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Mindset/Motivation Writing Advice

5 Ways to Start Freelancing with No Experience

There’s never been a better time to get started as a freelancer—even if you want to start freelancing with no experience.

As conventional career paths continue to shift, demand for freelancers is skyrocketing.

Upwork’s Freelance Forward: 2023 report found that almost 2 in 5 American workers were freelancers, collectively contributing $1.27 trillion to the US economy in annual earnings in 2023.

Eager to join them but worried because you’ve got no experience?

No problem.

How to Land Your First Client When Freelancing with No Experience

Seriously considering how to become a freelance writer with no experience? Here’s what to do

For newcomers, finding a foothold among seasoned pros can feel like a pipedream.

Yet every successful freelancer had to start somewhere.

The truth is that you already have everything you need to get your first clients as a freelancer.

Even without a solid track record, you can still leverage your skills, passion, and determination to carve out your corner of the freelance world.

Here are five ways to get started from scratch when you’re a beginner freelancer and don’t have experience.

1.       Tap your existing networks

The saying, ‘It’s not what you know, but who you know’, has never been more apt when it comes to finding your first (and next) freelance gig.

Personal connections play a huge role in accessing freelance opportunities.

Think about how you found your last plumber, dog walker, caterer, or other service provider.

Chances are, you asked friends, family, and colleagues for word-of-mouth referrals first.

That’s because 92 percent of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family over all other forms of advertising, according to a Nielsen Global Trust in Advertising report.

Tapping your existing network means you capitalize on inherent trust relationships established over time.

People you know will be eager to help you on your way.

And new clients are more likely to hire freelancers who they know – or who come recommended by someone they know.

2.       Reach out to new contacts to determine how to become a freelance writer with no experience

Some science says that the number of stable social relationships we can maintain is around 150 people.

So stretching beyond your existing network can also help you get your first clients as a freelancer.

Broaden your horizons—by attending industry events, participating in workshops, webinars, and online courses, or joining and participating in professional associations.

Attending conferences is another way to build connections.

I attend The TravMedia Summit and International Media Marketplace (IMM) in Sydney every year.

The presentations, panels, and speed-networking sessions always offer useful information and insights.

But, as in every other industry, the real value of a conference lies in the serendipitous interactions that occur outside the formal agenda.

Chance encounters at social drinks, coffee breaks or formal dinners always tend to open doors to new opportunities—and might just help you land your first client.

3.       Build a freelance portfolio

Imagine, for a moment, you’re getting married.

You and your betrothed want to capture every special moment.

Would you entrust the job to a wedding photographer without being able to view their work beforehand?

Other freelance roles are much the same, even if they’re not so visually oriented.

From graphic designers and social media managers to web developers and virtual assistants, all sorts of freelancers find that a portfolio is a powerful sales tool.

A portfolio establishes credibility by showcasing your skills and expertise to potential clients, letting them “try before they buy”.

Of course, your portfolio needs to be tailored to the work you do.

For example, a freelance voice-over artist I know posts recordings from her previous gigs on her Instagram page.

And before she had any gigs, she posted samples she’d recorded in her home studio.

This helped her get her first clients as a freelancer. You can do the same when you’re exploring how to freelance with no experience.

Write samples that your ideal client would want to see. Post them on your site, or even on LinkedIn.

4.       Cultivate your digital presence

We all have a digital presence.

The question is whether it’s working in your favor.

The editor of one Australian travel publication says that when a new freelance writer comes knocking, the first thing he does is look at their social media profiles.

Is this person a keen traveler? What are their interests? How professional and polished are their posts? Are they consistent (meaning reliable)? How well do they communicate?

Freelancers in other fields can also use social media to bolster their personal brands.

Share valuable content to establish yourself as a thought leader in your niche. It’s one of the best ways to get started freelancing with no experience.

Post behind-the-scenes snippets to pique curiosity and increase the “know, like, trust” factor. You’ll probably find that this tip for how to become a freelance writer with no experience is fun to implement.

Provide “sneak peeks” of your latest products or services, or use social media to showcase your latest work.

Reveal some of your personality, your history, your journey.

You could conceivably land your first client as a freelancer by having a decision maker click on your profile and think, ‘Wow, this person is perfect for the project I have in mind.’

5.       Write on spec to start freelance with no experience

Or do whatever type of freelance service you offer “on spec.” Writing “on spec” means crafting stories without any guarantee of publication or payment – unless a publisher or client opts to use it.

While not as common in other freelance fields, the same principle applies.

Do the work. Cross your fingers. Say a prayer.

The first story I ever sold was written on spec. (I didn’t know about pitching back then.)

Writing on spec is a strategy I still use sometimes to break into new publications – even three decades after starting out as a freelance writer.

Sinking time and effort into projects that might never see the light of day can be disappointing, frustrating and, when used as your standalone sales strategy, financially unsustainable.

But writing on spec is also necessary sometimes for a whole host of reasons.

Certain subjects just don’t translate to compelling pitches.

Imagine, for instance, if Joan Didion had tried to sell her much-admired In Bed by crafting a pitch about excruciating headaches.

Then there are those editors who, no matter how many clips you have, demand you submit the first article on spec.

Yes, there are people out there hell-bent on exploiting you.

You could always walk away.

But sometimes it’s worth taking the risk of a few (potentially) wasted hours to have the opportunity to demonstrate what you can really do.

And perhaps land your first client as a freelancer.

Kick-Start Your Freelance Career Today

The freelance landscape is ripe with opportunities, and the time to seize them is now. With conventional career paths evolving, freelancers are in high demand, contributing significantly to the economy. As this guide to starting freelance with no experience shows you, there are lot of ways to land your first freelance job or secure a freelance writing job. Try one or all of them or find your own best practices.

Get more information on how to become a freelance writer with no experience by signing up for a freelance newsletter. Enter your details into the module on the right.

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Mindset/Motivation Work-Life Balance Writing Advice

Top Apps for Productivity for Freelancers

It can be difficult to know what types of programs or the top apps for productivity will work best for you as you start a freelance business. Usually, it takes a little trial and error, and you add tools as you discover you need them and then evolve in your solopreneur journey. It’s been more than two decades since I started freelancing. There are some new programs and software for freelancers I’ve discovered since I expanded my business, and there are some programs I’ve been using from the beginning.

I’ll share my favorite tools that help me stay organized and productive and some of the reasons I like them over other popular products on the market. In some cases, I’ll tell you about apps that I think sound interesting but I haven’t started using them because I see no compelling reason to switch from what currently works for me. Sometimes I use several apps in the same category, mainly because I have to be able to use the apps that clients are using.

I am the only person in my business, so I don’t have to pay employees (although I have in the past paid contractors), but I do have four major types of work. I edit, teach, write books, and write in a freelance capacity in several subjects. So, these solutions work for many kinds of remote work.

I am able to manage all aspects of my business with mostly digital tools, and most of them work with all of my work “hats.” Here, I address important categories in the best apps for productivity that help my freelance business

The Tops Apps for Productivity for Freelancers

Get to know the tools for freelancers and best tech for freelance writers to set your freelance business up for success.

Calendar Apps for Productivity

Did you forget a deadline? Time to add a calendar or to-do list program—or maybe both to your freelance business. Honestly, I have both plus a physical whiteboard for things I need to keep in front of my face at all times. Okay, okay, I also have a chalkboard for story ideas. What can I say? I’m Gen X and stuck between two worlds.

