So you sent the perfect query letter to your ideal client — the one whose blog you practically dream about writing for (that doesn’t make you a loser, right? Right.) — and you’re so freakin’ excited because they want to hire you!

But… not until they’ve spoken to you on the phone first.

Ah, shit.

Knowing you’re actually going to have to talk to somebody, using your own voice and your own brain full of your own thoughts, is terrifying. What if you ramble on, or stutter, or say something completely moronic that ruins your chances of ever being hired by anyone EVER AGAIN?

Fact is, some people simply will not hire you without talking to you first, either on the phone or via Skype. [Skype? Video calls? Double aargh!]

They want to hear your voice, know you’re trustworthy —professional— and that you are who you say you are. Basically, they want to get a feel for you (minds out of the gutter, please). More importantly, they want to know you’re going to be able to do the job justice. That you know the subject, can write about it in an informed manner, and have your own insightful comments to add.

And the worst part is, you know you can do it… you’re just not sure you can convince somebody of that over the phone. After all, you’re a writer, not a speaker. Shouldn’t your written words be enough, damn it?

Sadly not, mon petit pois. But fortunately, there are a few things you can do to up your on-the-phone game. Here are 11 tips to boost your chances of being hired to write for your dream blog (or, you know, any blog) over the phone: 

Picture this: your heart starts racing as if you just sprinted a marathon.

Cold sweat.

Clammy palms.

Panic ensues.

These were all the feelings that bubbled up to the surface when I discovered my published work had been stolen.

Google alerted me to the fact my first novel was being offered for free download. Only problem? My book isn’t free.

With my jaw on the ground and my stomach in my throat, I took all my panic and channeled it into research so I could fight back.

Here’s what I found out: this issue impacts all writers online. As a blogger, you might be at an even higher risk of having your work hijacked. Luckily there’s something we can all do to find out if our work has been stolen and then put the smack-down on the offenders. 

Inefficiency and procrastination are dream killers: a blogger’s worst enemies.

So why do many of us welcome them with open arms?

Blogging is one of your passions and it’s your job. Yet, sometimes it seems impossible to turn the world off, sit down and focus on what you love. Then once you do finally start writing, you feel like your mind inevitably wanders to anything and everything else!

Well, here’s the good news:

If you feel you aren’t the most efficient blogger, it is NOT because you aren’t capable of becoming one. There are fundamental reasons why your brain fails to do what you demand, and there are tangible explanations for why you aren’t as efficient at your craft as you’d like.

Let’s make blogging easy. Here’s how: 

You the Boss: “You gave your word. You have to send out 3 queries by the end of today. Now get off Facebook.”

You the Employee: “Yeah I know, but I can always do it tomorrow.”

You the Boss: “You’ve said that for a week!”

Does this sound familiar? We promise ourselves, and our ‘boss’ selves, that we’ll do it… tomorrow… tomorrow… tomorrow….

The hardest thing we do as freelance writers is navigate the role of boss and employee. We have to step up.

The best way to act as both is by conveying respect, motivation and encouragement.

Respect

If you had a boss other than yourself, you wouldn’t dare tell them you’ll do something tomorrow.  Show your ‘boss’ self some respect. When you say you’re going to do something, do it.