Frankly, I never imagined I would be one of those people who eke out a living by writing. I started with zero skills in it. Plus, I didn’t have any idea how to use words to persuade people to reach into their pockets and buy something. But, I was determined to learn. And just like any skill, I’ve discovered that persuasive writing is a very learnable skill.
Up until last year, I was your typical OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker) – hardworking but broke. I had worked in Bahrain as a Barista for a little over 2 years.
During that time, I’d been through a lot of challenges that threw me off balance in ways—late salaries, overworking, and mistreatment. And while life was tough, I had my journal with me all along. Keeping a journal is a habit I’ve picked up since working abroad.
Friends weren’t there all the time to listen to my dramas, so I veered into writing about life’s trivialities and good things in my journal. Through this, I got time to do some retrospecting about my life and what I wanted to achieve in the coming years.
I didn’t want to settle as an OFW. It was emotionally grueling to be away from home. Hence, I made the one decision that I hoped would change my life. I decided to quit my job abroad and become an online writer no matter what it takes!
The First Step: Deciding to Be a Writer and Sticking To It.
Quitting an okay job to venture into something uncertain was a big and risky move. The closest thing I knew about writing was the one-liner Facebook posts I wrote.
English is only my second language. In addition, I had no experience and I was bad at grammar. Yet, I had made up my mind to be an online writer.
I didn’t care what I had to go through to learn the skill. Besides, I was quite sure I could become good at it!
At first, I was full of motivation. But it came to a point where giving up was the easiest and most sensible thing for me to do. I realized the goal I chose wasn’t a walk in the park.
I guess the reason why many people give up on their dreams is that eventually, quitting becomes the most logical thing to do.
Despite my waning determination, I stood my ground and proved my stubbornness useful.
I remembered a favorite quote from Mary Oliver. “The most regretful people on earth are those who felt the call to creative work, who felt their own creative power restive and uprising, and gave to it neither power nor time.”
I had to make it work somehow, or else, I’ll be forced to go back to the drawing board. This for sure is something I would regret because I didn’t give my best and more.
So I persisted and put whatever I had on the line. I picked up a pen and a paper, and started writing.
Becoming A Writer Wasn’t Easy Because Of Three Things
My first sentences felt like I was mindlessly dropping words into the void. It was like learning my first ABC’s again. When I managed to write a decent sentence, paragraph, and a blog, I felt proud of my little achievement.
But above all, I was proud of myself because I did it all while overcoming a spiral of self-doubt.
Yes! I doubted my decision and my ability more times than I could keep count on. No matter what I did, I was faced with painful truths. And the reality became the constant reminder of why I couldn’t possibly make it as a writer.
I’m not a native English writer
I have zero experience.
I suck at grammar big time.
For a short while, I was unmoving because I didn’t know which direction to go. Thankfully, I got my head on straight after a few moments. And I was back to writing again.
I’m Not A Native English Speaker.
True enough! It’s more challenging to write in English for non-native speakers. This is because the brain receives the ideas in your first language, then translates the same ideas to English.
It’s a rather slow process. But after doing this repeatedly, I noticed that English has become second nature.
I Don’t Have Any Writing Experience.
I never dabbled at professional writing before. I must admit I dove in head first into the water and decided to become someone I couldn’t possibly achieve.
It may be counterintuitive, but sometimes that’s what we should do—not think and just dive!
To make up for my lack of experience, I started blogging. Actually, I planned to travel after my work in Bahrain. Then, I noticed my two goals—traveling and becoming a writer—met at a common point. I thought I could do them at the same time.
So I started a travel blog to get boots-on-the-ground experience on writing. I wrote blogs whenever I had the chance.
This served as my first informal writing experience. I was glad I could write about something I love.
Also, along the way, I’ve picked up another good habit—reading books. As they say, great writers are great readers.
I Suck At Grammar.
The grammar was the tricky part when I had to practice writing. It’s confusing. I’m sure a lot of Filipinos can relate to this.
I didn’t know what appropriate tenses of verbs to use. I got confused with prepositions. I actually have this dilemma even now. LOL!
However, what’s important was I made some progress by writing every day. It took me hours of work to write one blog and edit it to the best of my ability.
But only to find out grammar mistakes at the end. It was depressing but I continued anyway. I guess English will forever be a confusing language, even for the natives.
Overcoming The Obstacles Through Consistent Practice
Many people know this but don’t really believe in it—to become the best at what you do, it’s all consistent practice. This is an important lesson I learn in life.
Sounds old cliché but writing every day has helped me get my writing process locked down. I practiced writing poems (even though I suck at it!), articles, letters, and started my travel blog so I could write.
No matter at what angle you look at success, it only blossoms from actions that are done repeatedly. The most successful people are successful because they were consistent!
Taylor Swift has been writing songs since she’s 12. She’s 30 now, but she still does what she started doing years ago.
It took her 18 years to groom her skills in music. Every single waking day, she chose to write songs and make music. That’s why now she’s called the Woman of the Decade. Mainly because of her hard work and sheer tenacity to reach her dreams.
But let’s not forget that once upon a time, she was like you and me—someone inexperienced.
This proves that whatever you do, if you keep at it, you’ll be successful, too. It’s almost inevitable.
The point is just to keep trudging on through life so you can move inch by inch towards your goals. To never get tired if you feel like you’re not moving at your desired pace.
You must remember that sometimes, you’ll run like the fastest animal in the jungle toward your dreams. But most times, you’ll walk like a turtle. That’s okay. The most important thing is you’re moving forward and not in circles.
My First Paid Writing Gig For $5.
Seven months after I quit my job in Bahrain, it was around July 2019 that I got my first paid writing assignment. What was it? I wrote blogs and social media posts for senior healthcare businesses.
My salary? I was paid 250php ($5) per 1000 words I wrote. I know what you’re thinking. But it wasn’t about the money that time. I was after the experience. I learned a lot from this writing project that in fact, I believe it’s what kickstarted my writing career.
Building My Own Freelance Business
I’ve been writing for almost a year now. Although I’m working from home full-time for a great company, my goal stays the same—build my own freelance business as a copywriter. Yes, from a blogger/writer, I transitioned to become a copywriter.
To support my growth in this chosen career, I’m investing in different courses that will help me improve my skills— courses on copywriting, social media, email marketing, and more.
As they say, the best investment is not on material things but on ourselves. Invest to get education and knowledge,
Final Thoughts
In a nutshell, you don’t have to be a native English speaker, be good at grammar, or be experienced to be a successful writer. Do you need a proof?
Ever heard of Evaldo Albuquerque? He’s Agora’s best copywriter and author of the book “The 16-Word Sales Letter.” He’s a native of Brazil and only speaks Portuguese and a couple of English words years back.
Now, his sales letters generate millions of dollars in revenue for his clients. It’s also why he’s considered one of the world’s greatest copywriters. He’s proof that even non-native English speakers can be successful in an industry where English speakers have a clear advantage.
The only way to become good at anything is if you dip into the water. If you ask me if I’m a good writer now, I’ll tell you there’s still a long way to go. I still have doubts in myself and I’m sure they’re never going away soon. But I want to make sure one thing never happens—giving up!
