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Feel the Fear and for F*ck’s Sake Get Over Yourself [$100 Prize!]

Feel the Fear and for F*ck’s Sake Get Over Yourself [$100 Prize!]

How many posts are there about fear on this blog?

How many about confidence? To most people, confidence implies an absence of fear, so it’s pretty much the same topic.

And, oh, you’ve felt the fear. You feel it and hurt under it and let it drag you down into this swamp of self-doubt so you don’t get as much done as you know you could. When you do take action, you take it so nervously it hardly makes any impact.

That’s why there are a bazillion self-help books and blog posts about courage and bravery and confidence and self-esteem and assertiveness and “fake it til you make it” and it goes on. I’m stopping there.

Listen, I get it. It’s kinda scary when you’re not 100% sure what you’re doing, or if it’ll work. In blogger mentoring sessions, I often spend time reassuring my students that yes, they’re doing this right, they’re doing fine, they should keep doing it and aim a bit higher next time, nobody’s going to mind, the universe will not implode…

I get it.

But here’s what YOU might not be getting:

It doesn’t matter. Your fear is irrelevant.

Freelance bloggers, it’s time to get over it and get freelance blogging.

If you have a genuine phobia that makes it extremely unpleasant for you to even think about writing a blog post or sending an email to a potential client, you’re excused. [And you should probably get professional treatment to make your phobia easier to manage.] I know if my laptop were swarming with spiders, Arachnophobia-style, I wouldn’t get any work done because I’d be too busy hyperventilating.

But if you’re just a bit scared… then you need to get past, through or over that feeling.

Past, through, or over fear?

Pick whichever metaphorical direction works best for you.

To go past your fear, you don’t necessarily have to touch it. This is a drive-by approach to your doubts – you just say, “OK doubts, I see you there waiting for me and I am not stopping to pick you up because I’m not that stupid.” Then you ignore the fear and do what you need to do.

To go through your fear, you gotta make full contact with it. Like swimming through mud – you have to be inside the fear and continue moving despite it. It’s unpleasant, but afterwards you get to wash and, more important, you get to be on the other side of that mud barrier and reap the rewards of your new position.

To go over your fear, you have to stop fearing it. Let go of it and rise above it on a cloud of not-scared-anymore. Not in a “nothing to fear but fear itself” way – I’m not expecting you to simply banish all fear from your life with one wave of a magic wand –  but in an “I no longer fear this particular fear” way. Decide that the risk is one you’re willing to accept, and then accept it.

Question your fear, analyse it, ask yourself if it’s really necessary to your survival…

…and if it isn’t, deal with it now before it takes up any more of your valuable life.

Now, whatever your freelance blogging fear is, I’d like you to pitch me a blog post idea. It can be about your fear, or about something else, and I’m paying up to $100 – keep reading for all the details.

Enter the Pitchfest

Pitchfest: Win a $100 Blogging Prize with Be a Freelance Blogger

In case you’re not familiar, Pitchfest is a blog post pitching contest we run here on Be a Freelance Blogger every 3 months. You tell us your blog post idea and we choose our favorites, with prizes of up to $100 for the winners.

The contest starts today.

Your theme for this Pitchfest

This time we’re letting you choose the topic and theme of your pitch. You don’t have to pitch us an idea about fear, but you can if you want to.

Here’s the important part: Your pitch MUST be focused on freelance blogging (because that’s what we do here!). Whatever idea you present to us has to benefit freelance bloggers or their clients in some way, and you need to make that connection clear.

The rules

  • Anybody can enter the contest by typing (or pasting) their pitch into the comments box at the bottom of this page.
  • Only ONE PITCH per person, please.
  • Follow the pitch format I’ll tell you in a moment.
  • After you submit your pitch, Lauren and/or Sophie will offer feedback to help you optimize your idea for this blog’s audience and improve your pitching skills. You may also get feedback from other entrants, BAFB team members, and innocent bystanders — pay attention, because they represent your readers here.
  • After you get our feedback, you can revise your pitch if you like and re-submit it by pasting it into a follow-up comment. Yes, you can offer us a completely different idea if we’ve told you your first idea definitely won’t work for this blog. And yes, you can submit a revised pitch even after we stop accepting new entries.
  • If you win, we’ll ask you to send us a draft of at least 1000 words, so bear that minimum word count in mind when you pitch.

The prizes

  • First prize: $100 for your guest post, paid on publication.
  • Second prize: $50 for your guest post, paid on publication.
  • Third prize: A 3-question mentoring package with Sophie via email.

The deadline

  • Submit your pitch before the end of Saturday, June 10th, 2017.
  • We’ll announce the winners on June 17th.
  • If we choose your pitch, we expect you to deliver your first draft to Lauren by July 1st. (But if you need a little longer, let us know and we’ll work around it.)

How to pitch

  1. Read our general guest blogging guidelines first, then come back here to submit your pitch.
  2. Suggest at least one headline designed to make freelance bloggers want to read your post.
  3. Follow the headline with the opening lines you’d use in the post. No less than 30 words, no more than 60. You DON’T need to write a whole post (or even a whole introduction) before you pitch — we’d like to give you feedback on your idea before you write a draft.
  4. After the opening lines, give us no more than 6 points you’ll make in your post, and provide a one or two sentence summary of each point. (If you plan to make more than 6 points in your post, only tell us the most important 6 in your pitch.)
  5. Then explain in no more than 3 sentences why this is a great post for Be a Freelance Blogger and why you’re the right person to write it.
  6. Put your pitch in the comment box at the bottom of this page.
  7. Check the little box that says “Notify me of follow-up comments” so you’ll know when we’ve given you feedback.
  8. Submit your comment and if you followed all the steps above, you’re entered into the contest.

Extra tips

  • Remember to tell us why you think your blog idea will interest the people who read Be a Freelance Blogger.
  • To get a better idea of what we’re looking for in your pitch, study the pitches and responses in previous Pitchfests.
  • Save a copy of your pitch somewhere before you post it here — if your comment gets lost in the internet, you don’t wanna have to re-write it from scratch.
  • Your comment may get held in a moderation queue, especially if it contains hyperlinks. Don’t worry if that happens; we’ll get to it and reply!

OK, it’s time.

Let the Pitchfest begin! This contest is closed.

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Comments

  2. Headline: Top 5 Writing and Productivity Tools for Bloggers

    Let’s face it, blogging can be difficult, but staying organized and planning ahead doesn’t have to be! From blogger to blogger, these are the 5 apps I use to keep my schedule in control and write or brainstorm on the go.

    – Email by EasilyDo is a godsend for bloggers because it allows you to see all of your email accounts in one screen, allows you to unsubscribe from newsletters in one tap, and pick which email address you want to use when you’re sending an email. I think I can speak for a majority of bloggers when I say that we have multiple email addresses and a few too many email subscrpitions.
    – iThoughts is the best mind mapping app for iOS and PC users, hands down. You can access your mind maps from both devices and there are more editing features than you could ask for.
    – AwesomeNote2 is the unsung hero of note-taking and scheduling. It packs a calendar, to-dos, notes with folders, Markdown, visual and audio functionality, and even more all in one app.
    – Google Drive should be the new industry standard for writing instead of Microsoft Word for one reason: cloud storage. It’s completely replaced Word on my computer, and I know it can for other bloggers too.
    – Buffer is a great way to easily manage social media and schedule posts on your different accounts. It’s very simple and mostly free to use, and I would definitely recommend it to newer bloggers who aren’t comfortable with Hootsuite.

    This is a great post for Be a Freelance Blogger because it addresses a lot of pain points that bloggers commonly face. Whether you want to quickly send that email for a collaboration, jot down some ideas in the spur of the moment, or schedule out your Tweets for the next month, I can tell you which apps would allow you to do that. As a blogger and college student myself, I’m qualified to write this post because I know how difficult it’s to juggle both things and stay organized through it all.

    • I’m pretty sure we just recently had a post like this. When Lauren checks in, maybe she’ll be able to confirm…

      Even if we don’t ask you for a draft, this was a well-written pitch. 🙂

        • We get a LOT of pitches like this. The thing is, for it to really work, it has to have a BUNCH of tools listed, not just five. Partly for wordcount (it’s hard to write 1000+ words about just five products), but also for “value” for our audience/readers.

          For example, we recently had this post of 10 apps/tools specifically for freelance bloggers: http://beafreelanceblogger.com/freelance-blogging-apps/

          I’d say ten products is the minimum for a “list of apps/tools” post…

          • I could definitely expand on that list if that would make the pitch stronger. A few other tools I use are:

            6. Canva – Photo editing software that makes it super easy to create graphics for different social platforms. It has a website and app so you can work from different devices.
            7. BeFunky Photo Editor – Another photo editor app I use alongside Canva to make my images look better.
            8. Keywordtoolio – This is a website that lets you look up commonly searched keywords on Google. I’ve noticed that my search engine referrals increased a lot after I started using it.
            9. Pinterest – Great for picking up blogging tips and connecting with pro bloggers.
            10. Splice – Most video editor apps on the App Store are either expensive or difficult to use, but this one is free and about as simple as it gets.

  3. Not sure if this message will reach but im attempting to present some ideas.

  4. Hi Sophie and fellow BAFB’rs!

    While we constantly avoid fear, it’s actually the fuel for our biggest successes. The secret isn’t to brace and “conquer” it. All we need is a healthy dose of curiosity and a bit of storytelling. I share how jumping off a high dive without knowing how to swim led to some life-changing experiences, and what this taught me as a freelancer.

    Headline Idea:
    Why Fear is Your Secret Weapon for Freelance Blogging Success

    1. What One of My Scariest Moments Taught Me about Fear –

    2. How Freelance Bloggers Often Get in Their Own Way – hint: they often do this one thing to sabotage their own progress.

    3. When Does Fear Actually Help You – what are the signs that you’re on the healthy side of the “fear curve”?

    4. What to Do When Fear Overwhelms You as a Freelancer – how will you *respond* vs. react?
    A. Key first steps before it’s too late
    B. How lions and tigers and dark alleys go bye
    C. The most important part of facing fear as a freelancer

    5. What has been my Swiss Army knife for creative success
    A. How this has led to thousands of dollars in new business
    B. Why it’s better than the typical “follow your passion advice”
    C. When all else has failed, this won’t let you down

    Conclusion – what the most dangerous work environment in the world (life aboard an aircraft carrier) can show freelance bloggers about facing fears and achieving more than we ever imagined.

    BAFB readers will get a glimpse of a unique world and see how freelance blogging isn’t any more foreign or scary than other challenges they’ve faced. My goal is to engage BAFB readers to take their own fears and turn them into the fuel for their greatest desires.

    Having written mostly formal pieces for business clients such as business valuation reports, I get paid well for my business and technical expertise. I’d like to share some of my personal experiences as well. Writing as a guest blogger for BAFB would allow me to combine both my business background and unique life experiences. It’d be an honor to be selected as a guest blogger.

    What else should I include to make this an awesome BAFB piece?

    Thanks for your consideration – looking forward to finally working with BAFB!
    John

    • Are the high dive and the aircraft carrier related?

      I’d like a bit more info (one or two sentences is fine) on your point 2 and point 5A, please. 🙂

      • Without giving too much more away the high dive & aircraft carrier are related..

        Point 2 – hmm.. not sure what to say without giving everything away..

        5A – Between commercial real estate & business consulting clients this tool has been invaluable over fear!

        • I really wish you could have told us a little more. I’m VERY curious about what you have to offer with this piece, but, without the information Sophie asked for, and a bit more clarity overall, I can’t really judge whether or not this would be a good fit for the BAFB audience.

  5. My proposed title: How a Look at Traditional Marketing Can Aid Creation of Bespoke Content

    Fifty years ago, marketers did not have access to all the tools that a marketing genius can use today. Still, a good marketer could use those few tools to catch the eye and interest of a potential customer. For that reason, a close look at traditional marketing can aid creation of bespoke content.

    1. What is the meaning of bespoke content? Bespoke is a term that comes from England, It refers to the customization of something. Bespoke content has been customized to fit the needs and interests of those that are expected to read it.

    2. Web design and content creation must work in harmony. The significance of that observation will be explained by using an example that harks back to the time of traditional marketing. That example will compare the items in a store to the text and images on a site’s web pages.

    3. Selection of a theme can aid creation of bespoke content. Traditional marketers often used displays to promote a product. A look at one of the displays that was chosen as an example of great marketing.

    4. Selection of a theme can add to a content’s marketing value. It forces the creator to have a unique slant on an often-used subject. It helps to hold the reader’s interest.

    5. Brand-building and content creation: How marketers select certain catch phrases. What a phrase says about a brand. What a brand says about the brand’s creator.

    6. Are the phrases used by brands changing. One example that suggests that the answer to that question in “yes.” How those changes can be utilized by someone that aspires to create bespoke content.

    This post is directed to someone that wants to use a blog, in order to promote a given product or service. The writer has drawn on what she learned during her long exposure to traditional marketing. In the past, the writer has worked with a all sorts of clients, each of which hoped to improve upon his or her e-marketing efforts. The writer has found her earlier exposure to traditional marketing to be a great asset.

    • I’m interested in the idea of comparing traditional marketing to blog content creation, but I don’t think I’m getting a full sense of your points from your pitch. Can you add more specifics of how looking at themes and design and brand phrases will help freelance bloggers create content that’s more-than-usually tailored to the client and their audience?

  6. “But It’s Not Perfect Yet…”

    No. No, it’s not, and neither are you. Neither is the first time Mom who is certain she’s the worst mother ever with her babies first diaper rash, until you post your own about the time you…

    1) There’s a list of things that a person can die from; a Heart Attack, Diabetes, Lung Cancer….public humiliation… Nope. Not on the list!

    2) It will never be perfect, to you. But it will be perfect for exactly who needs to read it, at exactly the right time.

    3) Writing is not about what you write. It’s about who your writing reaches.

    4) OK, Emily Dickinson! She chased perfect. But she kept writing, and the depths of her works are still being interpreted by scholars everywhere. It’s a process. You are right where you are suppose to be.

    5) What if Charles Dickens waited for perfect? He rewrote many of his Classics, after sharing them with dozens of reviewers and friends.

    6) There really is a “last day”. What if…….the tale in your heart, never gets told. Or the grand kids you don’t have yet, never get to hear the advice you’d give them about change?

    This is a great post because the number one reason every potential blogger doesn’t post, is “it’s not perfect yet”. My great, great, great, great aunt was Mary Shelley who I could never live up to. But what I do sat when I write, does touch some souls, and does reach exactly the write person at exactly the write time.

    Best

    Jackie Bassett, Writer
    Jackieb@sealedspeed.com

    • Interesting thought, Jackie. Can you offer advice for freelance bloggers in this context, given that they’ll be writing what their client needs instead of their own stories?

    • Love the personality in your pitch, Jackie! And I often tell my mentoring students that “perfectionism is just another form of procrastination.” Worrying about “perfect” DEFINITELY slows freelancers down!

      I’m a bit concerned that this isn’t tailored enough for freelance bloggers though. And I think Sophie said something similar…

  7. PITCHFEST!
    Confidence Here.
    Confidence infects every aspect of our lives. No matter the activity, it become easier with confidence. School, relationships, work, all seem to go swimmingly for those brimming with confidence. To me, it begs the question which came first. I want to expand on how confidence affect different aspects of life. I find that so many people who have extreme confidence and success in one aspect of life, have a severe lack in other aspects. Career driven individuals have such strong focus that it can detract from personal relationships. Writers are so often introverts that have found a way to express inner thoughts. I would love to tell my personal story that ties together these points, with proved explanations!

  8. Hi, Sophie
    Here’s my submission for the PITCHFEST.

    Headline: Why you need to get to know how Generation Z thinks so you can blog better!

    They’re Millennials, but not as you know them. Meet Generation Z – the emerging cohort of pragmatic, entrepreneurial, competitive and tech-savvy folks. Oh, and they’re easily distracted. Here are some tips on engaging them with your content.

    * Generation Z are generally considered to be those born in 1995 to as late as 2015
    * They want to make a social Impact, find meaning in their work, but it’s also going to influence their choices as a consumer – connect with their values
    * The Centre for Generational Kinetics (http://genhq.com/) has recently released some insightful research about how Gen Z thinks and operates – the blog post will pick up some of those gems
    * One of the key findings is that Gen Z is more diverse – “Brands and employers will have to learn how to see the world through the diverse eyes of Gen Z if they want to win their loyalty.”

    This is a great post for your site because it reminds bloggers that one size won’t fit all. You really need to know your audience, their values, what makes them tick. These insights will help bloggers better target their content, improve their engagement and connection with Gen Z, even understand themselves better.

    As a ghostwriting blogger for the world’s top education writer on LinkedIn, plus quite a few other sites AND also a casual elementary and high school teacher, I’m dealing with Gen Z daily from theoretical and face-to-face perspectives. I can bring unique insights into this blog.

  9. How to Organize a Chaotic Mind, Stop Procrastinating, and Start Writing

    If, like me, your mind seems to be muddled and chaotic to the point that you can’t sit down and write the blog posts you know are lurking in there somewhere, don’t give up! There is hope. If you are willing to take the time, you can organize the chaos, using the steps outlined below, and get those posts written.

    1. Baby Steps – Don’t try to jump in feet first and bang out an amazing blog post in one sitting. Your brain isn’t working the way other people’s brains work. You need to plan your post, as well as scheduling the time to write it.
    2. Keep a Notebook and Pen with You at All Times – Every time you have an idea for a blog post, write it down. You won’t remember them when you sit down at your scheduled time to write.
    3. Schedule Your Time – Schedule your day as best you can, but most importantly, schedule a time for writing. Always stick to your scheduled writing time, and write. Even if it turns out to be nonsense, write!
    4. Write the Blog Post – Even if you don’t know who you are going to submit your guest blog post to, follow through and complete the post. You never know when you’ll find the perfect blog to pitch your post to.

    This is perfect for BAFB because a lot of us are just getting started as freelance bloggers. If we are full of self-doubt, but sure this is what we should be doing, it’s just a matter of taking control. As a prospective freelance blogger, and former type A perfectionist who battles with the chaos of bipolar disorder, major depression, anxiety, and a whopping case of fibro-fog (fibromyalgia induced brain fog), I can share the process that I use to keep myself on track.

    • Points 1 through 3 make sense to me! Point 4 I don’t think I could do myself – I like to know exactly who I’m writing for *before* I write anything. But if this approach helps you, it may help others too. 🙂

    • I have mixed feelings about this pitch. The actual pitch left me a little cold because it felt super basic… But your bio had me VERY intrigued.

      I know plenty of freelance bloggers who suffer from “fibro-fog” (sadly…), and I could see a post about that — as well as the anxiety issues that often come with it — being very helpful and interesting to our readers. One of our most popular posts on here is one having to do with mental health: http://beafreelanceblogger.com/mental-illness/

      I’m also quite fond of THIS post – http://beafreelanceblogger.com/writing-disability/ – about having to write with a disability.

      I’d love to see a pitch from you, even utilizing some of the tips you mentioned here (but more in-depth), about how freelance bloggers can continue to earn money for themselves AND their clients, even when they’re in a physical or mental funk.

  10. Oh, this is super interesting! I’ve never heard of this before, and that’s really awesome that you guys have guest bloggers. I look forward to the chosen blog! 🙂

  11. Hi, Sophie – thanks for the opportunity!

    …

    Procrastination: When You’re Scared to Get Started on Your Freelancing

    You’ve blocked off your freelancing time, you have your clients and assignments all lined up, everything is ready to go…and you’re cruising around on social media, not sure why you can’t get started. You open your word processing program, check the requirements, and take a few seconds to research one last thing…and it’s three hours later, and you’re playing a video game with your neighbor’s six-year-old kid (and losing). You’ve done solitaire, Words With Friends, Angry Birds, Farmville and…

    You still haven’t started your freelance work for the day. You mean to. Really you do. But every time you try to get started, you get distracted and before you realize it, you’ve wasted the day.

    Here’s how to start recognizing the habit of procrastination and learn what steps you can take to negotiate with your inner two-year-old and their delaying tactics!

    –What is procrastination. Procrastination is fear that you’re not going to be able to write perfectly to spec.

    –The viscous cycle of “can’t do/must do.” Being trapped between “I can’t write this article because XYZ,” and “And yet I must write this article.”

    –First step: make sure you know the requirements thoroughly. If not, ask for clarification.

    –Second step: everyone’s process is different. Research and plan the way that feels comfortable…but give yourself permission (and get it from the client, if necessary) to run with inspiration if it hits.

    –Third step: Take a minute to put yourself in a growth mindset, and give yourself permission to fail–and come up with a plan for how you’ll communicate with your client if you do.

    –Finally: Once you start writing, the only person’s opinion who matters is your inner-two-year-old’s–not your inner editor, not your client, not your English teacher from high school, not your parents, and not any other writer. You can edit after you get a first draft done!

    This is a great post for Be A Freelance Blogger because…the fear of getting judged and letting that mess with your ability to write never, ever ends, and just when you think you have it conquered, it pops back up again. I’m the right person to write this article because I am always afraid, but I don’t let it stop me from writing (for long). I’ve completed 27+ novellas and novels since 2013 (I mostly ghostwrite), and every one of them has had at least one stretch where my teeth chatter and my stomach clenches…and that has nothing to do with the plot.

