Love Letter To A Freelance Writer #4: You’re Not Risking Murder, Right?
This is one of a select batch of emails I sent to a group of writers I was coaching. I intend to publish the entirety of them as a collection, but I’ve released several “selections” in a three-part series, which you can view on my website here: https://www.michaeldelaguerra.com/loveletters
Dear reader,
I have this quote framed and fastened to my wall:
“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”
This could be generic self-help mumbo jumbo until you realize it was said by Harriet Tubman. You know, the Harriet Tubman who risked a brutal murder at the hands of a ruthless slaveowner if she was caught freeing slaves on the Underground Railroad. I bring this up because there are two core tenets I teach writers:
- Nothing should be above the outcome your writing looks to achieve
- Don’t be afraid to think bigger
Many writers play small. They look around at what “everyone else” is doing and accept it as the norm. They argue their points in Facebook groups about unimportant minutiae all day long instead of actually moving forward.
I hold the respect I have for the craft of writing above all else — whatever isn’t doing justice to the piece I’m writing, I cut. The same goes for making money as a writer (if it’s not moving the needle, cut it).
Let me give you an example so you don’t just think I’m waxing poetic: if you’re creating a sales copy piece, the only goal of that piece of writing is to make a sale. Not to sound cute, not to show everyone how smart you are. Its sole purpose is to sell a product. Same goes for fiction writing.
My two favorite fiction authors are Gillian Flynn and Stephen King. All of their writing is geared towards telling the best story possible, and… building suspense. Because that’s what they do. They’re suspense writers. Their goal is to draw you in, entertain you, and build anticipation.
They also dared to dream bigger. Gillian went from working for a magazine, to writing novels, to now writing major motion picture films. King’s first hit, Carrie, was his fourth novel, and he’d worked low-paying dead-end jobs up until that point (you should read about both their stories; they’re fantastic and inspiring). So wherever YOU are, I’d encourage you to think bigger.
I know it’s hard when you’re just starting out, because most of the time, all you want to know is the “secret” to making money. Well, while there’s no secret, there are a few tools that can help you (I’ll share a money-making tip in the next email).
But what would you do if you were already getting paid to write for a living? Would you quit your job and spend a year traveling like I did? Would you keep at it on the side so you could pay off some debt before making the jump to full-time?
Personally, I used the time I got back to pursue screenwriting and filmmaking, and I run into a lot of “starving artists” who are only starving because they think that’s what they must do.
So, dare to dream big, dear reader.
- M
P.S. Nothing should come above the outcome your writing looks to achieve. That’s the way I approach any piece, whether it’s a piece of sales copy, or a short story I’m writing.
So, question for you: What do you think this email was trying to achieve? Hit “Reply” and let me know, and I’ll share why in the next email.
This is one of a select batch of emails I sent to a group of writers I was coaching. I intend to publish the entirety of them as a collection, but I’ve released several “selections” in a three-part series over on my website at: https://www.michaeldelaguerra.com/loveletters
