Want to see your question on freelance writing answered right here? Leave a comment below or contact me!

This might be an oddly straightforward question but it’s something I get asked quite a bit, albeit usually in more roundabout ways. Many people still associate freelancing with making big bucks because they simply don’t know enough about it. The reality is that today, the market is saturated with freelancers and companies/organisations/clients are caring less and less about quality. That means it’s harder to stand out, harder to get hired, and finally, harder to get paid.

Freelance writing doesn’t mean an instant fat paycheck. It often takes freelancers many years to make a good profit from their business because there’s a learning curve. Also, don’t forget that when you’re not actually employed by a company, you’re responsible for purchasing your own health insurance, office supplies, Internet service, and other things necessary for both work and life. Sure, you often get a tax break on this stuff, but it’s still important to factor it into how much you’re making.

I was fortunate enough to find some great jobs during my first year freelancing, so I made somewhere around $15,000 over the course of 2020. It wasn’t quite enough to live on by itself, but I also wasn’t freelancing full-time; I had a part-time job, plus some assistance like stimulus checks. Lockdown actually worked in my favour. With everyone at home, there were tons of jobs to be had when I first started out. I definitely see now just how much God guided me at the start of my career because I met a lot of people in that first year who gave me repeat work in the following years. That ended up working out perfectly because as COVID fizzled out, so did jobs. I relied heavily on the client relationships I had formed in the past (networking, people, networking!!). Now, three years later, I still don’t make quite as much as I did when I was teaching on a salary, but I just see it as room to grow! I’m still learning and developing my business, so as long as I keep growing, I’m happy with what I’ve done.

You might be really fortunate and make those big bucks your first year freelancing, but most people have to work up to a yearly income they can count on. That’s why, as I always say, it’s a great idea to first try freelancing alongside a steady job and move to freelancing full-time if it works for you. The best part of freelancing is you get out of it what you put into it. The more time you spend building and promoting your business, the more work you’re going to get! Freelancing might not be easy, but it’s rewarding, fulfilling, and fun for many.

Remember, if you have a question big or small about freelance writing, leave a comment or contact me! It might just turn into a blog post!

Happy writing!
—E.J.

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Photo by micheile henderson on Unsplash