  12. Hell Lauren!

    My name is Gina Marie and I am new here. I stumbled across your site less than 36 hours. In that short time I have recieved the “Ultimate List of Better Paying Blogging Gigs” and read 5 articles and I am highly impressed at the wealth of information you share with your readers. I also love the fact that you’re blog feels like a community. The readers are the writers and vice versa, I love it! I thank you for providing a space like this. I’d love to write an article for pitchfest. Below is an article outline that I think would really help your audience:

    Title:

    4 Tips You Don’t Want To Do But Will Greatly Help Your New Freelance Business

    Opening Line:

    Not every freelance opportunity comes attached with a high dollar sign in front of it. Now before you close this article up and scroll on to something else, bear with me while I explain.

    The 4 subtitles:

    -Service for Service.
    Write blog content in exachange for services for your business and/or personal life.

    – Aim At What You Can Actually Reach.
    Contact bloggers on your level or startup companies and write for them in exchange for product and/or purposes of building your portfolio.

    – Say Yes To New Friends.
    Socialize outside of online and blogging networks. Build genuine connections and friendships on and offline with people.

    -Don’t Quit Your 9 to 5 Yet
    Most companies have a website. Pitch a service within your current employer on how to improve their web content.

    Each point will also explain personal personal examples of how I have utilize each point.

    I believe this post would be great for Be A Freelance Blogger because sometimes new aspiring bloggers think great opportunities are only attached with a paycheck and they miss out on the key component to starting any business-building relationships.

    I feel like I’m the best person for this job because I am currently successfully practicing this and I desire to share the mental benefits as well as tangible benefits that can come from these tips

    Let me know if you think this idea would be a good fit for your blog. I can be contacted best by email at ginamarie (at) veganwithcurves (dot) com

    Thanks so much and I look forward to hearing from you!

    Many Blessings,
    Gina Marie

    • My apologies. Let’s try this again.

      Hello Sophie !

      My name is Gina Marie and I am new here. I stumbled across your site less than 36 hours. In that short time I have recieved the “Ultimate List of Better Paying Blogging Gigs” and read 5 articles and I am highly impressed at the wealth of information you share with your readers. I also love the fact that you’re blog feels like a community. The readers are the writers and vice versa, I love it! I thank you for providing a space like this. I’d love to write an article for pitchfest. Below is an article outline that I think would really help your audience:

      Title:

      4 Tips You Don’t Want To Do But Will Greatly Help Your New Freelance Business

      Opening Line:

      Not every freelance opportunity comes attached with a high dollar sign in front of it. Now before you close this article up and scroll on to something else, bear with me while I explain.

      The 4 subtitles:

      -Service for Service.
      Write blog content in exachange for services for your business and/or personal life.

      – Aim At What You Can Actually Reach.
      Contact bloggers on your level or startup companies and write for them in exchange for product and/or purposes of building your portfolio.

      – Say Yes To New Friends.
      Socialize outside of online and blogging networks. Build genuine connections and friendships on and offline with people.

      -Don’t Quit Your 9 to 5 Yet
      Most companies have a website. Pitch a service within your current employer on how to improve their web content.

      Each point will also explain personal personal examples of how I have utilize each point.

      I believe this post would be great for Be A Freelance Blogger because sometimes new aspiring bloggers think great opportunities are only attached with a paycheck and they miss out on the key component to starting any business-building relationships.

      I feel like I’m the best person for this job because I am currently successfully practicing this and I desire to share the mental benefits as well as tangible benefits that can come from these tips

      Let me know if you think this idea would be a good fit for your blog. I can be contacted best by email at ginamarie (at) veganwithcurves (dot) com

      Thanks so much and I look forward to hearing from you!

      Many Blessings,
      Gina Marie

      • Nicely pitched, Gina. I have to be honest: I’ll be more interested in your pitch 6 or 12 months from now, when you have a bit more experience and more insights to share on the topic of unpaid work. Keep going! 🙂

      • I agree with Sophie. This was a great pitch, but I’m not sure how much help you’d be to our readers without too much experience under your belt just yet (“blind leading the blind” and all that…). But I honestly DO hope you come back because you’ve got a great style. 🙂

        Side note: Your e-mail address (“vegan with curves”) is adorable.

  13. Fear – fight, flee, freeze or f*ck it?

    Your know fear – every normal, sane person knows fear. A primal emotion, hard wired into our very core, fear is both friend and enemy.
    How do you deal with it? Do your fight fear, do you flee? Do you freeze at your computer or do you just say “F*ck you” and carry on?

    1. Why Are We Afraid? Our best friend protects us
    2. Imagine the worst . Jokey manner – non threatening
    3. Flee. Procrastinate – and tip how not to
    4.Freeze. Sit at computer and nothing comes..tip to overcome this
    5. Fight. Bad response for health – tip to stop fighting
    6. F*ck it. Great response and how to do it

    Fear undermines much of what we do and diminishes us as a person. It is common to all of us and I do know some ways to prevent it – I had a clinic where I successfully treated phobias (all except mine – I still can’t stand spiders). I would love to write this post.
    2.

    • This is interesting, especially because you have a background in treating phobias! However, I’m not seeing a clear connection to freelance blogging – can you add more specific details about how you’ll tailor your post to our audience?

      • Thank you for your comments.
        I intended that each paragraph would deal with one of the four responses – but you are right – it needs to be right at the beginning

        second attempt:

        Fear – fight, flee, freeze or f*ck it? Does fear stop you writing? Do you fight it, do you flee and procrastinate, do you freeze at your computer, the blank page leering at you – or do you just f*ck it and carry on? How do you deal with it?
        Your know fear – every normal, sane person knows fear. A primal emotion…

  14. Title: How Freelance Writing Blogs Can Mislead You

    Opening Lines: Ah, the ubiquitous blog. On any given day hundreds of millions of words are produced on subjects seemingly spanning the whole of the human experience. There are even blogs about blogging. Yet while a painting about painting might be looked at askance outside of the most esoteric circles of modern art, these meta-blogs are relatively well-accepted.

    1: Not All Writers Are The Same
    “I’ve been a writing tutor in college for four years. The issues and hangups people have in writing are as diverse as the topics of the papers I’ve read—from mandatory Freshman reflective journals to peer-reviewed graduate theses on the intersection of medicine and literature. All of them have problems. Blogs generally are too impersonal a medium to comprehensively address your issues specifically.”

    2: Not All Bloggers Succeed In The Same Way
    “Words are increasingly cheap, and it’s easier than ever for someone to submit their voice online. Your favorite freelance meta-blogger may have become successful on sites which—when they were submitting their pitches—received a fraction of the submissions they might now. For that matter, some freelancers are willing to write any article that might conceivably get published—check the most recent articles from Buzzfeed if you don’t believe me—while others are more principled, or at least interested in less viral matters.”

    3: Freelance Bloggers Do It For The Money
    “Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase, “too good to be true.” So why, then, are people so ready and willing to believe that some blogger is happy and willing to share the “secrets to success” for free online?”

    4: Reading Blogs About Blogging Is Another Form Of Procrastination
    “For all the inspired “get out there and do it” rhetoric employed on many of these blogs, reading them is still decidedly not blogging. Why would someone keep reading the Wikihow article on, say, baking a soufflé when they could try baking instead?”

    I am a student of philosophy and literature whose learning experiences have nurtured a fiercely critical spirit and a love for writing. As a young, beginner freelance blogger I can employ my critical skill and relatable perspective to write a punchy but well-considered article that embodies the tone and spirit of this website and addresses some concerns of its readers. Most of all, however, I believe that self-critical reflection is an important aspect of any site aiming to provide nuanced, balanced, and above all productive insights on a subject.

    Thank you for reading.

      • Hiya Sophie,

        Flattered you liked my pitch. Primarily, the guidance in this piece is directed towards the demographic of people who may read a great deal of blogs about blogging but who don’t blog themselves, or remain stymied in their attempts to be a successful blogger.

        In pointing out some of the shortfalls of blogs about blogging I deal with the additional barriers that exist to success beyond what you might find on a blog. For example, there are style manuals online as well as places to get free feedback on your pieces (Reddit and other writing forums) that address people’s stylistic/ grammatical issues in my first point.

        The core message I have is for people to blog about what they’re most passionate on and constantly self-edit, with self-editing tips and tricks I’ve learned from 4 years of writing tutoring. There’s no “one true path” to blogging success and while blogs about blogging can help you along that path, that’s ultimately something you need to find yourself. Take the things you learn online with a grain of salt and embrace the things that make your blogging unique and marketable- you’re the only expert on you.

        Let me know if this interests you. Thanks for your consideration 🙂

  15. 6 Tips for Introverts to Get Work in the Freelance Blogging World

    As introverts, we deal with a whole different set of obstacles as freelance bloggers and writers. The actual search for work, communicating, and selling ourselves is hard enough, but then you also have to network and get over the awkwardness of continuing to communicate with the same people on a professional level as you (hopefully) continue working for them.

    1. Searching for freelance blogging work as an introvert
    Not only are we worrying about the search itself and what comes after, we also have to figure out where and when to look that doesn’t give us the heebie jeebies or make us run in the opposite direction. I want to discuss a few ways to get started that can work for you, to get yourself going in the right direction with your freelance blogging career.

    2. Communicating as an introvert looking for freelance blogging work
    Being able to communicate with our prospective clients while looking for work can be an obstacle that we have to overcome to thrive. This is another one where I would like to share with you how to communicate in a way that works for you, such as starting with email and only agreeing to phone calls or video chats if they ask for it. Then, also how to handle those situations as well.

    3. Putting your best foot forward when applying, or pitching
    Selling yourself often makes you feel icky, I know it does for me, but there is a way to do it while feeling confident and putting your best foot forward when applying or pitching for work.

    4. Landing the job as an introvert in the freelance blogging world
    Finally, the part of actually landing the job. It includes being open to their methods and doing your best to handle them in a way that keeps you feeling as confident as you can. You have skills that are valuable to your prospective clients and you need to remember that as you land the job and close the “sale.”

    5. Networking without feeling drained or totally awkward
    As an introvert, networking is another of those draining and awkward experiences. However, I have found ways to network without feeling as drained or awkward and would love to share those with you, from doing a bulk of your networking online (and this has actually helped me land a few jobs) to practicing self-talk.

    6. Getting continued work or referrals from clients, as well as more work from new clients`
    Continuing to work with the same people can sometimes be awkward and tough until you get to know them better and feel more comfortable interacting with them, forget asking for referrals. Then you still have to continue looking for new clients because one position is rarely enough to make a living off of, especially when you’re just getting started!

    This is a great post for Be a Freelance Blogger because there are quite a few freelance bloggers, and bloggers in general, that are introverts and need tips to best handle that while still landing work. I’m the right person to write it because I am an introvert freelance blogger and writer, and have found ways to deal with that as I pursue my career, which is still a bit new but continuously moving in the right direction!

  16. Mother Wr**er

    Also the freelancers can fear this moment in their career, when they need a ‘maternity leave’; a baby take all of our time and energy, but the worst is the ‘what if’ situation then, when after this ‘break’ what if we are not able to write as well as we used to do anymore ?

    Being a freelancer mother or a “mother writer” has advantages :
    * We can manage our planning and both be available for our baby and for our articles .
    * We can share our experience : tips, fears, etc, it’s both personal and also a way to exorcise our feelings, because even if motherhood is universal it’s also so different from a mother to another one; we receive feedbacks who reassure us and we can help other mothers.
    * We can have a lot of fun writing articles about things we tested during the pregnancy and then for our babies (clothes, creams, stroller, baby’s bed etc).

    I’m a freelancer mother of sweet girl who’s 14 months. I know how to manage my time between my job and my child, I’ve been through a lot of unpredictables things (she stayed three months in hospital after her birth, she’s a high needs baby), I learned a lot about breastfeedings etc. I’m a new woman and a brand new writer now.

  17. How to Make Money when You’re Super Busy by Freelance Blogging

    I used to think I was busy after my wife and I had one kid.

    Then we had twin girls.

    Not only did I want to make more money by freelance blogging; now I needed more money!

    Here are the points I will make:
    -Even with sleepless nights, success gives you energy.
    -Time is relative. The faster you are moving, the more time you have.
    -More time is wasted by indecision and uncertainty than productive work
    -How I got four clients in one week by using my time wisely
    -How you can be extremely successful while using 4x less time

    This is a great addition to Be A Freelance Blogger because it adds a unique perspective for all those parents or other super busy people. I used to give up on freelance blogging because I thought I had no time. Now I have a full-time teaching job, three kids under the age of 3, and run my own blog, while still writing for multiple clients as a freelance blogger.

    Thanks for consideration and feedback!
    Ryan

    • Hey, Ryan!

      Your last two points piqued my interest, but I wish you would have given a few more details as to what you were planning to talk about. Your outline is pretty bare (though I did like your intro), so it’s hard to tell if it will be a good fit.

  18. How To Get New Clients In 30 Days Without Frustration.

    As you look at your email, you break into tears and frustration.
    No leads, No clients, No sales, and you can’t help wondering….
    Do you need to wait forever for that one client to email you? You now feel like every guru out there is hiding something.

    Seriously…

    What the heck happened?

    The Painful Truth: Most Client Generation Strategies Take Months and Sometimes forever.

    I will name 5 common client generation strategies and why they don’t work anymore for a new freelance blogger with no credibility.

    The Only Four Steps That Work for Beginning Freelancers.

    1. Research the first 100 clients/companies that you would love to work with.

    2. Approach the first 5 clients in your list

    -They are 3 reasons for this -An email script on what to say on your pitch

    3. Guest post case study

    -An Email script on what to say on your pitch -Hard for a famous blogger to reject case study and here is why.

    4. Send An Email to the first 20 clients in your list.

    -Three things to include in your email script to close the deal.

    Conclusion.

    What to expect after using this four step approach. Expect to receive 6 leads when you send out 10 emails. The four steps outlined above give you the foundation to close more deals

    Why My Idea Is Great?

    There are so many ideas on the internet on how to get clients to your freelance business. It is overwhelming to follow through these ideas. The most common idea is sending a cold email. Cold emailing is not effective when you are starting out. You lack credibility and not even a single client will hire you. It takes numbers and time. Guest posts are good, but it takes time to find the right topic for that audience. Most clients want proof that you can get them results and this is the main idea for this post. I want to show you a better way you can convince clients that you are the main person for the job. And I will explain all that in my four step approach. You only need to send 10 emails or less for this work.

  19. Getting Through The Writer’s Bane

    Better and more experienced writers than I have written articles on writer’s block.
    So why read mine?

    Perhaps you ought to because I am ME. That is never-before, never-again, unique me. Just like you, my experiences and writer’s journey are like none other in the world.
    So here is my advice on pushing through the bane that is writer’s block:

    Visit An Old Memory: The simple fact that you are alive means that a) you have memories and b) you have at least one story. A memory, whether it is a smell, something you saw, heard, tasted or felt can inspire your story.

    That One Song
    We all have it that particular song on our phones that we have never listened to till the end. Play that song and listen to the words; then play it again and feel the emotions.

    Read Your Old Writing.
    As you are reading, you may notice some ideas your younger self was not able to fully articulate. Or you may have a different (and hopefully better) paradigm than you did when you wrote whatever it is you are reading.

    Re-read A Novel
    As you get older, you learn more things; you change your opinions of other things. Things that may not have occurred to you or clicked with your younger self will do so now and can inspire you.

    Jump Up And Down.
    Whatever form of exercise you can do, do it. When you are done write down what it felt like to be out of breath or to have felt heavy, write down what those released endorphins gave you.

    The worst thing for a writer is to be unable to write and let’s face it, there are sometimes that words are just not coming out. So we need to make them come otherwise we loose a lot of time and sometimes money.

    I feel that I am the right person to write this because 1) the generational tint on my world view is different than most authors of writing advice I see (I am 17); 2) See the second paragraph

  20. Hello Everyone!! I’m excited for this opportunity and I wish everyone the best of luck!

    Headline: The Art of becoming a Freelance Ninja

    This post will reflect the many questions i faced as a newbie freelance writer. Things they don’t tell you in the process. The step two after you push the launch button on your website. I am here to remedy that gray area in all my research.

    Lesson 1: Discipline
    As freelance writers we need to stay organized so that we can manage the many tasks needed to become successful. Freelance blogging is WORK! if you are not prepared to work then quit now, however I encourage everyone to persevere. Batching, calendar/organizer, trello/evernote, notebooks or even your smartphone notepad are tools that can make this process easier. The amount of small tasks need to successfully write can be overwhelming

    Lesson 2: Sacrifice
    In the beginning we all must put in work to accomplish the overall goal of blogger success! Persistence and time is key. The amount of time I put in for research, creation of images, social media accounts and writing takes some effort.

    Lesson 3: Team work and Networking

    Lesson 4:Mastering the pitch

    These skills are imperative to becoming a successful freelance blogger. These Ninja skills are what I believe be a freelance blogger is all about. The education and overall uplifting of fellow freelance bloggers one post at a time.

    I am a mom, blogger at LifestyleAccordinglyBlog.com and freelance content writer. My blogging focus on your overall lifestyle success- personal finance, mental and physical wellness. I enjoy writing, reading and helping others. I blog part time and am on a journey to debt freedom for my family. My goal is to write a book on personal wellness to encourage single parents who fight for their children’s well-being alone.

    Thanks for the opportunity

    • Sorry part of pitch got cut off.

      lesson 3: Team work and Networking
      The art of networking and meeting new people. You must be able to step out of your comfort zone and be a business owner. In order to grow your brand you must get people to recognize it. Social media, conferences and pitching/guest posting is the best way to accomplish that goal.

      lesson 4:
      In order to master your pitch you must be confident in yourself that you WILL be able to provide an Amazing product for the client. Pitch so much your fingers cramp! Reach out to others within your niche and tell them why they need you to write for them.

      • Thank you for coming back and adding more to your pitch. 🙂

        I really like this one. If you published it for us, I’d love to see more of the “ninja” theme riddled throughout. I’m a sucker for a good theme, and the title is too juicy not to take advantage of.

        • Ok. how about more ninja moves for the lesson titles like:
          1. Discipline–Balancing the crane
          2. Sacrifice– Defeating the Enemy
          3. Teamwork and networking–This is your world. shape it or someone else will.
          4. master the pitch– Becoming a master/ The final battle

  22. Hi Sophie! I have been reading BAFB for a while now, and I love the fact that you are very straightforward and honest in your approach. So I thought I will chip in a piece in this round of PitchFest. I am confident that it will provide a lot of value to your readers.

    Topic: How to Get Better Freelance Blogging Clients and Be Successful

    Being a freelance blogger is not an easy job. You are responsible for hunting down your own clients, bringing in regular work, and paying off your living expenses and hospital bills. In short: you are swimming solo in the open sea.

    In this article I will map out how to differentiate good leads from time-wasters, and the exact steps you can take to qualify your leads and seal the deal.

    Good Leads vs. Bad Leads

    A good lead is someone with a genuine problem who is willing to invest good money to get it solved. They aren’t looking for cheap deals or freebies.

    The 5-line Email Pitch to Qualify Your Leads

    A short email that quickly maps out a brief offer and puts in a simple yes/no call-to-action in the end. The idea is to see if the lead is interested and not waste your time crafting lengthy offers. Also, people tend to skip long emails.

    How to Use Exploratory Questions to Build Trust When Your Lead Says Yes

    Exploratory questions help you know if your services are good for the client AND if the client is good for you. Don’t be a loser and accept every job.

    Use Aspirational and Diagnostic Questions to Craft Value-Added Services

    Clients that trust you bring in more work and even recommend your services to their friends. These questions help you get there. And also help you to tag in additional services that are in-line with the client’s needs.

    How to Close the Deal by Using the Teaser Strategy

    When you are sure the client is interested and trusts you, send them a work proposal that outlines only the first step of the project. Reduce the client’s risk and don’t send a lengthy contract that may cause them to back off. If the teaser work is successful, you can go in deeper.

    When to Discuss the Pay, What to Do if the Client Asks for a Quote Prematurely, and Should You Work for Free

    Never reveal your rate until you are sure the client sees the value of your work and knows that the price you quote will be an investment. This section also contains tips on how to deal with clients who want to know this too soon, and discusses why working for free is good only if there is some benefit to you (testimonials, introductions etc.).

    Why is this idea a good fit for BAFB, and why am I the perfect person to write this?

    There is a lot of competition out there in the freelancing field, and this article will allow the reader to knuckle down, stand out from the crowd, and get good paying clients.

    As for me, I am a freelance writer who has used these techniques and landed good clients in the past. There have been some mistakes along the way too (which I intend to put in the article too), but I can vouch that this tips work.

    Let me know if you think this idea works for BAFB.

    – Valeria Black

    • Well done, Valeria! I really liked this pitch. This would be a perfect post for templates. If you wrote up templates for how our readers can ask those all-too-important questions (or some example questions), I think this could be great.

      • Hey Lauren! I am with you on this one. This article will be all about templates for the 5-line email pitch, the questions, offers etc. I also intend to use one example to explain all the overarching concepts by showing how I landed one client for a blogging project.

        Do you want me to share a snippet here?

        For example, some of the exploratory questions I used are:-

        1. What are your key goals for your blog?
        2. What would make you really happy about your blog, in terms of achievements, in the next 3 months?
        3. What is it about your blog that makes your stand out in your niche?

