Freelance Writing Tips – Creating More Success

No career choice is easy. There will be challenges for any direction – some physical, some emotional and some mental. Freelance writing or any freelance career is no different from a traditional success path. It takes work, determination, consistency, confidence and focus.

Work

A freelance writer has to be willing to work – that’s the short story. The long story is that being your own boss can make it difficult to get up in the morning and get moving. It can be challenging to meet deadlines where no deadlines exist so that projects linger in limbo for life. Working for you can make it difficult to find time to do the work because there is always something else that “needs” to be done RIGHT NOW.

1. Set specific work hours every day and use them to actually write.

2. Set a word goal for each day. NaNo – National Novel Writing Month – challenges you to write 50,000 words in a 30 day period which comes out to around 1,700 words each day.

3. Create an environment for work. Clean off the desk each night, straighten up the files and make the space inviting for the next day. Clutter on the desk will distract the mind from the task at hand – which is writing.

4. Turn off the IM, email and phone. Make writing the only thing that you can or will do. I have been known to get off the internet completely and just open my word processing program.

Determination

The bumble bee has wings that are too small to carry the weight of its body but still it flies. To create a life of success in freelance writing or in any avenue it is important to have the same determination and will that the bumble has created.

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. ”
– Calvin Coolidge

1. Speak words of success over your life each day. I worked at a place where every staff meeting ended with the chant “I feel happy. I feel healthy. I feel terrific.” Defeat and failure have a hard time getting a foot hold when the thoughts of your mind and the words out of your mouth are success.

2. Put your words to action. Thinking warm fuzzies will not make you a great writer or a success. Create a plan of action and follow through on that plan. Take classes and courses to push your writing skills to the next level. Work daily in your genre and also in another genre to expand your freelance writing opportunities.

3. Refuse to back down. “Never, never, never give up.” Create a mindset that sees no other path but the path to success and then follow that path.

Consistency

There is one word that gives me more trouble than any other in the English language. Consistency is not my strong point. I can be consistent for a few days, but much longer than that and I begin to slip.

1. Get some accountability – no matter how its sliced, the knowledge that someone else might actually be judging our actions often makes us kick it up a level. Joining a writer’s group, an online challenge or just asking a friend for support can often give the extra push that is needed to stay consistent in the pursuit of a successful freelance writing career.

2. Start right now. Consistency can easily be defeated by procrastination. No matter where you are in your freelance writing career, start now to pursue the success that you are craving.

3. Challenge yourself to do just seven days of the same task at the same time every day. Starting slowly will help you create a habit of consistency for all aspects of your life.

Confidence

Getting someone to pay for something that you write is a little intimidating for most people. It’s like announcing that you are good or at least good enough. For some reason it is more difficult to request compensation in regards to the arts than it is more traditional lines of work. Few doctors struggle with the bill that is presented at the end of a visit. It is only those who venture into the unknown of freelance careers that find compensation a confusing factor.

Confidence in what you are doing and how you are doing it will make requesting compensation easier each time the need comes around. The better that you become at what you do the strong your confidence will grow.

1. See rejections as a challenge to become better. Some rejections will be form letters but others will give you a glimmer of hope and direction. Grab hold of the positive and let those be the building blocks for your confidence.

2. Read work that you did a year ago. Seeing what you have written in the past and also seeing how much farther you come in your freelance writing skills will add to the strength of your wall of confidence.

3. Do your work with pride. Be sure that you produce articles, material and projects that you would be proud to have your name across.

4. A good job, well done will bring confidence

Focus

It all starts with an idea then comes the plan and that plan works out through action. Success in freelance writing is no different. There has to be some focus in direction for success to be achieved.

1. Vision statement – where do you see yourself and your writing in five years, ten years and twenty years?

2. Mission statement – what are you all about? What are you trying to do with your writing?

3. Goals – set long term or large targets that you want to meet. It could be getting a book deal, reaching a certain level in a blog or reaching a certain income level. Make it personal to your needs, wants and desires for your successful freelance writing.

4. Objectives – these are smaller points of measurement that are measurable and actionable. Think of the objectives as the steps you plan to take to reach each goal for your freelance writing.

Even over night success comes with hard work, determination and persistence. Dare to dream and then have the audacity to pursue that dream with all that you have to come to a place of freelance writing success.