Act. Now! You Have What It Takes.

Dear Freelancer,

I'm writing to let you know that there's no need to feel overwhelmed. There's a wealth of freelance advice available, and you've come across it all. However, today I have one simple tip for you: stop consuming and start taking action! Now!

My freelancing career truly began to flourish once I started viewing myself as a serious editor. This shift occurred when I began accepting projects I previously hesitated to tackle—projects that offered the desired payment, matched my skills, and held significance. Here are a few things I've learned as I've grown in my book editing career that I wish I had learned sooner.

• Building confidence is a gradual process. Every step you take to advance your business enhances your confidence, not just in yourself, but also in your business, skills, ideal clients, and decision-making abilities. Each forward action increases your confidence, enabling you to progress even more.

• The longer you spend learning without taking action, the more distant your dreams will become. This will lead to increased discouragement because NOTHING IS HAPPENING!

• We all have to begin somewhere, and for me, that moment was in 2008 when blogging was gaining popularity. People were transitioning from Myspace and Facebook Notes to starting their own blogs, so I decided to join in. I launched a blog because I heard I could earn money by placing Google Ads on my site. However, as I was setting up the blog, I realized I didn't just want to create a blog for ad revenue; I wanted to develop something meaningful. So, I did. (And I should mention that throughout my blogging years, I only earned a modest $100 from those Google Ads—imagine if that had been my primary goal.) Thus, blogging for money turned into something different—a passion project that I pursued for five years before I stopped in 2013. It was an online magazine. It was through this project that I met my first client, a fellow blogger and author. She later referred other authors to me, eventually setting up her own publishing house. When I began book editing, she sent me referrals. I have since learned how to find my own work, but we still work together from time to time.

I share this to motivate you to say yes and take action. Embracing that initial opportunity is what has led me to where I am 13 years later. Begin somewhere, but begin now! You'll be a few steps ahead of where you are today.

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If you would like to learn more tips on how to get started on your freelance journey, read my Freelancing & Business column.