        Thank you so much for your positive response. Just let me know if you want more details or want me to change anything.

        Cheers!

  23. Where to Find Accurate and Reliable Tertiary Sources for Your Blog Post

    It’s very likely that at some point, you’ll blog about something you’re not 100% sure about, and that means doing a little research. Considering the internet overflows with information, both helpful and…not so much… The trick is finding trustworthy sources that you can site, worry-free.

    1. Start With the Easiest.
    Wikipedia, which some would argue is not a reliable source, can at least point you in the direction of other potential helpful sources. It’s definitely a good starting point since Wikipedia is a resource that is publicly created and edited by volunteers all over the world.

    2. Read Through News Archives
    Let’s say you’re writing a blog post about clothing made in the U.S., and what stores provide them. One really helpful source can be searching through local news outlets, where someone talked to the experts directly.

    3. Make Some Calls.
    Sometimes the best way to find an answer is to simply ask around. Search through a directory and start making calls. More often than not, if you ask someone a question, they want to help, and some might even be able to introduce you to the experts.

    This is a helpful blog post for Freelance Bloggers who want to build a good and trustworthy relationship with their audience and/or clients. Some of the most profitable freelance writing opportunities are Business to Business or Business to Customer writing, which means having the right resources to back up your clients’ claims. As a former journalist who firmly believes it reporting the truth, freelance bloggers should not only write engaging and insightful content but accurate content.

  24. “I just need my covfefe, or how to make the most of your mistakes”

    Yes, we all do mistakes. Have you ever sent a message to a client with a stupid typo because you were in a so much hurry that did not double-check it? Or, have you ever found a mistake in your post after publishing it and knowing that thousands of people saw that? And what about grammar? If you have, at least once, you know what I’m talking about. It feels awful. Embarrassment. Regret. Damn.

    We are not perfect and you can’t prevent yourself from making mistakes. But you can benefit from them by knowing how to deal with them on your very tricky path to being a freelance blogger. Here are some tips how can you boost your confidence and continue following a successful career despite any difficulties:

    1. Know your weaknesses. You have to face the mistakes you make and know how to deal with them. Distinguish all four types of mistakes (involved, stupid, complex and simple) and know which one do you prefer the most. Also, know, if mistakes are your hobby, it’s going to be a challenge.
    2. Humor is key. But do not take everything so seriously. Everyone makes mistakes. Even computers (because they are made by a human, right?). But the difference between a person and a computer that the first one can laugh at him or herself no matter what. Let yourself be funny. It’s fun.
    3. Don’t be a quitter. You made a mistake, so what? It’s not the end of the world, it’s just a mistake. Don’t quit easily just because you did something embarrassing. Make sure you have done this at least twice (remember about humor?), just to be sure that this is not working
    4. Acceptance is your superpower. Accepting mistakes and not apologizing for them is the first step to self-improvement. Don’t be scared of them, accept them. You can do mistakes, sometimes you even like doing them, they are fun.
    4. Stay calm. It’s true. When you accept and let yourself make mistakes you become calmer. There’s no need to prove that you do not do mistakes. You do. But you know how to deal with them. You can compare it with a situation of emergency when you have a first aid kit. But when you know what to do with this – you are calmer than never before.
    5. Seek for a solution. Other people do mistakes either. Why do not learn from them, or at least share your experience with them? It sure helps to feel less lonely and frightened, when you understand that there are plenty of others struggling with their mistakes just as much as you do.
    6. Remember, not making mistake is a mistake. This is a process of self-improvement you desperately need if you are looking for a place in a creative industry or any other competitive business. It won’t help you to make many mistakes, but it will help you to clarify your goals and the path you are looking for.

    Freelancing is the most demanding thing one could choose to do. This post will help to boost the confidence of a reader and (hopefully) to make judging his/hers mistakes less harshly, which usually prevents people from quitting the field or not having enough motivation to go on.

    • Love the covfefe referenced — I lol’d.

      If this post were more tailored for freelance bloggers — and how not making those errors could earn themselves (or their clients) more money — then this would definitely be in my consideration pile.

  25. Hi Sophie

    Please find below, my idea for the PitchFest.

    6 Ways to Manage Your Fears and Turn Around Your Freelance Writing Career

    Do you know what happens when you allow fear to take up ownership of your life?

    DOUBT, HURT, WHAT IF’S

    Some define F- E- A- R as False Evidence Appearing Real
    …
    …
    …
    Stop losing sleep over your FEARS! Start with these 6 ways to manage them and turn your freelance writing career into a success.

    Point 1 [Fear is abstract]
    Here’s the thing, nobody really cares about your fear. People just want to read honest and precise advice from other people who have had the same experiences as them.

    Point 2 [Rejection is real]
    Every sane person cares about what others say about their writing. Your choice lies in, do you take it personal or do you just get over the ‘rejection’ and fix your writing so that you are able to learn from your mistakes.

    Point 3 [It’s a choice, you decide]
    You can gather all types of advice from leading industry experts but if you refuse to look past your fears and utilize their advice, there isn’t anything that anyone can do to help you to become a better writer. Trust me I’ve been there, done that got the t-shirt and it never worked out the way I thought it would.

    Point 4 [Don’t pre-anticipate]
    DO NOT PRE-ANTICIPATE, what’s to come because you cannot control the universe. My biggest mistake was to try and reason out, whether or not I would make it as a freelance blogger before a single attempt was made to win a freelance writing job.

    Point 5 [Shift your perspective]
    It’s quite simple; do you see adventure and growth or do you see nightmare after nightmare? Refrain from focusing on the problem i.e. why you are *not suitable* to be a freelance blogger and shift your perspective.
    *[Hyperlink to: You’re an Expert (And Don’t You Forget) by Sophie Lizard, Last Updated January 13, 2014]

    Point 6 [Writing is a gift]
    If you could save at least one person with your writing, why would you not want to share it with the world? Remember, instead of fearing the unknown, embrace that different people need different types of writing styles and techniques to capture their attention.

    Reasons why this is a great post for BAFB / Reason why I am the right person to write this post

    My struggle with fear management was intense and real, until I reached my turning point 2 years ago. I’ve tried and tested these techniques; it allowed me to move from a state of constant fear to a state of constant faith in the unknown. BAFB aims at assisting freelance bloggers to further their writing careers, in the same way I feel my post would assist freelance bloggers to manage one of the elements that try to restrict them from furthering their writing careers.

    If my idea sounds like a good fit for your blog, just let me know.

    I’ll get right to it.

    Cheers, Tiffany

      • Hi Lauren

        Thanks so much for the response. I feel that this post will definitely bring across the point that getting over our fears can and will help further our careers as writers, as stated before these techniques has formed the cornerstone of getting over my fears as a writer.

        I hope to hear from you soon.

        Cheers, Tiffany

  26. Hi!

    Here is my pitch:

    Title: How to overcome the fear of your identity and use it to your benefit
    Opening sentence: Being a non-native English writer comes with its own set of setbacks. No matter how well you write and how confident you are about your skills, doubters will doubt. I learned it the hard way when I moved to the US in 2010.
    Points:
    1. Embrace your identity: Because you cannot and should not change it. The sooner you ‘come to terms’ with it, the better it is for your writing. Blogging is a profession where you need to be honest. You need your personality to shine through and you cannot do that until you are not confident of your basic self.

    2. Flaunt who you are: I remember advertising my services on Craigslist where I mentioned about my background. One of the first clients I ever met to discuss a project said how she loved the way I put everything on the table. Take it or leave it.

    3. Draw from your culture: This is your forte. This is something that many other writers don’t have. Refer to your cultural anecdotes and mythology when explaining a point. People love stories, don’t miss out on telling them yours.

    4. Write about your native places: Become a travel writer. Write about all the beautiful places in your country and conjure up a picture of that ‘faraway land’ that so many people yearn for.

    5. Bring in a fresh perspective: In my country, co-sleeping is normal, we don’t belong to a spoon-and-fork culture and eat with our hands, and it is okay to live with our parents even after we are married. Maybe you have something in your culture that is very different from the apparently ‘normal’ things? Use that to bring in a fresh point of view.

    6. Use the time advantage (if applicable): Between me (I am in India) and my US clients (EST), there is a time difference of 8 hours to 9.30 hours, depending on DST. Use this extra time to finish up projects faster, polish your writing, take a break.

    7. Offer discounts: I am not saying that you write 500 words for a dollar. That’s plain insult to your skills. Moreover, why would you work for 1USD when you can earn 50 for the same? However, you can offer occasional discounts. For me, 1USD is on an average 65 INR. You can use this to offer a discount of a few dollars every now and then.

    Being a non-native English writer is hard because your capability is almost always questioned. I have learned it firsthand and the hard way. However, there is hope when you look beyond those doubts and fears. I hope to inspire the other non-native English writers through this post while elaborating on how they can use their identity to bring their writing alive.

    Thanks
    Tania

    • Hello Tania,

      I like the way you transform a perceived weakness into a strength.

      Nath.

    • I would have liked to see more of an emphasis on freelance blogging/freelance bloggers in your pitch, but the rest of it was gold. If you could tailor these tips specifically for our audience if/when you draft it, I think it would be a hit!

      • Hi Lauren! Thank you so much for the feedback. I can definitely do so because life for a freelance writer is so different and in fact, more challenging at times than people with a regular job. This is because, every time you pitch, you run into the risk of being ‘judged’. For a non-native writer, this means explaining ‘I can’ every single time. And I think that is where my tips would be useful. Thanks and take care.
        Tania

  27. Hi Sophie,
    Thanks for the opportunity.
    ….
    4 Reasons Why Being Successful Is More Scary than Being a Failure

    Fear of success. Yes, it’s an actual thing.

    I experience fear of success. I’ve been at the top of my game in a 22-year landscape career. Now I find myself shying away from creating success in my freelance writing career.

    Sounds crazy, right?

    Why would I be more afraid of being a successful writer than being a failed one?

    It’s because everything changes once you’ve reached the top.

    4 Reasons:

    1. You Could Lose It All
    Suddenly you have more to lose. Life is easier when you have nothing to lose. Success can sometimes feel more like a burden than a blessing when you worry about losing what you’ve gained, so you take fewer chances than you do when you’ve got nothing to lose.

    2. It’s Stressful
    Success often equals more stress. You’ve got more responsibilities, deadlines and the pressure to stay on top. People expect more from you.

    3. Your Friends Change
    Becoming successful shows you who your true friends are. Some will be happy you’ve become a success and remain friendly and supportive. Others move on or become nasty because they are upset or jealous of your success, mainly when they aren’t in the same place in life. And still others want to use you all the time.

    4. Failure is No Longer an Option
    It’s like you’re no longer allowed to fail and everything you do must be a success. The pressure to succeed often leads to working crazy hours to make sure you stay at the top. You neglect other areas of your life to stay successful.

    Conclusion
    Wrap up includes why it’s okay to be afraid of success but you shouldn’t let it hold back your writing career. Things will change but you will change with them and in your success, you’ll be thankful you didn’t let fear ruin your chances of success.

    This is a great post for Be a Freelance Blogger because I didn’t see a similar post on the site and I’m sure I’m not the only writing running a little scared of being successful.

    I’m the person to write it because I’ve been to there, done that. So, I understand how it feels to be a success and how it feels to fear that success again as I build my freelance writing career.

    • I definitely have a “fear of success,” so I could really relate to this. However, I would have liked to see more of an emphasis on how these fears influence freelance bloggers specifically — and the techniques they can use to overcome them. Fear of success in general (or for writers in general or freelancers in general) is slightly different than the fears freelance bloggers face specifically…

      • Hi Lauren,
        It’s true freelancers face different fears of success than others. Here’s my revamped pitch, more focused.

        4 Reasons Why Being Successful Is More Scary than Being a Failure

        Fear of success. Yes, it’s an actual thing.

        I experience fear of success. I’ve been at the top of my game in a 22-year landscape career. Now I find myself shying away from creating success in my freelance writing career.

        Sounds crazy, right?

        Why would I be more afraid of being a successful freelance writer than being a failed one?

        It’s because everything changes once you’ve reached the top.

        There’s the good exciting things like, you can stop working for peanuts and demand a fair rate. And you finally don’t have to worry about getting your bills paid, and have money to do the things on your bucket list. You can contribute to your 401K and buy better health care. You can even upgrade your life if you want to.

        But then there are the four not so great reasons why being a successful freelance writer is more scary than being a failure.

        1. It’s Isolating
        Freelance writing can be an isolating career. You spend more time hunched over your computer, working on contracted pieces or seeking out new work and clients than you do making contact with people in the “real” world.

        You have random deadlines that don’t always coincide with traditional working hours, making it harder to hang out with your friends.

        2. It’s Stressful

        Freelance writing is stressful because you worry about getting paid. It seems businesses and other people take freelance writers less serious and feel they don’t have to pay on time or at all. Quite often successful freelance writers spend months chasing down payment.

        Payments sometimes take a year or more to receive, depending on the publication.

        If you lose a client, you’re hustling to fill the empty slot.

        3. Your Friends Don’t Understand What You’re Doing

        People working traditional jobs don’t really understand what freelance writers do. They all think you sit by the pool and sipping a drink, more as if you’re always on a vacation. Many rarely take what you do seriously.

        4. You Struggle with Self Doubt

        Freelance writers are artists. We are always reading the words of others and comparing ourselves. Even after achieving success, we continue to struggle with self-doubt that our work is good enough.

        Working with Your Fears

        1. Mediation, yoga, etc. for stress.
        Get away from your work and relax.

        2. Educate your friends.
        Include them in on your process. Show them your work.

        3. Get away from the computer.
        Schedule time with friends. Go to meetups. Work in a co-working space.

        4. Working with self-doubt.
        Join a writer’s group. Hire an editor. Get professional therapy. Do confidence-boosting exercises. Embrace who you are and remember, you chose this career, now own it.

        5. Budget and save money.
        Nothing helps with money stress like knowing you have savings. Work on using budgeting software to help you manage and save your money.

        6. Implement contracts and upfront payments to help prevent chasing all your money.

  28. Title-“I want too….but I dont know what I want..”

    opening lines: life are always different for all of us but the emotions are same always either is was love or fear. we feel same but the cause is always different .either we know or not but we always think our life sucks,we live an boring life.now the question is aries that what we want and why we want

    subtitles-

    1.h ow to express ur life
    2. how to except it
    3.i ts always our choice
    4.finally get what i want.

    –ISHA SHARMA

  29. Dear Sophie:

    I would certainly like to give highlights of my story to encourage other writers to try freelance blogging. Although my company does not pay bloggers, they said I was the exception.

    In 2008 at the age of of 60+, I, a nursing home resident, after leaving comments on a long-term care magazine website was asked to guest blog there. By late 2009, I was writing a freelance column in their magazine and still guest blogging. The column led to a freelance blogging there.

    One twist was that I am on Medicaid and wanted to be able to work legally and be able to keep some of my earnings.

    I had to have the cooperation of several entities: my nursing home, the state bureaucrats who helped me with the details, and the local county board of developmental disabilities. I managed to through the obstacles which created more than a little fear and actually do it.

    By 2010, I was writing a monthly freelance blog there and my fee increased 75%.

    In January of this year I almost lost my freelancing gig. My editor emailed that they could no longer pay bloggers and that I could continue to guest blog with no pay after February 2017. Wanting to continue having a voice and an income, I wrote to the CEO of the company expressing appreciation for the opportunity to freelance blog for so many years. I told him I felt my resident perspective on how I deal with long-term care (nursing home) and its issues is important to others like myself as well as their families, and healthcare professionals. Then I asked him to reconsider.

    A few days later my editor emailed that I was BACK IN! I was so grateful to hear that news.

    I will have to make readers aware that they cannot necessarily follow exactly in my footsteps with the same company. But it shows that if a writer has something to say the powers that be will find a way to compensate that writer. I realize to some extent I was in the right place at the right time.

    I freelance in a niche market – long-term care. That means as a writer I will never know how important writing down there experiences can be to someone in the same circumstances, and also to those supporting that person. I found a freelance blogging job writing about what I knew (in 2008 over 12 years) – living in a nursing home.

    Since I began the blog, I can document two writers, one American and one European, who emailed that they used my blogs to write books about long-term care.

    In 2016 I received the journalism award from the American College of Health Care Administrators. Though I could not attend the conference where the award was presented, my sister assisted me to make thank you video that was shown at the conference.

    You can find my freelance blog at: IADVANCESENIORCARE.COM under my name.

    Thank you.

    .

      • I wanted to share my almost improbable story of being asked to be a guest blogger and then doing freelance writing from that and eventually being the writer of my freelance blog there.

        I was trying to sell an idea. If you are a good writer, and have a message, even in a niche market, someone might be willing to ask you to be a freelancer.

  30. What NO one told you about your 30’s!

    First and foremost turning a new decade is totally scary and unpredictable. Sure you may have had a plan in place, but there are some serious speed bumps along the path of moving forward in your 30’s that I think everyone should examine, before being caught by surprise…

    • I was deathly afraid of my thirties. I tried to kill myself when I was 29. Fortunately, I was saved, and now I’m heading into my mid-thirties — and these years have been the best years of my life!

      However, I don’t see what any of that has to do with freelance blogging…

  31. How to Quit The Side Hustle and Become a Full-Time Freelance Blogger in Six Months
    It’s all too easy to keep your freelance blogging business on the back burner, even when a nagging voice at the back of your head whispers that you should take the plunge and go full-time. But the route to becoming a full-time freelancer is anything but clear cut, which makes your cushy 9-to-5 seem much more appealing.
    Before you do anything, embrace the fear and use that to fuel your motivation of becoming a full-time freelance blogger. Understand that becoming a full-time freelancer will be uncomfortable and challenging – you’ll even fail a few times. Let your brain get used to this idea, and remember that the only way to become a successful full-time blogger is to put yourself all the way out there.
    Set a date to quit your job. Work with your partner (if applicable) to understand your financial situation and start saving for an emergency fund while you build up your client roster. Start telling friends, family, coworkers, the lady at the front desk of your gym – anyone who will listen – of your plan, to hold yourself accountable.
    Six months out: Create and/or polish your professional website. Use a service such as Squarespace or Contently to make a visually appealing profile. Gather references and recommendations from satisfied clients to highlight.
    Three months out: Reach out to your network. Send a concise email stating your new professional venture and your “beat,” and ask for help making connections. Your network may include friends, former co-workers, past editors, and anyone you think may be able to help you secure new clients.
    Two months out: Set a goal for pitching new clients. While you’re wrapping up projects at your current job, ramp up your pitching efforts to the tune of one new outlet per week. Begin compiling a list of outlets that you’ve pitched to or plan on pitching to, as well as a running document of story ideas and what outlets they’d be appropriate for.
    Two weeks out: Map out your daily schedule as a full-time freelancer. Part of the dual appeal and terror that comes with full-time freelancing is the great big swaths of white space in your planner and for many people, having a schedule to follow makes you more productive. Sure, you can be flexible in when and where you work, but having a general structure of how much time you’ll spend freelancing, networking, pitching, writing, and doing admin work can be an invaluable roadmap.
    I’m writing this piece just as much for myself as for readers of BAFB. As someone who is both a Type A planner and a soon-to-be full-time freelancer, I’m deep in the throes of figuring out a roadmap that connects my former full-time job to the full-time freelance position I’ve wanted to create for myself for years. This post will be a helpful resource for BAFB readers because it demystifies the process of making the move to full-time by offering concrete takeaways and to-dos.

    • Cool pitch! I’d love for you to come back after you actually ARE a full-time freelance blogger and pitch this to us again. That way, you will have PROOF that your plan actually works — which will be much more valuable to our readers. 🙂

  32. Hello!

    This is my first time pitching here! Here is a first draft…

    Headline: Break Past Fear And Write With Ease With This One Tip

    When you enter the world of freelance blogging, the thought of hundreds, thousands or even millions of people reading your words can be terrifying. As you type, the voice inside your head will interrupt your productivity with annoying thoughts like, this sentence is stupid, and no one will care… sound familiar? Self-doubt is one of the most common reasons people have trouble blogging, but the truth is when you put something out there, you’re not really putting it out there for the mass. Your putting it out there for individual people who are interested in what you have to say. People with doubts and fears just like you.

    While giving advice to your BFF is easy, writing to a large, unknown audience is overwhelming. The tip that will help your break past fear and write with ease is to zoom into one specific reader and make them your best friend. Give them a name like Anna, Ben or even Mrs. Pumpernickel. Picture them at home, lounging on their couch with a cup of tea and unicorn pajamas. The point is, vision a casual person that you could see yourself being friends with and write to them specifically. Give them the advice they need to hear….

    • HELLO!!! IGNORE FIRST COMMENT- I’m sorry! I want to do is properly!!!… When I received the e-mail, I sent in my pitch, but missed the instructions – oops! Here is my revised pitch…

      Headline: One Simple Tip To Break Past Fear And Write With Ease

      Self-doubt is the most common challenge writers face. When you enter the world of freelance blogging, the thought of hundreds, thousands or even millions of people reading your words can cause you to give up before you even start…

      1. Zoom In
      The tip that will help your break past fear and write with ease is to zoom in to one specific reader.

      2. Create A Character
      Give them a name like Anna, Ben or even Mrs. Pumpernickel. Picture them at home, lounging on their couch with a cup of tea and unicorn pajamas.

