This is all really new to me. The whole *trying to put myself out there and ask people to pay me to write things*, thing.
I admit, I don’t really know how to do that, or what I’m doing, even.
I mean, I took writing courses in school and college.
And I’ve worked in offices, easy breezy.
I was even technically self employed when I was a Nanny for a couple of families.
But they found me, jobs have always kind of found me, I’ve never really had to put myself out there.
I’ve yet to even have an interview where I wasn’t offered the job.
Then in 2012, I became a mom. It was really what I’ve always wanted to be so it was my “Plan A” that finally worked out, just a few years after I expected it to.
I did go back to work, part time, making my own hours, working in an office with Deployment Services at my local Military Family Resource Center. It was great, I actually loved it, but I didn’t like being away from the baby I’d waited so long to have so when that contract ended, I decided I didn’t want to do it anymore.
I also am an Early Childhood Educator so logically you would think I’d just open my own home day care… but, no. I wanted to raise my kids like I nannied other people’s children in the past: enriched with outings and programs and life experiences. I couldn’t do that if I took other people’s children into my home, and for pennies an hour, it wouldn’t even make sense to sacrifice what I wanted for my kids to make a small income looking after other people’s kids.
I do, however, spend a lot of time on Facebook. More than I should, to be fair. But it’s always around my kids’ needs.
I’ve joked that I should be in Public Relations.
I seem to have a knack for replying to things with a kind word and a without offending people… Well, most people. It’s pretty hard to please everyone. But politically correct and supportive seem to be my niche.
I’m also pretty rad at leaving honest reviews and bragging people and organizations up. I do it all because, honestly, I feel like if someone is awesome, everyone should know it. And if they aren’t, well, people should probably know that too… Without being super mean about it.
So that brings me to why. Well, last year we bought our first house, we have three children who are in numerous activities, and we live on the single income of a non-commissioned military member. We are managing but I wondered how I could help. So I started to look at things I could do, with the skills that I have, while still being able to make my children my priority.
I can’t sew, I can’t paint, and everybody makes wooden signs these days. What I CAN do is write. Sometimes I even write too much.
But how? How do I get hired to write things for people? Would someone really pay me to help advertise their business? Would someone really pay me to promote a special event? Will someone actually pay me to write articles? And if so, how do I get myself out there to do it?
Well, a fellow military spouse suggested starting here, with a blog on WordPress. She even offered to hire me for a few blurbs if she liked what she read. And tomorrow we have our first online meeting to discuss how I can help her write what she would like written. And I’m so nervous.
Writing is comfortable, talking to people is comfortable, but talking to someone about hiring me to write something for them is nerve-wracking. But it’s a start and I need to start somewhere, right?
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