You’ve probably used calendars for personal appointments and some professional meetings by now.  I don’t usually put deadlines on my calendar—that’s for my to-do list. As a freelancer with a family, my business life and my family life bleed into each other, and it’s often important that everybody in my household knows where I’ll be for business to prevent them scheduling things that conflict with when my clients need me.

Everybody in my family has, at some point, asked me to use Google, Outlook, or iCloud calendars, but I have not budged in my love for Cozi Family Organizer.  Eventually, they all came around.

Why is this calendar one of my top apps for productivity? Cozi allows everyone in your group (or family) to sign into the app and make appointments (color-coded by person) that everyone can see. There are also lists (shopping and other customizable), so nobody has an excuse for not knowing what the household needs when they’re at the store!

I love the ability to make either repeatable events or a range that covers days (so I can block out conferences or vacations). There are pop-up reminders as well. While there might be calendar apps for freelancers that are more sophisticated now, I’ve had Cozi since my now-grown kids were little, and I will probably never give it up.

Cozi has a free version that isn’t nearly as comprehensive, but it’s a good way to see if this calendar will work for you. The subscription price for the premium version (Cozi Gold) is $29.99 per year.

I have recently heard about a similar organizer that has even more options. FamilyWall’s free version has much the same capabilities as Cozi, but its premium version syncs with other calendars and has a messenger function built into it. The premium version is $44.99 per year. Depending on what you need, though, it might be worth checking out if you need a productivity app that can sync with family.

Task Management Top Apps for Productivity for Freelancers

You could put your assignments, deadlines, and notes on your calendar, but when the calendar gets full, it’s hard to figure out what’s personal and what’s business. That’s why I initially  looked into project management tools for freelancers to help me manage my business. Like many of the best productivity apps, what works for you is highly personal, so it’s good to find some with free plans or at least a trial period to see if it works for you.

I started with Week Plan, which I used for several years. It allows you to segment your tasks into customizable categories, and you can check off items as you do them. It also gives you space for long-term planning and the ability to split projects into smaller tasks.

These qualities are still what I look for in any project management product. At some point, though, it became a little unwieldy for me, although don’t remember why. Week Plan has a free trial period. It is normally $104/year, but they often have sales of 20% off. So, I still recommend checking it out.

Todoist is a list-making organization app for freelancers that I landed on a few years ago, and I’m still very happy with it. It offers all the same tools as Week Plan for a lower price, and it has a mobile app (which Week Plan doesn’t have). Todoist offers a free plan, as well as a Pro plan ($48/year) and a Business plan ($72/year).

The Business plan offers a shared team workspace, which could be helpful if you’re a freelancer who works with a team or uses a virtual assistant to help your business. I love the reminders you can set, and the Todoist team is always creating new functions and offering tips on how to use the program to its fullest capacity.

Some other popular tools in this category are Trello (there’s a free version plus plans up to $17.50/user/month) and Asana (free version plus plans up to $24.99/user/month), but both of those programs are very team-oriented, which I feel introduces a very different element to the product that makes it unnecessarily complex when only one person is using it.  You’ll find a lot of overlap between task management tools and project management tools for freelancers.

Financial Apps for Freelancers

When you get that first client who doesn’t have their own onboarding system, they’ll probably ask you to send an invoice and a way to pay you. And you could create an invoice in your word-processing program, but then how do you remember whether they paid? Enter payment and bookkeeping programs to help with freelance organization and help improve your freelance money mindset.

Invoicing Apps for Freelance Business Owners

I’m a little conflicted about the best invoicing tools for freelancer right now—so much so that my search for a better one prompted the idea for this article. I used InvoiceNinja for a very long time, and their free program has all you really need, including being able to accept credit card payments and integrate other payment programs.

The only reason I recently switched from this program is that they changed everything drastically in an update. It’s an open-source program, which means you can customize it, but it just took more knowledge than I could understand. To be fair, they tried very hard to help me. The team sent me customized videos of what to do and were very patient. In the end, though, I just didn’t want to work that hard to do my invoices, and I looked for another program. It took weeks to find one that worked as well as InvoiceNinja had worked for me before the change. But if you’re more technically savvy, I still highly recommend InvoiceNinja.

I discovered Kosmo after weeks of searching for a top invoicing app for freelancers. It’s relatively new, as it was founded in 2021, and it was designed specifically for freelancers. It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of Invoice Ninja, but it’s simple to use, has the ability to create projects, proposals, contracts, and invoices, and it tracks payments. You can also set up credit card and ACH payments through it. Kosmo is free for the first two clients/projects, after which you must upgrade to Pro pricing, which is $9/month or $90/year.

Other freelancers like freelance invoicing software platforms like Wave App, Bonsai, Honeybook, or Square invoicing services as part of their top apps for productivity to run their freelance businesses efficiently.

Bookkeeping Productivity Apps for Freelancers

Quicken has been my bookkeeping tool for freelancers for several decades now, and I occasionally think I should switch it up, but I find comfort in having all my previous data. I might have to chalk this one up to age too, but I haven’t had any real problems in all these years of using it, and they do continually update the product in ways that make it even easier to use. It allows me to identify all the tax items for my business, add new credit card accounts, and update all my bank and credit accounts by connecting Quicken to them. It downloads all my transactions and reconciles them in seconds.

Quicken has two options, both of which are subscription pricing. There is no free option, but they do have a 30-day trial period. You can go with Quicken Classic for up to $7.99/month or Quicken Simplifi for $3.99/month. They often run sales that take a dollar or two off the price, so see if you can catch a sale or find a coupon code. Both support identifying categories of items, which is really all you need to keep track of your income and expenses for your freelance business.

Either will also handle multiple checking and savings accounts if you separate your business accounts from your personal accounts (I have 9 accounts altogether). If you want more reports and budgeting tools, Quicken Classic is for you. But if your needs are pretty simple, start with Quicken Simplifi (for which there is a mobile app).

I considered switching to Gnucash because it can import files from Quicken and it’s free. However, it’s an open-source program, which is not a bad thing, but that’s what led to so much frustration with Invoice Ninja, so I’m not really interested in trying to navigate a program that might frustrate me. But if you’re starting out fresh and feeling adventurous, I say give it a try to see if it’s one of the best productivity apps for freelancers.

Tax Form Solutions for Freelancers

If you’re using an accountant to do your taxes, then they can probably help with any tax forms you may need to produce for other people, but if you do it yourself with tax software, I have to call out efile1099NOW. Many of the programs that allow you to produce tax forms are focused on large numbers and are pretty expensive if you only need one or two. The most I’ve ever had to produce (for people I’ve paid more than $600 in one year) has been two. It was frustrating until I found this solution.

They can process all kinds of employee and non-employee forms, but 1099 is the only experience I’ve had. For one-person businesses, the account is free, and it’s only a few dollars to send the form to the contractor/employee, file the appropriate form with the government, and keep the records for your own tax files—either electronically or on paper. I can’t recommend them enough. Learn more about business write-offs and more in the best taxes for freelance writers tips.

Collaboration Apps for Freelancers

These tools for freelance business owners help you work with clients and other freelancers.