      3. Make Up A Story
      Tap into your character’s desires and challenges.

      4. Your New BFF
      Once you have your target character in mind, it’s time to make them your new BFF and tell them what they want to hear.

      5. Change The Story
      The fun part about having a fictional BFF, is you get to change their story to match up with your ideas.

      6. Why You Should’t Ditch Your New BFF
      One of the biggest mistakes bloggers make is to try to appeal to everyone.

      The reasons this post would be a great fit for Be a Freelance Blogger is because it offers a helpful exercise to break past fear and more importantly, it forces bloggers to ask themselves the most important question: who are you writing to?

      The reason I am the right person to write it is because I randomly came up with the idea while taking a shower one day and ever since, writing to my “BFF” has come to be very useful in improving my blog writing skills.

      • At first I had a little trouble understanding what you were talking about. I thought you were writing a pitch on character blogging. But, after a few more read-throughs, I realized that you were talking about identifying your target audience. Cool.

        However, I think you pitch focuses too much on blogging in general and not enough on FREELANCE blogging. As in: How could this technique help freelance bloggers (or their clients) earn more money?

  33. 7 ways to overcome writer’s block

    Writer’s block afflicts almost every writer at some time. You are at your desk, but you are struggling to come up with that smashing intro for your blog post. The article explores practical, simple ways to overcome writer’s block.
    1. Just write whatever comes to your head without thought of grammar, fonts or formats. The basic idea is to write something.
    2. Stop putting so much pressure to an explosive intro. Begin in the middle or at the end. Again the idea is to get what’s in your mind to a piece of paper. You can always re-edit drafts later.
    3. Revisit your reasons for starting writing. Was it passion? Or did someone tell you how good you are? Or is it financial, you want to make some quick money?
    4. Take a short walk, especially a place where there lots of trees. Being around nature can inspire some creative ideas in you.
    5. Try doodling. They say the part of the brain that we use for writing is the same part we use for drawing. Drawing may look childish, but it’s a sure way to get those creative juices back.
    6. Confront your inner critic. His that inner voice that says, “you are not good enough”, “you will amount to nothing.” Confront your past, the inner critic most of the times emerges during childhood.
    7. Read one of our masterpieces. It’s that article that really made you proud of being a writer. The great thing is you are still that person.
    I believe this would be an excellent post to your audience. It gives freelance bloggers simple, practical steps to overcome writer’s block, something every writer faces. They are based on my experience and how I have been able to get my mojo back, after staring at the screen for hours with a black mind. The 7 ways can be practiced by anyone.

    • Writers block remedies are something we get pitched a LOT here at BAFB and we almost never accept them as posts.

      For one thing, most of the people pitching these posts focus on writers in general, rather than freelance bloggers (or niche).

      Two, the whole “writers block” thing has been done to death at this point. It would take something truly new and amazing to make us even consider a post like this. :\

  34. THE SECRETS OF SUCCESS IN LIFE.
    There is nothing that bring happiness to a soul like knowing that you touched and transformed positively the life of some one or solved their problem. You are endowed with that great power to change the world through written word.
    1. The power in written word
    2.Overcoming the fear
    3. Growing business through blogging
    4.Using freelance writing to solve peoples problems
    5.Use of freelance writing to connect and grow the writing profession
    6.Use it to transform ideas into reality.
    I think am a better candidate for the job because I believe I have enough gigs.Personally I have learnt a lot from written media which have transformed me positively.

  35. Headline possibilities: Are You a Pro With No Dough? 10 Ways to Act Like a Professional When You’re Just Starting Out

    or

    10 Ways a Beginning Freelance Blogger Can Think and Act Like a Pro

    Opening lines:
    When you’re just starting your freelancing blogging business, you may find it hard to take yourself seriously, especially before you make much money. And if you can’t take yourself seriously, no one else will, either. How can you feel like a professional when you aren’t making much (or any) money?

    Points:
    Build a professional website. This doesn’t have to cost a lot of money, but as a professional blogger, you must have a web presence in order to be taken seriously. Make this a priority if you haven’t done it already.

    Schedule regular work hours. Write them in your planner just as you would a doctor’s appointment or dinner with a friend. Don’t answer the phone or the door. Set boundaries with family and friends who don’t consider that you’re really “working.”

    Set goals. For each session, for the week, month, quarter, or even the year. Make these goals things you can do, and that are not dependent on others. “I will submit 5 pitches or finished pieces this month,” or “I will write from 7 to 7:30 every morning,” for example.

    Designate a work space and do most of your work there. If you don’t have your own office, make do with a corner of the bedroom or dining room. Something about stepping into a workplace encourages you to take yourself and your work seriously.

    Craft a concise answer to “What do you do?” “I’m a freelance blogger,” might not be enough, but one or two sentences is all you need. (Hint: the word “just” should not appear.)

    Dress for work every day. Especially if you’re lucky enough to be working on your writing career full time. It may sound tempting to write in your jammies, but what you’re trying to do now is build a mindset of professionalism.

    Why this pitch?
    Beginning freelance bloggers often struggle with feeling unprofessional, especially before they start making money. This post will help those beginners evaluate their professionalism aside from their income. I believe if you continue to act and think like a professional, you will eventually be paid like one.

    Why me?
    There have been many times in my writing career when I’ve struggled with feeling like a professional. I’ve finally realized the most important factor was my own attitude towards my work, and that how I thought and behaved either branded me as an amateur or as a professional. My thoughts and actions are under my control, even when the decisions of editors and clients are not.

    Thanks for this opportunity!

  36. Go back to High School to Conquer Your Writing Fears

    You can eliminate your fear of writing by following a simple process. And, you probably learned it in High School. You just forgot, and so, the fear creeps in. Remember the Thesis Paper? You learned to craft a thesis, write supporting paragraphs, and a good conclusion. That’s all you need.

    1. Create a thesis. One clear focused idea to your blog post gives you a solid point of reference. Every sentence and word you write in your post feeds this idea.

    2. Make a plan on how you’re going to execute on that thesis. Write down your supporting points that will become your paragraphs. If a supporting point doesn’t really work, axe it.

    3. Consider each supporting point, and construct sentences to hold it up. With each sentence, look at your thesis to evaluate if it fits both it and the paragraph. If not, axe it.

    4. Each word you right is a task towards your building your final product, you blog post. Don’t judge whether it is good or bad. Simply evaluate whether it is successful in supporting you thesis.

    5. Not everyone needs the same process, but having a repeatable process removes the fear of not knowing what to write for each new assignment. You can take the emotion out of it, and just work the process.

    Be a Freelance Blogger and Me

    I am currently a professional software developer with over 25 years experience implementing development processes to build great software. I was also a College Writing Instructor for 8 years. The combination of these 2 professions gives me insight into delivering writing assignments via a clear and repeatable process, which can reduce the black-hole fear of what to do with a blank page, and make being a freelance blogger easier.

    • Interesting take… And I could see the intro and other bits of this being fun/funny to read. Especially if you REALLY played up the “back to high school” theme.

      However, I’m not seeing how this technique could earn freelance bloggers (or their clients) more money. It touches on the blogging aspect, but not the freelancing.

  37. Go back to High School to Conquer Your Writing Fears

    You can eliminate your fear of writing by following a simple process. And, you probably learned it in High School. You just forgot, and so, the fear creeps in. Remember the Thesis Paper? You learned to craft a thesis, write supporting paragraphs, and a good conclusion. That’s all you need.

    1. Create a thesis. One clear focused idea to your blog post gives you a solid point of reference. Every sentence and word you write in your post feeds this idea.

    2. Make a plan on how you’re going to execute on that thesis. Write down your supporting points that will become your paragraphs. If a supporting point doesn’t really work, axe it.

    3. Consider each supporting point, and construct sentences to hold it up. With each sentence, look at your thesis to evaluate if it fits both it and the paragraph. If not, axe it.

    4. Each word you right is a task towards your building your final product, you blog post. Don’t judge whether it is good or bad. Simply evaluate whether it is successful in supporting you thesis.

    5. Not everyone needs the same process, but having a repeatable process removes the fear of not knowing what to write for each new assignment. You can take the emotion out of it, and just work the process.

    Be a Freelance Blogger and Me

    I am currently a professional software developer with over 25 years experience implementing development processes to build great software. I was also a College Writing Instructor for 8 years. The combination of these 2 professions gives me insight into delivering writing assignments via a clear and repeatable process, which can reduce the black-hole fear of what to do with a blank page, and make being a freelance blogger easier.

    forgot to click notify me

  38. Here is my submission to PitchFest:

    Headline: It’s good to get aggressive with your blog

    Blogging is an intimidating process. Just starting is hard enough, but if you’re looking to grow your blog, you need to do much more than that. I’ve been reading advice on how to accelerate blog growth since I got started a year ago, and I’m only now following through on some of that advice. Why? Because I was worried it was too aggressive.

    Why we’re scared to be aggressive:
    1. You don’t want to scare people off: When I got started, I was hesitant to include a newsletter sign-up box. I was worried that it was too presumptuous, and that readers would be turned off by my “nagging.” Personally, I find persistent newsletter sign-ups really annoying, and I didn’t want anyone reading my blog to feel that way about me. The irony is that, as a journalist, I spend a decent chunk of my working hours being annoying, nagging sources and editors so I can meet my deadlines. I do that for other people’s content, but when it came to my own, I couldn’t muster the guts to do it.
    2. The stigma of sales: Sales as a profession has a bad rap. The word elicits the image of a sleazy salesperson, possibly of cars, whose only goal is to get you to sign on the dotted line so they can make their commission. They don’t care about you, and so you’re turned off by them and by the whole process. To me, including calls to action on my blog and in my social media felt too much like sales. I didn’t want to be that sleazy jerk everyone dreads having to deal with.
    3. You have too much “integrity”: For a while, I convinced myself that my aversion to promoting my blog was actually an honorable stance against the commercialization of content. My writing would be speak for itself, I decided, so I didn’t need to promote it. The right people would find my work in time – they didn’t need me to lead them to it.

    Why we need to be aggressive:
    1. It’s tried and tested: I’ve read so many posts about how to promote your blog, how to fast-track your blog growth, how to attract readers, and they all say the same things: Create a newsletter. Include calls to action. Start with your family and friends. If it’s been successful for others, it can be successful for you too.
    2. Changing algorithms mean we have to stay on our toes: Google is constantly updating its algorithms, so even if you’re getting a decent amount of traffic now, it might not last forever. Social media platforms like Facebook also change their algorithms regularly, and some give paid content a major leg-up. You don’t have to drop a ton of cash to stay ahead of the game, but you do have to spread your eggs out among the baskets so that a change to a piece of code doesn’t tank your blog.
    3. Are you really being aggressive if everyone is doing it? I may huff and puff when a newsletter sign-up appears before I’ve even had a chance to get through the headline, but it’s never made me leave a site. (Sometimes, I’ll sign up just to get it to leave me alone). And a call to action never made me take an action I didn’t really want to. Being “aggressive” in your marketing tactics is hardly aggression at all. You’re not holding a gun to anyone’s head (presumably). At the end of the day, the content does speak for itself. This is just the next, natural step, but sometimes you have to give people a little prompt to take it.

    I think this is a great topic for your readers because it’s something that I’ve struggled with (and continue to struggle with, truth be told), and I think a lot of people feel the same way. Part of it, I believe, is because we’re writers and many of us are introverts by nature, so we shy away from putting ourselves out there. We also don’t want to make it all about us – we’re focused on our readers’ needs and interests, so it seems disingenuous to turn around and be like “Support me! Follow me! Love me!” I believe this post will help bloggers get over these concerns and start doing the stuff they know will help them grow.

    • Seems like good advice, but a lot of our readers don’t have their own blogs. As freelance bloggers, most of them blog for other people.

      If you could tailor this for how you could help a freelance blogger take an aggressive approach with their CLIENT’s blog, then you’d have something!

      • The old “cobbler’s children” principle–I haven’t had a blog of my own in a couple of years, mostly because earlier attempts failed to attract more than a tiny following. When you blog for others, you don’t have to add “manage a whole content marketing plan for the long term” to your skills!

  39. Money ain’t cheap and it doesn’t grow on trees
    Dreaded calls from bill collectors and a ding on your credit report is enough to send most freelance bloggers straight into the arms of regular work and away from the thrill and the lure of freelance blogging.
    Many freelance writers and bloggers started careers in regular 8 to 5 jobs, although working for newspapers and magazines is hardly ever regular work it does involve a regular paycheck. You put in your time, write your stories and don’t get sued, you get a paycheck. At one newspaper job, an older employee actually said working for the newspaper was like getting a government paycheck because it was so regular. That was, of course, years ago before the digital age ushered in social media and news on demand and put newspaper boxes in the junkyards, along with several old copy editors.
    Move over, printed pages, blogging, seems to be #TheThing right now and there are a few ways to make sure the paycheck is regular and your readers are active.
    Write what interests you. Truly, writing what you know is helpful, but also write what you can research and hyperlink.
    #Hashtags: These new gremlins of the digital age give those who measure social media traffic a place on which to hang their hats. Hashtags cannot be random if you’re writing for a specific client. Decide on a few hashtags and work those into your blogs.
    Promote, promote, promote! You cannot be a successful blogger in the freelance world without a certain amount of self-promotion. If you write it, they will read it, but that only happens if they see it.
    Read what other freelance bloggers are writing and do something different. You want to have a unique audience who eagerly looks forward to your writing.
    Keep it fresh! A columnist, with whom I worked, wrote almost exclusively about his childhood and his grandfather. While the stories were incredibly sentimental for the writer, he did not have an overarching reason for sharing the story. Readership of the column was limited to his girlfriend and his mother.
    Keep it real! This goes back to the first point of researching your topic and being able to back it up. Plagiarism is a dirty word in all writing worlds and a place from which you should be on permanent hiatus.
    Rewards in cash and acclaim can come for freelance bloggers who keep their writing lively and interesting. What a great feeling to see the checks come rolling in from an activity you consider pleasurable. It’s not so much like work and the next phone call you get won’t be asking for money.

  40. I’d like to do a blog on sounds around. Having just spent some time with Berlin-based friends,
    I fell in love with the tiny green frog in the garden front pool. He was very small, but he also had the richest repertoire of almost any other creature I can think of, barring perhaps the skylark with its liquid, spilt singing gold, flowing from that tiny circling speck of rising and ascending bird.

    In the background to any blog not written in deep country is the shhh, rrrrroar of road, rail and whee planes. And for some lucky people it is the shshsh of waves on the shore. That has to make an impact on a blog, turning it from one cadence to another and perhaps altering how we feel about word sounds, song sounds, poems and blogs

  41. HEADLINE: How to Stop Planning and Start Marketing

    OPENING LINES: I’ve never had trouble finishing an assigned post on schedule. Getting those assignments in the first place—now that’s another story. I have a long history of difficulties with self-marketing: so many options, and nary a guarantee of specific results for specific actions at specific times.

    OUTLINE:

    1. Bloggers are writers, and writers like things perfectly organized and covering every detail—which can be hard on personal stress levels when it comes to marketing plans. Here’s how to come to terms with the inevitable uncertainties.

    2. Bloggers hate direct marketing, not (just) because it involves talking to near strangers, but because it’s—let’s face it—tedious. Here’s how to modify it to better fit your need for variety and learning opportunities.

    3. For many bloggers, it really is a waste of time and energy to handle most marketing duties ourselves. Here’s how to decide if you need an outside contractor—and how to find the best one for you.

    4. In marketing, the freelancer’s worst enemy is fear of leaving something out or otherwise not getting everything quite “right.” Here’s how to decide when to “just do it” and how to evaluate results and modify approaches as you go.

    5. Bloggers and other imaginative types would get more from “attraction thinking” if we spent less time thinking about how to think. Here’s how to reduce compulsive second-guessing and self-criticism.

    WHY THIS POST? WHY THIS WRITER?

    Most freelance bloggers (most writers, period) are better at getting things done when the “things” have a set beginning and end, and a clear path between—and it’s hard not to try to force marketing into that mold. I’m a recovering (I hope) obsessive planner with hard-earned insights to help other freelancers do marketing in ways that suit the blogger personality. (I’m also in the beginning stages of implementing point #3 above—looking for a publicist to delegate social-media planning to.)

    • Hello Katherine,

      It can be tough for introverted freelance bloggers to promote themselves so your topic covers an interesting angle.

      I am at the beginning of the freelance journey and well aware choosing a marketing strategy with a selection of accompanying tactics that will bring my ‘brand’ of blogging to the attention of clients is not easy nor simple.

      All the best,
      Nath.

    • Great pitch, Katherine! I’d love to see this turned into a template-type post or even include a freebie download with a checklist of the steps the freelance bloggers need to follow in order to put your plan(s) into action. 🙂

  42. Hello Sophie and Lauren,

    First of all, thank you for giving this opportunity to all of us. Here is my idea for the current Pitchfest:

    Craving for work and getting it – what then?
    – All aspiring freelancers start out by attempting to get as much work as they can, even if there is a possibility that such assignments could overlap;
    -Usually, particularly in the beginning, the offers are scarce, but what happens when you suddenly get two or more assignments at the same time?
    – Quite often, at such moments a specific fear can creep into writers: I cannot return the assignments, how will I cope with the ensuing chaos?
    – The key response to such an anxious situation is having a detailed system of organization that will help the writers, not only complete these assignments but achieve quality in their writing and enjoying it at the same time.

    • It sounds like you’ve got a good idea here — how to deal with the overwhelm when you accidentally take on too many assignments. (Right?)

      I would have liked to see a more detailed pitch though. With so little to go on, I can’t tell if this would be a good fit for our readers (freelance bloggers looking to earn more money) or not…

  43. Headline
    The Client-Attracting Magic of Not Giving A F*ck

    Intro

    There are so many people telling you how to play the freelance blogging game. So. Many. And they’re helpful, many of them. I’ve done Sophie’s courses and totally recommend – they’re chock-full of practical, actionable insight.

    But since going out into the big bad world of freelance blogging, I’ve realised there’s only one way I’m going to get this right. My way.

    1. What happened when I decided to do things my way rather than looking for the answers from everyone else: I stopped putting things off. I stopped asking timidly. I showed up. The relationship with clients became so much easier.

    2. Rip up the rulebook. There isn’t one ‘right’ way of building a business. There are lots of good ways (which we’ll explore in the blog, and they include judicious mentoring ☺)

    3. When does research become procrastination? When I just started out I spent ages following everyone’s blogs, signing up for webinars, making lists of everything I had to do. But what wasn’t I doing? Writing. Or pitching. There’s a difference between making yourself busy and building your business.

    4. The world’s big enough for all of us. Just because someone else has loads of followers, a sassier voice, and claims their words turn straw into gold doesn’t make you redundant. Every writer brings something different. Know your worth and your clients will know it too (and I’ll go into how to do this).

    5. Write what you care about. At least, that’s what I’ve found. My writing’s stronger and it’s easier to build that all-important niche. I know other writers who are experts at being generalists, producing articles like there’s no tomorrow. That’s good too.

    6. Ultimately, be professional, but be yourself. You don’t have to wear fancy clothes, use corporate-speak or put on any other act to get clients. Being professional involves a number of things (I’ll talk about these) but pretence is counter-productive.

    Why this post?
    Stories are powerful. I can share my experience of how I went from thinking everyone else had the answers, to realising a lot of freelance blogging success comes down to standing up for yourself, creating your own answers, making your own way. A bit like parenting, there’s no way to be the perfect freelance blogger, but thousands of ways to be a great one.

    Why me?
    I’ve been there and done it – gone from a nervous ‘Am I doing this right?’ writer, putting her toe in the water to thinking, to hell with it, what have I got to lose from being me? It makes for more enjoyable working and living, and way better clients too (both when it comes to money and the whole getting along with them thing).

  44. Faith Obafemi is a freelance law firm/ legal blog writer. I’ve been in the freelance blogging business for about a year now.

    So, here is my pitch Sophie and Lauren. Looking forward to your feedback!

    Headline 1: Why You Shouldn’t Be a Freelance Blogger
    Headline 2: 11 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Be a Freelance Blogger

    This ‘reverse engineering’ title is meant to motivate you and help you decide if freelance blogging is for you. As my maiden post on BAFB, I feel this title would greatly benefit all those who are into or considering going into freelance blogging.

    You Have No Niche
    That this is the first point I’m going to talk about is no coincidence. Do not be a Jack of all trades and master at none. The fastest route to success as a freelance blogger is to hone down your niche. Your niche could be the specific group of clients you want to offer your blogging services to – blog owners, companies, governments, NGOs, startups, etc. Your niche could also be a specific area – copywriting, entrepreneurship, etc.

    Comfortable in Your Comfort Zone
    If you hate the thought of leaving your comfort zone, then you should have no business being a freelance blogger. As a freelance blogger, you get to wear many hats at once, especially at the early stage of your freelance blogging career.

    You are Not Creative
    There is art in everything, even in blogging. If you disagree, why then do some blogs have millions of visitors and others have less than 100? But do you really understand what it means to be creative as a freelance blogger? Being creative means you have a distinct style. You’re not doing this just because of the money.

