"If you don't recognize your own accomplishments as
a writer, who will?"
Kelly James-Enger
June 1st is “Recognize Your Accomplishments Day”—a day for us to focus on what we have achieved thus far in our lives. Why is this important? If we only look at where we have fallen short—the goals as yet unattained, the resolutions broken, the commitments still to be made—we can lose our confidence, our focus and our drive. We’ll feel weak, incapable, basically like failures.
But if we turn our attention to what we have done, then we start from a position of power. We can employ “if/then”
thinking: “If I have successfully accomplished such-and-such, then I can achieve
this-or-that.” But it can be hard to keep the spirit of encouragement alive,
especially if you are in a creative field where rejection is the norm and
acceptance is the exception.
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| Kelly James-Enger |
She lives with one husband, one son, one daughter, and one golden retriever in Downers Grove, IL. (For more information, visit her website.)
You’ve been in the
writing industry since 1997, and have 12 published books and 700+ articles in
more than 60 national magazines to your credit. By all accounts, anyone would
say that you have achieved writing success. Going back to those early days,
what were some of more challenging aspects of pursuing a writing career?
James-Enger: I think the hardest part for me was the isolation and insecurity I faced every day. I'm an extrovert in an introvert's career, and I went from being a lawyer and surrounded by people all day, every day, to working alone all day long (though I did have a golden retriever to keep me company, which helped). I questioned what I was doing pretty much every single day, but I tried not to dwell on that and focus on what I could do—researching potential markets, sending out queries, writing essays and sending them out, marketing myself to local businesses, etc.
James-Enger: I think the hardest part for me was the isolation and insecurity I faced every day. I'm an extrovert in an introvert's career, and I went from being a lawyer and surrounded by people all day, every day, to working alone all day long (though I did have a golden retriever to keep me company, which helped). I questioned what I was doing pretty much every single day, but I tried not to dwell on that and focus on what I could do—researching potential markets, sending out queries, writing essays and sending them out, marketing myself to local businesses, etc.
What kind of
preparation did you have for this industry? What did you have to learn “on the
fly”?
James-Enger: Ha! Pretty much no preparation at all though I majored in rhetoric (writing) in college and as a lawyer, I had learned some skills that helped, like time management, writing/thinking logically, and interviewing clients/experts/witnesses. I had little marketing experience, though, and had never written much of what I wound up writing for pay! So I read A LOT of books on freelancing, writing, self-employment, you name it, and learned as I went along.
James-Enger: Ha! Pretty much no preparation at all though I majored in rhetoric (writing) in college and as a lawyer, I had learned some skills that helped, like time management, writing/thinking logically, and interviewing clients/experts/witnesses. I had little marketing experience, though, and had never written much of what I wound up writing for pay! So I read A LOT of books on freelancing, writing, self-employment, you name it, and learned as I went along.
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| Writer for Hire |
James-Enger: I started out writing articles, and segued into books about four years into my career. Now I do both, although most of my income comes from books (both my own and ghosting/coauthoring for clients). I prefer books because I like having the luxury of all that space to cover a topic, but I also like articles for their "quick hit" nature. If I could only do one forever, though, I'd pick books.
You write a lot
about making a living as a writer. What do writers need to understand about
pursing this career? Is it just about writing well, or are there other talents
or abilities they need to develop?
James-Enger: Writers need to understand that the ability to write well is a small part of making writing your career. You've got to be able to identify potential clients, market yourself, write different types of pieces, manage your time, manage your business, maintain a positive attitude, create relationships with clients…the list goes on. In short, you have to be an entrepreneur first, a writer second.
James-Enger: Writers need to understand that the ability to write well is a small part of making writing your career. You've got to be able to identify potential clients, market yourself, write different types of pieces, manage your time, manage your business, maintain a positive attitude, create relationships with clients…the list goes on. In short, you have to be an entrepreneur first, a writer second.
When I talk with
working writers—those who rely on their writing for some or all of their
income—most say how difficult they find the “job hunting” part of the process.
Was this something you struggled with before you got your “writing cred”? What
tips do you have for them to keep the assignments—and cash!— coming in?
James-Enger: I agree that marketing is challenging, and here's the thing—it's something you're going to have to do forever, as long as you're a self-employed writer. Sure, there are times when work comes to you, or is referred to you or when you're too busy to market. But you're always going to have to be able to sell yourself and attract potential clients. I spent 80 to 90 percent of my time starting out marketing because I had no clients! Now I spend maybe 5 percent of my time marketing. My advice is to set specific marketing goals—say, a number of query letters or letters of introduction, or cold calls—and focus on reaching them. Then the assignments will come in.
James-Enger: I
think it's important to celebrate what you've already achieved. I think as
writers, we get caught up on the next assignment instead of celebrating how far
we've come. Case in point, I threw my own book launch party for The Honesty Index. Yes, I knew people would come and buy copies of my book. (Yay!) But I also
wanted to celebrate a pretty amazing accomplishment—that I'd managed to get
back into writing fiction after eight years off, even while having two (darling
but demanding) little kids.
James-Enger: I agree that marketing is challenging, and here's the thing—it's something you're going to have to do forever, as long as you're a self-employed writer. Sure, there are times when work comes to you, or is referred to you or when you're too busy to market. But you're always going to have to be able to sell yourself and attract potential clients. I spent 80 to 90 percent of my time starting out marketing because I had no clients! Now I spend maybe 5 percent of my time marketing. My advice is to set specific marketing goals—say, a number of query letters or letters of introduction, or cold calls—and focus on reaching them. Then the assignments will come in.
Any advice for writers to mark “Recognize Your Accomplishments Day”?
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| The Honesty Index |
If you don't recognize your own accomplishments as
a writer, who will?
*******
Kelly will be back next week to share even more ideas and strategies. Now, celebrate “Recognize Your Accomplishments Day” by listing at least 10 goals you've achieved—personally or professionally!
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