Filesharing/cloud storage apps for freelancers

For my own file storage and sharing, I am a firm believer in Dropbox. The Basic plan is free and gives you 2 GB of space. I have never run out of space at this level, and I put a lot in there. If you’re a freelance writer, pictures and text don’t take up a lot of space. And I tend to only put things in there that I might need to access from other places or share with other people.

Anything else I put on my regular hard drive. There are other plans for larger amounts of space, or if you need really fancy functions like watermarking or end-to-end encryption. But my guess is that your free account will last you a long time.

Filesharing can also be done with other programs, but the only times I use these apps are when the client sends documents through them. Of course, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t explore them for any of their other management tools.

Box also offers storage up to 10 GB for free and e-signing of up to 5 documents per month. The Personal Pro plan gives you 100 GB of storage and up to 15 e-signs per month.

Zoho doesn’t offer storage, but its Work Drive is easy to use, and if a client sends you a file through this service, you don’t have to initiate an account to use it. You can also send files to clients this way.

WeTransfer is very similar to Zoho in that you don’t need an account if your client is using this service, and they don’t seem to offer storage, but strangely enough, they allow you to create mood boards. So, if that’s something that interests you, check it out! It’s a good service to use if you have large files to send to a client—just let them know you sent them files via WeTransfer so they can be on the lookout for that email.

Some of your freelance clients will use Microsoft storage hubs or Google Drive to share files. No matter which filesharing software for freelancers you decide to use, make sure it’s consistent for each client.

Organization Apps for Freelancers

What about keeping track of submissions, applications, or anything else you might have to organize to make sure nothing falls through the cracks? Do you write some fiction on the side and want to dip your toes in those waters? Yep, there are apps for that.

Notion is an interesting space to explore. It is deeply customizable. Many templates are built into the program, and other helpful people have created templates that they make available (often for free), so you don’t have to start with a blank page.

You can start with an already-created template for just about any kind of organization you can think of. I have a marketing template on my Notion site so far. There are paid plans, but the free plan gives you unlimited pages as long as you’re the only one in the space (although you still get to invite 10 guests to see your customized space!). I’m not using this app to its fullest extent, but I hope to get more adventurous with it soon. Other freelancers, like fellow writer Diana Kelly Levey, agree that Notion is one of the best productivity apps for freelancers. (She uses it to track freelance article pitches, email marketing outreach, and as a freelance project management tool.)

Plaky is also a task and project management app for freelancers that works well with teams, but I use it to organize the artist residencies I have applied to. It’s also very customizable, but it didn’t intimidate me too much because it has a great drag-and-drop kind of setup. The free plan limits the size of your board, but you can have unlimited boards. The Pro plans start at $3.99/month/user, but I can’t imagine many freelancers would need more than the free plan.

The Submission Grinder is a free program that helps you look for markets where you can submit your fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. It keeps track of where you’ve submitted each piece already and lets you narrow down the type of market that best fits each of your manuscripts. So, dust off those stories and poems and see who you might want to send them to!

I always love to find free tools, but in creating this list, I realized that most of the tools for freelancers I’ve had the longest and are the most useful are ones I pay for—even if the product does have a free option. I still prefer tools that have at least a free option or a trial period so I can see if I like it before I decide to pay for it.

Honestly, a useful tool is priceless, but as freelancers (and especially new freelancers), every penny must be thoughtfully allocated. I hope my list will help you make some of those decisions. Don’t feel as though you have to change your current system, but if you are thinking about a change or reading this makes you realize that your system can be better, then I hope you will have found some helpful ideas here.

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Freelance Jobs Mindset/Motivation Work-Life Balance

How to Avoid Freelance Burnout

My freelance burnout used to manifest itself in a specific way.

Complete, overwhelming, panic that could last for hours.

This anxiety stemmed from too much work, intense deadlines, and ambiguity about how to complete an assignment successfully for a client. 

Freelance burnout is different for everyone but no freelancer is immune to it. The World Health Organization validated work-related burnout as a real condition, calling it a “state of mental and emotional exhaustion” because of prolonged stress related to your job.

Burnout for all workers is on the rise. Some reports say that nearly two-thirds of all workers believe that burnout has increased since the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Fortunately, I’ve learned to recognize the symptoms of freelancer burnout and manage them over the years. 

Here’s what this freelancer knows about the feeling of burnout and how it impacts business:

Stress related to my freelance business is a daily occurrence.

  • Some stress is healthy. It keeps you motivated. Too much stress eats up what could be productive energy.
  • Work-related anxiety is never as bad as it seems.
  • There is always an answer, whether that involves asking for an extended deadline, finding a way to streamline your work, or just taking an hour break to clear your head.

That’s why it’s important to figure out how to cope with stress which can pile up and lead to feelings of burnout.

5 Tried-and-True Tips to Help Avoid Freelance Burnout

Here are tips to help freelancers manage daily stress that can lead to digital burnout and freelance mental health challenges.

1. Managing Your Schedule Can Help with Freelance Burnout

For me, it’s about taking deep breaths and splitting my projects into bite-size little tasks. Some people like to do an outline for every story they write. I prefer to write down a list on paper of how to tackle complicated projects. Then I prioritize the important stuff. 

Apply this same formula to your work week. What’s going to take you longer to finish? What are your looming deadlines?

Create a manageable priority list. That could mean getting one or two big things done every day. Don’t expect to finish your whole work week in one day. 

Sometimes, low-priority items slip off the list and move into next week. It’s okay. Freelancing is not a game of perfection. My days are a constant swirl of juggling freelance assignments and adjusting to my client’s needs and my schedule. Learn How Freelancers Juggle Multiple Clients.

For invoicing, there are dozens of free to inexpensive options. I use FormSwift, which is super simple and easy. A yearly subscription is $99. You’ll want to use a dedicated banking account for your business. That makes it easier to track your earnings. I sock away 25% for taxes into a different account. 

2. Prioritizing Self-Care for Better Freelance Mental Health

Self-care in my freelance business means daily exercise time. I hit the gym or run every day during the week. Most of us work from home. We spend hours in front of a screen. It’s a lonely profession. You can Add These Morning Activities to Your To-Do-List for a Productive Day.

We can summon the worst-case scenarios and focus on all the terrible outcomes. It’s what I call the “living-in-my-head syndrome.”

To break that cycle of constantly thinking about bad outcomes, it’s important to have a clear head. Set a small goal and reward yourself. I like the New York Times’ Games application. I’ll set a word count goal to hit for a freelance client assignment and then reward myself by doing “Spelling Bee” or Wordle. 

Find a daily distraction to reward yourself with and do it consistently. If my stress level is extremely high for a specific reason–like a looming freelance deadline or I’m wrestling with a complicated decision, I take walks. Sometimes, two or three a day. They are usually brisk five-minute jaunts. The break reorients and focuses me.

The type of self-care you choose to help reduce stress and manage freelancer burnout may be different. Find hobbies and breaks that work for you and incorporate them into your day. Can you earn a living freelancing without massive stress? I think it’s possible.

3. Limit Your Workload

One cause of digital burnout is financial uncertainty. 

Even seasoned freelancers can struggle to build a freelance client list that results in regular work. Paychecks can be inconsistent and beginners often have to accept low-paying assignments. 

When I started my writing business, I took whatever work I could get because I needed the money. As I built my clientele, I became more selective about work. I turn down freelance writing stories that don’t pay enough. 

