Janice Hanna Thompson—a south Texas native—is the author of over sixty novels and non-fiction books for the Christian market. She supplements her fiction habit by writing magazine articles, devotions, write-for-hire books and more. One of the chief joys of Janice’s life is training writers to earn a living with the written word. Check out Janice’s “Becoming a Successful Freelance Writer,” course at www.freelancewritingcourses.com. The ten lessons in this course were developed to strategically train freelance writers to earn top dollar. Each lesson includes an audio file (mp3 for download), a corresponding audio script, a downloadable worksheet, a power point video, a bonus feature, and full access to the site’s forum. Email Janice at booksbyjanice[at]aol[dot]com to learn more, or visit her website at www.janicehannathompson.com.

GOALS
Over the past several months we’ve been breaking down the word GOALS to discover new ways to make money with our writing.

G: Go for the Gusto
O: Over, Not Under
A: Attitude is Everything!
L: Less Is More

This month we’re focusing on the letter S: See It!

Here’s the deal, folks: faith is key to the freelancer. What you believe about yourself, the words you speak over your situation . . . these things are all critical. It’s time to start seeing yourself as successful. No, I’m not talking about success as the world defines it. This isn’t a “get rich quick” scheme or even a “you can have what you speak” sermon, though I do believe that our words have power. I’m simply talking about seeing yourself as someone who makes an impact for the kingdom of God, someone who takes full advantage of the gifts he/she has been given. If you “see” it in the spiritual, (i.e. in faith), you are much more likely to see it in the natural.

It’s All in the Attitude
So much of what we do is contingent upon our attitudes. We talked about attitude a couple of months back, how attitude determines our outcome. And our attitudes also determine how we see ourselves in the here and now.

Let me make one thing clear: I’m not talking about a “fake it ’til you make it” mind-set. Faking it gets you nowhere. Trusting God gets you everywhere! But we have to see that trust has everything to do with our attitudes. With that in mind, here’s a link to a fun little piece I wrote years ago called “The Be-Happy Attitudes for Writers.” I wrote it partly to pacify myself and also to make others chuckle. I hope you find it uplifting.

So, how’s your attitude this month (as it relates to freelancing)? Who, what, when, where, and why do you see yourself? Maybe you’re a bit blue, wondering if you will ever make any money with your writing. Attitude check! Turn that frown upside-down. Even if you haven’t yet tasted success, don’t give up. Remember what we’ve discussed over the previous months.

By way of a refresher. Here’s the Janice Hanna Thompson “Quick Start” method for nonfiction freelancing success: Start with short pieces. Check out http://www.writersmarket.com/ to see who’s buying. Once you’ve established yourself with short pieces, give thought to piecing them together into nonfiction books. As we’ve already discussed, statistics prove that nonfiction books sell far better than novels. Only one in about four books published is a novel. Readers buy them in droves. Did you realize, for example, that The Purpose Driven Life sold over 20 million copies? Contrast that with the typical novel, which is lucky to sell five to ten thousand copies. If you’re still unsure about the process of writing a full-length nonfiction book, you can check out my course.  Think of a nonfiction work as an expanded article. The primary difference is in how you weave the topics/chapters together. It’s a similar process to braiding your hair. You’re taking a lot of ideas, tons of research, lots of individual topics and forcing them together. In the end, you have created a word that flows seamlessly and makes sense to the reader. For those of you who write novels, think of this in much the same way as you would your plotline. The thread has to move in and out, up and down, taking the reader on a journey.

Of course, “seeing” yourself as a successful freelancer isn’t just about what you write; it’s about how you market yourself. Your platform is critical. So is your ability to think outside of the box. If you’re going to be successful, you must think of every piece you write (short or long) as part of a “whole.” This is a brand you’re building, folks. Always keep that in mind.

Remember!
Let’s close out this teaching with some biblical reminders. If we can “see” who we are in Christ, then we can trust Him with our career choices.

God is the one responsible to meet my needs:
“And my God will meet all your needs according to riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19 NIV).

I don’t have to worry about my career!
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (vv. 6–7 NIV).

God is working it together for my good!
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28 NIV).

Even the tough stuff ain’t so tough for God!
“I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Phil. 4:13 NIV).

Be on Guard!
Guard what you say about yourself this month, freelancers! Get busy writing, sure, but get busy speaking positive, uplifting things over your career, as well. Then watch God move in your life, pointing you toward new jobs, new opportunities, and new ideas. Until then . . .

Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or terrified of them,
for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.
Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV)