Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Life is good. Eh?

Been working hard, but then, my job doesn`t make me feel complete. There is something misisng.

I have been contemplating a lot of part-time business ideas but failed to arrive at anything gr8. However, I am a writer and have been one for quite sometime now. I wanted to make that hobby earn for me. This serves me quite ok, in bits and pieces, a few saturdays and sundays. If I do this, I am self-employed.

I wanted to start and run a business. I am just not able to get something off and running.

Huba huba....

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Hire Me To Write For You Join for Free &Throw Open Your Life to Change
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If you`re a writer, have you tried your hand at SEO writing? That`s an explosive new field, and lots of opportunities. It`s a way to gradually increase the income from writing while not immediately having to stop the other job.

Another thing is to actually try to define what`s missing, not just put in a placeholder like "something." If you know what you don`t have, you can begin to work out a way to go get it! :-)

Why don`t you freelance yourself as a ghost writer, copywriter, SEO or whatever style you write at:

1.  www.guru.com

2.  www.elance.com

3.  www.freelance.com

Put yourself up for hire, determine your rates, and get some money coming in!  I`m not a writer, but there a lot of people who are making good money doing that on the side.

Hope that helps.

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"Discover How I`m PERSONALLY Helping Entrepreneurs Make Money On The Internet..."

Hey Craig and Alan,

Thanks a ton for responding.

I have been writing for quite a few clients, but then, I am not sure where my next paycheck comes from. Now, that`s something every freelancer goes through?

I know I am being ridiculous, but sometimes, my confidence fails me. I once visited elance and guru, I found that perhaps, I am not upto it. :-(

I keep saying I tried. I am not sure if I really did. I am not even sure if my writing is upto the mark. I don`t know how much to charge for my services, while I am aware that there is a lot of information online.

I am not moving, am I?

I have a feeling: It`s all about attitude, I am yet to wear one.

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Hire Me To Write For You Join for Free &Throw Open Your Life to Change
Bid and Win Insane Deals

Best line I ever heard, working around Arthur Andersen, was how so many people wake up one morning, stretch, yawn, and say, "Hmm...I think today...I`m gonna be...a Consultant!" LOL!!

You are who you say you are! Yes, there are times when you need credentials for certain things, but being a writer isn`t one of them. Your product---results---speak for themselves. Your portfolio of past examples are those credentials.

Nearly every artist I`ve ever met, myself included, of any kind, has confidence issues. It`s because the product is intangible and so often is valued on subjective feelings. You can write a grammatically correct article, spelled correctly, and printed correctly. But in the end, it comes down to someone making a judgement---did they like it or not?

Engineering and manufacturing more often tend to go on the basis of does it work or not. In many ways, that`s an easier situation. It also tends to be a one-time event, where writing, music, painting, and so forth, tend to being a new judgement with each "release."

Confidence grows with experience. It also grows with positive feedback. The only way to get either of those is to sell articles, books, or whatever it is that`s your art. But you can at least feel part of the crowd where it comes to having insecurities and lack of confidence.

It`s only when that lack of confidence, or those insecurities take on SUCH importance that you choose to do nothing, not even act at all. It`s walking away from competition, challenge, argument, disagreement, and testing yourself. On the other hand, if you take the challenge and win, there aren`t many better rewards. :-)

CraigL,

If Pumping in confidence unto others ought to have been priced and sold here, you could have been rich. Very very rich.

Guess what I did after I read your post. Signed up on a few freelancing sites, created a proposal with samples of my previous work thrown in and shot them across to all those businesses and SEO`s who are looking for my services.

As they come by, I will grow.

Thanks a ton for everything.

Ash

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Hire Me To Write For You Join for Free &Throw Open Your Life to Change
Bid and Win Insane Deals

What an excellent feedback! Thank you. :-) The bottom line is that unless you toss out a line, hook, and some bait, NO amount of waiting and hoping will bring you a fish.

There are some New Age ideologies that will claim a fish "might" come flying out of the water and land at your feet. But logic and probability theory indicate that you`ll wait much longer for that, than if you simply toss a worm and hook into the water.

You STILL may not catch any fish, but at least you`ll be out enjoying the day, having some fresh air, relaxing, and contemplating what else you`d like to do with your life. And....in the meantime, you may end up with a Very Big Fish! :-D

Good luck, and keep us posted on what happens next! It`s an Adventure!

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www.strongbusinesscredit.com

Just wanted to add in a few things....

First off, most freelancers have the same confidence issues... especially when it comes to paychecks.  But if you market yourself and plan accordingly there are ways to not worry quite so much.  When I first started I was a one woman show... and I figured out how many websites or logos I had to do each month in order to make my paychecks.  Then I strived for that (it was actually very doable at the time).  Then I just kept increasing my goals, learning as I went along.  Now I`m a full time operation with my own employees and we`re looking at buying an office space (instead of wasting money with renting).  I still have confidence issues to this day, but when it comes down to it, on those days when I can`t speak for myself, my work does the speaking for me.  My clients are clients for life, they are my paychecks yes, but they have also become my friends.  If they fail, then I`ve failed my job.  You seem to have a lot of heart... use it and I think you will do very well.

Keep us posted and remember.... smile!

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Jen Walter
Creative Director
JW Design Center
www.jwdesigncenter.com