People often question my ability to be a great freelance writer despite my tendency to be more introverted than extroverted. Extroversion is a personality type that tends to be more outgoing and talkative while introversion refers to a more reserved person that prefers solitude. I am definitely the person that prefers a quiet evening reading as opposed to a night of partying, but that is not always the case in my career. Being the salesperson for my writing intimidated me, as I never wanted to reach out to clients to offer my services.
When I landed my first gig I was very uncomfortable with the conversation that precedes the project. Although I went through with the conversations outlining details, I hated it and felt the client could tell I was uncomfortable. Going forward I tried to push myself to be more extroverted, thinking that it would be a better approach to freelance writing and hoping it would translate into more jobs.
I would reach out to clients more often than necessary in an effort to be what I considered friendly and outgoing. The result was not what I desired, as my approach was obviously inauthentic and potential clients could sense that.
As my freelance career grew I decided to embrace my introverted personality as I took on more projects and worked with new clients. I made sure that the majority of my communication was done via email, which allowed me to write my questions and concerns in advance. I would also get as much information as possible before I began a project so that I would not have to contact the client again, which is best for me as well as them. Because I am comfortable working alone, focusing on a project was easy for me and I would frequently complete projects faster than expected. As I continued to exceed expectations I realized I could be a great introverted freelance writer.
I began to develop a newfound confidence in my ability and expertise as a writer and it showed in my work as well as my personality. When I felt I could benefit a client or add value to their business I would quickly and energetically communicate this as I offered my services. However, that did not change my introverted tendencies outside of my career, I still kept to myself in my private life.
When it comes to my freelance writing I’ve created a balance between the two sides of my personality, dependent on what is best for the project. I usually have to be more extroverted when booking a job as I talk to the client and get the details necessary to complete the project. Although this is out of my comfort zone, it focuses on writing, which I am very comfortable with. Once I have solidified the details of the project I get to go back into my introversion shell as I work on the project independently. The positive testimonials and reviews I receive regarding my work are affirmation that my balance works great for clients. As my confidence continues to grow so do my extroversion capabilities. It has become much easier to reach out to clients and sell myself as a writer than it was in the beginning of my freelance writing career.
Being a freelance writer means that you are self-employed, so you have to play all the roles in your business. This includes the secretary, marketing director, agent and writer. It is necessary to be outgoing at times while also possessing the ability to work independently for the majority of your projects. Without being able to find a balance of both these personality types you exponentially lower the potential success of your career. The trick is to find a way to embody both of these personality traits in your professional freelance writing career, although you do not have to implement these changes into your personal life.
About the Author – Larry Milbourne is a senior freelance academic writing supervisor at EssayLancers.com, the online community of freelance academic writers from all over the world. Larry has in-depthknowledge and experience in the academic writing industry.
