I posted this inspirational quote in my No-fluff Freelance Writing Group on Facebook: Not so controversial, right? One writer thought so:

Now, getting told to shut up got under my skin, but what really got me is, "Oh lucky you." My career as a successful freelance writer has been anything but luck.

So if not with luck, connections or money, how did I get where I am today? I'm going to tell you.

Tenacity: I didn’t take no for an answer. If someone told me I wasn’t good enough, I just tried harder.
Reading: From the age of 11 or so I have read just about everything I could get my hands on about being a good writer.
Research: I learn everything I can on a topic before I write it. Being knowledgeable on a topic makes for good writing.
Politeness: I don’t tell people to shut up. I also say please and thank you. Politeness can get you a long way in any business, especially in this modern world. People like to be treated right.
Flexibility: Gig not work out? I don’t get bitter. I shake it off and move on to bigger and better things. Niche not making money? I switch to something with more promise.
Class: To quote the wonderful Michelle Obama, when they go low, we go high. Don’t trash people on the internet, even if you think they will never see it. Potential clients may see your rant and get turned off. (Notice how I’m not trashing the writer that told me to shut up? I’m turning it into a reflection moment, which is much better.)
Evolution: I’m constantly crafting myself as a writer. I grow, reshape, add to, subtract. The world of writing doesn’t stay the same and you shouldn’t either.

Want to know more about how I got clients? I put everything into a step-by-step guide called The Fluff-Free Freelance Writing Master Course Workbook.