What I’ve Learned From Two Years as a Freelance Writer
There’s a lot more to it than just writing.
I left my arts fundraising job in 2018 to become a freelance writer. I didn’t know where to begin or what type of writing I wanted to do; I just knew that I needed a change after 13 years as a grant writer.
I started by blogging and publishing personal essays on Medium but then began submitting my work to more traditional outlets, and in March 2019, I had an essay published in The Boston Globe. Since then, I’ve garnered bylines in The Washington Post, Shondaland, Greatist, FLOOD Magazine, Writer’s Digest Magazine, Real Simple, and many others.
The journey wasn’t an easy one, though, and I’ve made plenty of mistakes along the way. Below are some of the things I’ve learned that I absolutely did not know when I started my freelancing career.
Growth takes time
After I got that Boston Globe acceptance, I thought I’d made it. If the Globe likes my work, I must be good! Now the yes’s will come flooding in, right??
Uh, no.
To give you an idea of how my last few years have been:
- 2019: 118 pitches/submissions, 72 rejections, 35 no responses, 11 acceptances, 9% success rate