I also build in time during my day for unexpected problems. That cushion helps me keep my day balanced. 

It’s impossible to control all the outside variables but blocking out daily extra emergency time can mitigate 12 or 13-hour work days. I limit my work days to eight hours from Monday through Thursday and work half days on Friday. 

Of course, if there is a lucrative project that requires extra hours, I’ll do what it takes to meet my deadline. And not every day goes as planned.

If you’re an overworked freelancer, you might realize it’s because you’re taking on too much low-paying work. Moving on to higher-paying freelance assignments, exploring various types of freelance jobs, or work toward retainers from clients can help you manage your time better and work fewer hours. It’s important to establish a healthy freelance money mindset to limit stress and burnout.

4. Set Work-Life Boundaries to Avoid Freelance Burnout

When you work from home, it’s all too easy to let business and home life bleed into one another. Especially since many of us are on our phones for business and pleasure throughout the day.

In my freelance business, I finish working by 4 p.m. Some days, that doesn’t happen. I might have to pick up my son from track practice or go to a doctor’s appointment. In these situations, my day gets split up and extended. (How many hours do freelancers work?)

Your work environment is important.

My workspace is sacred and separate from the rest of my daily life. I use a spare bedroom that has a desk with a printer and a comfortable chair. It’s decorated with photos and meaningful knick-knacks. Creating a good vibe matters. You want to be focused but calm when you write.

The good part about being a freelancer is that you can control your hours. Sometimes, I’ll start early and finish early. When I’m done with work for the day, I don’t answer emails, texts, or polish up stories. 

Sometimes, I’ll work on tasks that don’t involve much mental energy, like sending out invoices or paying bills after I’m done for the day. I enjoy taking care of most of the outside tasks that are necessary to run a business so I find it relaxing. Budget time for running the business side of your business if it feels like a chore. Generally, though, it’s my time to decompress when my work day ends. I also prioritize emails. If it’s a non-urgent email, I’ll respond in 24 hours.

I limit phone conversations and online meetings unless I’m getting paid for that time.  Understanding how to manage your time is one of the biggest freelance challenges independent workers need to figure out.

My working hours need to focus on my business. For beginning freelancers, getting to a place where you can have near complete control over your day takes time. 

However, every writer, no matter how experienced, needs to figure out a way to forget about work for a while. Even if you’re under financial pressure, it doesn’t help to stress about it. It makes your situation worse.

5. Schedule Time Off

You probably considered becoming a freelancer because you wanted a more flexible schedule and not having to ask a boss for time off. So why don’t enough freelancers take time off?

It’s important to take off throughout the week–whether that’s weekends if it works for your schedule–a few hours midweek, or a few days for a mini brain break.

Take a short vacation (or a long one if you can afford it) and get out of your environment. I go on at least two short summer vacations and a third wildcard vacation. 

Let your clients know you are taking off a few weeks before you take off and then set up an automated email message. 

If you don’t want to leave or can’t afford to leave, plan a staycation. Plan fun activities that give you joy. I love history so I’m always looking for a new museum to go to. I play golf so I like to go to different courses. I live near Chicago and I can always find something interesting to do there. 

You have to consciously learn to disconnect from the grind of running your own business. It’s easy to fall into the rut of becoming a hermit and working all the time because you don’t have “defined hours” but it’s not healthy. It’s one way to set yourself up for freelance burnout.

By the way, here’s a peek into how many hours freelancers work.

Connect with Others to Reduce Freelance Stress

Figuring out what you need to do to avoid burnout is personal. To build a sustainable business model, you have to use fundamentals to stay fresh. Whether it’s finishing your day after eight hours, making sure you get out of your work environment daily or scheduling time off. It’s important to have strategies in place to deal with freelance burnout and protect freelance mental health. 

It’s an issue that every freelancer has to confront and it’s important to remember that you’re not working in a silo. Every freelancer feels isolated at times. How you cope with it is what matters. 

You might want to join freelancer topic forums on Reddit, Quora, Facebook groups or LinkedIn. Share your freelance challenges with others and help them work through theirs to bond with like-minded freelancers.

Get more tips on how to fix freelance burnout.

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Clients Industry Mindset/Motivation

Discover Your Freelance Niche: Tips to Discover Your Path to Success

Raise your hand if you’ve heard sayings like “If you’re marketing to everyone, you’re marketing to no one” or “A jack of all trades, master of none.” (Yep, time to put our hands down, too.)

This is exactly why one needs to discover your freelance niche if you wish to be successful as a freelancer. If you’re asking yourself, ‘Why niche down?’ Won’t that mean I’m leaving tons of clients on the table that I could do work for?

Well, sure. But you’ll also compete with millions of people who think the same way, and that’s never a good path to take.

Why choose a freelance niche? The truth is, focusing on one specific type of work, or one specific industry, allows you to become an “expert” in the niche and it also makes it easier to market yourself. You can gear your marketing efforts to a specific niche, rather than every business that may need your services! In fact, why not try one of the best highest-paying freelance writing niches of 2024?

Tips to Discover Your Freelance Niche

When you’re choosing your freelance niche, follow these tips to find one that suits your interests while also being a high-paying freelancer niche.

Tip 1: Reflect on Your Passions and Interests

What do you love to do? What are you good at? What lights your soul up? What creates a fire in your belly? The answers to these questions are the best place to start your freelance niche journey.

If something interests you, and you have a true passion for what interests you, you’re more likely to motivate yourself to push through the roadblocks when they arise. And roadblocks will come, it’s part of the journey.

Take time to brainstorm ideas. Do a brain dump of everything you love, like, and enjoy.

As you do discovery for your freelance niche, you might want to focus on topics—like fitness, nutrition, technology, consumer products—or, you might think about content marketing writing for brands or copywriting specifically. Both are ways you can categorize a niche.

Tip 2: Assess Your Skills and Expertise

As you sort through the thing you love, make sure to ask yourself and others what skills you have that others would consider you an expert in and remember to evaluate freelance writing skills as well. Include things you know you’re good at, but also those that you’d want to do day after day to make money!

Ask your friends and family, as well as co-workers or former co-workers what they know your skillsets are and what you excel at. Ask them, “When discussing specific freelance skills, which ones make you think of me?”

It’s a lot easier to generate income doing things you already love to do, as well as know how to do. No one wants to have to spend extensive time learning new skills, and then master them, so you feel confident selling yourself to others.

When you feel confident providing value to others, it takes far less time and effort to start attracting clients who want to pay you for your service offerings.

Tip 3: Research Market Demand

Once you’ve done all the preliminary work, it’s time to dig in a bit deeper to discover your freelance niche. It might take a bit of time, because you’ll need to research each niche you’re interested to find out if there’s a demand for your niche service or services.

You could have all the skills in the world, master of all things in that niche, but if no one needs the service or wants it—you won’t find much success, or it might take a lot longer to make money in your chosen niche.

Some of the best places to see if the freelance niche you’ve chosen is in demand? Ask people in your network if they would pay for what you’d like to sell them. Look at places like Fiverr, Upwork, or even LinkedIn and see what services business owners are hiring freelancers for.

And there’s always Google! Set up a “Google Alert” to help notify you about information and jobs in your chosen niches.

