Are You Afraid To Be A Writer?
It can be tough to make the decision to become a writer. Take me, for example. I started work as a journalist at 21, but I didn’t realise how much I loved the job until I stopped doing it for a while. Then I couldn’t wait to get back to it, but I still didn’t learn. After another ten years, I started teaching journalism, which was very rewarding, but not ultimately what I wanted to do. That’s why, several years later, I left my job as a journalism lecturer to go freelance once again. This time I know it’s the right decision and I’m sticking with it.
But it’s not so easy for everyone. There are lots of reasons why you might be afraid to take the plunge. If you’ve been writing in your spare time and have never shown your writing to anyone, you might lack confidence. I understand. Although I’m very confident about my non fiction writing, it has taken me years to show my fiction writing to anyone.
Many people think that they can’t write. Ironically, some of these people make the best writers. Writing skills can be taught, and willingness to learn will take you a long way. That was one of the things I loved about teaching – helping students to realise their dream of getting paid to write.
For others, the barrier is the fear of being broke. If you’re making an essential contribution to your household income, then this is a very real fear. The answer to this is to sacrifice some of your spare time and start doing paid writing work on evenings and weekends. Many successful writers have started this way. There will come a time when you have so much work that you begin to think about freelancing full time. However, since freelance writing is seasonal, there’s no guarantee that you will earn the same amount every month, so that stops some people from taking the plunge.
In the end, you will become a full time writer when the fear of not doing it outweighs your fears about being broke or being a poor writer. As you submit more and more work and win more and more gigs, you will build confidence and you will soon find out that you can write. More importantly, you will find out what your writing strengths are, and build on them so that you can attract the paying clients that you need. This is a sensible time to take the plunge.
Of course, you could always do what I did. I left my job and started to promote myself after five years of doing more teaching than writing. I found that my writing skills hadn’t left me and what I needed was to get other people to see my work so they would hire me. That’s why I set up a website and started blogging. Now I have more outlets for my writing than I could have imagined (including about five blogs) and people find me and ask me to write for them. From the outside this looked easy, but don’t forget that I was building on years of experience. Now, I am proud to call myself a writer and I’m not afraid of the label. Stick with it, and soon you will lose your fear of the writing life too.
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Get Paid To Write Online by Sharon Hurley Hall is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. Copyright for posts written by guest authors remains with them.Useful info
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Hi Sharon,I spent the first 27 years of my career as a manager for a local police service. My passion to write only happened about 5 years ago. I wrote everyday after work and finished a novel in a year. I started a second novel and while I was writing that, an opportunity to quit the business world happened. Now that I no longer work outside the home, I discovered blogging and writing. Your article is very true. The more you write, the more you want to write. Thanks for sharing your advice and wisdom.Mirella
Sharon,
This article really hit me. I am wanting to become a writer, I am an elementary teacher, and I love that, but my passion is writing. I have only a science unit published, and my blogs, but not any other writings. I need to just jump in and do it.
I love your blog. This has so much information. It was just what I was looking for. Thanks!
Thank you so much for this entry, Sharon! I’m sure many writers struggle against fears when it comes to taking writing beyond the hobby stages. I know I have and still do. Each new step is a leap into the unknown based on hope and unfounded optimism. Knowing the fear and being able to face it is one of the most monumental experiences of a writer’s life. Learning to be courageous beyond that becomes a part of our every day lives.
I think the first year is the toughest, Rebecca, but if you can face the fear, it’s so rewarding. Although I didn’t have much fear of freelancing, I experienced something similar when it came to sharing my poetry. Once I’d taken the first step, I was proud of myself, and I knew I could do it again. That works for going freelance too.
Your post struck a chord. I’ve been blogging for almost 4 years now. But a marriage and lots of free time on my hands later, I’m starting to look into freelance writing instead of just personal blogging.
I’m reading up on all the advice on blogs and going through lots of firsts. My first Freelance resume. My first freelance job application. My first cover letter as a freelance writer. Also my first rejection to a pitch I sent to an online magazine. I’m waiting for my first job as a freelance writer. Let’s hope I get it soon!
Out of all the firsts…what I was most afraid of sending in my first application.
Yes, I love working at home and writing – I couldn’t imagine doing anything else now.
We all have to start somewhere, Julie, and I’m glad you like my blog. If you’re interested in web content writing, why not contact me through the form and we’ll see if we can work together.