The Freelance Writing Mindset

Ah, the new blog! Most of my posts here will pertain to the facts and craft of freelance writing, but for today I will just see where my fingers take me.

The freelance writing life is a wild and crazy ride, to be sure. It's been said that freelance writing in Canada is a good way to starve slowly. I say, that all depends on your outlook - your mindset, as it were. In any job market, in any economic climate, anywhere, anytime, there is work available. The seekers who start the day inwardly convinced that they won't find work are the ones who will not see the diamonds among the stones.

"You know the rotten thing about working for yourself? Every Monday, you're unemployed!" I actually heard this from a carpenter once; I don't think he was feeling well that day, but it also underlines a pervasive mindset that can sink the most sincere jobseeker. If you don't think you can do it, then it just won't happen. If you harbour the thought that the entrepreneurial world is a desolate and dangerous place, then striking out on your own is probably not wise.

I believe in another quote - Fortune favours the prepared mind, by Louis Pasteur. Sharpen your tools, present yourself well, and let the world know what you can do; buffer this all with the attitude that you can provide value for others and receive value in return. This is a basic philosophy, with many details hidden within the generalities, but keeping this mission statement in mind keeps me on course when I'm getting lost in the minutiae.

In future blog posts I will elaborate on some of the details - how to sharpen the writer's tools, how to market, and all of that. Stay tuned, and stay positive.

Tony