Thinking small can mean bigger success, faster

This little tip is a game changer… [The Writer’ s Life]( March 19, 2020 Hi {NAME}, There's something to be said for the "Go Big or Go Home" attitude. Taking a stand … Playing for keeps … Making a serious commitment … But what if there's another option? Something smaller. Something easier to try when you're just starting out … A tactic that can bring about big results, but without stepping far out of your comfort zone … That's what Mindy McHorse discovered during a recent interview she did as Executive Editor of Barefoot Writer. She's here with the inside story today. Of course, anything you want to accomplish is easier when you have [every advantage at your disposal]( … As an Infinity Member, you get access to everything you need to take on projects — even if you've never done them before — build more skills, and land new clients. Infinity Members get lifetime access to AWAI's entire library of home study and business-building resources … And it includes EVERY home study resource we have in our catalog now — plus any we add in the future — yours free, for life … All for a tiny fraction of what you might pay on a one-off basis. Plus, we've made some big changes so now is the best time ever to become an Infinity Member. Just keep in mind, we'll be closing the doors tomorrow at midnight. [Go here now to check it out.]( To your success, Rebecca Matter President, AWAI How to Make a Bigger Splash in Paid Writing … But with a Smaller Pond By Mindy McHorse [Smiling little girl jumping in a puddle] My friend Raj once confided to me about his big Valentine's failure … He'd wanted to do something nice for his wife, so he planned an epic home-cooked dinner with all her favorite foods. The plan was to eat right after the kids went to bed. But between pots bubbling over, mushy kebabs, and over-spiced stew, 8 p.m. turned into 9 p.m. which soon became even later … and all he had to show for it was a flop of a meal. She loved the gesture, of course (though she went to bed hungry). But Raj felt terrible. He's not much of a cook on a good day. "I should have just made dessert and ordered everything else," he told me. "I just wanted to go really big and impress her." Have you been in his shoes? I have. From overbooked vacations to underwhelming holiday feasts, I'm very familiar with going overboard. Writing careers are especially prone to this kind of overkill … That's particularly true when you're just starting out. With so many exciting paid writing opportunities to choose from … each one tempting you with freedom and income … plus the fact that they're generally very enjoyable as far as paid work goes … Who wants to choose just one? But listen, this isn't an essay on picking a niche. I'm not here to talk about specializing. What I am here to talk about is Jason Fladlien and the mind-blowing point he made when I interviewed him earlier today. Jason is a gem. You see, not only has he made a million-dollar name for himself in the world of marketing … He also looks at things in a way I've never seen done before. You'll want to hear more from him, I guarantee — so it's great that our full interview together will be appearing in the [March issue of Barefoot Writer magazine](. And he'll be speaking at Bootcamp in May (put him on your list of must-listens!). Now, here's the thing Jason said that could radically turn your career around: Want to make a big splash? Then jump in a puddle. If that has you thinking small, then you're on the right track. "When you jump in the ocean, no one notices," explained Jason. "But with a puddle … you have all the control." In terms of your freelance writing career, this means start small. Don't take on anything and everything. Don't be lured to try this over here and that over there. Pick one thing and focus on it. Make sure you can do a good job at it before you move on to the next thing. You see, "dabbling" is the enemy of the wealth-minded writer. Dabbling gets you nowhere, noticed by no one. But sticking with one puddle till you've splashed it down to the last drop will get you noticed much more quickly, and with better effect than any kind of wading or flopping around in a bigger space. Now, that's all nice in theory … but how do you put it into practice? Here's how: If you're brand-new to writing … Pick just one thing to focus on each week. Maybe this week it's your LinkedIn profile. Next week it might be your goals. The week after, go all-in on learning the ins and outs of persuasive writing, and do this before worrying about your niche or what type of specialty writing you'll do. If you've been writing for pay for a while now …  … But you're lacking the big results you've fantasized about, it's time to dial it back. And here's a cool tip on how to do that: Instead of spending all your time thinking about what you want to do, think a little on what you don't want to do — or what you didn't enjoy as much as you thought you might. Also: get honest with yourself and eliminate all the things you think you should do, or you're drawn to just because of the payout. Think about what really excites and energizes you, and then dial it back. Here's what that looks like: Long-form sales letters aren't for me, but I really like writing editorial. Now dial it back again: Instead of writing editorial for anyone who needs it, I'll just focus on companies with a recurring need for thousand-word articles. And then again: And I'll only write for sites that talk about self-help, since that's where I do all my reading. See what's happening? That puddle just got a whole lot smaller. And your splash got a heck of a lot BIGGER. 😊 For more great insight from Jason Fladlien, [read this month's issue of Barefoot Writer magazine](. Do you have questions about getting started as a paid writer? [Please share with us in the comments.]( Over $759,000 in Credits So Far (Have You Claimed Yours?) AWAI Members can't believe we're offering this: A FULL and UNCONDITIONAL credit of every last penny you've spent with AWAI over the past 12 months – money you can apply now to the best "value" deal we offer: Infinity. With Infinity, you're entitled to a lifetime of home study programs, course, guides, books, templates – every professional you need to learn, grow and succeed in your exciting new freelance writing business for pennies on the dollar. But with our FULL CREDIT offer, your price will never be lower. [Go here now for all the details.]( Start earning $2,000 … $5,000 … even $10,000 per project, plus royalties. These are industry-standard rates. People hiring for this type of writing project expect to pay them. Our Smart Start LIVE: Copywriting Crash Course is your opportunity to learn the basics of writing great copy … practice with hands-on exercises … even learn how to get your first paid clients! [Get all the details now!]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Trouble viewing this email? [View in your browser, here](. For questions or requests: [contact us online](. --------------------------------------------------------------- ©2020 American Writers & Artists Institute Do you know of someone who would benefit from reading The Writer's Life? Simply direct them [here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- American Writers & Artists Institute 101 SE 6th Avenue, Suite A Delray Beach, FL 33483 (561) 278-5557 or (866) 879-2924 Ensure your subscription delivery. 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