    You are Averse to Technology
    I love technology! By technology I mean all sort of digital tools you can think of, like the computer, mobile devices, electronic gadgets, apps and softwares that make it easy to reach anyone, anywhere, anytime. I won’t have enough time if I begin to tell you how many amazing doors technology has opened for me. So, if you are averse to technology several great doors of blogging opportunity would simply remain closed. Why should that be surprising?

    You are Rigid or Averse to Good Change
    Change is constant, you can only succeed as a freelance blogger if you are constantly adapting as changes come. What steps are you taking to better develop your skills?

    You Want to Be a Millionaire in 12 Months
    Freelance blogging with only money as the motivation is a recipe for failure. Now, don’t get me wrong, of course everyone (including me) is out there for the money, but if that is your sole motivation, when the money isn’t coming as expected, you are likely to lose faith and pack shop. It’s very possible to become a millionaire through the freelance blogging business, the caveat here is that, it might not happen in your first, second or even third year.

    You are Not Prepared to Handle Uncertainties
    As is common with every business, it is usually fraught with uncertainties. After a big client, it could be days, weeks before the next big client comes. This can be very discouraging, but it’s important you’re prepared to handle these uncertainties with the help of spouse, family and friends.

    You can’t handle a challenge
    Becoming a freelance blogger, could be your biggest challenge ever. I mean, the thought alone is damn scary. How will you get a stable income? There will be good times though. And those good times are a million times worth more than the bad times. Focus on the good times, for they will see you through the challenges.

    You are Not Ready for the 24/7 Full Time Job
    I can hear you say “Full time job? But I’m my own boss!” Sorry, to burst your bubble, you’re both your own boss and employee! Make no mistake about it, freelance blogging is a 24/7 full time job, so if you’re not up for it, just take a bow.

    You Have No Experience
    Have you ever wondered why apprenticeship and internship are so popular? Because the value of experience cannot be quantified. Now, this is not to say a newbie cannot become a freelance blogger. But you just have to start somewhere, even if it means doing that gig for free.

    You Have No Mentors or Support Groups
    In freelance blogging, no blogger is an island unto themselves. Freelance blogging can be overwhelming. It’s during those lonely and low times you need mentors and support groups to encourage and keep you going. They will also be there to render intellectual support. So, find the right mentor and support groups with similar visions.

    I hope you had as much fun reading this as I had writing it. I wish you the very best as you take the leap of faith in becoming a freelance blogger.

    Faith Obafemi
    fizzymidasquill@gmail.com

    Why This Post? Why Faith?
    BAFB has been a great resource for me on my freelance blogging journey which is less than a year. It’s my pleasure to use this opportunity to share with fellow comrades tips to motivate them on the journey and mistakes to avoid. Most freelance bloggers enter the journey with wrong mindsets or incomplete information, thereby frustrating themselves after a while. Reading this post will enlighten BAFB readers on those pitfalls to avoid on their way to freelance blogging success.

    • Being a beginner, just reading your blog pitch seems intimidating to me! It outright demotivates me. Yes, I don’t have a niche figured out and don’t have experience, but that doesn’t mean I can’t break into blogging. I certainly wouldn’t want to read those in a blog post.

        • Personally, I like the tough love motivator angle you are taking here, but my opinion is to be a little less tough in some of the wording. An example – I’d change “You Have No Experience” to something like, “You Aren’t Willing to Look Outside the Box” / “You Don’t Want Experience”, or something that highlights the improbability of breaking into blogging without doing some free work in the beginning without casting doom. Something that focuses more on HOW / WHERE to get the experience that is definitely needed, and what it takes to use that experience fully. It sounds like, given your couple sentences of explanation, that you may be planning on going that direction in your full article.

          I like the edge your idea has, so my suggestion is not to round it out, but to end on notes that give your reader an idea of both what it takes and where to begin.

          • Hi Faith! I really like your approach and I think all your points have a lot of truth in them. I agree with Sabrina S. comments.

            My advice would be to keep all your points, but make them more approachable/motivating

            Ex: Instead of “You are Not Creative” maybe something like, “You’re not tapping into your creative side” and instead of “You are Averse to Technology” maybe something like, “You aren’t willing to learn all the techy stuff”

            Good job overall!

          • Thank you Sabrina and Adriana.
            Looking at it with a fresh eye now, you’re all right.
            I’ve taken note of the corrections and I’m going to effect them wherever I get it published, either at BAFB or elsewhere.

            Once again, thanks for your comments!

      • Thanks Lauren!
        Glad to know your health is back in shape.

        Apologies for the long post, the words just kept coming, you know how it is when you’re in the ‘mood’ *winks*

        • Nice choice of topic, Faith! Unfortunately, I actually have a post draft titled “Why You Maybe Shouldn’t Be a Freelance Blogger” that I’ve already written but haven’t published yet – and a lot of the points were similar to those in your pitch.

          So now I’m going to have to turn down your pitch even though it was good, because we’ve already got this one covered. That makes me sad, and I really hope you’ll pitch us a new idea in the NEXT Pitchfest!

  45. This is just to subscribe as I couldn’t confirm previous subscription.

  46. How to Maintain Your Blogging Autonomy by Ditching Fear

    If you’re a freelance blogger, then you’ve likely experienced the following scenario:

    Client meets blogger.

    Client falls in love with blogger, and sends tons of work their way.

    Client decides blogger is so awesome that they want them for other, “related” tasks.

    Blogger finds themselves losing autonomy, performing non-blogging tasks they don’t enjoy and getting paid way less.

    No Bueno.

    1. How to Lose Your Autonomy in 10 Days (Hint: Don’t Do It)

    The feast or famine cycle (http://beafreelanceblogger.com/famine-job-hunting/) is so frightening to many of us bloggers that we end up convincing ourselves this type of work is okay “just for now” in an effort to keep a client who seemingly wants to be ours forever. But what might start as a bit of social media management here, some slight image sourcing there, and – oh, heck, why not? – a few Facebook ads can soon become a shitty version of employee-ship with no blogging work at all.

    2. Recognize the Problem

    Part of the issue is that this trend can be very insidious, starting as an extra tweet or two to “round off” a post, and culminating in your standing in your living room snapping photos of your kids enjoying your client’s product (Whaaa? No, I’ve never). You have to be good at seeing what’s happening before you’re all the way in, and check yourself/your client.

    3. Be Very, Very Clear About the Services You Offer AND THE ONES YOU DON’T

    Your client can’t be blamed for loving you and thinking you’re tops. However, they can be blamed for disrespecting you if you’ve already told them you don’t provide a service, so tell them upfront and save them the grief.

    4. Explain the Problem Before Things Get Out of Hand

    Some clients will understand if you tell them very clearly, carefully and respectfully that you just don’t offer these services, and if they want to keep you on staff for blogging they’ll need to give up on the idea. Others won’t understand at all, will raise the rates they’re willing to pay and will even beg to make you an employee, and these are the clients you should avoid, soooo …

    5. Let Go of Fear and Tell Them to Bugger Off

    Okay, probably don’t say it like that – after all, the whole goal when breaking up with clients is not to burn your bridges (http://beafreelanceblogger.com/how-to-break-up-with-clients/). However, if a client consistently requests that you do “extra” work for them and claims they “don’t want to have to hire someone else when you do such a good job” and tries to convince you it will all be worth it, nuh uh; avoid the urge to cave out of fear, and tell them they’re not for you.

    Why Vote for Sarah?

    Because this post cuts to the heart of one of the biggest problems we face as freelance bloggers. Many people, especially those new to the biz, believe the biggest issue is finding enough/consistent work, but it isn’t: It’s maintaining our autonomy and resisting the urge to compromise our standards out of fear. As a successful freelance writer for the past 6 years, I can attest to this personally, and would love to help other bloggers escape the trap and hopefully avoid it all together.

    Thanks for your consideration!

    Sarah

  47. Baby Steps
    When a baby is learning how to walk and falls fifty times, they never think to themselves, “Maybe this isn’t for me.” I’m sure we’ve all witnessed a sibling, niece, nephew or cousin take their first few steps and it’s a joyous moment. Although they may collapse after just two steps, they get right back up and continue forward. This same mentality should be applied when trying a new hobby.
    – Comparison is the thief of joy.
    Often, we get caught up in viewing someone else taking strides to move forward that we fail to take our own.
    – Overthinking
    We’re all a victim of this and the cure is to simply replace negative thoughts with positive affirmations.
    – Failing forward
    The fear of failing haunts us as we try something new, but it’s important to remember that when a failure occurs it is an indication that we are trying.
    – Don’t quit your daydream
    If you can think it you can achieve it and don’t allow one bad “nightmare” to keep you from going after whatever your heart desires.
    – Acknowledgement
    Take a step back and celebrate the little things because those lead to huge results.
    – Be persistent
    Persistence and perception coincide with one another when it comes to trying new things.

    Marianne Williamson said it best, “Your playing small does not serve the world.” This post is for all the bloggers that are withholding their greatness out of fear that they aren’t good enough. The pages of my journal are filled with words that inspire me and now I would like to share those words with the world. Through my experiences of attempting to start a blog, I feel that my words are insightful for those that may be in the same position.

  48. Hello Sophie,

    Proposed Title: Facing Your Freelance Fear – Dealing with an Irate Client

    Freelancing, at its core, is about forging relationships – one between you and your client, as well as between your client and their audience. Like all relationships, however, sometimes things go wrong. While no one enjoys dealing with an angry client, it is something that every freelancer must do at one time or another. Here are a few tips on facing a common freelancer fear, and what to do when it happens to you.

    1. Preparation is Key – What are some of the common reasons why clients become dissatisfied? What can the freelancer do to try and prevent them?
    2. Read the signs before the Crash – Often there are warning signs from the client that their anger is looming. How can the freelancer help to solve the problem before it starts?
    3. Communicate through writing – Often the written word is easier to understand, and reference, then the spoken one.
    4. Keep calm and carry on. Emotions may be raw, but staying calm is essential to diffusing the situation effectively. What are some practical tips to keeping cool while being confronted by an angry client?
    5. How do you know when the relationship is at an end, and what can you do to exit in a professional manner?
    6. Remember that one angry client (justified or not) doesn’t mean that you’ve lost all future clients – just remember to learn something from the situation.

    This blog post will offer your readers practical, and actionable tips on how to conquer their fear of client-related conflict, how to try and prevent the conflict from happening, and how to handle the situation when it occurs.

    As a freelancer who has worked in the trenches with a variety of different clients ranging from scientific journal authors to erotic fiction, I have extensive real-world experience that I can transform into advice that any freelancer can use.

    Thank you for your consideration,
    Laura Seeber

  49. Hi Sophie and team,

    My name is Katopeka Nkhoma, Kato for short.

    Thank you for being an inspiration to many of us. Some of us wouldn’t have come this far without your helping hand.

    On to business. Below is my pitch for “Pitchfest” (my very first *gasp*). The purpose of the article is to help bring clarity and give actionable ideas to those floundering in the freelance writing jungle.

    Tiger Style Freelancing: How To Make Sure You Don’t Starve In the Freelance Jungle

    The ancient Chinese martial arts masters were truly that, masters. Sages with the wisdom of the gods. One of their greatest teachers was the majestic tiger. Seeker of wisdom that I am, I decided to embark on a similar journey. Lo and behold, I met the same teacher as they, the majestic tiger. Enter “Tiger Style Freelancing”.

    In my quest to become a master in the art of freelancing, I gleaned a lot of wisdom from the master hunter. That is the wisdom I would love to share with you today.

    PLAN your line of attack
    Planning and calculating your next move(s) is critical if you are to succeed as a freelance writer. Freelancing is a cutthroat jungle and only those as calculating as the tiger emerge ahead of the pack.

    PROWL relentlessly for quarry
    Scour the web for your target client.
    Become one with your client/prey. Put yourself in their shoes and think like them. What do they do? What do they want to achieve? What separates them from the pack? Where are they now, where do they want to go?

    PATIENTLY wait for the right prey
    A tiger never eats grass when there is no prey in sight. He will wait for something suitable.
    Never undersell yourself out of desperation.

    PURSUE with laser precision
    This is the pitch stage.
    Once you have identified your game, pursue it. If you don’t get the prey, you starve to death.

    POUNCE in a flash
    The pounce is an art learnt over time. Learn the art of sealing the deal quickly before the prey slips away.
    Impress the client. Show them you are there to add value, not just pocket a buck.

    PRESERVE part of the kill
    When a tiger has eaten, it will preserve the remains in a tree.
    Learn to preserve what worked for you on this hunt. Every success and failure should be a learning curve. What worked today will probably work again tomorrow. It can feed you again.

    FINAL THOUGHT
    Learn from the tiger, the consummate hunter. You won’t sleep on an empty tummy. Happy hunting!

    Why this article will be good for BAFB
    Many freelance writers struggle with the process of getting from idea to income (landing a client). I know because I’ve been there and it wasn’t easy. Whether one is a beginner or a pro, I believe the process above helps give direction and structure to ones freelance career.

    Thank you Sophie and the BAFB team for this priceless opportunity to share our experiences and words with the world.

  50. Headline: Freelance Blogging – When it’s time to stop thinking, and start doing!

    It’s been months since I first started thinking about it. Doing a lot of reading, pondering, wondering what could be – if only I took that first step towards writing. Why am I here? To finally take that first step, build confidence in myself, and answer some questions other first-timers may have.

    1. I’m a classic overthinker. I want to get every angle, every opinion, and then usually end up talking myself out of doing something I want to try.
    2. Reading about all of the technology required – I’m tech savvy, but not up to date on the latest apps/websites/social media. Can you reach an audience with just your message?
    3. There are a million and one blogs and freelance writers already doing it, making money, with more experience than me. What unique qualities can I bring to the table, and does anyone care what I have to say?
    4. I have a lot of things I’d love to write about, but how will I know if there’s an audience for it? How do I combine my passion with the market?
    5. It’s time to just do it. Stop being afraid, put yourself out there, accept constructive feedback, and get better.

    This is the perfect post for Be a Freelance Blogger because there are thousands out there just like me. People who have done a lot of reading and thinking, but no actual doing. This post would explain reasons why, and hopefully inspire others to try.

  51. 5 Fear-based Thoughts of Freelance Bloggers – and Why They’re Wrong

    The most common response I get when I tell people I am a freelance writer is “wow, you’re so brave!” Which is annoying, but accurate. Freelance bloggers need to be brave, not because the work is dangerous (carpal tunnel, anyone?) but because we have to battle our fears from the moment we begin.

    1. “Everyone else is better than me.”
    Of course they are – they’ve been published. And it’s only the perfect pieces that get published, right?

    2. “All this new media is too confusing.”
    You received an email from a potential client, asking for your non-existent pinterest page/linkedin profile/megaskype 3.0 handle. Oh, no. Clearly, everyone else in the world downloaded the instructions for this new media overnight, matrix-style, leaving you behind. Now what?

    3. “I cant handle criticism.”
    Any feedback you get from your clients is definitely going to take the form of a series of personalized insults written in block capitals, outlining your failures as a writer and suggesting that you take up coal mining instead. Better not risk it.

    4. “There are too many people doing this.”
    There are so many freelance bloggers out there, and so few jobs. I mean, there can’t possibly be enough for all of us.

    5. “Communicating with clients is so hard.”
    Gone are the days of watercooler chat. Now, it’s all cold pitches and back-and-forth email chains. How on earth could you make yourself likeable over an email?

    Being relatively fresh to the freelancing world, and having dealt with these fears from the get-go, I believe the fears I have highlighted will be shared by many freelance bloggers. I have worked at finding ways around or through these fears in order to promote myself and land clients, which I think others will find useful. My previous work as a teacher has helped me develop a direct approach to giving advice, being as honest and uplifting as possible (…my work as a bartender was also helpful in this regard).

  52. Hi Sophie,

    Thanks for the opportunity and your amazing resources. I read your site regularly and have an idea for a post that I think your readers will love.

    Here’s the outline:

    How to Spot and Avoid Time Wasting Job Ads from Unreliable Clients

    When you’re starting out as a freelance blogger, it can be all too easy to fall pray to unreliable clients who expect too much and offer little in return. Learning to spot the signs ahead of applying for a job will help you save time so that you can focus on moving your career forward.

    – A vague job posting that’s unclear

    The nature of working remotely means strong communication skills are important, both for you as a freelancer and for your client. If an employer is unable to get their message across well in a job ad, it’s unlikely they’ll do a good job at delivering you briefs and feedback that enable you to do your best work.

    – Trust your intuition: Ineffective communication from the start

    Your initial communications with a potential client can tell you a lot about how your relationship is likely to develop. If they’re slow to respond, don’t answer your questions and don’t explain things clearly, consider how difficult you may find it to work with them long-term.

    – Beware of clients who ask for a Skype call without providing information upfront

    Some people are better at getting their message across orally, and that’s fine, but if a client is serious about hiring a blogger long-term, they will have taken the time to write an outline of what the project involves. If they can’t provide you with this before a scheduled call, don’t waste your time.

    – Do your research: Are they legit?

    Taking the time upfront to research a potential client online could save you a lot of hassle in the long-run. The internet is a wealth of information and there are plenty of places you can go to find out more about a client’s business.

    As far as I can see, you haven’t published a post on this topic recently and I believe it covers useful information that your readers will find valuable. It will also provide plenty of opportunities for internal links to some of your resources, such as the Client Hunting Masterclass and blog posts within the Get Hired and Level Up categories. As a freelance blogger myself, I can provide real-life examples of experiences I’ve had with unreliable clients and how they’ve taught me to get smarter with my job searches.

    Thanks again for the opportunity!

    Sophie Livingston

  53. Sophie, I thought long and hard about entering this contest. I like your reasons for running the contest, but I find myself looking at the longer term, rather than a single contest. I have over 100 articles on my blog right now and I have published more than 1,000 over the last 10 years on general writing sites (some of which are now closed). This probably means I would not be classified as a novice, but I am always learning.

    One of the elements of learning as a writer is seeking other outlets at which I can be accepted. I love the idea of the contest and wish everyone well who enters it.

  54. Headline: Be a Freelance Blogger Chameleon
    Description: Chameleons are so well camouflaged, you often never know they are there. They are true survivors. We can apply this concept of survival and adaptation to increase our chances for success when freelance blogging for various blog sites.
    Points:
    1. It is essential to “be”, who we are writing for.
    We have to capture the spirit and message of the sites we write for. We have to be them.

    2. This concept does not diminish our unique writing style.
    We can still use our own words, styles and arrangements to express their purpose, in their voice.

    3. Pay attention to detail for the perfect “morph”.
    The Chameleons success depends on him looking exactly like his background. Likewise, we have to know the blog we write for to duplicate their style, message and voice.

    4. Have a sincere desire to represent their interests.
    In order to do this, we have to know their interests. Research into their site and into their business/topic concerns brings success.

    5. Examples of other professions that use this concept.
    Showing the success achieved in becoming the personage of who you are representing.

    6. How to approach the freelance blogger chameleon mindset.
    A list of attributes and perspectives needed to succeed. It takes humility to be behind the scenes, but it is always followed by the honor of being a successful freelance blogger.

    I believe this post will be a good match for your blog because it is an important “success concept” to share with your audience of freelance bloggers. They will be interested in hearing a new aspect of how to successfully approach freelance blogging.
    I can express this concept in a way that will lighten their hearts, while engaging their minds.
    Bio:
    I am Andrea Phillips. I have experience writing for two health sites online and various clients on “Fiverr”. I have a natural way with words, coupled with a strong grasp of English. I am building my writing credits and poised to help all those who can benefit from my talents.

  55. Hello all,

    Submitted my pitch yesterday and it’s still awaiting moderation.
    Is it normal for it to take so long or should I submit again.

    The contest is tight!! May the best pitch win!!

    Thanks

  56. Possible headlines:

    TURN DOWN THE FEAR FURNACE

    NAKED AND AFRAID

    All of the fears of the freelance writer –and there are many– come from one basic fear that resides deep inside every human being: that somehow I am fundamentally flawed and just not enough. No matter what you are most afraid of, whether it’s an angry client or attending in-person networking events, or even just gearing up a good pitch or query, it comes from a feeling that you are a fraud, that somehow people will find out about you, that you are not nearly as good as others doing the same work, that your hair sucks today…WOW!

    You can work all you like on these feelings, and you should do things that will help you develop more confidence, because the more prepared you are for any situation the more you’ll feel that you have the skills to handle it gracefully rather than reacting and freaking out. But on some level you have to acknowledge that they are never going to go away. The reason that’s OK, the reason I know that, is that there is no human being who doesn’t have those feelings. Some may have them every day and some may have them once a decade or even once in a lifetime, but everyone knows what that feeling is like. It’s the fear furnace that lives in the basement of everyone’s soul.

    The key is to learn to prevent that furnace from kicking in and feeding a bunch of secondary fears, and the best way to do this is by being prepared to deal with them.

    * Confrontational client interactions: Be prepared for these by having done your homework and being able to present one or two alternatives that may please the client, save the account, and help you gain confidence.

    * Networking events: Again, do your homework to make sure that you know where your potential clients will be so that you will have a larger networking pool. Then, simply be prepared to discuss what you do and maintain a healthy curiosity about others.

    * Fear of not finding topics or being unable to write: This fear is more real to many writers than you might think. Counter this by taking some actual downtime and spending it reading something pleasurable — NOT about writing or blogging or content marketing. Reading what others have written helps sharpen your mind and your powers of observation.