Tip 4: Test and Iterate While You Discover Your Freelance Niche

Be open-minded and flexible. If you launch yourself, do all the leg work to get your name out there, but months go by without much interest—prepare to re-evaluate your niche and make changes.

Or, you might need to brush up on your skills and add certifications that potential clients would find appealing—like UX certifications, copywriting certifications, or showcasing courses completed on your LinkedIn page.

Consider working with a reputable business coach, or a marketing coach. Focus on working with professional coaches who can help you with the results you want to achieve. Ask them for previous and current clients, and make sure you get the full story of how the coaching process works to help you achieve your freelancer goal-setting strategy.

Tip 5: Trust Your Instincts

Your gut is often the best barometer for what you should and shouldn’t do to become profitable in your chosen freelance niche. You know what lights you up inside and gives you the motivation to get up each morning and earn money. Trust yourself. Trust your skills. Embrace the challenge knowing you’ve got the skills to be successful.

Your Path to Freelance Success Begins with Discovering Your Niche

Entering the world of freelance work and finding success requires discovering your niche. You’ll need to do a deep dive into what your skills and expertise are, what you enjoy doing, and knowing that you can sell this “work” or “service” to others for a profit.

Now’s the time to get real with yourself and your skill set. Talk to friends, family, and professional acquaintances to learn what they believe your strengths are and what types of work they would hire you to do. Then, collect all this information to finally nail down the perfect freelance niche for you to find financial success with.

Your ideal freelance niche could be a topic “healthcare” or “freelance medical writing” or a skill “copywriting for Google ads” or “technical writing.”

You might have a few starts and stops until you find just the right freelance niche, or combination of niches, that will be successful. If you find yourself struggling, first figure out of your niche is too broad. Remember, if you’re trying to market to everyone, you’re marketing to no one!

If you know your niche is narrow enough, but still run into roadblocks to success, reach out to your network and find a reputable business coach who can help you come up with a plan of action to find success within your desired freelance niche.

Your Freelance Niche Doesn’t Have to Be Forever

Don’t worry. You don’t have to choose one specific topic area or skill and only do that one thing for the rest of your freelance career. (That’s what some think are the cons of freelance niche writing.) But, you do want to niche down so you can focus on your main thing until you make your desired income.

You also want to be the freelancer potential clients think of for specific topic writing like “B2B healthcare writer” or “technical writer.” You’ll get more work that way!

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Mindset/Motivation Money Work-Life Balance Writing Advice

Master Freelancer Goal Setting: A Guide to Success without Stress

I was part of a wave of journalists who had to flee the failing newspaper business. In 2021, I took a voluntary buyout that didn’t seem that voluntary. Almost every year since 2008, the companies I worked for laid off employees or offered buyouts. It was going to be a matter of time before I was involuntarily shown the door and needed to think about freelancer goal-setting strategies.

It was a painful yet ultimately rewarding decision to transition into full-time freelance writing. I had to find out for myself the answer to, “Can you earn a living freelancing?”

I’d say it’s a resounding, “Yes.” I’ve more than tripled my income since I started freelancing.

There have been many stops and starts and wrong turns in my freelance journey but I’ve managed to achieve a degree of success that has allowed me to create a long-term blueprint for growth. It’s a multilayered plan that includes investing in my business, creating financial efficiencies, and setting financial goals. 

To grow your business, you need to set aside time to think about a long-term growth strategy. It’s hard to envision a prosperous future when you’re struggling to get clients in the early phase of freelancing but if you are committed, you’ll get to a point where you can plan for your financial success and establish a healthy freelance money mindset.

4 Things to Think about During Freelancer Goal-Setting

Keep these topics in mind when you set freelance goals and look toward building a sustainable freelance business.

1. Invest in Your Business

This is the first year I’ve been able to commit a sizable budget to investing in my business.

A year ago, I took the step of turning my freelance business into a Limited Liability Corporation. What is an LLC?  It’s essentially a business structure that shields owners from any personal liability they might incur.  

For me, there was a psychological component to creating an LLC. It created the formal structure I needed to move forward with advancing my business. I wanted to be a business owner instead of a freelance writer. Becoming a business owner helped me frame and strategize for the future. It’s given me an avenue to decide what services I can offer, what services I want to offer, and how I want to grow my business. 

As a freelancer, it felt like I was randomly chasing freelance writing jobs. Now, I’m changing my website and my business name so I can reposition from being a freelance writer to running a writing business. Small words that shape how we see ourselves can have big impacts. These are forms of investments. 

2. Establish Financial Goals as Part of Freelancer Goal-Setting Strategy

Everyone has bills to pay. Without a regular paycheck, it’s critical for freelancers to know exactly what they need to get through the month. For instance, by the end of my first year I was making around $3,000 per month freelancing. It wasn’t great but I had a ramp that allowed me extra time to build my business because I received a 10-month buyout from my previous job. 

Having a financial cushion to start your freelance business is important. Once you’ve established your business, you need to have financial goals that project growth. Pare it down to monthly goals. 

Initially, I wanted to make more each month than I did the month before. My goal was $5,000 per month. Financial progress isn’t linear for any business. You have to be prepared for downturns that could result from a lack of work or slow payments from clients. 

It’s also important to stash away at least 25% of your income for taxes. (Get more taxes for freelance writers tips.) I pay myself every two weeks and I save at least 20% of my income. At least half of my savings goes toward my retirement. 

If business is lean, you’ll have to consider cutting expenses. However, this is a short-term solution that should only be applied as a final resort. You don’t want to live with the stress of constantly having to be frugal.

3. Create Strategies to Achieve Those Freelance Money Goals

There are multiple ways to increase your income. My big break was landing an anchor client. My anchor client accounts for over 80 percent of my revenue. My financial goals are currently $12,000 per month. 

Do I hit it every month? No, but it’s not an unreasonable standard at this point in my business.  Some freelancers have two or three freelance anchor clients. 

These are priority clients. They account for the majority of your revenue and time. My anchor client was a game changer. It allowed me to raise rates for other projects and it created enough security for me to turn down assignments that didn’t seem like a good fit or didn’t pay enough. 

Nothing in freelancing lasts forever so I’m operating under the assumption that eventually I’ll lose my anchor client. I view it this way to stay motivated. I must constantly diversify my client list and be ready to pivot, offer new services, and be prepared for downturns. 

You should constantly look for different services that could work for you. Some of the highest-paying freelance skills of 2024 include mobile app development, AI Development, Website Development and others. 

4. Write Down Skill Goals as Part of Freelancer Goals

What are skill goals? It’s simply learning a new skill that you can translate into a service for your clients.  The five highest-paying freelance writing skills of 2024 involve ghostwriting, UX writing, and healthcare writing to name a few. Explore these to see if you have any interest in building upon your innate know-how.

I’m taking a class on premium ghostwriting that focuses on how to write an educational email class. It’s a service that I’ll likely add at some point. It might be adding SEO writing expertise to your portfolio of services. From free to paid classes, there are multiple ways to increase your SEO knowledge and add value to your services. It’s a great skill to incorporate into freelancer goal-setting sessions. 

A former journalist who understands story pitches and what makes a good story could add a public relations component to their services. There are clients who will pay you to get publicity for their stories. This can be very lucrative. As your business grows, you’ll have to figure out how to manage it and whether you want to scale it out by adding employees or whether you want to manage it as a solopreneur. 

