Sometimes you just have to jump…
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As a freelancer, getting gigs often means pitching your ideas to potential clients. This is especially true for writers like myself. However, what holds many aspiring freelancers back is fear.

Personally, I’ve held back many of my ideas for fear of looking foolish to the potential client, but certainly the big one for most is simply fear of rejection.

Because of my fears I’ve spent a lot of time only pitching articles that I knew would be accepted (mostly business stories for small trade publications) even though it means fewer jobs and nights working in a call center to pay the rent.

Then while reading newspapers and magazines on shift, I’d see articles, usually personal essays, that were less than impressive and couldn’t believe someone got paid to write that drivel.

“Why?” was always what I would ask.

There’s an obvious answer to that question: the writer pitched the story to the editor, the editor liked the idea, it went to print and the writer got paid.

The important thing is that the writer didn’t give in to their fear and instead just sent the story idea in. Overcoming fear of looking foolish or having the story rejected. And often that’s just what needs to be done to get work.

In order to get past those fears you must first face them:

Fear of Looking Foolish

It is possible someone will see your proposal and think: “What’s wrong with this person?” but it is just as possible they’ll think it’s brilliant, or at least something they want to buy. You won’t know unless you try and if nothing else it’s one of the easiest ways to get feedback. Barring the annoying form rejections you get from larger companies, most will at least provide a brief explanation as to why your bid wasn’t accepted.

Common sense is really what’s needed to avoid looking like the fool. Make sure to proofread your proposal (no editor will buy a story from a writer who can’t spell) and make sure you’ve done your homework on the client (don’t pitch a how-to guide on bathing cats to a business publication.)

Otherwise, just go with it. First impressions are important, but that can also result in spending too much time trying to perfect that first contact. Remember the words of surrealist Salvador Dali: “Do not fear perfection for you will never achieve it.”

Fear of Rejection

There’s no real way around this one. It’s going to happen. It sucks, but wallowing in it is bad for business. I know writers who’ve had to send a dozen pitches to the same editor before they had one accepted. Persistence pays off.

Besides, a few days ago I received a form letter rejection from a public broadcaster about a radio documentary I’d proposed months ago. That same night, on a whim, I sent a pitch to an up and coming website for freelancers. You just finished reading the result of that.