When I first started my business as a freelance content writer and freelance ghostwriter, I had no idea it would be such an exercise in faith on pretty much every level.
I’ve worked as a freelance journalist since 2013 but didn’t want to commit to it full time because it seemed so scary. “What? My income will fluctuate? I won’t necessarily have a steady paycheck? Pass!” But then I found myself walking down this path anyway. I felt guided to becoming a freelance content writer and freelance ghostwriter so I took the plunge.
I didn’t anticipate it would go so well. I’m not going to lie, the first few months were difficult, but I’ve been more successful than I imagined. I’m thrilled about that, but what pleases me even more is that my clients are so appreciative of our work together. It feels wonderful knowing my clients are seeing results in terms of page views, new patients, and comments on their websites. As you can read on my testimonials page, a client even said one of the best things about 2020 has been working with me! What a compliment!
However, despite the praise, I still feel nervous at any moment one of my clients will say, “It’s been fun but. . .” and decide to end our working relationship. I think that’s a reasonable fear. That happens all the time in the business world. My first reaction is to say, “Oh no! Now I’ll be starving in the street!” (For the record, that won’t happen because even if all my clients became incommunicado right this moment, I have savings.) It’s important for me to soothe the scared part and practice faith. Faith that another a client will come. Faith that the people I’m meant to work with will appear. It’s hard because as you likely know, the definition of faith is belief without proof.
The only evidence I have that the people I’m meant to work with will appear is that it’s happened already. I’ve had clients show up magically from the internet, but also from referrals or within my wider social circles. It’s happened before and thus I’m choosing to believe it can and while happen again. Faith is a choice, and to quote American author D. Elton Trueblood, “Faith is not belief without proof, but trust without reservation.”
I love that definition because I think it speaks to the essence of faith. The confidence a person has either in something greater than themselves, or in their own abilities. Because key to a successful business is believing you can do what you set out to do. For me, that means believing I’m a good writer. Believing other people benefit from working with me. Believing I offer a valuable service that people want to pay for. Having your own business requires so much self-confidence!
Truly, what put me over the edge in terms of starting my own business was finally believing I could have one. When I first started out, I tested the waters by asking chiropractors and therapists if they’d even want what I was offering. There’s no use starting a business if the demand for it doesn’t exist. When they said, “Yes, I’d pay for that,” suddenly everything seemed more possible. I already knew I could write — being employed as a professional journalist since I graduated from college assured me of that. But hearing that people wanted a freelance content writer or a freelance ghostwriter flipped a switch in my brain. Still, there are days I’m plagued with doubts, which is again why I have to keep practicing faith. Who knew that would be a key ingredient to having a business?!?
If you’d like writing assistance — whether that’s content writing or ghostwriting — reach out to me. I’m here.