You get an extra post this week! Why? Because this is an important topic for any writer who is interested in freelancing. And what is that topic, you ask? Insecurity.
Stop cringing. I plan to get you to at least poke your head out of your blankie fort by the time you're done reading. I'm not saying you need to give up the comfort of your personal plushy palace, but you really should at least feel more confident about the whole idea of writing for money by the time I'm done here. Let's set the stage: I've been fishing in the freelance world again and was presented with a really great opportunity. I had my brave pants on at the time and immediately said, "Sure! I can do that!" Now, my brave pants are some big talkers. If they were asked if they could solve all the problems in the world by next Friday at 2:00 pm, they wouldn't only use the word sure, they would gloat about how it was about time someone finally had the good sense to put the whole can of worms into my hands, and promise to have everything taken care of days ahead of schedule. Then they would immediately retire themselves from the whole situation and leave the actual work to the part of me that was silently screaming "I don't even have a solid plan for dinner tonight!" the whole time those over-confident trousers were running their mouth. This situation ALWAYS leads to a chunk of time nervously pacing and asking myself, "What have I done?" If you can relate, please feel free to eat a piece of chocolate. So, here's the thing. Most writers out there have this same problem to one degree or another. You are not alone on the emotional roller coaster. If you are smart, you will forever gift yourself the solid-shake you need to step out of your comfort zone and into a situation where you need to handle the positive project that your brave pants signed you up for. My method for doing this is as follows: 1) I look for freelance work at the point in my morning where I'm awake enough to be coherent but not so far into the day that my inner critic has decided that my skill set is best suited for staring at a blank page and calling myself a fraud. That's where my brave pants are the most active and can do their best to haul the rest of me out of my comfort zone. 2) I have sworn a blood oath to myself (no sharp pointy object required since the necessary blood is already flowing through my veins) that if an opportunity comes along that does not force me to sideline my other work and does not cross any of my lines in the sand, I will take it on. Then I will do my best to meet or exceed the expectations of the client. Why? Three reasons. Doing so not only gives my skills a workout and gives me a new thing to add to my portfolio, it also might bring more work my way. All very important things in the freelancing world. 3) I allow myself about an hour to pace and let any insecurities I have mutter to the walls in my office. (The cats usually make themselves scarce for the duration. They're smart that way. It's an ugly process.) If I don't do this, then those insecurities do their utmost to distract me when I get down to work. 4) I get over all the fuss and handle what needs to be handled. I do the research. I contact the people. I make a plan for the project. (And most importantly) I do the work. I get it done on time and to the best of my ability. Then I turn it in. I don't care what the project is. It could be writing. It could be illustrating. It could be washing the car or making dinner. It doesn't matter. Those are always the active steps. They never change. Big, small, weird, boring, none of that matters. It's the same steps every single time. 5) At the end of a project with my own name on it, I may get to have a repeat of the wallowing in self-doubt stage since very often there are a photo and bio wanted. Those two things inevitably bring out the insecurities again, this time over credential comparisons to any other writers involved and the nitpicking of the visual appeal of the photo. Again, I give myself a little time to vent my worries to the room at large. Then I present myself as who I am and let anyone who bothers to read said bio or look at said photo deal with their own opinions about either. You see, the secret is that so long as I do what I'm supposed to do, I win. I grow. I become better for the experience. If I have to trick myself in these things, so be it. I can always take a break in my blankie fort when it's over.
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AuthorJosie Dorans Archives
June 2022
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