How I Became a Highly-Paid Freelance Writer on Upwork
Trying to make the most of became highly paid freelance? You are in the right place. Below we break it down in plain English, with practical tips you can actually use.
Key Takeaways
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- Whether you’re looking to kick off a full-time freelance writing career or just make a few bucks writing articles on the side, Upwork can ta...
Whether you’re looking to kick off a full-time freelance writing career or just make a few bucks writing articles on the side, Upwork can take you there.
Upwork is one of the best ways to gain access to a steady stream of freelance writing jobs , even if you don’t have any writing experience or connections in the industry.
We covered numerous of the basics in our guide to getting your first job on Upwork, so in this article we’ll focus exclusively on using the site to find good-paying freelance writing opportunities.
We’ve also compiled a suite of resources that are helpful for beginning freelance writers, which you can find at the end of the post (or you can jump directly to that section).
Read through this material in its entirety and you’ll learn…
- How to find freelance writing jobs on Upwork.
- How to choose the right jobs to apply for.
- How to carve out a niche for yourself.
- How to identify what Upwork clients actually want.
- How to craft winning proposals.
And you’ll know exactly how to get your first client.
Much of what’s covered below is based on my own first-hand experience applying for Upwork writing jobs.
Table of Contents
ToggleMy Experience
Everyone’s freelance writing journey is different, but few are linear. So while your experience may be a bit different than mine, from what I’ve seen, my zero-to-writer story is pretty typical.
How I Became a Freelance Writer
Prior to registering with Upwork, I’d never had a paid writing job.
The closest job I’d had to a writer was an 18-month stint as an in-house editor at a research firm where we published reports on healthcare technology.
I got that gig almost by accident. Instead of firing me for being a terrible secretary, the kind executive team gave me a second chance in the editing department. Unfortunately, more than half of that 18-month stint was part-time, so I eventually had to look for another opportunity.
Prior to that role, a good portion of my editing portfolio was comprised of pro bono pieces , things like sprucing up resumes, revising personal memoirs or editing medical school cover letters as favors for friends and family members.
I tried to land other full-time editing and writing jobs, but because I had no formal education in those subjects and a limited resume, I was turned down for every single one of them.
So in an act of desperation to get out of a dead-end job working the night shift at a local motel, I decided to give freelance writing on Upwork shot.
Getting My First Contract
Getting my first contract for a writing job was far and away the hardest part of my freelancing career.
Convincing myself that I was a good enough writer and editor to make it as a freelancer, when I’d been turned down numerous times before, was tough.
On days when impostor syndrome made me think I was crazy for trying to start a freelance writing career, I told myself, “I can’t be the worst writer out there. If others can do this, then why not me?”
It took me a month and several proposals to get my first gig on Upwork.
Even after I got that first five-star review, subsequent jobs were slow in coming. In the beginning, I was getting replies to one out of every 10 or 15 proposals I sent , and only about half of those clients actually hired me.
But as I got more jobs and more good reviews, gigs became easier to land.
I got a better feel for which jobs I was qualified for and which ones were over my head or outside my wheelhouse.
Plus, I learned not to waste my time on jobs that already had dozens of applicants, and to focus my efforts on assignments I could complete quickly and confidently.
Pro Tip: Search for terms like “new to Upwork,” “24 hours,” or “urgent” in the search bar. Some clients don’t mind working with newbies and will state that in the text of the job post (hoping to get the work at below market rates). Others are looking for a quick turnaround and are less-than-picky about who does the work. These posts are excellent finds for landing a first gig.
Building a Nic
Final Thoughts
The bottom line: a little research on became highly paid freelance goes a long way. Compare your options, watch for seasonal offers, and never pay full price when a better deal is one click away.
Originally published at thewaystowealth.com.
Jenni Sisson
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