4 Things You Learned in Preschool That’ll Help You With Freelance Writing

We learned many things as children that have stayed with us throughout our lives. Some of them seem silly; others have a significant impact. Nevertheless, the lessons we picked up in our preschool years (from ages three to five) serve a purpose: to aid us through adulthood.

The skills we learned in preschool can guide us and help us succeed as freelance writers. Let’s look at four essential lessons from early childhood that surprisingly continue to influence our freelance work.

The trick to being a successful freelance is being nice to everyone, even with difficult personalities. You never know if you will cross paths in the future, and, more importantly, clients enjoy working with professional and easygoing freelancers. Being nice also helps strengthen your relationship with your clients. Remember to treat others with respect and kindness. The more you learn about the people you’re writing for, the better you can help them succeed.

It’s okay not to follow the rules when creating something new or different. In preschool, we played outside all day long and had lots of fun doing so. We didn’t have set rules on what we could or couldn’t do, so we threw out our rulebook and went with what felt right.

So, play around and get creative. Take the time to toy with ideas or wording. And what we write doesn’t have to be perfect; it just needs to be fun and exciting for us.

Our ability to persist as we learn and experiment has been instilled from our earliest days, and it continues to be an essential aspect of learning throughout our lives. We’re talking about being able to keep going even when things don’t go well. However, persistence isn’t just about doing something over and over again. It’s about learning from mistakes and figuring out why things didn’t work.

Asking for help is a good thing, and it’s a skill we need to relearn. Just as you would ask your preschool teachers, parents, and loved ones for help, don’t be afraid to ask for help from others. Whether requesting your teacher for help with putting a straw through your juice pack or asking your parents for help with the business, getting the assistance you need doesn’t mean you’re a burden or failure. There are fellow freelancers, career coaches, and even clients who can help and are willing to give it if you ask.

Carla Martinez-Tensuan is a freelance writer and editor. She specializes in crafting blog content, creative copy, and press releases. She enjoys listening to podcasts, reading books, and baking sweets in her spare time. She lives with her husband in Manila, Philippines.