Take Freelancer Goal-Setting Strategies Seriously

Establishing a road map for your financial growth is imperative to make it in freelancing. Devote a half day each week to journaling or writing out your future financial goals. Some key fundamentals for financial growth include setting a monthly goal, planning daily for future revenue goals, making sure you are diversifying your clientele through freelance marketing strategies, putting some money aside every month for taxes and your savings, and learning new skills. 

How you follow these freelancer goal-setting fundamentals is up to you but you have to do these tasks to have a chance for sustained success.

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Mindset/Motivation Work-Life Balance Writing Advice

13 Characteristics of Successful Freelance Writers

We all want to know what successful freelance writers do that keeps them in the game for the long haul. If you’ve ever wondered what the characteristics of successful freelance writers and successful freelancers were, check out some of the traits in this lift.

You might have some of these freelance money mindsets, possess most of these traits, or none of these characteristics.

That’s okay. The most important thing to do is take inventory of where you’re starting, where you want to be, and make small strides to get there every day.

The 13 Traits Succesful Freelance Writers Always Have

Work on these professional freelance skills, personal skills, and implement systems to help you achieve your goal.

  1. They’re skilled communicators: Beyond merely stringing words together, successful freelance writers master the art of communication. They can distill complex ideas into digestible content, captivating readers with their clarity and eloquence.
  2. They’re resilient: The path to freelance success is fraught with challenges, but resilient writers persevere in the face of adversity. They view setbacks as opportunities for growth, bouncing back stronger and more determined than ever before.
  3. They’re collaborative: While freelancing may seem like a solitary pursuit, successful writers understand the power of collaboration. They foster strong relationships with clients, editors, and fellow freelancers, recognizing that collaboration fuels creativity and innovation.
  4. They’re self-disciplined: With freedom comes responsibility, and successful freelance writers excel in managing their time and workload. They set boundaries, establish routines, and prioritize tasks effectively, ensuring maximum productivity and efficiency.
  5. They’re lifelong learners: Successful freelance writers are perpetual students of their craft. They eagerly seek out opportunities for growth and development, whether it’s through online courses, workshops, or simply devouring books and articles on writing.
  6. They’re innovative: In a crowded marketplace, innovation is key to standing out from the crowd. Successful writers embrace innovation, constantly seeking out fresh ideas and creative approaches to their work.
  7. They’re resourceful: When faced with the biggest freelance challenges, successful freelance writers don’t throw in the towel—they get resourceful. Whether it’s overcoming writer’s block or navigating a tricky client situation, resourceful writers find inventive solutions to every problem.
  8. They’re strategic: Behind every successful freelance writer lies a well-thought-out strategy. Whether it’s setting SMART (Specific. Measurable. Achieveable. Relevant. Time-bound) goals or devising a comprehensive freelance marketing plan, strategic thinkers approach their freelance career with purpose and intention. Learn how to become a freelance medical writer.
  9. They’re adaptable: In the ever-evolving landscape of freelance writing, adaptability reigns supreme. Successful writers embrace change, eagerly exploring new niches and adapting their skills to meet the demands of diverse clients and industries. The Best High-Paying Freelance Writing Niches of 2024.
  10. They’re proactive: Rather than waiting for opportunities to come knocking, successful freelance writers seize the initiative, actively seeking out new clients and projects. Their proactive approach sets them apart, propelling them towards greater professional success.
  11. They’re empathetic: Empathy lies at the heart of impactful writing, allowing writers to connect deeply with their audience. Successful freelancers possess a keen understanding of human emotions and experiences, infusing their work with empathy and authenticity.
  12. They’re confident: There will be days in every freelancer’s career where they doubt their freelance writing skills, their worth, and wonder if this industry is “worth it.” Successful freelance writers persevere through those days and remember that they have skills and gifts to offer the world. They’re confident in their abilities to get an assignment done and do it well, even when feelings of impostor syndrome creep in.
  13. They know their weaknesses: Long-lasting, lifelong freelancers who’ve made this their career know what their weaknesses are and how to work around them. Do they struggle with not being a faster writer? Procrastinating on assignments? Marketing themselves? 50 Affirmations for Writers. They work on the areas of their lives, personalities, and skills that could use some TLC and find ways to improve. That might be through therapy, meditation, reading books, taking freelance online courses, and taking an interest in self-development.

Do you have some of the traits of successful freelance writers?

It isn’t possible to adopt all of these success characteristics at once. But, if you try to incorporate them into your freelance business as building blocks, you’ll start building up these characteristics of freelance success and be on your way toward creating a thriving freelance career.

Ready to learn if you can earn $1,000 a month freelance writing? It can be done.

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Mindset/Motivation Money

6 Ways to Improve Your Freelance Money Mindset

When you’re a freelancer, you need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable, and that includes the ebbs and flows of income. 

It often feels like a rollercoaster ride – exhilarating highs followed by nerve-wracking lows. It’s a path marked by weeks, sometimes even months, where the wait for invoices to be paid stretches your budget—okay and PATIENCE—to its limits. 

Yet, there are also those moments when you get paid by a few clients at once and temporarily feel like a baller.

Full-time freelancing for 15 years taught me these financial coping strategies to help me feel less stressed and anxious about living with an irregular freelance income

I hope they give you some stability and peace of mind.

6 Freelance Money Mindset Tips to Help You Feel Less Financial Stress in Your Business

Here are money tips for freelancers to help you feel less anxiety during the freelance feast-or-famine cycles.

1. Focus on quarterly income instead of a weekly paycheck

Firstly, shift your perspective from the immediate to the broader horizon. 

Evaluating your earnings every quarter, rather than getting caught up in the weekly or monthly fluctuations, offers a clearer picture of your financial health. 

This approach helps in smoothing out the highs and lows, providing a more stable outlook on your income.

2. Don’t freak out over slow freelance payments

It’s natural to feel a pinch during slower weeks, but it’s crucial not to let stress cloud your judgment.

3. One of the top money tips for freelancers is to always save a little extra for tax season

In the U.S., many freelancers will need to start paying taxes quarterly after the first year or so, or when they earn a certain amount of money.

Keeping a little extra aside can save you from future tax headaches. If you don’t owe it to the government, add some to your retirement accounts. This will help you build up investments for your future and increase the write-offs so you can owe the government less next year. Always check the IRS’ website for the latest guidance on tax tips for freelancers.

4. Stay on top of client payment status and terms

Keeping track of when invoices are paid can significantly ease your financial planning. Sometimes when I’m stalking my bank account to see if a payment hit yet, I need to go back to my documents where I see the date I submitted my invoice, their average payment terms (maybe 30 or 45 or even 60) and calm down. 

It might feel like forever since you sent over an invoice but it’s only been 30 days and their terms are 45 days. Make note of the date you get paid in an invoicing doc. 

You’ll not only anticipate future payments better but also quickly identify any delays. This simple habit can be a game-changer in managing your cash flow more effectively. (Here’s more on cash management if you’re interested.)

5. Money mindset tip for success? Anticipate slow seasons as a freelancer

Understanding and preparing for your ‘slow seasons’ can make a world of difference. For me, it’s typically July and mid-December through early February. By recognizing these patterns, you can plan ahead, ensuring you have enough savings to cover these leaner periods. Here are ways to navigate a freelance slow season.