    * Learn to see that others also act from this fear: The other people you deal with every day –clients, potential clients, other writers– have their own fear furnace, and their fears manifest according to their own experiences. When you recognize this, you’ll be able to keep your own fears at bay when dealing with them.

    This is a great post for BFB because it discusses the fact that overall lack of confidence in ourselves and our own abilities lies at the heart of our personal fear furnace, and this is something that all writers (all people, in fact) can relate to. When we realize this, we can be better prepared for the demons that our fear furnace is going to try to send our way. We also understand that others we deal with also have this same underlying fear and that it manifests in different ways.

  57. Fear of the Public Sphere

    I’ve been wanting to blog for years. In my internal dialogue, I fear that my writing skills have been gathering rust this past decade while I’ve been home, child rearing and keeping house.

    Outline:

    My writing aspirations are old, 31 years old. In love with “being a writer” at first complement from a teacher at age 8, then again at 17, then again at 22.

    My fear of visibility has always kept my writing for small, safe audiences, like teachers and professors.

    I’ve wanted to blog since they came out, but am afraid of the visibility of the public spheres.

    I had’t been willing to embrace my fear. Inspired by Big Magic to go for a ride with it.

    I hadn’t been willing to ask for readers or audience until now. Inspired by Art of Asking to fucking go for it at last.

    I’m scared as shit, but doing it anyway. Started May 2017, I have 4 posts.

    Source List:
    -Jeff Goins podcast when I first heard about Big Magic, and the artist who was asked my her patrons for a way to give her money for all her content
    -Big Magic by Liz Gilbert
    -The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer

    Why Me, Why Now:
    I’m ready to give myself the respect I have wanted for so long by showing myself that I am a writer. What I have to say is perfect content for those who find healing and transformation in words. I’m new at this, scared, but inspired to give it what I got.

    Contributor Bio:
    -An aspiring writer since the age of 8 and a stay at home mom for the last 10 years
    -Interested in all manner of self- healing, particularly holistic methods including meditation, transformational education, the work, 12 step recovery, Yoga, bodywork and energy healing modalities, herbs, oils, nutrition etc…
    – sarahproman@blog.com

  58. Freelance Fear – Face it or Forget it

    Fear is something a freelance blogger will always live with. Throughout your career, you will be uneasy, unsure, and uncomfortable. Using fear constructively will be the fuel that pushes you to develop into something greater. Folding into the fear will leave you unfulfilled. This is true in all careers, not just freelance blogging.

    – Why do we have fear?
    Fear has a purpose, because of fear we know something is wrong. Without fear, we wouldn’t feel accomplishment and with fear, we foster personal evolution.
    – How to recognize fear
    Sweaty palms and twisting stomachs are one thing but we show fear in other sneaky ways. Do you avoid? Are you suddenly cleaning feverishly when you have a deadline approaching? Ok, maybe not cleaning but you catch my drift.
    – Ditching fear
    Push it aside, swallow it, give it over to your higher power. Do whatever you need to do to get the fear out of your way. Freelancing is daunting (because of fear). Fear is like a 1980 Cadillac swerving across both lanes in front of you when you’re late to work. GET OUT OF MY WAY! Using these techniques you will be more likely to get that fear out of your passing lane.
    – Using fear to your advantage
    So you’re afraid. You’ve tried to ditch it but THAT didn’t work, now what? If you’ve managed to recognize the fear and focus on the task at hand you can use this to your advantage. Studies show our blood pressure rises, our minds go into overdrive and our attention (should we be able to harness it) becomes laser focused when we are afraid.
    -What if our worst fear comes true?
    Well damn it, it happened, your worst fear came true. Did everyone laugh at you? Was your proposal rejected? Did you have… A TYPO, NOOOOO!!!!!!! Now what? Life, or even your blogging career, is not over.
    – Poop or get off the pot.
    If you’re still afraid of your first blog you might need to take a closer look at your motives. Being a freelancer isn’t all roses all the time but neither is life. If you’re willing to put yourself out there and be seen you’re ready to freelance.

    This is a great post for a freelance blogger because at every point in your freelance career you will need to face fear. This post provides another perspective of how fear is what we make it, and we can make it good. I’m the right person to write this post because this is my first pitchfest submission so I know this fear we speak of first hand.

  59. Yes, It’s Another Post About Fear

    You thought you were done with fear forever. You have already worked through your fears. Or so you thought. Fear is always lurking in the shadows ready to pull you back to self doubt. Why another post about fear? It’s a simple answer. Recharge!

    1. You recharge your phone, tablet and camera. You take vacation to recharge your energy, so why recharge your skills about fear.
    2. You are reading this post. Fear must still be lurking about.
    3. You might try to follow the steps/ the actions you used before.
    4. If only there was a full proof way to eliminate fear altogether.
    5. There is still more growth ahead for you.
    6. Keeping your skills of working through fear is important.

    I feel that this post has importance and will be helpful to your readers. No one is a 100% immune to self doubt. It only takes one ‘NO’ at an unexpected moment to impact a person’s confidence.

  60. ” It was 50 years ago today ..Sgt. Pepper blew the world away …”
    A look back at the musical and cultural phenomenon that was, and remains, the Beatles.

    Hard to believe it’s now been 50 years – a half century – since John, Paul, George and Ringo called out that introduction to the album acknowledged to have changed rock music forever, by the group said to have done the same. Both statements are true.

    1. A brief history of rock ‘n’ roll and it’s effect on the culture after World War II.
    It is important to give some historical background to set the stage for what was to come.

    2. A perfect storm.
    A look at the darkness that over took rock ‘n’ roll in the late 50s, combined with social and political events that converged to make this country and the world ripe for something new and different, something fresh.

    3. The Explosion
    “Ladies and gentlemen – the Beatles!!”
    With those words, Ed Sullivan unleashes Beatlemania upon the world, and nothing is ever the same again..

    4. The talent and creative genius.
    It wasn’t just luck and incredible, fairytale timing – they were really that good.

    5. Musical development.
    Tracing the evolution of their style and influence over a relatively brief recording career, whose influence is still felt.

    The Beatles have always been, and remain a perennial hot topic. Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band and Paul McCartney still play to sell out crowds. As a dyed-in-the-wool Beatlemaniac, retired music teacher (thanks to them), and freelance musician (guitar), I have immersed myself in their history and lore for over 50 of my 67 years.

  61. Hey all,
    Great ideas. Great blog!
    My pitch:

    Staying sane in this (sometimes) lonely game.

    Maintaining meaningful human connection is a vital part of staying sane, but living and working remotely more often, means we are leaning on our physical communities much less. The internet has gifted us the freedom to work wherever and whenever we want, but at what cost to our emotional and mental health?

    Discussion points:
    – How can we stay connected to others without getting too distracted (hello procrastination) in this often-solitary career path of remote working and freelancing?
    – What do we do if we find ourselves retreating in reclusiveness and not actually wanting to contact anyone on the outside world?
    – How do we put into practice in the real world the things we craved and imagined when working 9-5, such as self-made demands and inspiring environments
    – Can we turn ‘lonely’ into ‘compassionate solitude’ even when going through bouts of depression and or anxiety?
    – How to stop self-doubt preventing your progress (and sending you completely mad) when you only have yourself to bounce ideas off.
    – What to do if the ongoing self-promotion to get work published is getting you down.

    This post will appeal especially to BAFB’s ‘stay sane’ audience. Having read, and loved all the blog posts, this article will have the tone, content, and style needed to attract and resonate with its followers.
    I am especially well placed to write this post as it really is ‘notes from the front line’. My observations and thoughts are real time. I am a workaholic social animal who has gone freelance at the same time as moving to the other side of the world with two small kids, no friends, very limited language skills and extreme ‘mood swing’ tendencies. My writing is, as always, from the heart, not always perfect and sometimes quite funny (so I’ve been told!)

      • Thank you Lauren! It certainly is for freelance bloggers / writers.

        I’ve started writing it, as have been collecting the research. It’s a very important topic to me right now! Let me know if you want me to send you a draft? That would be amazing.

  62. Headline: Everything Great Has Already Been Done

    Let’s assume you’re like me – an aspiring writer who spends more time dreaming about being a blogger than actually being one. Let’s assume you have been bold and innovative in your writing; except that you have never shown it to anyone. Ever.

    So why bother? It’s 2017. Everyone has a blog. Isn’t it a little late for you to excel?

    1. Everything great has already been done.

    Someone has already written your idea, answered your question, or made your discovery. You are not likely to be the first person reporting on your opinion or idea.

    2. The era of the internet.

    We writers are now competing globally, but don’t let this to intimidate you. The internet is a free and open platform for the little guy.

    3. Passion propels us.

    For those of us for whom writing is a passion, this is our time. A global competition may be daunting, but it creates an environment for those who may not have otherwise been successful to be seen.

    4. Everything has already been done, but you are going to do it better.

    Cover something that’s already been done with a new and unique angle. Don’t be afraid to freshen up an old story with your commentary.

    5. Everything has already been done is a sorry excuse.

    If this is true, you can convince yourself that your dream isn’t worth working for. But if you can convince yourself of that, it isn’t your dream.

    6. Just do it.

    Today’s global market for writing can be used to your advantage – the internet is your tool. But like all tools, they will do absolutely nothing for you until you use them in your own work.

    It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the abundance of excellent writers cropping up all over the internet. But if we let this keep us from success, we are the only ones to blame. With this pitch I not only break the cycle in myself, but hope to inspire the same confidence in someone else.

      • Lauren,

        Thank you for your feedback! I can definitely see where this might need some more meaty content. I’ll be keeping an eye out for that in future pitches.

        Thanks for the opportunity!

  63. Headline: The Simple Mind Trick that Will Help You Ask for a Fair Rate

    One of the most fear-inducing tasks for freelance bloggers is presenting their rates to prospective editors. This is especially true for newbie writers who are often plagued with self doubts : “What if I price myself out of this gig?” Or “What if the editor thinks I’m a jerk for sticking to my guns about my rates?”

    Here are my points for this post.

    1. Freelance bloggers are often fearful about talking to editors about rates. My simple mind trick can help bloggers gain some courage to assert themselves and command better rates.

    2. This technique can also help seasoned freelance bloggers when periodically increasing their rates.

    3. (Paragraph Title: Humanizing Editors) Editors are just people, too, with tons of concerns. See yourself as the professional problem-solver that will make the editor’s life easier. My simple mind trick can help you become just that.

    4. As an added bonus, this mind trick can protect both writers AND editors from the effects of the dreaded “scope creep.”

    5. Homework! Even though I clearly describe the technique in the beginning of my post, here I offer encouragement, a practice exercise, and some examples of the technique at work.

    6. And finally, caution. I explain to readers when NOT to use this technique.

    I was taught this technique by a veteran freelance corporate writer. I asked her for advice because I couldn’t stop underselling my work, no matter how hard I tried. Now, thanks to the mind trick she taught me, I find that asking for a sensible rate is much easier.

    And the best part? I get what I ask for!

    The readers of your blog want to succeed. This simple trick will help many of them overcome (or at least bypass) a common fear that may be holding them back from professional fulfillment.

    Good luck with your pitches, everyone!

  64. Hi, all!

    I wonder if it’s still the 10th in your part of the world – it still is in the part of the world I am right now (Botswana), so I’ll try my luck with a wanna-be pitch from a wanna-be blogger. 🙂

    Headline: Q&A session with a wanna-be freelance blogger

    Everyone has heard the blogger’s myth: you buy yourself a domain, you start writing on a schedule and you’ll be able to quit your job in no time. But how do you actually get there as a newbie in the industry? Where’s the tipping point between a “wanna-be blogger” and a “professional blogger”? And why are the interviews so skewed towards professional bloggers?

    1. What do you write about?
    Everything that crosses my mind.

    Professional bloggers say you’re supposed to focus on one or two subjects, but how can you know when you’re starting out what subjects to choose? There are so many things crossing your mind all the time, why not write about them all?

    2. How many subscribers do you have?
    Hmmmmm….let me think….there’s my grandma, my mom, my sister, my brother-in-law, my former flatmate and her dog. So that makes a total of…6! Oh, I almost forgot: there’s also this new very curious fling. 7.

    You’ve just started your blog and you’re enthusiastic. You’ve installed google analytics and you’re checking it every day at least once. Yeyyy! Two people have read your new post. Your sister has even pointed out to you that you’ve misspelled three words. Bummer. You go back to the article to correct it.

    3. What’s your niche?
    Let’s see…I write about travelling, volunteering projects, books, blogging, personal thoughts and random stuff that crosses my mind, so I’d say my niche is…my sister?

    Everyone points out the importance of a niche, yet you can’t choose one, mainly because of question 1.

    4. There are so many bloggers out there, what makes you special?
    Most bloggers use a white background for their blogs, mine is black.

    You don’t think you’re special, so then what? Should you pretend you are just because you’re supposed to?

    5. Do you have a brand?
    Huh…brand…I’ve heard this word before. Is it like a backpack with ventilation?

    This is a Q&A session with wanna-be blogger me. It’s intended to be a self-mockery session, because I think that life is too short to take myself seriously. Besides, laughing is healthy. I think it would be a good fit for beafreelanceblogger because of two main reasons: 1. it’s supposed to be funny. 2. it’s addressed to over-thinkers like me who get over-whelmed with all these questions and end up not taking the step, just because they feel they don’t have the perfect answers. Why me? Because I’m still just a “wanna-be” who’s not taking herself seriously. 🙂

  65. Janet M. Taylor-PITCHFEST

    1. Headline-Ditch the fear and clear that desk to boost your creativity

    2. Opening Lines- You want to be consistent with your blog to generate consistent income but something is stopping you. Could it be that pile you dread dealing with on your desk? The what if it’s something I will need keeps you paralyzed but if you want to get those creative juices flowing then it is time to let it go.

    3. 6 points

    a. Decide to do it-it’s time for change
    b. Schedule a time to do it
    c. Letting Go
    d. Tossing the Junk
    e. Setting Up Systems
    f. It’s in the maintenance

    4. The Why-This would make a great post for Be a Freelance to help Bloggers who struggle to create more blogs know that it make be something as simple as clearing their space. I am the right person to write this because I am a professional organizer with over 20 years experience and I know the impact a clutter free space can have on creativity.

  66. How much damaging is ‘Procastination’ for a freelance blogger and how to deal with it?

    Hi Sophie, thanks for the opportunity.

    I would like to deal with the dreaded thought of procrastinating which has affected almost all freelance bloggers at one point of time or the other. Procastination has led many talented writers to simply give up on their long cherished dreams of publishing their work. At times even I tend to procrastinate, but I have found out the ways to handle it more effectively by adopting the following means.

    1.Planning- Planning plays a very important role in every bloggers journey. If one plans methodically he/she can easily find a way out to handle procrastination effectively.

    2.Goals- Every blogger got to have a goal in front of him/her. A person it is often found procrastinates when he/she doesn’t have a goal which he aspires to achieve in his/her life.

    3.Accountablity- It has been observed as in my case it has happened that if someone has an accountability then procrastination can be easily overcome. I mean to say that one can make a fellow blogger an accountability partner who can prevent each other from falling into the trap of unproductive work.

    4.Practice,practice,practice- If one has to be a skilled blogger one needs to learn the skills and indulge in practicing them unless he/she becomes perfect. Practice leads to confidence which prevents one from procrastination.

    5.Self belief- Self belief is a very important trait which has to be nurtured and cultivated to get through procrastination. A confident guy has loads of self belief.

    6.Time management- Last but not the least, time is the most important aspect of a person’s life and moreso of a blogger. It is often said that time well managed will help in handling procrastination more firmly, thus enhancing the productivity of a blogger.

    This is a great post for the BAFB because it deals with a very relevant and topical issue afflicting the blogging community. I am myself a freelance blogger who has written blogs on different topics and has been from time to time affected by procrastination. I find BAFB to be a perfect blogging platform to showcase my skills as a blogger as I find it to be quite inspiring and thought provoking.

  67. Win over your fear and begin writing.
    Some writers including myself sometimes get to the point where fear triumphs over love. Hence the blockages that we feel. Writers sometimes get to a point where they feel blocked where they can no longer write. Where fear blocks every creative channel that they have.

    1.How do you go about achieving this :
    By being still, by sitting still in a guest room you can light a candle put sweet perfume and chant. Put music on instrumental music and say. Love is divine and love is mine.

    2.Begin at once. See what is required from you and begin at once. If you do not begin at once everything feels difficult. Write whatever comes to mind whatever is coming to mind just write it then go over it again

    3.Research: Before doing any assignment you must first do the research and while doing research jot down some notes. Take research from different sources. Then upon concluding take a step back and erase everything from your mind and think of how are you going to begin the assignment.

    4.Change environment: Some environments block creativity. If you are stuck in an environment that you feel stuck change it. Observe things around you. Get ideas from the world around you.

    5.Place a dead line in your mind. This helps you to push on. Many times I had a project in my mind and I don’t push it. I stay procrastinating. When I put a dead line creativity kicks because it feels that it is time bound.
    6.Replace your fear with reward. Know that at the end of the tunnel there is a reward waiting just for you. The realization that there is a reward gets you moving in the right direction. You have to believe that you can do it. Read about people who have made it.

    I feel I am the right person to write a post in BAFB because there are a lot of writers like me trying to break into freelance career. They like me have to begin from scratch and have to get over their fears of writing and of being rejected. There are many people out there thirsting for knowledge to become professional writers and this is the best place to begin.

  68. Feed from your doubts: 3 ways to rethink fear

    I am sitting behind my desk, working. At least I am trying to work.

    Where did all the excitement go? The belief that this time, this time finally, I will take inspired action.

    You know, the feeling where the idea was so exciting it lit up all body in buzzing sensation. Filled the mind with the Heureka moment.

    1. Part of fear as a writer comes from vulnerability.

    When everybody can conveniently hide whatever is going on in their heads or mask their fails (read as life lessons) with smooth talk, a writer can’t. As a writer your mind is reflected in print, sprinkled with your personal experience, and with your identity attached to it; then sent out for others to judge.

    2. Freelancer blogger needs instantly working tools to cope with fear.

    Even though there are due dates in a freelance career, some things, like reaching for higher rates or even starting out, can only happen through self-imposed deadlines. To even talk about committing, the person needs to have techniques that give insight to procrastination the moment he/she summons the courage to face demons.

    3. Fear doesn’t have a face until you focus on it.

    The unpleasant sensation in your body, the ruminating mind – it’s just a pattern how the chemical reaction of fear is displayed. It carry’s no other message besides that you are in flight or fight reaction and there is a danger unless focused upon.

    4. Face it. Flip it. Repeat it. (Tip 1)

    The moment you admit to yourself that you are dealing with fear, you get access to the power of pre-frontal cortex to analyse it. You can now gain self-awareness by unravelling the cause of fear and then object it with logic.

    5. Feeling fear, anxiety or concerns doesn’t equal lack of confidence. (Tip 2)

    Many times the assumption that in a new situation you should be relaxed, makes the stressors even more unbearable. Understanding that the moment you face discomfort and don’t stop because of it, you are entitled to wear a successful person’s badge.

    6. Managed fear is not bad. (Tip 3)

    Managed fear means managed stress. Shot-lived stress primes the brain for cognitive improvement and heightened alertness to tasks at hand.

    Why it suits your blog?

    This post suits because beafreelanceblogger.com is packed with action-based information that will lead any person to success, but only if the person is able to apply the knowledge. Fear and doubt is something that all walks of freelance bloggers face. This post contains a method that treats the issue on an individual level because we all have different concerns.

    Why me?

    As a current a closet writer, I have spent mental amount of time exploring psychology and human behaviour to yank that closet door open. Being a disciplined student of my mind, I’ve noticed that the weird reasons for being afraid can be catalysts for inspiration.

  69. 5 Reasons to Feel the Fear, Then Face-Off with the Mind-Killer

    Fear can be really paralyzing, no? However, when we take a deep breath, unwrap the layers surrounding our perceived notions, we find that we can take on that ‘big boy’ called FEAR.

    1. You are going to die.
    Not to seem morbid, but as a mere mortal, human beings have a finite lifespan. Why not spend more time living life, tackling challenges, and enjoying the growth and good times as the reward for facing one’s fears? It is possible.

    2. Freedom is the Reward for Facing Fear
    Instead of being shackled to an idea of how scary, big, and insurmountable your fear is, show it who is boss. When you take apart a seemingly huge problem, and break it up into smaller milestones, you free yourself. There is nothing sweeter than the taste of freedom, and trusting in your abilities to overcome.

    3. Develop Your Strength and Character
    There’s a phrase that says, “Smooth seas don’t make a seasoned sailor.” Life is like that. In order to become a stronger, faster, and smarter person, you have to tough out the hard times. Thankfully, there are silver linings along your journey, if you are willing to seek them out. Avoiding difficult things will not sharpen your skills, increase your strength, or season your character.

    4. Flexibility and Adaptability
    Human beings are resilient creatures. After all these centuries of surviving the planet’s harshness, wars, disease, and writers block, humans still survive. Engaging in freelance work teaches you to be adaptable. Freelancing also gives you the freedom of flexible hours, so you don’t have to feel weighed down by work schedules. It is vital to be organized and have some discipline, so deadlines don’t sneak up on you.

