steps, but this big-picture strategy helps clear up the “where to start” bit for you.

You can also sign up for my free 7-day Freelance Getting Started series, which goes more into depth about starting your journey as a freelance writer, even if you’re still at your day job.

Now you can’t say you don’t know where to start anymore;)

 

Lie #2: I don’t have the credentials to be a freelance writer

*Looks around, covers her mouth, and whispers in your ear* “Guess what? You don’t need any credentials!”

Wait, what?!?

Hold the phones!

Ya, really. It’s the biggest lie we tell ourselves.

Your clients don’t really give a flying eagle whether or not you were summa cum laude of your graduating class. They probably won’t even ask a single question about your educational background.

They just want to see samples of your writing to know whether or not you can do the job.

If you have decent writing skills, you’re in the club. Welcome!

You just need some writing talent, but not special initials behind your name.

I know plenty of lucrative freelance writers that don’t even have a college degree, let alone an English one. I know IT writers that don’t have backgrounds in IT.

However, if you’re trying to be a fitness writer and you do have an English degree and a personal training certificate, market the heck out of that!

Please know that there’s no accrediting agency that’s going to tap a sword over your shoulders and assign you an official freelance writer.

You assign yourself one.

Repeat after me: “I’m a freelance writer.” Now, by my decree, you are one.

Now you can no longer use the “I don’t have the right credentials” as an excuse either;)

 

Lie #3: When I think of “freelance writer,” I think of a starving artist, not a lucrative career!

When I was in college, prematurely trying to decide on a career path, I desperately wanted to try freelance writing. At the time, that meant living paycheck to paycheck with little more than a few boring local newspaper assignments or something. That’s not the version of freelance writing I was hoping for.

So, I decided to go the traditional route and look for a lucrative career to support myself.

As an English major, you’re either supposed to be a teacher or a poet forever relegated to your parent’s basement. I wasn’t satisfied with either one.

So, I kept my eye out for a different option. And I found it!

And I want to open up a whole new world for you. There’s a world out there of successful six-figure freelance writers. A world of writers that are far from starving or living in their parent’s basements.

Freelance writing is lucrative, as long as maintain a certain level of standards.

You don’t work for low-baller Upwork clients. You work for clients with real marketing budgets.

You don’t work for $15 per hour. You work for a minimum of $50.

You don’t start at the bottom and work your way up. You start high and work your way higher.

Now you don’t have an excuse to hold onto this limiting belief!

 

Lie #4: I’m too much of a rule-follower to break the mold.

*Yawn!*

I’m sorry, was it rude of me to yawn while you were listing out the reasons why you can’t make the leap from corporate to self-employed?

Rule following is boring.

Rule following is what we’re conditioned to do.

But we don’t have to.

I’m your typical goody-two-shoes, do-gooder, straight-A girl. There is not a more straight-laced rule follower than me.

And I did it.

If I did it, there’s no reason why you can’t.

And let me tell you. Once you do? You’ll wonder why you were such a mold follower in the first place! And you’ll join me in synchronized yawning at anyone else who brings it up.

No, but to be completely serious…

Why not you? Why not now?

It’s really amazing on the other side when you get to make the rules for once.

You get to be a more authentic version of yourself than the appearance you keep up for your coworkers.

You get to work on meaningful projects.

You get to walk around in leggings and grab coffee from your own kitchen. Take a nap on your lunch break if you need one. Work from your back porch or the library.

This is so cliche, but cliche for a reason (because it’s so stinkin’ true): When you get to the end of your life, you’re more likely to regret NOT breaking the rules than breaking them.

And I’m not talking about breaking the law. I’m talking about breaking the “work 9-to-5 until you retire or die” rule.

You know deep down inside of you, in a place you don’t allow yourself to rifle around, that you were made for more than this paint-by-numbers life.

Plus, to be honest, it’s not even as rule-breaking as you think it is. As traditional full-time jobs are becoming less and less favorable to the incoming generations, jobs are becoming more agile, as in more location-flexible. It’s becoming more normal to be a “freelancer” than not to anymore.

Okay, I hear this excuse fading into the background with my yawn…

 

Lie #5: I’m not good enough for high-paying clients

You see a prestigious brand you’d love to work for, but immediately think, “ah, they’ll never want me. I’m not good enough for that brand.”

Oh but my dear, you are! You are!

As long as you’re professional and you know how to write, you’re good enough for high-paying clients.

You do not need to start at the bottom, making pennies. You do not need to shy away from the big-names.

In fact, I encourage you to start at the top! And work your way up!

My very first pitch went to a well-known business coach, and I nailed it!

My second went to a well-known fitness personality, and there was adamant interest!

I dare you to start higher than you think you’re capable.

I want you to turn this mindset completely around and think about three places you don’t think you’re qualified to pitch, and pitch them!

Deal?

Okay, so, now you’ve awakened to the idea that you’re good enough to pitch the top names!

 

And just like that…we’ve completely ambushed your top five concerns. Or to be perfectly blunt, the top 5 LIES you tell yourself.

 

Would you like to do more work around mindset?

I put together an in-depth mini-course all about mindset practice. It’s a much more in-depth look at mindset than this article along with a corresponding journaling guide to help you completely rewire your mindset. If you need more guidance with mindset, check it out!

 

Mindset work for freelance writers

 

Before you launch your freelance writing career, you have to cultivate the correct mindset. You need to start with your thoughts for everything else to fall into place. Otherwise you’re going to continue ending up where you started.

 

Cheers to you!

What other pesky thoughts roll through your mind that stop you from launching your freelance career?