The Balancing Act

At the beginning of the month, I decided to take the plunge and drop some cash for a quarterly membership at Guru. After updating my profile and writing proposal after proposal, I still have nothing to show for it after two weeks of steadily sending out proposals.

One of the worst things about starting a new career is having to start all over again. Technically I’ve been writing since September 2008 but aside from getting a few lucky breaks here and there (ie. scoring a stringer gig via the local newspaper as well as the subcontracting I have been doing with Berry Brewer which I am so very grateful for!), it has taken me this long to develop the confidence to try to find clients and contacts of my own.

While I am still working on building my network — including contacting local businesses that may be in need of a writer for press releases and the like — I would still like to see my Guru investment have some fruit. But I am, all too painfully, an obvious Guru newbie. While my profile is nearly complete, I have no reviews, no feedback, no income earned on my profile. I’m not too surprised that employers may be passing me up for more obviously experienced professionals — not many folks are willing to entrust their project to a newbie. But as the quandry goes, someone, somewhere has to give you your first break in order for you to get experience. And while I do have experience, it hasn’t been on Guru. So unless employers look at my profile and discover that yes, I am experienced and can write great things for them at a reasonable rate, I’m stuck.

Oh well, I’ve just gotta keep trying. Eventually, something will come out of this Guru thing. I just have to believe it.