I like to say that I’ve been a writer my entire life, but the truth is, I didn’t start writing professionally until three and a half years ago.

Prior to September 2016, my only “writing experience” was more than a decade of journal entries.

Not exactly the type of writing samples potential clients are looking for.

So I remember how nerve-wracking it was in the beginning, and how many doubts I had about my writing.

My very first client assigned me a 750-word product review, and I remember sending it to him with bated breath because I honestly did not know if he would like it or not.

So if you’re feeling unsure about your own writing then I want you to know it’s completely normal.

And I want you to know that you can get to the point where you send in your work and feel confident about your writing.

How to Become a More Confident Writer

The biggest thing I want you to know is that it takes time to build confidence in your writing.

This will not happen overnight!

Here are seven steps you can take to help you get started.

1. Be willing to start small

I’ve talked a lot about the fact that my very first freelance writing job was super low-paying.

I wrote five 750-word product reviews for $40, which comes out to a whopping $8 per review.

In my opinion, it actually helped that my first job was so low-paying. Because I started so small, it took away a lot of the pressure I would have felt had I written for a bigger site.

And when that client told me how much he liked my product reviews, it gave me the confidence to find better-paying clients.

2. Understand the type of content you’re writing

A lot of the writers who contact me also enjoy writing fiction or poetry. And I want you to understand that being a freelancer is completely different from those types of writing.

Freelance writing is primarily about selling products and services. You’re creating informative, engaging content that will help move the customer along in the buying process.

Here are the main types of freelance writing jobs you’ll find:

Blog posts: This involves writing blog posts for businesses or online publications.

SEO content: SEO content is content that’s designed to rank in Google. You’ll often be assigned long-form blog posts and given certain keywords to include.

Ghostwriting: Ghostwritten content could be blog posts, eBooks, white papers, and more. You won’t be given a byline for your work, but ghostwriting can pay very well.

Copywriting: Copywriting involves writing marketing copy, like website content or emails. This type of content is designed to sell and often comes with a higher price tag.

Feature writing: This is what a lot of people think of when they imagine freelance writing. This involves pitching topics to bigger publications, and you can often write about things you’re more passionate about.

3. Know your client

The best way you can calm your nerves is by making sure you understand what your client is looking for.

The best way to learn this information is by asking them.

You can also take the time to browse around their website and see what kind of content is there already.

This will help you understand their business better and give you a better sense of their writing style.

And if that client sends you a style guide, make sure you read it! A style guide is basically an overview of their writing standards.

4. Know that Google is your friend

When you’re just getting started as a freelance writer, it is inevitable that there will be things you don’t know how to do.

For instance, I remember having a client send me their style guide and it said writers should always use an Oxford comma. I had no clue what that meant.

So what did I do? I googled, “What is an Oxford comma?” and figured it out pretty quickly.

A lot of people use not having all the answers as a reason not to start. They use it as a reason to feel overwhelmed and afraid, and let it hold them back.

And what I want you to know that you don’t need to have everything figured out to start. You can figure it out along the way.

Like Rachel Hollis says, everything you want to know can be found on Google for free.

5. Turn your work in early

If you want an easy way to immediately improve your client’s perception of your writing, make it a habit of always turning in assignments early.

In fact, any little way you can make your client’s life easier will make them feel more favorably about working with you. This includes things like:

Responding to their emails immediately
Implementing any edits they ask for within a day or two
Always having a good attitude

Your goal should be to make your client like working with you so much that they would never consider hiring another freelancer to replace you.

And then if you do make a mistake on one of your assignments, they’ll be more willing to overlook it because they like you so much.

6. Spend as much time writing as possible

To be honest, I kind of cringe when I go back and look at articles I wrote in 2016 and 2017. I’m a much better writer today than I was back then.

But I’ve improved because I’ve spent so much time writing over the past three years. To date, I’ve probably written at least 1,500 articles.

If you want to become a better writer, then you should make it your goal to spend as much time writing as possible. You’ll be amazed at how quickly your writing improves.

7. Know that you WILL make mistakes

Recently, I received an email from a new freelancer who said she’s worried that one of her clients will be disappointed with her writing.

And I told her that at some point, that will most definitely happen.

In some ways, I hate to say that because I never want to discourage anyone.

But if you want to be a paid writer then you have to accept the fact that some people will not like your writing style.

And at some point, you’ll likely make a mistake that will cause you to either lose a client or at the very least leave you feeling extremely embarrassed.

Guys, this is the way it’s supposed to be. Making mistakes is a sign that you’re putting yourself out there and trying something new.

If you’re not making any mistakes then I’m going to guess it’s because you’re stuck and not trying anything new.

Final Thoughts on Confidence

You’ve probably noticed that most of the tips in this blog post weren’t specifically about writing.

I didn’t recommend that you take a writing class or even try out any writing tools.

That’s because, at the end of the day, I don’t think any of those things are that useful.

When you’re just getting started, the best thing you can do is to start sending proposals and finding paid writing work.

Writing every day and working with clients is the only thing that’s going to give you the confidence you’re looking for.

If you’re feeling a little lost as to where to start, I would invite you to join me for a free Next Client Coaching Call. During this free 30-minute call, we’ll discuss your biggest freelancing hangups and help you identify one key step you can take to move forward in your business.

I only do three calls per week, so you can grab yours here before they’re gone:

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