    5. Find Community and Build Connections
    Freelance writing and freelance work in general, opens up a whole new world of possibilities. It can be scary to venture into a new way of working, and people may try to talk you out of it, because of fear, but you are not alone. People all around the world have chosen the life of freelancing for supplemental income, or for full-time work. The rewards that can be reaped if you play your cards right, can be mind blowing and life altering.

    About Me: As a parent struggling with financial hardships, turbulent life events, and desiring for freedom, freelancing saved my life. Freelance writing gave me the opportunity to rediscover my voice, earn some income, and reinstate a sense of purpose and dignity for myself. Plus, I get my kicks writing on various topics for people, whether it is to entertain or inform. Follow me @gritnvinegar!

  70. Hello Sophie and Lauren,

    Thank you for organising another pitchfest and for the opportunity.

    Here’s my pitch:
    Suggested headline:
    7 ways to tackle your uncertainties as a freelance blogger and thrive

    Opening lines:
    You woke up, again, at 3.15 am with niggling thoughts “can I make a living as a freelance blogger?”, “am I good enough?” And then, like a dripping tap unable to contain the flow, other questions drop into your mind: “where and how will I get clients this month?”, “Will I get paid?”

    Exhausted by having to listen to these uninvited and relentless thoughts, it’s time to take action and tackle these uncertainties.

    1. Recognise what uncertainties are and harness the stress response to your advantage
    What uncertainties are and what they can lead to? I’ll mention stress and how the stress response is activated.

    I’ll then explain how you can harness the stress response for your benefit. (Ref Kelly McGonigal’s Ted talk).

    2. Accept that there are some things you don’t know and won’t know.
    For your sanity, well-being, and to thrive as a freelance blogger, you need to state what you can control and what you can’t. Next, make a list of what you do control.

    I’ll talk about process versus outcome and give an example of a process you can choose to implement.

    3. What makes being a freelance blogger worth your while. What is your why?
    Writing down why you are a freelance blogger, especially if there is meaning to what you do and a greater purpose, helps you clarify your motivations for embarking on the journey and establish what your values are. (Ref Simon Sinek’s Ted talk).

    4. Plan your life as a freelance blogger as if you are going on a journey with a goal in mind
    Appreciate the importance of writing down your road map (Ref http://jamesclear.com/implementation-intentions where he talks about the “British Journal of Health Psychology” research and link to http://beafreelanceblogger.com/zombie-blogging-career)

    I’ll illustrate the steps of the plan using the analogy of a journey.

    5. Uncertainty comes from the way we think and react to what we experience.
    Adopt a mindset that welcomes a challenge and serves you.

    Carrying on with the journey example, you can adopt a mindset open to adventure.

    Any adventure or misadventure is another experience that can be turned into a story you can potentially share with your readers.

    6. Establish who is in your support network and nurture your relationships
    Knowing there are people who support you can help you feel less isolated.
    Learning to ask for help is valuable.
    Likewise, how do you support friends, colleagues and loved ones? Do you know when to listen?
    Helping each other help you grow as a freelance blogger and as a human being.

    7. And when you are caught in the uncertainties’ loop, stop and breathe.
    I’ll guide you through a short breathing exercise that helps you calm down by concentrating on your breath rather than your thoughts.

    Conclusion :
    Dealing with uncertainties is about dealing with change and you have an inbuilt resistance to change.

    You know like I do that change is constant. The best way to deal with it is to adopt the right mindset and be prepared: you can devise strategies and tactics that help you get to where you want to go.

    You can then move forward even when the path is shrouded in mist.

    Why this is a great post for freelance blogger:
    When dealing with uncertainties and stress, we get so caught up in it we can’t see the wood for the trees.

    The best way to handle it is to anticipate it and prepare for it.

    This blog post can help the readers of beafreelanceblogger.com recognise what’s going on and apply strategies and tactics they can work with it.

    Why me:
    A few years back I used to facilitate stress management and relaxation workshops and after watching Kelly McGonigal’s talk on Ted.com what I knew was challenged.

    This pitch explores some of the things I’ve learnt. And, I am launching as a freelance blogger in the health and wellbeing area, topics that are close to my heart.

  71. Hey Sophie and Lauren!

    Thank you for the pitchfest opportunity!

    Headline: Uncover the Hidden Goldmine of Content You have ALREADY Produced

    Headline Alternative: Three for One – Repurposing the Content you Create for Clients

    Opening Lines:

    I read blog posts on my phone when I’m having my coffee in the morning.
    I listen to podcasts when I’m doing chores.
    I watch videos when I’m at my desk.
    When my favourite content creators make all three options available to me – I use them. How much attention are your clients leaving on the table?

    Points:

    1. Why repurposing the content you create is valuable for your clients. This is a ‘more bang for your buck’ scenario, where clients can get multiple uses for the content they are buying from you.

    2. How you can increase your authority, and rates by offering this service. Freelance blogging is a competitive field, and being able o offer content repurposing can be a fantastic ‘value add’ for professionals.

    3. Turn your blog posts into AMAZING audios for podcasting. Most people don’t read out loud the same way they write, and the tweaks you need to make to written content so it flows for audio are easy to pick up when you know what you’re looking for.

    4. Turn your blog posts into compelling, high converting videos for YouTube. We’ll be talking about the main difference in end-user experience for readers and viewers, and how to break out the most important elements of high quality YouTube videos – hooks, content blocks and calls to action.

    5. How to pitch it to your clients. Here, we’ll get into some talking points you can use to explain the value of this kind of content repurposing to your clients. This will include getting the most value out of what they are paying you for, how it will expand the reach, and why it’s worth the extra investment of money.

    Why we should write this post:

    Audra Casino (my writing partner) and I are seasoned in the online marketing world – and know how to maximise output for a minimum of effort and expense. We believe that blog readers are starting to expect more ways to consume any given piece of content and that there are untapped markets of interested audience for creators who are currently utilising only one delivery method. If someone can write a fantastic blog post – they can learn to develop the content into fantastic preparatory material for audio and visual deliverables.

    Cheers!

    • All of these tips are wonderful. However, most of our readers don’t have their own blogs… I feel like this post would better serve bloggers who actually have their own blogs and are looking for ways to jazz up their own sites. :\

      Please consider sending in this pitch elsewhere! I honestly think it’s great, but that it’s just not a good fit for us here at BAFB.

      • Hi Megan (and Audra)!

        I stumbled on the same “but our readers don’t all have blogs” barrier Lauren mentioned, and had to re-read your pitch to check my assumptions, but I get it now. 🙂 We’ll definitely need to go with something like your alternative headline and make it super-clear that you’re taking about work for clients, using content that our readers already created for the client. But yes, I like this value-add idea!

  72. HEADLINE: Affirmations for Modern Freelance Bloggers

    OPENING LINES: Right as I start to see the #SundayScaries posts roll out on my Instagram feed each week I stop and do something. I use my phone to write notes to myself on top of my weekly goals. I’ll share some of my favorite notes with you here, and how they’ve helped me (in hopes that they help you.)

    6 POINTS + 1-2 sentences backing up points:

    Quote/Affirmation + story relating to what it’s like to lose a job/be let go: Every freelance blogger knows that jobs are temporary, but the high of being able to control your own destiny is forever. I’ll share one of my favorite affirmations about the importance of continuing to move on after a job.
    Quote/Affirmation + story relating to community: At times loneliness has gotten the best of me. During these times I’ve started my week with quotes about communites to remind me of how lucky I am to have a supportive network to reach out to (or even just google!) when work can seem isolating.
    Quote /Affirmation + story relating to finding motivation: Motivation can be everywhere if your mindset is in the right place (so cliche…I know) I’ll share one of my favorite quotes about where you can derive motivation from when it doesn’t seem to be within reach
    Quote/Affirmation + story relating to using fear: For me, even though I hate it, being scared is the best possible way for me to push myself. I’ll share a quote about why fear can be healthy.
    Quote/Affirmation + story relating to faking it till you make it: The longer I’ve worked, no matter the job, the more I come to realize everyone’s faking it to some degree. I’ll share a humorous quote about just that.
    Quote/Affirmation + story relating to getting stronger: What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Literally.

    Why me? Hi! I feel I should write for your audience, because I am your audience! I know what I enjoy reading, and a piece like this would be exactly the thing I’d google to keep me going, or stop to read when I saw the headline. Best of luck to all who have entered!!

      • Oh I see your follow up here! Sorry about that. Great point, in order to stay motivated I follow these. The more motivated I am, the more productive, and in turn more projects I take on/more lucrative my freelancing becomes.

  73. Headliner…
    #1 Embracing Your Fear Factor: how fear can propel your blogging and writing career

    First, let’s admit that fear can be a very good thing. It can warn us about danger, keep us safe, or save us from pain. Therefore, fear is relevant. How you respond in fear’s presence relies on perspective and your ability to embrace it. This blog will help you view fear as your asset and use it to your advantage.

    This blog’s main summary points would include expanding on the following points:
    • Fear is real: The typical “get over it” advice does not work.
    • How to determine “fear” from “excuse”: Just about everyone I know would love to be perfect at everything they try, all the time. But perfect looks different to everyone. What is your personal vision of “perfect”? Is that vision standing in the way of your success (or start) as a blogger? Explore meaningful tips and introspection on what really is holding you back or creating writer’s block.
    • Embrace your fear: Some of the most confident and successful people exhibit a very good, healthy dose of fear. Let’s examine how it helps them!!
    • Between confidence and fear… choose Fear: Is confidence overrated? Fear makes us more aware of our surroundings, keeps us on alert. Fear elicits our “fight or flight” response. Learn how to choose the right one for you.
    • And finally, How to make fear your best asset: Opinions are nice, but facts get results (even in blogging). Understand how to know your audience, research your subject, and other tricks of the trade in order to harness your fear into a usable force to be reckoned with.

    This would be a very valuable post for the readers of Be a Freelance Blogger because people need encouragement and tangible wisdom to reach their full potential. We search for advice, road maps, or mentors that help us obtain our goals. I strongly believe that people yearn to know that it’s ok to be afraid of failure in our competitive world, and how to join the ranks of many of us who used our fears and insecurities to move ourselves forward… in any walk of life or any situation.

    Why me? If there was a paid position for “professional team Mom” or “parental/spouse cheerleader,” I could be a very wealthy woman. I’m rather proud of my perfected skills in being the you-can-do-it voice of encouragement throughout the trials and tribulations of my almost-adult children’s endeavors and my husband’s successful career moves. However, the “voices” in my own head often needed some silencing when it came to cheering myself on in taking needed risks in my professional advancement and personal goals. Interesting, how we often have trouble listening to our own great advice we give to others! However, the wisdom I gained through age, parenting, marriage, advanced education, my wild and varied nursing background, and otherwise graceful stumbling through life has given me meaningful and useful perspective on how to make your dreams come true. Well… maybe at the very least on how and WHY to embrace potential failure as a component to success. Because in the words of one of my favorite songs (and one of the all-time best): “You got to lose to know how to win.” Dream on!!

  74. Headline: 6 Ways to Tap into the Power of Thank You

    Introduction:
    Thank you: two little words that aren’t super common out in the wild. Yet, bloggers who say them tend to see really awesome results – in fact, thank you messages generate a 42% open rate, according to Hubspot. But, let’s face it, “thank you” hits your brain’s snooze button after a while. Ready to spice it up? Good. Here’s some ready to go free services and messages that’ll swell recipients’ hearts by three sizes.

    Points:
    1. Send free greeting cards.
    Nothing says thank you quite like a good, old-fashion greeting card. Bonus: save the environment and send it at god-speed for free with services like PunchBowl and Paperless Post.

    2. Use an emoticon to say thanks in a different way!
    Example: ٩(˘◡˘)۶, Just copy and paste from our BAFB’s mini library. Don’t like what you see? Use Blocky to make your own.

    3. Send a customized emoji.
    Using services like Bitmoji, send an emoji that looks just like you. It’s a little creepy, but it’s also super memorable.

    4. Send a custom voice message.
    Record and pop off a custom voice message via free tools like Toolster. Give your voice a make-over. Sound like frogs, Darth Vader, and more for a thank you that won’t be forgotten anytime soon. (Hint: Don’t know what to say other than “thank you”? Use our custom messages below, Point 6.)

    5. Send a social media shoutout.
    Build your clients’ brands–and yours–with a social media shoutout. Up your “thank you” game with a personalized GIF or meme.

    6. Shoot off (or record) one of our 25 cool thank you messages.
    Don’t just say thank you or thanks. And leave those hearts eyes emojis alone.

    Try:
    1. a) A peach b) Bee’s knees c) Cat’s pajamas. You’re d) All of the above. Thanks for following me!
    2. If it wasn’t weird, I would have sent you a picture of myself. Because I look totally grateful for your comment.

    Who I am, and why this post is perfect for BAFB.
    I’m an extremely introverted freelance writer from Maryville, Tennessee. I’ve had the immense pleasure of interviewing individuals like pop icon and Boston Marathon survivor Lynn Julian, Julie Austin (the creator of Swiggies), and Dr. Ken Lambretcht, who runs a cat-centric vet clinic, and many others. My “thank yous” went along way. Many of these people are now friends and others refer clients and sources. Gratitude=win.

    Note: I entered this in a different Pitchfest. But, I was told that the post needed work. It only had five points and was holiday-centric.

    • I remember your previous pitch. And this is getting closer. But it’s still not tailored specifically enough for freelance bloggers.

      For me to go “YES!” to this pitch, it would need to have a paragraph about how saying “thank you” in creative ways could help freelance bloggers (or their clients) earn more money.

      I feel like you’re SO CLOSE with this, but you just need that final bit of “oomph!” to take it all the way.

      • Lauren,

        Why didn’t I think of that? Basically, my pitch covered the how and not the why – the hard sale. But, I’m sure with some more tailoring that I’ll eventually get there. 😉 Thank you for taking the time to read my pitch.

        On a side note, how are you feeling? Any better?

        • You were seriously SO CLOSE to gold with this pitch. Just add that small tweak next time and I think we’ll be adding you to the list of winners 🙂

          Thanks for asking about my health. It’s been rough. I don’t know if you read my personal blog or not, but basically I’m severely anemic (which makes me super tired all the time) and I have a ton of uterine fibroids — one of which is pressing into my bladder and making me have to “go” all the time. It’s a drag.

          The good news is, all the tests they did on me to see if any of the fibroids/tumors inside me are cancerous came back NEGATIVE (yay!!!) so I don’t have cancer. 🙂 And they think that they can “zap” (shrink) the fibroids inside me with medications.

          They also attempted to stop my menstruation for a month to give my red blood cells a chance to rebuild. Unfortunately, my period is a tenacious little bugger and it came regardless of the shot they gave me to stop it. So I’m feeling SUPER wiped right now. Hopefully it will end soon though. My last menstruation lasted three weeks, and that REALLY took a lot out of me…

          Other than that, I guess I can’t really complain. I live with my best friend and our cat (Robert) and we’re all pretty happy most days. And I’m working my dream job (freelance writing + editing). Mentally and emotionally, I’m doing really well. And physical health is on the horizon. 🙂

          • Hi, Lauren,

            I haven’t dropped by your blog in a while. But, I’ll definitely be doing so. ?

            I’m glad to hear that you don’t have cancer! ? Anemia, cystic fibroids, and a three week period (Did I read that right!?!) sound like a total energy drain.

            But it seems like you’re a trooper. You’re strong ? to the Z power. (Math joke, anyone?) After all, I only had one ovarian cyst and thought I was going to die. I might have been in fetal position for a solid three days.

            Give Robert ? a big pet for me! And I’ll be sending good vibes (and prayers) your way!

  75. Hi Sophie,

    I submitted this pitch June 9th (yesterday) – however, when I checked back here today (June 10th) to follow-up, I noticed it was nowhere to be found! To ensure my pitch is received on time, I’ve submitted it again here. My apologies if this is a double submission.

    Headline: Everything Great Has Already Been Done

    Let’s assume you’re like me – an aspiring writer who spends more time dreaming about being a blogger than actually being one. Let’s assume you have been bold and innovative in your writing; except that you have never shown it to anyone. Ever.

    So why bother? It’s 2017. Everyone has a blog. Isn’t it a little late for you to excel?

    1. Everything great has already been done.

    Someone has already written your idea, answered your question, or made your discovery. You are not likely to be the first person reporting on your opinion or idea.

    2. The era of the internet.

    We writers are now competing globally, but don’t let this to intimidate you. The internet is a free and open platform for the little guy.

    3. Passion propels us.

    For those of us for whom writing is a passion, this is our time. A global competition may be daunting, but it creates an environment for those who may not have otherwise been successful to be seen.

    4. Everything has already been done, but you are going to do it better.

    Cover something that’s already been done with a new and unique angle. Don’t be afraid to freshen up an old story with your commentary.

    5. Everything has already been done is a sorry excuse.

    If this is true, you can convince yourself that your dream isn’t worth working for. But if you can convince yourself of that, it isn’t your dream.

    6. Just do it.

    Today’s global market for writing can be used to your advantage – the internet is your tool. But like all tools, they will do absolutely nothing for you until you use them in your own work.

    It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the abundance of excellent writers cropping up all over the internet. But if we let this keep us from success, we are the only ones to blame. With this pitch I not only break the cycle in myself, but hope to light the spark in someone else.

  76. Hello Everyone,

    I am very new to the blogger scene. I also think I have seen this pitch before but, here it goes.
    Thank you for the opportunity!
    Catherine

    FEAR of FAILURE or Atychiphobia

    Everyone has a fear of some kind. Some say that a little fear is healthy. Maybe that depends on what you consider “little”. People do not think of fear of being a failure as a true fear. Everyone fears trying something new. What if your fear became debilitating to your life? What if it prevented you from succeeding with anything? Let’s start simply by explaining what fear of failure means.
    1. Definition of Atychiphobia
    2. 10 signs that you might have fear of failure
    3. Causes
    4. Powerful quotes on failure
    5. Ideas how to overcome
    6. Wrap-up and conclusion

  77. Proposed headline: How Authenticity in Your Blogging Alleviates Fear
    One of the most vital prerequisites for becoming a freelance blogger is possessing the ability to write well. Unfortunately, well-written content doesn’t necessarily make it enjoyable or relatable to readers. When starting a career in freelance blogging, it might seem easiest (but not fulfilling) to settle for a niche that you aren’t particularly knowledgeable in, much less passionate about.
    1.) How Passion for Your Niche Makes Blogging Less Scary
    No matter how grammatically concise and well-researched the content of your posts are, the scariest aspect of touching on unfamiliar topics is the lack of enthusiasm that your post conveys to the readers. A lot of fear-even for experienced bloggers- stems from the inability to excite readers enough to make them want to come back for more.

    2.) Why Passion = Authenticity- and how it Will Improve Your Content
    The more you know about the things you love, the easier it becomes to express your ideas to readers in a clear and engaging manner.

    3.) Content Agencies are a Great Place to Start Your Career but can Dull Down Your Voice Over Time
    It’s not uncommon (and I can speak from experience) for aspiring freelance writers and bloggers to start their career working for a web content agency. Even though a lot of these companies take pride in turning out well-written and factually accurate work, a lot of it is generic, rehashed information that is written in a different style somewhere else on the internet.

    4.) Fear in Freelance Blogging is a Matter of Lacking Skills and/or Enthusiasm
    Truth be told, many aspiring bloggers fear taking the steps needed to make a living from it simply because they are afraid of writing in general. Many of these same individuals also lack a sense of direction in which to take their writing, making it difficult for them to churn out original, valuable content when they actually do find work.

    5.) Writing About What You Know and Love Makes Blogging More Enjoyable for the Writer and Reader
    The best research for a blog post is done voluntarily in your free time. When you find news stories and trends about your favorite topics that excite you, sharing your own opinions and summarizing your findings in a reader-friendly way via a blog post is super-easy.

    6.) How Writing with a Personable Tone Relaxes You While Engaging Your Readers
    It never hurts to display your personality through your writing. If anything, an enthusiastic and entertaining angle will help your writing style come more naturally while keeping your readers intrigued in the content that YOU write.

    I believe that this would be the perfect post since it covers some essentials that I- and many newbie bloggers- wish I would have known before pursuing freelance blogging as a career. I feel like a lot of my initial fear came from my blind ambition to be a blogger; not a well-versed authority of any particular niche that I loved, just a blogger. Since enthusiasm is a great attribute for curbing one’s fears of blogging inadequacy, a certain level of passion and expertise will help bloggers overcome this fear while making their posts shine through as their very own.

  78. Hi Sophie and Lauren,

    Here is my freelance pitch!

    Freelance Fear: What Your Favourite Superhero Can Teach You!
    Fear. It’s often the one thing that stands between wanting and having a successful freelance blogging career. New bloggers often ask ‘what if I don’t find work? Or ‘what if no-one likes my content.’
    What if you knew how to face your biggest challenge? Here’s how your favourite superhero can teach you to face your freelance fear.

    1. Courage – The biggest challenge most new freelance bloggers face is making the start. There’s a scary freelance blogging world out there, but take a tip from a superhero. They had no idea how to use their superpowers at first and neither will you. Start by creating a plan of action so you know where you will look for work, what pieces of work you will use to build a portfolio and how you will promote yourself.

    2. Self-belief – Practise your freelance writing skills until you become confident enough to sell your services. Starting a blog is the best way to do this and you can use your best posts for your portfolio.