Save up more money during your slow freelance seasons and be prepared to spend less and market yourself more during slower business times.

6. Have a freelance financial goal in mind

Setting a target for the balance between ‘invoices out’ and ‘assignments being worked on’ can help maintain a steady workflow and income.

In previous years, it’s been between $15,000 and $20,000 that I wanted to know was “coming in” or “assignments I could count on.”

For instance, if you aim to have $8,000 in play at any given time because that helps your freelance money mindset and you’re awaiting $3,000 in payments, strive to have $5,000 worth of assignments in progress.  It’s one of the money tips for freelancers that’s helped me feel less anxious about how much money is coming in.

This balance isn’t just about numbers; it’s about finding a rhythm that keeps the financial anxiety at bay.

Remember, these freelance money mindset strategies aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution but rather a framework that has served me well over the years. 

The goal is to mitigate some of the financial uncertainties that come with freelancing and to foster a sense of security amidst the fluctuating tides of freelance income.

Here are the steps to take when you’re ready to earn $100 an hour freelancing.

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Mindset/Motivation Writing Advice

How to Get Past Freelance Imposter Syndrome

Imposter syndrome can feel like you’re the only one going through it but it’s a relatively common freelance challenge. Experiencing feelings of freelance imposter syndrome can occur in freelancers who often work in isolation and face constant uncertainties. (So, basically all of us.) Addressing this issue is crucial for freelancers to thrive and grow in their careers. Let me share a personal story to illustrate how real and impactful imposter syndrome can be.

The first time I experienced imposter syndrome was when I walked into my new office in Manhattan in 2010 as a senior magazine editor. The office was big, bright, beautiful, and had a view of the Chrysler Building. (My favorite building in the city.) Did I mention I had my own office?!

Immediately, my internal voice told me, “Oh, they think you’re more important than you are.” Or, “Wow, they think you’re a bigger deal editor than you are. They’re going to be disappointed.” And even, “Gulp. What did I sign on to do here?”

What the heck? Why can one office in a building make me feel that way? It was the first vivid memory I had of experiencing “imposter syndrome.”

What is Imposter Syndrome?

Imposter syndrome is a psychological pattern where individuals doubt their skills, talents, or accomplishments and have a persistent fear of being exposed as a fraud. According to the American Psychological Association and research, it’s when someone struggles with feelings that they’re a fraud and haven’t earned what they achieved. (And you feel like someone is going to find out that you’ve been “posing” in this role for too long.)

Studies show that over 80 percent of the population has experienced it. Whew! But what also sucks about feeling like you’re a fraud (and that you’re gonna get caught in this lie) is that you feel alone. You think you’re the only imposter in your office, in your friend group, in that class at the gym, and among parents in your kids’ friend groups. (So, I’m not the only one who feels bad when some other kid’s parent sends home a massive goodie bag at a holiday and I didn’t?)

When someone has freelance imposter syndrome feelings—or experiences this in any professional setting—they think they haven’t earned what they achieved.

This syndrome can affect performance, confidence, and mental health, causing anxiety, fear of failure, overworking, and freelance burnout. Imposter syndrome also tends to be more prominent in people with underrepresented identities.

Why Freelance Imposter Syndrome is So Common

Freelancers frequently face rejection and uncertainty. Putting yourself out there can feel intimidating, especially when pitching ideas or cold emailing clients. And then when you realize an editor deleted your pitch or you don’t hear back, it’s going to add to those feelings of being a fraud or a hack who can’t cut it in this industry. Did I mentioned I’m Getting Turned Down for Assignments and I’m Okay with It?

It’s taken me two decades of freelancing to not think “I must suck” and “They don’t like me” when I don’t hear back on pitches and introductory emails.

Recognizing and Naming Thought Distortions

Thought distortions are habitual errors in thinking that negatively impact our ability to succeed. Think of them as the barbed wire fences guarding the doors that would allow the positive thoughts to flow through. Common thought distortions include:

  • Black-and-White Thinking: “I’m too junior, they’ll never hire me.”
  • Fortune-Telling: “That freelance rate I shared is too high. They’d laugh me out of the room.”
  • Mind-Reading: “The client hasn’t responded since I sent the proposal yesterday. They must have hated it.”
  • Should Statements: “I should be working harder.” (Stop ‘should-ing’ all over yourself.)

For example, instead of thinking, “I’m not experienced enough; they’ll never hire me,” reframe it as, “I have a lot of freelance experience. While this exact situation is new to me, that doesn’t mean I can’t do it. I can learn new freelance skills.“

Taking Action Despite Fear

One of the best ways to overcome imposter syndrome is to take action. Recently, I had a conversation with a newsletter subscriber about how she could break into a new type of freelancing and she admitted she was feeling “imposter syndrome” even though she knew she had the background, experience, and skills to succeed. I told her that I totally understood where she was coming from but to try to quiet those voices and just “take action.” For her, that meant sending article pitches. Fear of failure can hold all of us back.

Tips for Overcoming Freelance Imposter Syndrome

There are several things you can do to work toward a positive, encouraging mindset.

  1. Share Your Feelings
    • Talk to someone you trust about your feelings of inadequacy. Opening up can help you gain perspective and receive constructive feedback. You’ll also realize you likely aren’t alone in those feelings of freelance imposter syndrome.
  2. Work on Your Skills to Overcome Freelance Imposter Syndrome
  3. Discuss Your Failures
    • Share your failures with others, either privately or publicly. It helps to realize you are not alone and others have faced similar challenges. Post it on social and ask others if they can relate. You’ll probably see a lot of engagement on that share.
  4. Take a Deep Breath and Act

Practicing Confidence Can Help You Overcome Imposter Syndrome

Changing your self-talk can significantly boost your confidence. Here are some ways to practice confidence:

  • Own Your Accomplishments: Write down and verbalize your achievements. I like to keep a client “praise document” I can refer to during rough weeks.
  • List Your Skills and Talents: Acknowledge what you’re good at.
  • Recount Successful Experiences: Remember times when you tried something new and succeeded.
  • Ask What’s the Worst That Could Happen: Realize that failure is not as catastrophic as it seems.

Recognize These Feelings When They Come Up

I’m reminded of the acronym about feelings of “FEAR” (False Evidence Appearing Real). The next time you feel like an imposter or have feelings of inadequacy realize they are rooted in fear. Most likely fear of failing.

Overcoming imposter syndrome is an ongoing process, but taking actionable steps can make a significant difference. Remember that you’re not alone in feeling this way. Every freelancer experiences moments of doubt, but with the right strategies, you can push past those insecurities and thrive in your career.

Inquire about freelance coaching services to learn how to overcome freelance challenges.

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Mindset/Motivation Writing Advice

How to Get Started Freelance Copywriting as a Beginner

I’m still relatively new to freelance copywriting but I have decades of writing experience under my belt and plenty of time studying headlines that inspire consumers to buy a magazine or click on a headline. It can be a lucrative industry which is why I wanted a pro’s take on freelance copywriting for beginners.

Just because you’re a good writer and even a solid content marketing writer or journalist doesn’t mean it’s easy to cross over into freelance copywriting. I went to an experienced freelance copywriter whom I’ve worked with when I was at magazines and asked Linda Melone to share her best tips for those who are thinking about how to get started copywriting for beginners.

