How Dispelling Common "Myths" Earns me Money

...AND IT CAN FOR YOU TOO!

 There’s so much information available on the Internet for writers today, it sometimes becomes difficult to filter it all and find the real truth. But, there’s a “tab” we pay for not doing our homework and accepting everything at face value.

Misinformation, scams, and half-truths can rob us of time, money and energy, and sabotage our success. Simply put, what you believe shapes what you will achieve.
It took some trial and error, but eventually I was able to detect the B.S. to become my own “expert.” And you can too.

Accordingly, here are a few common writing myths that prevent many writers from making money and reaping the long-term benefits of a freelance career (and how I overcame them).

IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER OF IMPORTANCE:  

 

1. YOU MUST WRITE EVERYDAY TO BE SUCCESSFUL

Though writing everyday is a great way to make writing a solid habit, and can help to hone writing skills, it’s not a MUST. From my experience, “forced” writing is rarely quality writing. Author, counselor and writing coach Noelle Sterne in How to re-connect with your writing core states: "Stop trying to write. Stop telling yourself you have to. If you miss a few days, you won't be destroyed or condemned to eternal block."
Instead of writing everyday, here are some other productive alternatives: study writing markets, read books in your genre, promote your work, make cold calls, update your resume.
Every little bit counts.

2. YOU CAN’T BREAK INTO PAYING  PUBLICATIONS WITHOUT QUERYING

Not true. Not always. I have written and sold hundreds of articles without the benefit of queries. Here’s how: study (and follow) a publication’s guidelines carefully; check the archives to prevent duplication; and craft quality, useful content. This increases the odds for success.

3. BLOGGING ON A FREE PLATFORM WILL BRAND YOU AS AN AMATEUR

“Experts” contend that setting up a blog on platforms like Wordpress and Blogger will brand writers as unprofessional and put off potential clients. Hogwash. Though it’s categorically better to own vs. “rent” someone else’s space (even in the virtual world), a well-designed, well-received site can indeed be achieved through these free platforms. And I should know. My award-winning site here has allowed me to earn thousands of dollars in ads, job offers and collaborative projects, and connect with some great people along the way. As a matter of record, I have owned and blogged on self-hosted sites too, that did not garner as much money comparatively.

4. WRITING IS EASY--ALL YOU NEED IS AN INTERNET CONNECTION AND BASIC ENGLISH

If only it were that easy! Anybody who’s been a writer for any significant length of time will attest--it ain’t as easy as it looks. Long-term success requires discipline, ingenuity, time managements skills, creativity, and business smarts. If you go into it with the wrong mindset, you’ll be doomed from the start.  
　
IN CONCLUSION...
　
Leave the myths and fairy tales to children’s story books. Abandon these four common falsehoods to make real money, and to make the most of your freelance career. I did.


Your turn.
What blogging myths have you had to overcome to move forward in your career?
Do you agree or disagree with the ones mentioned in this post?


Image credits: Pixabay.com