So Everyone Wants To Be A Writer— What Now?
Is it worth it to start a freelancing career?
Earlier this week, I received an email from an English major I’ve been mentoring. In it, they stated that the freelance market was becoming too saturated due, in part, to the pandemic. They feared that there wouldn’t be enough work to go around in a few years (possibly sooner).
Since I started tutoring them, we’ve developed an easy rapport.
My inbox is always open, so when they have a question or concern, my replies usually come within an hour or two. But it took me several few hours before I thought of a response to this email.
Partly, because…their fears were warranted.
Fact is: the pandemic has placed more people at home for the first time in, well, ever. At least during our lifetimes. Never in history has society been so confined to the indoors — whether because of quarantining or unemployment.
Or an unfortunate mix of both.
This has, naturally, led people to seek out other means of employment from home. Some have started businesses, some have sought out virtual positions, some have decided to write. Actually, many have started to write.
Be it starting blogs, pitching articles, or offering editing services — there are more people than ever dipping their toes into the freelance writing pool, in hopes of making an income or supplementing their existing income.
What does that mean for writers, established and aspiring?
Are they going to be forced to give up their comfy couch position, or *gasp* put on clothes and leave the house?!
Well…not exactly.
Yes, more people seeking employment increases competition. It’s a classic case of supply and demand. There are only so many jobs to go around and more people means a lesser chance of you getting hired.
But I wouldn’t worry too much.
Here’s why:
👌The Increased Interest Is Likely Temporary
The increased interest in freelancing is unlikely to survive the end of the pandemic. That almost sounds weird to say — given that people have to be told not to take horse dewormer, and millions are refusing the free and easily accessible vaccine — but the pandemic won’t last forever. Just like the Spanish Flu and the plagues before it, Covid’s hold on society will wane.
Once it does, the majority of fly-by-night writers will return to their previous fields. In fact, they’ll likely run to them.
Why? Well, everyone’s not cut out to be a writer. Coming from me, that might sound contradictory. Everyone can write,” I’ve said countless times.
It wasn’t a lie, either.
Anyone can learn to write, but not everyone is meant to be a writer. Just as everyone isn’t meant to be an dancer or an accountant. Writing is a solitary career path that takes a strong, motivated person to handle.
It takes a special combination of skill, perseverance and determination to be successful in the field. You get nowhere in this industry without a mountain of rejection in your wake. For every yes, you’ll probably receive ten no’s. If your skin isn’t thick, you’re not going to last a month.
Much less sustain a career.
And when things return to normal, much of the new competition will drop out in favor of their familiar jobs.
Those that don’t? Well, they're not the problem. But your fear might be!
❌ If You Can’t Handle Competition, You Won’t Make It
If you’re worried about who else might be gunning for the job you want, you’ve already lost. Point blank. This goes for any industry, but especially in writing. Often, rejections aren’t due to lack of skill; they’re based based on the personal biases of the person doing the hiring.
There might not be anything wrong with your copy, they might just prefer someone’s style or tone better than yours. I’ve had an editor pass me over for a position, only to get hired once another editor took over the hiring process.
Same test article, same qualifications.
Yet, this time I was hired. The only thing I can deduce is that the two editors had different personal preferences.
Since then, I’ve excelled at this position — something I wouldn’t have been able to do, if I’d taken the first rejection to heart, wondering who out there was better suited for the job. Instead, I reassessed and tried again when the next round of applications started up.
Moral of the story? Focus on your strengths and talents, and everything else will fall into place — as long as you don’t give up!
