If you’ve been circling around the idea of starting your freelance writing business but haven’t taken the leap, I get it. Fear, doubt, analysis paralysis, and impostor syndrome. All of those things love to show up uninvited and start unpacking their bags. But here’s something that might help you pack them up instead.

I recently read You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero (for the first time, despite its release back in 2013), and wow, this book is part pep talk, part slap-in-the-face (in the best way), and part invitation to stop playing small. And if you’re someone who’s been thinking, Maybe I could write for a living… someday, then some of her words might be exactly what you need to hear.

In this article, let’s talk about how, with a little bit of inspiration from Sincero.

Want to Start a Writing Business?

I’ve been a writer for as long as I can remember, jotting in notebooks, journaling, writing stories, shaping ideas into something that connects. So why did it take me until I was 48 to start my own writing business? Because I had all the same fears you probably do. Can I afford it? Will I make enough money to support my family? Am I even good enough? What if I can’t find clients? You name it, I questioned it. And I let those questions fester over and over again.

And while I’ve always believed that good things come to those who wait, looking back, I probably didn’t need to wait as long as I did. If I’d read You Are a Badass in 2013 instead of years later in 2025, maybe I would’ve launched Copywriting For You a full decade earlier. But I’m here now. And if you’ve been waiting too, maybe your time is now.

1. Stop Waiting for Everyone to Approve

One of the most powerful truths Sincero shares is this:
“Do not waste your precious time giving one single crap about what anybody else thinks about you.”

And yes, that includes your former coworker who scoffed at freelancing, your cousin who thinks you should “get a real job,” (no, it wasn’t my cousins who doubted things, but I did have doubters), and even your own inner critic who keeps asking, Who do you think you are?

Starting your own writing business is personal. It takes guts. But you don’t owe anyone an explanation or permission slip. You’re allowed to want something just because you do. You’re allowed to try. You’re allowed to bet on yourself. And guess what? Most people aren’t thinking about you nearly as much as you think they are.

2. You Don’t Have to Know the “How”

This one stopped me in my tracks:
“Your job isn’t to know the how, it’s to know the what and be open to discovering, and receiving, the how.”

So many people freeze, finding themselves in that phase of analysis paralysis, because they don’t know where to start, or they think they need to have everything perfectly mapped out before they can even try. But the reality is, you won’t know it all in advance. And you don’t need to.

When I started Copywriting For You, I had a few connections, a love for words, and a willingness to figure it out along the way. That’s it. I didn’t know what services I’d eventually offer, how I’d get clients, or what niche I’d land in. But I knew I wanted to write, I wanted to help business owners, and I wanted to build something on my own terms. That was enough to get started.

3. Love Yourself Enough to Start

This line might be my favorite, from chapter 21:
“When you love yourself enough to stand in your truth no matter what the cost, everyone benefits.”

It’s not about ego. It’s about self-respect. It’s about refusing to live your life on someone else’s terms just to feel safe or accepted. If you have a dream to write, to work from home, to put your talent to use. It’s time to honor that, finally.

And let’s be honest: you’re probably already helping people in small ways. Maybe it’s writing a better bio for a friend, proofreading a newsletter for your kid’s school, or just being the person everyone turns to when something “needs to sound better.” Why not get paid for that?

4. Doubt and Worry are Just Resistance in Disguise

Sincero puts it bluntly:
“Doubt is resistance, faith is surrender. Worry is resistance, joy is surrender.”

Letting yourself start your writing business isn’t about being reckless. It’s about allowing space for things to work out. It’s about choosing belief over fear. You can study and plan all day long, but at some point, you have to act.

Because, as she says:
“If you want the new life you say you want, you have to do the work instead of just studying and discussing and wishing and wanting.”

Yes, read the books. Yes, listen to the podcasts. But then? Send the pitch. Build the website. Post the offer. Charge the rate. P.S., you can read more about this one in my book, The Top 10 Mistakes I Made My First Year as a Copywriter.

5. you Help Yourself by Helping Others

Another quote that stuck with me (originally from Ralph Waldo Emerson, and quoted by Sincero):
“It is one of the beautiful compensations in this life that no one can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.”

This is the part that many freelancers underestimate. Writing copy isn’t just about stringing words together. You’re helping someone clarify their message. Sell their product. Tell their story. Build their dream. The work you do matters, and it can absolutely change someone’s business.

The more you help others, the more you grow in skill, confidence, and connection. That’s not fluff. That’s just what happens when you put yourself out there and start contributing.

6. Nobody Benefits When You Play Small

There’s a line in You Are a Badass that goes like this:
“Do not deny yourself the life you want to live because you’re worried you’re not good enough or that you’ll be judged or that it’s too risky, because who does that benefit?”

Fear is normal. But staying stuck because of it? That serves no one. Not your future clients, not your bank account, and definitely not your sense of purpose.

You don’t have to be perfect to start. You don’t have to have it all figured out. I certainly didn’t, and that’s why I wrote a book about all the mistakes I made. 

You just have to decide that you want it badly enough to begin.

Ready to Build the Writing Business You’ve Been Thinking About?

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to go after that writing dream of yours, consider this what you’ve been waiting for. Start messy. Start unsure. Start scared, even. Stop waiting. Stop second-guessing. Just start.

As Sincero says, “If you want something badly enough and decide that you will get it, you will.”

Your writing business isn’t going to build itself. But it will meet you halfway if you’re willing to show up.

And if you ever need help with that first step, or want someone to remind you that yes, this is possible, you know where to find me. Book a consultation today.