The Secret to Creative Freedom: Hire Yourself First
These subtle mental shifts when it comes to starting a writing career are really where all the power and momentum start.
What I love about Lubna’s advice, below, is that it helps you live “as if.” Meaning, you operate “as if” you already have writing clients—and that’s an important mental shift in terms of transitioning to life as a professional, paid writer.
Note, it’s different from the “fake-it-till-you-make-it” approach. With that approach, you’re well aware you’re not ready or skilled enough to do something, so you’re forcing it until it works.
I’m not a fan of that, because writing for a living should be—and can be—easy. The trick is in taking the steps to feel and be legit, which Lubna explains below.
I tried this and drafted a full-on hire letter for myself. It was great fun, and made a passion project I wanted to do feel real and worthy of my attention.
So give it a try… I’d love to hear if it works for you!
—Mindy
Where to Find the Most Enthusiastic Client You’ll Ever Have
By Lubna Rahman
Are you hoping to reach your full potential this year? I am, and for me that means having specific goals.
I’ve found that the best way to do that is to prioritize time with my most important client: myself!
It turns out that becoming your own client is the hidden secret to productivity and motivation. Here’s why…
What Does That Even Mean?
When I first decided to become a copywriter, I absorbed everything I could find about copywriting. I enrolled in the programs… read the books… watched the videos… until I confirmed that this was the right path for me.
But now what? Without a portfolio or client, I felt lost and unsure of where to start.
That was when I slapped on my thinking cap and decided that in the absence of a real one, I had to become my own client and create the work that I wanted.
This helped me in several ways:
I was able to start writing and exercising my skills right away.
It helped me build my portfolio.
When a real client came along, I had the confidence I needed to tackle the job!
Here are some ways you can become your own client and help ensure your long-term writing success:
1. Make (and Meet) Your Own Deadlines
When you work for yourself, it can be easy to get lax and distracted (trust me, I can relate). But just as clients rely on you to get your work done by a deadline, you need to be able to rely on yourself.
So be sure to set a strict target date and stick to it! This will not only create good habits but also prevent you from getting stuck on one project, so you can move on to the next big thing.
2. Start Inside the Box, and Work Your Way Out
It can be easy to get stuck, especially as a new writer. Trying to start with a completely blank slate can have your mind feeling… well, blank.
Remember that, as your own client, you have some flexibility in the type of project you hire yourself for, so try to work with your existing skill set and passions.
Are you a novice baker with a dream of running your own blog? Write a blog post for your new theoretical blog without worrying about any of the hang-ups.
Are you an avid social media user? Promote your new writing services in a post befitting the best new copywriter to grace their feed. Using your existing resources to write can help build your confidence.
Really love a product or service you’ve been using? Take an ideal product from your preferred niche and write copy about it as if you were writing for the company. Write a detailed review of it.
Finally, you can even invent a product or service and write captivating copy for it. All these options will give you great pieces to add to your now-growing portfolio.
3. Make Your Specs Work for You
My introduction to spec (short for “speculative”) writing was when writing for potential employers at AWAI’s annual Bootcamp. These are essentially samples of writing you send to potential employers so they can see your work (and possibly hire you).
Specs helped propel me out of my comfort zone and motivated me to get started. You can do the same by looking at potential and local employers and their products and writing sample spec pieces for them. Send them the sample of your work — it may just lead to a new client! At the very least, you’ve got a brand-new portfolio piece.
4. Create a Routine You Can Follow
One of the perks of being your own client is that you can essentially work from anywhere, at any time. But oftentimes, all that freedom can lead down a dangerous path toward dormancy.
Instead, create a simple routine that works for you, and follow it. You can set your own hours… so write your schedule down and follow it daily. Have a list of what you wish to accomplish for the day during those hours, and another list of overall goals for the week.
With your goals set and a plan in place, you are more likely to follow through.
In case you have any doubts, remember that you have what it takes to succeed… Just let your most trusted client help you get there!
I’d love to hear—have you tried this? What were your results?