My Success Diary

When I first started out as a freelance writer, I had a hard time telling people what I did for a living. Looking back on that time, I have no idea why. I’ve learned that if I speak confidently about what I do, people will respond to that confidence. When I faltered people would stare at me, waiting for more information. My family members constantly told me to get a “real” job.

I Was in the Hot Seat!

A few months ago I saw a comedy show and I was in the hot seat. You know, that seat where some poor sap answers the comedian’s questions. When asked, “What do you do for a living?” I said, “Writer.” Of course, he made fun of that a little bit. He said, “It’s complete sentence day for the writer in the room.” It was funny and I didn’t care. People weren’t laughing at me and my profession. They were laughing at the comedian’s joke. That’s a difference I wouldn’t have made when I was first starting out.

Learning to Say “I am a writer”

So if you’re a beginner, how do you get to that point? For me, it was a gradual change. As I become comfortable in what I was doing and as I had deadlines and other things to keep me busy, I had no problem telling people about what I did as a living. And it is this confidence that helped me land new jobs.

I’ve thought long and hard about how I can help people get that confidence. So I’ve put together a short list of tips and techniques you can try. It’s better to practice this from the beginning of your career. The sooner you gain confidence in your abilities, the easier it will be to reach your personal goals.

• Say, “I’m a writer” to everyone who asks. Don’t stutter or elaborate. Leave it at that unless people ask you questions.
• When people ask where they can see your work, point them to your website.
• Get business cards printed that say you’re a writer. Include your website URL.
• If you don’t have a website, get one for free at blogger.com, wordpress.com, or any of the other free sites.

And that’s it. That’s all you need. You’re not out to prove to these people that you’re a writer. You’re simply telling them. Too many writers turn those innocent questions into a defense. Remember, it’s not proof people are after – they’re simply curious.

If you don’t want to spend money on business cards, try Vista Print. You get 250 free cards that are high quality. They have over 40 templates to choose from if you get the free version. You can pay for add-ons, but you don’t need to do that. Stick with the free version and you’ll have a card that is professional enough to advertise what you do for a living.

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