self-confidence

Stop Making Excuses: One Writer’s Doubt-Slaying Strategies for Freelance Success

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What’s holding you back from freelance success?

For a lot of writers, it’s fear of failure, doubt, or that voice inside your head that tries to convince you’ll never be good enough.

Believe me. I know what it’s like to keep second-guessing yourself, steer clear of networking and marketing, and get stuck feeling like every other writer is killing it but you.

I wasn’t always a freelance writer. In fact, I was TV news reporter and producer, teacher, and human resources trainer, before I made the leap to full-time freelancing.

Even though I had plenty of career experience, I had my doubts about freelance success.

But I knew I had to slay those dragons and stop making excuses.

It didn’t happen overnight. But I have found ways to overcome my doubts and fears, move up and earn more. And so can you.

Here are a few ways I deal with the doubts that trip me up the most:

Tagged with: fear, freelance success, guest post, overcome fear, self-confidence

Q&A: Pajamas, Dog Poop and Being a Productive Writer

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Worried About Competitors? Here’s the Key to Freelance Success

Posted by: Carol Tice — Comments Off

How do you achieve freelance success with so many other writers out there? It’s a question that’s come up a lot lately, as well as four years ago, when I first published this post. The answer might surprise you. Enjoy!–Carol.

Ever worry about competing with other writers in your niche for freelance success?

After all, a lot of writers with more experience than you are hustling every day. Can you really make this work, or do you feel like it’s hopeless to even put yourself out there?

Spend a lot of time worrying about other writers, and it might seem like those established pros already have the market for writing all sewn up.

I had one budding freelance writer tell me:

“I know the healthcare industry from my job, but when I saw how many members the healthcare writers association had, I just gave up! It seems like it’s too competitive.”

Or if you’ve been around a while, maybe you’re up nights worrying about all the hot young, social-media-savvy writers who’re coming to eat your lunch.

If you’re going to think this way — always worrying about how many other writers are trying to do the same thing you are — freelance success is just going to be a pipe dream.

To win the freelance writing game, you have to put your focus in a different place.

Self-Help for Writers: Make This One Powerful Change

Posted by: Carol Tice — Comments Off

Freelance writers spend a lot of time reading posts, taking courses, and otherwise seeking information on how to build their careers. But what about self-help for writers?

Working on self-care can build your self-esteem up and make you far more productive and creative. And when I say self-care, I don’t mean bubble-baths and walks in the woods, either.

What I have in mind goes much deeper than catching a little ‘me’ time.

Recently, I took a training on one powerful self-help technique that every insecure writer could benefit from. This approach can help you get more and better writing done, put yourself out there more, and gain the confidence to pitch better clients.

Ready to take your writing — and your life — to a whole new level? Read on…

Tagged with: overcome fear, productivity, self-care, self-confidence

Dealing With Rejection: 5 Bulletproof Strategies for Writers

Posted by: Editor — 22 Comments ↓

Rejection is inevitable when you’re a freelancer. You send out queries and LOIs, you’ll be dealing with rejection.

You get some bites and quote on projects…but then you meet up with characters like No, Not Now, Maybe Later, and Not Interested. When you find yourself reading yet another writing rejection, how do you respond?

Do you bounce back like a rubber band? Or does your confidence get flattened like a pancake?

Too many freelancers let writing rejection get in the way of success. And that’s a big problem. If you let rejection beat you down, you’re not going to make a living writing.

Believe me. I know what it’s like. I started out as a columnist and magazine writer. I experienced some early success and then I stalled. Editors started nailing No’s to my forehead. It was hard not to take it personally. Every writing rejection felt like proof I wasn’t any good, that nobody wanted my work.

I knew I had to do something about it. Fortunately, after a lot of research, trial and error, and thrashing around, I developed five bulletproof strategies.

Do You Sabotage Your Freelance Writing Jobs? A Gut-Check

Posted by: Carol Tice — 54 Comments ↓

Are you one of those freelance writers who can’t seem to win no matter how hard you try? All the freelance writing jobs you touch seem to turn to merde. Things may start out well, but then something often goes wrong.

You don’t get paid. Your client drops you. All your prospects just want to know how little you’d be willing to do a gig for. And you’re always struggling to book more freelance writing jobs.

If this is you, listen up.

I’m going to tell you exactly why that’s happening, and how to fix it.

How do I know what’s up? I recently added a free, 1-on-1 consulting perk for all Freelance Writers Den members who’ve been in the Den a year or more. That turned out to be…500 writers!

So I’ve been talking with many, many writers who’ve been working on their careers a long time, and learning what keeps them broke, and why it’s so hard for many to find and keep freelance writing jobs that pay well.

Turns out, it’s mostly themselves. Let me spotlight the major mindset problems that lead you to choose crummy clients — or screw up better gigs — over and over. See if you recognize yourself in any of these archetypes of the low-paid freelancer: