The Pen is Mightier Than the Paycheck
How to maximize earnings in your first year as a freelance writer
My first year as a freelance writer was challenging. I had to break through my limiting beliefs and prove to myself that I could earn money as a writer. Once I broke through those mental barriers and made my first sale, I gained the confidence to experiment more. I learned a lot about writing and how I can continue growing my career.
I’m sharing my results to give you a realistic idea of what you could earn in your first year as a writer. You may end up doing even better than me! While writing this article, I’ve already thought of so many ways to increase my earnings. Regardless, I’m still proud of how far I’ve come and looking forward to continuing to learn and grow.
By now, you probably want me to get to the point, so here it is. In my first year as a writer, I earned $2,023.59 before taxes. Here’s a rundown of the sources:
Kindle Vella $10
Upwork $117.60
Fiverr $376
Private clients $1,519.99
As you can see, it’s not a full-time income but a respectable start nonetheless. Keep reading to learn how I did it and how you can replicate and improve my results.
Start now and stick with it
The biggest obstacle I faced was the one inside my mind. I spent a lot of time in the research phase, looking for the perfect money-making method. For many of them, there was always a reason I thought I wouldn’t be successful.
“I have little experience. I didn’t get a degree for this. No one will want to hire me. I’m not good enough.”
These were the types of thoughts that were on repeat in my subconscious. I had to let go of those beliefs before I could take a leap of faith and put myself out there. There may be some barriers inside of you that you need to work through. Once you do, pick something and stick with it, even in the quiet times when no one is getting back to you. It took quite a while for me to land my first gig. Be patient.
Make a portfolio
Before you start listing your services anywhere, you want to create a portfolio. Write a few articles touching on something you’re passionate about or a niche you know well. Make sure each piece is polished and error-free by hiring an editor or, at the very least, using grammar checkers and writing-enhancement tools.
Medium is perfect for portfolio building because you can post content without buying a domain and website hosting. It also provides a few ways to earn passive income via its partner program and affiliate links. Another good website for creating a portfolio is ClearVoice, which allows you to upload PDFs to an online CV. The website also has a talent network for clients looking to hire freelancers.
Add your service to freelancer sites
After you have added a few articles to your portfolio, you can start listing your services on freelance websites like Fiverr, Upwork, and Freelancer. Each site has unique terms of service and best practices, so start with one and give yourself time to master it before moving on to another.
Fiverr
Fiverr is a great platform for beginners because clients come to you. You don’t have to send anyone your resume or a cover letter. You fill out your profile and list your services. That’s it. Ok, it’s a bit more complicated than that, but we’ll get there.
Another great way to make money on Fiverr is with client briefs. A client posts a task they need help with, and if it matches one of your services, you’ll get a notification. By responding promptly, you can reach out to them before they get bombarded with responses.
Upwork
Upwork is also great for beginners but can require a little more effort. There are two ways you can earn money through the platform. The first way is by sending out proposals for job listings. Potential clients post a task they need help with, and freelancers send them a summary of why they think they’re a good fit for the job.
Sending proposals is my least favorite method because you’re competing with many other freelancers. The client must go through each prospect one at a time, so they may never even read yours. One month I submitted over 28 proposals and only scored two contracts. That probably says more about my ability to sell myself, and I may get different results now that I have more experience, but I prefer having clients come to me specifically for my services.
That brings us to the second way to earn money on Upwork. Comparable to Fiverr gigs, Upwork allows freelancers to list their services as part of a project catalog. Each one gives potential clients a better scope of how you can help them. If your service matches their project, they can message you directly. Upwork lets you list up to 20 project offerings, which could lead to a lot more sales.
These are the two sites I have the most experience with, and I have many more insights, but I’m saving them for another article. This one is getting quite long. Plus, I haven’t gotten to my favorite way to make money as a writer yet.
Learn how to sell
While waiting for clients to get back to you, research how you can sell your services better. When you start, you will likely have to close all your sales. Sometimes it can be a relatively pain-free process, and there are ways to automate it. But it’s still important to know how to conduct business professionally and efficiently. Learning ways to motivate potential clients to buy from you can lead to even more money in your pocket.
Recently, I met someone who worked in sales. I was curious, so I asked them what the most important thing to know about selling was. They said to make sure the product will sell itself. When you are selling your skills, you are the product. Are your profiles and gig listings selling you to potential clients?
Work with clients privately
My favorite way to earn money as a writer, and the most profitable method by far, is working with clients directly. Freelancer marketplaces are great for introducing you to new leads and getting experience, but most take a cut of your profits. It’s also challenging to stand out in the sea of other freelancers.
So how did I find these clients? Through many different sources. Some I found through freelancer marketplaces, but be careful because not all of them allow you to work with clients outside their platform. I also used job boards like ProBlogger and Mediabistro. Users post their job listings, and freelancers can apply. They’re similar to Upwork, but you can work with clients directly. Another great place to find private clients is LinkedIn. It was made for networking and job searching. You can use it to get job postings sent right to your inbox.
Caveats and tips
Each freelance writer’s journey will be different, and all the research in the world will not prepare you for every scenario you will face. Here are some things I had to learn the hard way:
- Treat your business like a business. Because you have more control over your time, people may take your work less seriously. Some of your family and friends may start to call you more and want to hang out more because they believe you have extra free time. Make it clear that your work is your livelihood. You need it not just to survive but thrive. If you’re busy with work, let them know you’ll talk to them later. Your time is valuable.
- Make sure the client has processed payment before you start working on any assignment. Doing so ensures that you will get paid for the work you complete. If you’re working with a client directly, you can ask for a percentage of the final payment upfront in your contract. I charge 25%, but what you charge is up to you. You can also set up project milestones and get paid after each one.
- Don’t do extra work for free. When creating your contracts, outline exactly what you will do for the client. If they ask you to do an extensive task outside the scope of your responsibilities, kindly let them know you would be glad to complete the work for an added fee. The worst thing that can happen is they say no, and you’re no worse off than you were. But if they agree, you just earned some unexpected income and sent a clear message that your time is valuable.
- Optimize your profiles. At the beginning of the article, I mentioned noticing new ways I could have increased my earnings. One way is through optimizing my profiles and service listings on freelancer marketplaces. Fiverr allows you to post seven gigs as a new seller. Make sure to use all seven slots to ensure maximum exposure. Don’t be afraid to change up a gig that’s not selling. Upwork lets you post 20 project offerings. Right now, I only have one posted and have already had a few potential clients reach out to me. Utilize all 20 listings for even more leads.
- Use social media to promote your services for free. I was able to get most of my assignments without doing any promotion or advertising. However, with the power of social media, I’m positive I could have gotten even more sales. Ultimately, finding new clients is a numbers game. The more targeted views and impressions you get, the better your chances of making a sale. I plan to use social media more to increase my earnings in the future. (This article is a big first step!)
Have realistic expectations
Many articles and videos out there promise that you can make thousands of dollars per month if you use a super secret exclusive technique. Then they try to get you to sign up for their webinar and buy one of their products. No one can predict how much money you will make from any endeavor.
Go into your freelance writing journey with realistic expectations. Honestly, having no expectations would probably serve you better. If you put in the effort, you can make money as a writer. How much money you make is entirely up to you.
What I learned
My first year as a writer was a big learning curve. I used to doubt myself, but I realized I just had to trust the process and have faith in the Universe. I took risks and put my work out there, and it paid off. Now that I know I can make money doing something I love, I’m ready to take things to the next level. I’m feeling more confident about my abilities and know I can make things happen.
Fellow writers, what has been your experience monetizing your skills? What advice would you give someone in their first year as a writer?
* Please note that some of the links in this article are affiliate links. This means that if you click on one of these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products and services that I have personally used and believe will be beneficial to my readers. Thank you for your support!
