Writing Freelance is Hard…What to Do About It
Is writing hard? Yes. From finding time, to actually pitching, to avoiding the siren song of Selkie dresses and prolonged virtual window shopping, writing is tough in many ways. Do you contemplate how can I be a writer, what do I write about, how do I start freelance writing? But, we often make it harder than it needs to be.
The trope of the tortured writer is so prevalent, sometimes it seems like "if I'm not tortured over this, am I really writing?" For me, I got so used to my perfectionism, I assumed that if I wasn't freaking out over something I did, I wasn't working hard enough.
In reality, I could do most of the same work sans freakout and it was just as good.
I'm not saying you shouldn't care about your work or try to do well. But are you adding extra pressure and torment? Instead of asking "is this good enough?" ask "how could this be more fun/easy/enjoyable?"
We got into writing because it was fun, at some point. Though it won't always be a blast, tapping into the fun/easy/enjoyable part once in a while will help you write more. Plus, it reminds you that not every assignment or piece of work has to be so, so serious.
Look for a piece of fun amongst the angst and you'll probably write a lot more often.
If you find yourself wondering.. ok I’m writing … now what? Check out The Pitching Hour… a weekly time slot where you’re pretty much guaranteed to write. It’s the closest thing to me pitching for you!
The Pitching Hour member Andria Kennedy says “The pressure's released, and I've been able to recapture that easy creativity. Coming up with one or two pitches every week is no longer a chore or a dreaded task I have to push myself to check off the list.”