I remember what it was like as a beginning freelancer several years ago. I felt a mixture of confusion, fear, and excitement. I wanted to succeed and make sure I did everything right. The more I thought this, the more paralyzed I became. The end result is that it took me a long time to finally get started.

I realize now how counterproductive this really is. I didn’t understand that starting my own business as a writer is a journey, and one that I needed to embrace. Once I started embracing it, I started to achieve real, measurable success. And, that success hasn’t been without failure and without making mistakes.

Here’s what I’d do differently:

Get Started Right Away

It’s easy to decide to be a writer, but much harder to actually get started. I spent a long time researching and waiting for the right time. There is no perfect moment to begin. The sooner you do, the quicker you’ll achieve success.

Make Plans

Yes, getting started right after you make the decision to be a freelance writer is a good idea. But, be careful of being too eager. Put some thought into the kind of writing you want to do and the subjects you want to write about. You don’t need to spend a lot of time on this. Make a quick list and get started right away.

Don’t Be Afraid to Make Mistakes

Fear of making a mistake holds a lot of people back. It held me back at first. I finally got over it when I landed an assignment based on a query letter with a few typos in it. I realized that sometimes, mistakes will cost you, sometimes they won’t. It’s all part of the learning process. Plus, just consider it a given that you will probably make some. That realization can bring you some much needed peace.

Work Hard and Don’t Give Up

You will need to work hard, especially in the beginning. I probably wrote around sixty query letters before I landed my first assignment. I wrote around the same amount of bids on the freelance bid site Rentacoder before I landed my first client. Sometimes, you’ll get lucky and start getting assignments right away. But, you may not. Stick with it long enough to see the results and don’t give up.

When it comes to freelance writing, if you don’t embrace the journey, you won’t last. Even if you feel frustrated in the beginning because you aren’t finding the success you need, with hard work and the right attitude, you’ll find success.