What 25 months of freelancing have taught me

This is your masterclass in solopreneurship

Hey People!

This is 111th edition of Raw and Real, where we talk about:

1 Raw and Real conversation on life
2 Raw one liners
3 (For) Real great things I learnt, that you might find useful too.

Let’s go:

Raw and Real conversation

25 months ago, after almost a decade of writing as a side-thing, I finally took the plunge to become a full-time writer.

I was still clueless even though quietly confident.

Although the last 25 months have taught me a lot about running your business, especially you are a solopreneur. Let’s go bro:

1. I have become more of myself

In the last 25 months, I have become that person who dances randomly at reels, who operates with less anxiety and more self belief, and is self assured to walk away from situations that drain my energy.

Joy is a blissful addiction, something you once get, you won’t ever get rid of.

2. I have allowed myself to let go of the need to grow more followers

I’d just rather post the content that is right, and magically the right people I want to work with, reach out.

You create your own path when you decide you don’t want to follow the one laid out by the society.

3. How I lived peacefully without the monthly salary:

Well, first things first, ghostwriting books payes very well, if you are a great writer. A client of mine told me on phone yesterday “When I read your work first, I was taken aback by the quality of writing. You don’t find such stuff even in international writers.” So I guess we have it :)

Also, I love the monthly addiction of salary, so I also have retainer clients for 2-3 other writing services. I do not advertise for that service at all (you won’t find that on LinkedIn either). All referrals. They form for less than 10% of my current income (thank God), and make sure I get that dopamine kick while I continue to explore other aveneues of writing.

4. Fun fact: I never decided to become a “ghostwriter of books”.

I had actually planned to offer 4-5 different kinds of services in my early days of cluelessness, where one of the acquaintances, whom I was pitching and who knew me for a long time, asked me, “You have done the impossible feat of writing books for yourself and others multiple times. Why don’t you do that often?”

Huh, makes sense.

It was then I realised there was a huge market demand for a quality ghostwriter of books who was reliable, knew what she was doing, understood human emotions, and had an excellent way of expression. The market got one.

5. One day at a time.

I do not know what my business would look like one year hence. I might have a vague idea for 2025, but that too will change.

I have learnt to trust myself more, and go with the flow.

6. Trusting yourself also comes from the back-up of money.

Having an emergency fund and also investing 60% of what I make helps me have the confidence that lack of money could never give.

I wish more people realised that money buys something more than just things.

7. If you want to do something, do it.

I wanted to write ebooks detailing things I am an expert at. So I did. No one’s permission. See? You can just do things.

Of all the four books, “The Career Changing Guide” and “Every Writer Needs to Read This” are doing incredible, but “How to Deal with Heartbreak” has sold a few copies only, even though I still believe every heartbroken person must read it. Maybe because people do not expect such stuff from me :) Anyway, that book helped me let go of a lot from my system, so win-win :))

8. I go for evening walks often.

When you work for yourself, you work hard when you want. And you walk hard when you want. You do not operate on someone else’s time schedule. Independence is something we must speak about often.

9. I finally had a small phone. Focus. Focus. Focus.

Because now I do not have to respond to daily queries from the team multiple times during the day, I now have a tiny Nokia phone, that I use the most. Plus the usual iPhone only for important tasks that you cannot avoid. You get paid not for the hours that you put in, you get paid for the focus you put in. Something no job would ever let you believe.

10. I have become kinder as a person.

Thanks to my wonderful friend Rakesh Sheth, he once introduced me to someone who wanted a writer. It’s been almost two years I am still working with that client. She has a net worth of more than 1000 Cr., yet is one of the kindest people I know. Like real kind people.

Unsurprisingly, the kindest people are also the ones that are in their business for decades, and understand the power of humility.

Working with that one person has taught me to be kinder, even though I guess I was one before too.

You can be rich while being (really) kind.

11. I have figured what I do not want to do.

I don’t do reels or shorts, only because for me my most learning comes through books and articles like these. So that is what I try to give to the world.

A few days back I recorded a 1-minute short, and man, it was so draining to set up the phone, get the lighting right, etc.

Thus, I decided that if I was going to be a speaker, it was only when I got invited to events, not banging my head on short form content and lose all my spark.

What you don’t want to do something from the bottom of your heart, don’t do it, honey.

12. Copy NO one on the internet.

The world is ready to sell you “templates” of becoming successful. Pro tip: They worked for them, but might not work for you.

The only template I would offer is for you to be on this task of becoming more aware of what you are and who you want to be. It gives you the wisdom to figure the rest out.

13. Pain is the unspoken fuel you are looking for.

Almost all my writing comes from heartbreak. No, not romantic heartbreak (thank God), but little things in life your heart years were different, when it comes to family and friends and life in general.

I have now made it a point to feed my pain with my art. In return, it refuels me.

14. Learn to say no to things that aren’t right for you.

Do not think you have to say yes to everyone and everything. Your worth isn’t measured on the number of “yes’es” you say.

Sometimes we are our own pressure cookers. If you remove the lid, you will realise you can breathe so easily without so much pressure.

15. Lastly, my friend, don’t be always working.

Go to a book store. Go into Decathlon and dribble the basketball while shopping for your trouser (coughs slightly). Go get that couch for yourself. And of course, go for walks often.

I have made the stellar mistake of thinking my work is my life (sometimes I still do), and you must know it isn’t. There is so much to you more than what you do. I wish more people knew that.

2 Raw One-Liners:

• Every hurt, every disease is a gentle reminder to let go of what you are holding on to.

• Nothing, absolutely nothing matches the thrill of sending an email with work done. Nothing.

3 (for) Real great quotes I found on the internet, and you might love them too:

1. Declarations of high confidence mainly tell you that an individual has constructed a coherent story in his mind, not necessarily that the story is true. — Daniel Kanheman

2. “Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self.” — Cyril Connely

3. If you love yourself, you learn to forgive others as well. — Sushmita Sen

That is it for this week, ladies and gentlemen.

I hope you found today’s edition valuable. If so, do share with your friends too.

I’ll see you all next week.

Stay raw, stay real, and never stop reading :)

Nishtha Gehija

LinkedIn | X | Daily blog | Weekly newsletter