The Self-Promotion Trap: How to Position Your Content Writing Services

Award-winning writer Kathy Widenhouse has helped hundreds of nonprofits and writers produce successful content and has gained 600K+ views for her writing tutorials. She is the author of 9 books. See more of Kathy’s content here.

An online devotional for writers

A Word From The Word

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. (1 Peter 4:10, NLT)

A Word For Writers

When I think of promoting my content writing services, I want to cower in a hole. An email I recently received from a reader confirmed that I am not alone in this.

“I am horrible at self-promotion, whether it’s a cover letter, a one-paragraph bio, or an annual self-review,” wrote Dave. “I was raised in an age where ‘Thou shalt not brag’ was the Eleventh Commandment. How can I find the ‘just right’ zone between meekness and narcissim?”

At issue are not the mechanics of promotion. As writers, we know we must have a bio, cover letter, and other tools. 

Rather, at issue is how to position yourself in those spaces. I’m tempted to hide in fear that either I’ll be prideful or exposed as a fraud … or on the other end of the spectrum, I am tempted to hype or exaggerate about my skills in order to get people to hire me (in other words, lie). 

The continuum is consistent in one respect: its focus is on Me, Myself, and I. And it’s sprinkled with words like fear, lies, and pride. 

No wonder that positioning gives pause. 

God looks at your content writing services a bit differently.

• He gave this gift for you to use – not to hide behind a false sense of modesty or fear.
• He gave you this gift to serve others – not your pride.

Since He has given you the gift of writing and tells you to use it to serve others, then you can be sure that He will offer you opportunities to do so.

Don’t fall into the usual self-promotion trap of Me, Myself, and I. 

Try this:

• Tell others you write and you always do your absolute best.
• Ask how you can help them.

How is that for positioning?             

A Wise Word

Steward your writing skills. Use them to serve others.

A Word To Pray

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the gift of writing. Keep me from viewing it selfishly, pridefully, or fearfully. Show me how to steward this gift to serve others, trusting you to provide opportunities to do so.

In Jesus’s name, Amen.

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