It's hard being a ghostwriter.
It's even harder to have NOTHING written in your name.
You write pages and pages full of amazing content for clients, but have you written content in your own name?
If somebody Googles your name, what's going to pop up?
380,000,000 in 0.7 seconds. Sure.
Your social media accounts, your college details, your home address, and similar details. Sure
But, are any of those results going to tell the Google-ie that you're a kickass ghostwriter?
Will anything on that page, or the next few pages, pay tribute to the awesome work you're doing for the
writing community?
Is there going to be a single piece of evidence that points towards you being a writer, a weaver of words, a magician who transforms everything he writes into a work of art?
Any articles, blog posts, etc.?
Any bylines?
Nope.
Nada.
Does that riddle you with pain and just a dash of guilt - because you finally realize that money, after all, may not be as vital to your success as having a name in the industry?
Sure, your clients love you. They give you raving reviews. They give you recurrent work. At times, they may even plead you to write a fantastic blog post for them, which converts. And you know it converts, because the truth is that you're a damn good writer.
After all, your clients have said that to you plenty of times, and your friends love your work too.
But. But. But.
The time spent on branding yourself and establishing your name in the writing biz will be time spent NOT EARNING. Or earning very little.
So, is that a risk you're willing to take?
You have absolute belief in your skills, but do you have guts to take it to the next level?
Is it worth it?
You can raise your rates
No, I'm not going to pussyfoot around this topic. A freelancer CANNOT stay constant with his rate.
As time passes, your experience grows, your skills hone up, and so your rate should increase too. But if you're stuck in a rut, working day and night for your clients, you hardly have time to own up to your worth and raise your rates.
You've become a money making machine.
And that's nothing to feel proud of. You can easily work less hours and get an equal amount of money, if not more.
There's a simple 4-step process for successfully raising your rates.
- Step 1 - Market yourself by writing articles in YOUR name. Start a blog, write guest posts and conquer the writing world with your sparkling writing skills.
Network. Introduce yourself. Repeat.
You can become the coolest kid in your field.
Climbing the hierarchy ladder may have been a tough feat in high school, but it should no longer be when you're old and wise.
Becoming popular in your field will mean,
- unlimited access to the giants of your field,
Pretty awesome, isn't it?
And all this by doing what? Publishing articles in your own name. Establishing your name and reputation in the digital world.
If you truly have skills you're proud of, then flaunt them around. The 'Aww shucks, I'm so modest' attitude will get you nowhere. There are people losing millions because you are not on their radar. So get out there and become the next Henneke Duistermaat - if you aren't already following her, then you're missing out big time.
Branch out and start earning a 6-figure income
Sure, writing for clients is a little like running your own writing business. But, once you start writing posts under your own name and establish a reputation in your preferred field, you can branch out as well.
Branch out? Wait. What kind of branches are we talking about here?
We're talking about all kinds of branches. Anything that interests you.
- You can write eBooks. And get a nice, thick paycheck from Amazon every month.
- You can start a consulting business for struggling writers, etc.
- You can mentor others (and charge a hefty amount for that).
- You can start a paid membership club (I see you, Copyblogger).
- You can start pretty much anything that strikes your fancy.
But, why can't I branch out without personal branding?
You can. You can branch out at any point in your life. However, you're missing the keyword here - earn a 6-figure income. Personal branding allows you to leverage your traffic, your email subscribers, your followers, connections, fans, foes, angels, EVERYONE and sell your services. And? Yes, you guessed it right. Earn a 6-firgure income and touch the stars.
10,000 subscribers vs. 0 subscribers.
Who's going to win?
- The you that everyone knows and loves, or the you that only your clients know?
So you see, while you can definitely branch out and write your own eBooks, start a consulting service, plan to mentor struggling writers, etc; you won't have enough clients, customers, followers hanging on your every post to make you a success.
Why would people buy your eBook, if they don't even know you? Why would people want a mentor who's a nobody? Why, why, why?
Clients will come to you.
Clients-hunting, or hustling as it's very fondly known in the writing biz, is a crucial part of a freelancers life. You're always on a lookout for new and higher paying clients. Who understand your worth. Who love your work. Who're willing to give you the respect that you deserve.
Client-hunting is the worst part of a freelancers life.
Imagine.
Wouldn't it be awesome if instead of seeking clients, clients would send you emails requesting YOU to work with them. Telling you that they loved your work, and would love it if you'd work for them.
Chances are, for ghostwriters who haven't joined the personal branding bandwagon, this 'imagine' will never turn into an 'Ooh, it's happening'.
Why?
Because potential clients are not aware of your existence. Your work is exactly what they're looking for, but they'll settle for someone else, BECAUSE YOU DON'T EXIST and they can't find you.
But if you've got a smashing website, a ton of articles (guest posts and on your blog as well) under your name, social media presence, then clients will come flocking to you. You can state whatever terms you want (they obviously need to be reasonable) and the clients will be ready to say yes to them.
WHY?
Because they love your work, your skills are what they're looking for and they know you'll help them succeed in THEIR business.
Win-win for all!
So.
Is it time that stops you from taking the big leap?
Or maybe a fear of the unknown?
Or maybe you don't feel that personal branding is right for you?
If you're content with where you're at, and have no desire to climb the success ladder, then you're probably right.
But, if there's even a slightest desire to succeed, then this is a bandwagon you definitely need to climb on. And ASAP.
Take the first step. Create a profile on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn. Start writing guest posts for leading websites in your niche. Get a blog. And kick-start your journey to success. You'll be surprised by how amazing success feels.