    3. Commitment – Pitching for work can be overwhelming. Organise your schedule so you have an ample amount of time for your pitching process, self-promotion and other marketing activities.

    4. Resilience – Superheroes never give up. If you’re not landing work, you may feel like calling it quits. Remember to keep going. Keep actively pitching, whether you’re searching job boards or cold pitching. Tweaking your pitch is also an effective process for finding work.

    5. Collaborate – Many superheroes often team up with others. Other bloggers aren’t the competition so networking can be highly successful. You could apply for guest posts or actively join a bloggers community to promote your services in a non-spammy way.

    I feel this pitch would make a great article for Be A Freelance Blogger as the majority of us have questioned our own abilities at one time or another. I’ve been a freelance writer for three years so I am able to add personal examples of how I’ve managed to get over my freelance fears. I’ve worked with many international clients and write my own blog on freelance writing so I also understand how frightening the process of freelance blogging can be, especially when you’re first starting out.

    Best wishes,

    Zoe Wells

  79. When ‘I’ is My Biggest Fear

    Fears can cripple us, stop us in our tracks and derail our dreams. What do we do when we discover that our worst enemy is ourself? What happens when the greatest danger isn’t editors and clients, but the thoughts that run rampant through our minds?

    I’m not good enough: We are all learning and growing and our writing improves with each project. Our freelance career can stall when we start thinking ‘I’m not at good as they are.’

    I don’t know enough: This self-sabotage kills many a query before it even makes it to the client. Because we’re not a master of the subject, we can degrade the bits of knowledge that we do possess.

    I don’t have enough followers: This popularity myth takes us right back to our younger playground days. Because we don’t have as many friends as so-and-so, we can feel no one will give our blog or posts any value.

    I’m not good at grammar: Here’s another aspect where because we’re not ‘the best’, we feel that we’re inadequate. Not having MFA credentials behind our name shouldn’t stop up from pitching our ideas.

    I don’t have the right credentials: How many potential blogs have suffered a slow death in our brains because we felt we weren’t qualified to write about a certain subject? Because ‘I’m not a psychologist’, we think this translates into ‘I can’t write about Ten Steps to Happiness.’

    How to combat these insidious fears and pursue our blogging goals: A variety of techniques can help us overcome these common roadblocks to our freelance blogging. Here, I look at different methods that have helped me push on: The well-known Nike ‘Just Do It’ approach, accountability partners, affirmations, Mary Kay Ash’s $35,000 List, and Grammarly.

    These common fears and insecurities plaque many writers, not just freelance bloggers. I hear the words in writers meetings and in online groups, even though I thought I’d invented them myself. As I’ve struggled daily with these potential stumbling blocks, I’d love to share some of the ways I’ve been able to overcome them as I pursue my freelance career.

  80. Yes, You ARE a Comedian – Turning Funny Into Money

    You’re probably thinking “sure I know a few jokes, but I’m no comedian!” Or maybe you’re thinking about hamburgers. I don’t know, I’m not a mind reader. What I do know is that anyone with a sense of humor can make some funny money by comedy writing or possibly counterfeiting (I’d go with comedy).

    Point 1: What Makes You Laugh?

    Comedy is as diverse as the internet itself. Discover what speaks to you and pitch to websites that share your sense of humor.

    Point 2: Humor is Everywhere!

    They laugh because it’s true. Pay attention to the world around you and jot down all the observations that might yield a hilarious bounty.

    Point 3: Twitter is a Great Resource.

    Brevity is the soul of wit. Twitter has thousands of comedy accounts where you can find inspiration, learn how to be funny in 140 characters or less, and find links to websites that have open submissions.

    Point 4: Get Feedback.

    Drama is easy, comedy is hard. Hone your skills by putting your unpublished work on your blog, Facebook and Instagram accounts and ask for honest feedback.

    Point 5: Slideshows.

    If you’re not great with words, let pictures do the talking. Lots of websites host slideshows of the funniest tweets/Facebook posts/texts/etc, and usually pay a bit more.

    Point 6: Use Humor to Sell Yourself.

    Even when pitching non-comedy posts, clients remember the ones who make them smile. Don’t bombard them with jokes, but injecting a little humor into your pitch can make a big difference.

    Most people think you have to be a stand-up comedian or TV writer to make money from comedy writing. I’m neither of these and I’m a regular contributor to comedy blogs Runt-of-the-Web and Absrdcomedy under the pen name DanaSan. I want to encourage people to try their comedy chops at the dozens of smaller, attainable markets out there.

      • I was thinking along the lines of finding new clients by exploring untapped markets you wouldn’t ordinarily think of, but I guess it was a bit of a stretch for this contest. At least it sounds like good advice! Now I can pitch it someplace more appropriate. Thanks for the feedback!

  81. Hello BAFB community 🙂 – my pitch for your consideration

    FEAR – consider it as an acronym!

    When you consider F.E.A.R. as an acronym, it gives it a very different angle and makes it more manageable for most people.

    FALSE EVIDENCE APPEARING REAL becomes the acronym F.E.A.R. I do not know who the genius was behind this observation to give them their due credit, however, anyone I know that has heard this has embraced it.

    1. This notion suggests a 2nd look at FEAR with appreciation that as humans we assume the worst off the first glance, but is it what it seems? So, in reviewing it with this acronym in mind we can quite often negate our fear.
    2. This can apply to every aspect of life, of course. As humans we each have different fears and different ways in which they impact on us so what if you could dissolve it by exposing it?
    3. The person that revealed this analogy of an acronym did us all a massive favour, and gave us a form of empowerment, especially in its simplicity. How they came to it is probably as, if not more, important.
    4. Fear shouldn’t be feared, ironically! It is but one of our emotions that makes us ‘us’. So it effectively has a purpose, it is how we manage it or not, or utilise it or not that is key.
    5. Can you actually visualise your biggest fear ticket item WITHOUT the fear? For instance, public speaking, creating that blog, meeting that deadline…..
    6. Fear can manifest as the likes of procrastination, writer’s blocks, perfectionism amongst other habits, that keep us from moving forward. How often does a blogger have a great concept and some good content floating in their mind whilst out and about only to have it seemingly disappear when they sit down to apply pen to paper, or finger tips to keyboard. I know first hand! AND can recommend looking at fear for a reprieve!

    This topic is my jam! I have reached a point where I can nail fear and I can help others do it too! It is really hard to start, don’t be fooled, but soooo easy when you nail it! I have discovered so many effective modalities that I wouldn’t now go without. So, if you are struggling with the likes of writer’s block, maybe take a moment to think of whether there is an underlying fear associated with it. As ridiculous as it seems, fear of success is a major block. As a qualified life coach, I have seen a lot of it BUT it can be used as a tool to inspire and create too.

    Needless to say that this information would be extremely helpful to the BAFB community and I am very excited to contribute and help.

    cheers

  82. Get Your Ass in Gear: Stop Aspiring and Start Writing Already!

    Introduction:
    Say you decided to pursue freelance writing. You like the prospect of making a living putting words to paper (or a screen), and want to give it a go. Problem is, all you do is think about living the life, paralyzed with fear of actually doing it. Here’s what you can do to thaw those frozen feet and get moving!

    1. Stop Information Overload: Embarking on something as risky as a freelance business, can be scary and exciting at the same time, so you want to make sure you’ve got all your bases covered. But left unchecked, this becomes a problem of over-researching, and more learning and no implementing.

    2. Keep It Positive!: Having fears of failure or rejection can actually weigh you down and prevent you from actually putting your face out there, even if your mind is actually doing such things to protect you. Being kind to yourself can go a long way in confidence building.

    3. Understand Rejection is Inevitable: At a point, the main fear plaguing me was that of people thinking my writing is crap, and hearing more “no’s” than “yes’s”. But, you never know how things turn out if you don’t put anything out there to begin with.

    4. Realize You’re Not Perfect: Think about it, you understand a human being is far from perfect. Understand that as a product of human invention, your writing won’t be perfect either.

    5. Turn that Fear into Motivation: Fear can be so great that it literally stops us in our tracks. Flipping it to your motivation-reminding yourself of the reason you wanted this life in the first place, can do wonders to actually get you in the mindset and go about actually living it.

    6. Just Do It!: Even if you’re scared of investing a little bit into things like a site or bank account or whatever for the time being, send samples to test the waters! Get a portfolio started, so when you finally register your business, you got pieces you can shop around with to prove to potential clients you’re a valuable asset to their business!

    Who am I to give such advice?
    As much as I wanted to put a career as a freelance writer into to action, constant procrastination and fear got in the way, too scared to publish a single word until now (doesn’t help that I’m shy and introverted). After a while, I said to hell with it, and decided this would be my first time getting my stuff out there (while pitching ideas to other places)! If someone like me, who wasted their time wishing instead of doing, can get their act together and finally grow a pair to write something, whether or not it’ll be chosen, so can anyone else!

  83. Cutting it close but here is my pitch.

    “Don’t Fear the Reader”

    Yes, a play on words from the song The Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult. Nostalgia anyone?

    Fear comes in many forms. One that is not considered when writers discuss their fears is the fear of the reader. What they think about us can keep us from achieving out true potential. By isolating the source of our fear we can learn to overcome it. By understanding how to harness that fear we can become better writers. When it comes to being afraid of what others may think, yup, you guessed it: fuck ‘em. If you are being true to yourself and your writing, nothing can stop you from achieving everything you want.

    • Decide Who You Are – Consider that phrase. Who we are as storytellers define how we respond to others. We can draw strength from who we are to overcome fear and push ourselves further than we ever thought possible.
    • Trust Your Instincts – We write because it is in our blood. That inner voice will not lead you astray when it comes to making something worth reading.
    • Find Your Groove – Once you accept the fear, you can not only push through it, you can learn to harness it into a force more powerful than you can know.
    • Don’t Fear, Period – Just like the song says: don’t fear. Push it from your mind and you will be amazed at the things you will accomplish.
    • Allow for Criticism – Has anyone ever berated you, physically attacked you, or caused you harm for your writing? Criticism will happen … embrace it and use it to fuel the fire.
    • More Cowbell – For the ones that understand this, bravo. The original song needed more cowbell: be different and do not be afraid to be different. Break rules, reach higher than you thought you could, BE YOU.

    By bringing a lighter side to fear, I want to convey that everyone at some time has fears. If they tell you they don’t they’re lying. But there is a way to overcome those fears. This would not only be fun to write but I believe fun to read.

    • Hello Dwight,

      I had to go and check out the song. Love the harmonies and the riff 🙂

      My reading of the song is: ‘love and cease the day as the reaper is not far away’.

      So here are a few thoughts:

      Your post could accentuate more the act of enjoying freelance blogging (on your own terms/by being you, like you wrote) and embracing fear (rather than stopping fear). Fear can create more energy like love can.

      Love and fear are elemental emotions: how can a blogger tap into that to connect with its reader? Can love transcend fear? Perhaps the love of sharing what you know (to be helpful, entertaining or to educate your readers) is stronger than fear?

      Re the cowbell, you could link it to Seth Godin’s Purple Cow. Something different that make your readers sit up and notice :).

      All the best,
      Nath.

        • Hi Dwight,

          So I went to have a look at the SNL skit with Will Ferrell. Like Lauren, I loved it too. Thank you for that :). Have a wonderful weekend.

    • I love “Don’t Fear the Reaper” (also love “Burning for You” by BOC).

      I would have loved to see more emphasis on freelance blogging in this pitch. Also: a lot of our readers don’t have their own blogs — they blog for clients. So it would have been good if you could have tailored this advice to illustrate how our readers could use your tips to further their client’s blogs (and earn more money for themselves).

      Also: Love that SNL skit. That was done back when they were still kinda funny. Good stuff.

      • More cowbell! I’ll be honest, I’ve read so many pitches about fear now that they’re starting to blend together, but little touches like that always manage to get my attention back. Cultural reference points are awesome. 🙂

  84. Pitch:
    “Saying what you mean to say: cohesive writing as a new freelance blogger”
    From my personal experience editing people’s work a common issue people have is creating a cohesive piece in which their train of thought is carried on throughout the article. In my post, I will:
    1. explain what a thesis statement is and how it applies to blogging
    2. Explain how to break down a thesis statement into smaller ideas
    3 .Talk about how to write for an academic audience vs a general audience.
    I am a blogger that is new to freelance writing. However, I excelled at writing in college and tutored others. I would use this knowledge in writing my post.

    • Hi,
      Is the time zone set to the United Kingdom? It was still 6/10/17 when I posted over here. Hope it is not too late to get some feedback. Thank you for setting up a site to help other writers. I’m impressed. 🙂

  85. Hi everyone,

    I am unable to figure out why is my pitch awaiting moderation? Pls suggest what should I do.

    Thanks and good wishes to all.

    Cheers!

  86. HI!

    I’d submitted yesterday but I think it somehow got lost! Re-submitting again here 🙂

    HEADLINE: Affirmations for Modern Freelance Bloggers

    OPENING LINES: Right as I start to see the #SundayScaries posts roll out on my Instagram feed each week I stop and do something. I use my phone to write notes to myself on top of my weekly goals. I’ll share some of my favorite notes with you here, and how they’ve helped me (in hopes that they help you.)

    6 POINTS + 1-2 sentences backing up points:

    Quote/Affirmation + story relating to what it’s like to lose a job/be let go: Every freelance blogger knows that jobs are temporary, but the high of being able to control your own destiny is forever. I’ll share one of my favorite affirmations about the importance of continuing to move on after a job.
    Quote/Affirmation + story relating to community: At times loneliness has gotten the best of me. During these times I’ve started my week with quotes about communites to remind me of how lucky I am to have a supportive network to reach out to (or even just google!) when work can seem isolating.
    Quote /Affirmation + story relating to finding motivation: Motivation can be everywhere if your mindset is in the right place (so cliche…I know) I’ll share one of my favorite quotes about where you can derive motivation from when it doesn’t seem to be within reach
    Quote/Affirmation + story relating to using fear: For me, even though I hate it, being scared is the best possible way for me to push myself. I’ll share a quote about why fear can be healthy.
    Quote/Affirmation + story relating to faking it till you make it: The longer I’ve worked, no matter the job, the more I come to realize everyone’s faking it to some degree. I’ll share a humorous quote about just that.
    Quote/Affirmation + story relating to getting stronger: What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Literally.

    Why me? Hi! I feel I should write for your audience, because I am your audience! I know what I enjoy reading, and a piece like this would be exactly the thing I’d google to keep me going, or stop to read when I saw the headline.

      • That’s ok! Looking forward to your feedback (unless it was provided and I’d just missed it!)

  87. THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED!

    Big thanks to everyone who entered this time! 🙂

    I’ve been reading your pitches as they’ve been coming in, and we have some interesting entries this time around. I’ll be replying to each and every one of you as soon as I possibly can!

    I’ve been having some issues with my health that have made me a tad flaky, but I will critique each and every entry within the next couple days, and help Sophie make the final call in regard to winners before we post them on the 17th. <3

    Stay tuned!!

      • Lauren, your health is your first priority. Looking forward to your feedback when you feel up to it.

    • Thank you! I’m still feeling really tired, but I finally managed to reply to EVERYONE who entered! 🙂

      I’ve picked MY winners. And I believe Sophie has already chosen hers… Whoever we both agree on will end up being the final pick. Exciting stuff!

      Keep an eye on this post. Sophie should be posting the winners and runners-up sometime tomorrow.

      Again: sorry for the delay on my end. I’ve been sleeping a good 15 hours per day because I’ve just been WIPED. Whew…

      • Thanks so much for your feedback to all the contestants, especially considering your health challenges. I’ve learned from all of it–and I look forward to seeing the winners. Hope you’re feeling better soon!

  88. OK folks, I’m a day late announcing the winners because the contest was SUPER close this time around…

    …but Lauren and I have compiled our votes and here are the winners!

    1st prize: Sarah, with a pitch about freelance blogging autonomy – read her winning pitch at http://beafreelanceblogger.com/fear-pitchfest/#comment-207291

    2nd prize: DeAnna Knippling, on procrastination – http://beafreelanceblogger.com/fear-pitchfest/#comment-207153

    3rd prize: Bonnie McConaughy, on introverted freelance bloggers –
    http://beafreelanceblogger.com/fear-pitchfest/#comment-207172

    Other people whose pitches we feel are ready to draft, IF they follow the feedback Lauren/Sophie and other readers provided:
    Kate Downes
    Katherine Swarts
    Valeria Black
    Tiffany M Isaacs
    Gayle Jo
    Megan Dougherty & Audra Casino
    (If your name’s on this list, we encourage you to either pitch your idea to one of the sites in The Ultimate List of Better-Paid Blogging Gigs, or write a full draft and submit it to lauren@beafreelanceblogger.com for publication as a traditional, unpaid guest post on Be a Freelance Blogger.)

    Congratulations and well done to everyone who entered!

  90. Hey,
    so I just wanted to let you guys know that pitching an idea here doesn’t feel comfortable. I got this mail from you on March as well, and I wanted to point it out to you back then, but it completely slipped off my mind. So basically, you see there are so many beautiful pitches here that I can read, and anyone, literally anyone can steal someone else’s idea them and pitch to either Carol Tice or probably Writer’s Life, or other freelancing websites out there. Hell, even I could do it! You see my point?
    So, you’re actually jeopardising original ideas here. I’d really suggest that you take this contest to some private route, probably google doc forms, or something like that, where people cannot read each other’s ideas.

    • It’s ironic that this comment comes on a post about fear.

      3 things to note:

      (1) There is no such thing as “jeopardising original ideas” – an idea is either original or it isn’t, and if it is then no amount of sharing the idea can make it any less original.

      (2) Someone can steal another writer’s idea, but nobody can write another writer’s work. There are very few truly original ideas out there, and many articles share points in common, but it’s the points you choose to make in *your* article and the way *you* write it that matter to an editor.

      (3) Anyone who doesn’t feel comfortable pitching in public is always free to send a private pitch via email to lauren@beafreelanceblogger.com. It just won’t be counted as a Pitchfest entry, because that’s a public contest. 🙂

  91. Headline: Create a Streamlined Swipe File That is Actually Useful AND Helps You Create Copy at Warp Speed

    What is a Swipe File? How can you create one? And Why the heck would you want to?
    By definition, a swipe file is a collection of tested and proven advertising and sales letters.
    Basically, it’s junk mail that you don’t normally keep, unless you happen to be a writer. It’s a common practice for anyone who write advertising or…

    My 6 points:

    1. When just learning about copywriting, one of the very first commandments handed down is “Save all your junk mail! That’s your Swipe File!” Eventually, at some point after your Swipe File has outgrown any reasonable space set aside for it, someone will casually explain that you are supposed to use your Swipe file…full of other people’s work…to get ideas for copy and content you are supposed to be writing…
    WHOA!
    Not cool…I was never comfortable with that. I tend to be hyper-careful of such concepts. I mean, just suppose I read through my swipe file and some phrase sticks in my brain-hole and then bubbles up a few months later pretending to be all original and what-not…Yikes! No thanks, man, I’m good.

    2. So I think a post should be written that can show copywriters how to create a streamlined Swipe file, a.k.a. one reasonable, or dare I say…thin folder. AND explain what I consider the best way to create that swipe file so that the work you’re keeping in it is actually useful to you. (in so many ways)

    The method I use is not something I thought up on my own. I have my moments…but this method wasn’t one of them.

    3. I would write a post that would explain how to study the copy examples and break the first 3 components of every piece of marketing copy down. The Headline, the Subhead, and the lead. For the purposes of this Swipe File method, the first 3 components are all that’s necessary.

    4. I would give a quick review of the types of leads–direct and indirect, as well as the categories under each of those and when it is most appropriate to use each category, depending on the piece you are needing to write. It’s also important to note that when breaking down the examples you want in your Swipe File, you need to take the time to do it right. Ask yourself what each part is trying to do or accomplish…really think about why those words or that phrase was chosen. (We copywriters really do CHOOSE our words, you know.)

    5. Once each piece of copy is broken down and you have all your notes written directly on the copy you’re keeping, you don’t need to keep collecting examples of the same thing. If you have an example of a story lead, or a promise lead…that is the only example you really need of it. If you run across a better example of the same type and category of lead later on, then REPLACE the old one. Don’t just keep collecting the exact same stuff. Once you have an example of each kind of lead in your file, you don’t have to collect anymore junk mail.

    Here is the Warp speed part…You have a new assignment to write and you need to figure out where to start–(research, duh) but let’s say you’re done researching and you want to get the writing started. Decide what kind of lead you are going to use. What kind of lead is going to fit this copy project the best? (honestly, after you’ve gotten some experience, you realize that certain industries or companies will typically gravitate toward only 2 or 3 different lead formats on average. Not kidding).

    6. Go to your Swipe File…which is thin and orderly and the example of the lead type you want is right at your finger-tips. (also saves time.) Those first 3 components you took the time to study and break down…it’s now a TEMPLATE! And a template means it’s your own customized little formula…so of course you can write the 3 initial components of your project super fast! Let’s face it, after the headline, sub-head and the lead…the rest of the coy is a cake-walk.

    I think this would be a very useful and entertaining post for your readers. I also think I am the perfect writer to create this post because 1. I tend to be a very entertaining writer and 2. I already have a rough draft of this post created. (It’s about 3100 words). So It just needs some editing and it’s good to go.