Melone is a certified conversion copywriter who specializes in working with B2B clients in the fitness and health fields. (She’s a certified personal trainer as well so she knows what she’s talking about.)

If you’re thinking about getting started copywriting and don’t know where to begin or, perhaps you want to add copywriting skills to your resume so you can get more freelance work, read on to get a pro copywriter’s best tips for beginners and curious freelancers in this interview I did with Melone.

How to Get Started Freelance Copywriting for Beginners

Why is now a good time for freelancers to learn copywriting skills?

LM: It’s a good time because the copywriting world is changing so fast with AI that even experienced copywriters find they need to hone their skills. So getting in on the ground floor requires you to start at a different level right out of the gate. New copywriters need to be able to grasp AI to begin to compete.

How did you get started in copywriting?

LM: I wrote content articles, mainly for magazines and online publications for many years. When the publishing world took a nosedive around circa 2014 or so, I started an online fitness business and wrote all my own marketing material and ads. It required me to learn a new set of skills. I loved the decision-making psychology involved in copywriting and the science behind writing to motivate people to take action. So I took courses and hired several different copywriting coaches over time to get me started. My first clients were people in my immediate social circle. I moved on from there.

How do you suggest most people get started learning copywriting? (any specific courses to take, books, YouTube videos to watch, local college courses?)

LM: I suggest signing up for courses with CopyHackers – they have a lot of free material. And joining a copywriting online group enables you to bounce questions off of other copywriters, which can be super helpful. Find the teachers that resonate with you. The Copywriter Club is another good group, run by Kira Hug and Rob Marsh. They have an active Facebook group as well. 

What is the difference (in your words) between content writing, copywriting, and content marketing writing?

LM: Content is important for SEO (e.g. blogs), and is used to entertain and inform–although there’s some overlap. Copywriting tends to be more goal-oriented. It’s written to motivate people to take some sort of action: sign up, book a call, buy, start a trial, etc. Content marketing uses strategies to establish trust and authority with the audience and involves both copy and content. Examples may be taking podcasts, videos, blog posts and turning them into snippets on various social media platforms. 

What are some of the skills and qualities essential for success in copywriting? 

LM: Some skills overlap from content writing: creativity, writing mastery, research, and interviewing skills. In addition, copywriters and those considering how to get started copywriting for beginners should have an understanding of SEO, storytelling abilities, and analytical skills. The latter is needed to gauge the copy that’s working and not so you can adjust accordingly.

How can beginners with no copywriting experience create samples for a portfolio?

LM: Beginners can rewrite outdated ads or poorly written content to show expertise. Be sure to mention it’s a rewrite in your portfolio as a “before and after”  to avoid confusion.

Another suggestion for beginner copywriters with no experience? You may need to start writing for free at first. For instance, nonprofits and charities would be appreciative of good copy. And start locally. 

How do I pivot from freelance content marketing writing to begin a freelance copywriter?

LM: It is possible. That’s exactly what I did. It’s important to research and study copywriting to understand the difference, first. Study the greats, like David Ogilvy, and dissect their copy to see what makes it so effective.

Network and learn from copywriting communities and webinars and connect with other copywriters. And market yourself on sites like LinkedIn, where potential clients often look for copywriters. 

Why is magazine writing and/or journalism a good (or not good) background for copywriters

LM: I found my interview skills as a magazine writer greatly helped in researching and speaking with my client’s customers. Being able to speak with a diverse audience is an essential part of the background research involved in copywriting. Storytelling and research skills also overlap.

Where should beginner copywriters look for freelance work/jobs?

LM: Getting started as a freelance copywriter with no experience isn’t easy, but it’s no different than starting any new career. UpWork or Fiverr are both highly competitive but can give you a start.

Ask friends and family for referrals and network on LinkedIn. The latter is playing the long game because it’s about establishing yourself as an authority.

Leave insightful comments on LinkedIn posts for people and companies that fit your ideal customer profile. 

Do you have good tips to share around networking and collaborating with copywriters and marketing professionals?

LM. In order for beginner freelance copywriters to build up relationships, they should attend conferences, seminars, and workshops to network with other copywriters and marketers. Become active on LinkedIn and in LinkedIn Groups where people share knowledge.

Some cities have freelance Meetups to connect with other like-minded people. Be sure to always offer value first to build trust. Share information and be authentic. People can tell if you’re only connecting with them so you can pitch them. 

Do certifications matter today? Why/why not?

LM: Yes and no. If a person understands what it takes to earn a certification, then yes. But most clients only want to know if you can make them money.

Learn more about Linda Melone at TheCopyWorx.com.

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Mindset/Motivation Writing Advice

The 6 Best Tips for Creating a Freelance Brand

Your brand is your promise to your potential clients—it tells them what they can expect from you and sets you apart from others. That includes your website, your social media profile photos and the content you share publicly.

You wouldn’t show up to a job interview looking like a slob. Think of it like that when a potential freelance client discovers your freelancer brand.

Here, get the essential steps to crafting a compelling personal brand that resonates with your target audience and attracts more freelance business.

How Do I Get Started Building a Personal Brand As a Freelancer?

Make sure you uncover and develop these freelancer branding elements so clients know what to expect about you and your work when they come across your page(s).

  1. Discover Your Unique Value Proposition (UVP).

Your UVP is what makes you stand out from the competition. Take time to reflect on your key strengths and how they solve problems for your clients.

Do you help clients get more done in less time?

Do you pride yourself on working with high-end, sophisticated clients who target a niche clientele?

Are you a freelancer who loves to infuse humor into everything you do and wants to find freelance clients who support and celebrate that?

Clearly defining your UVP not only helps articulate your brand but also attracts the right clients who align with your values and expertise.

2. Keep Consistent Brand Messaging Across All Platforms:

Consistency is key in branding. Your website, social media profiles, and professional portfolios should convey the same message and aesthetic. They can have similar profile photos, fonts, and colors that are part of your freelancer brand. This uniformity builds trust and makes your brand easily recognizable to potential clients.

Established branding helps you become recognizable across different audiences, fostering familiarity and trust with potential clients. You know if you see a check or swoosh without the word “Nike” that you’re still looking at a Nike brand. When you see a signature plaid color, you think of Burberry. Branding takes time in order to build that instance recognition. But it’s a worthwhile pursuit so clients and potential customers come to recognize you and your work.

3. Get Professional Photos Taken

Invest in professional freelance branding photos that reflect the professional freelancer you are. Choose props relevant to your business to convey your expertise and personality effectively. As a writer, I took photos with my laptop, phone, and notebook, and showed myself in professional-looking elements. If I were working on a freelancer personal brand that involved fashion or hair styling, I’d show those props in the photo.

It’s okay to show slightly different photos, in my opinion. I have different professional photos on my website and LinkedIn profile from Facebook and Twitter but the photos were all taken the same day and you can tell it’s the same person. That’s the crucial element.

4. Develop an Engagement Strategy

Regular interaction with your audience can significantly enhance your brand presence. Share valuable content, join discussions, and contribute to forums that align with your expertise.

Share, repost, and comment to help others grow their platforms and increase your freelance brand profile.

The more visible you are, the more you’re perceived as an authority in your field. A well-established personal brand can attract followers, readers, and fans who are interested in your work, services, and expertise. This audience can be valuable for selling digital products, online courses, and other services.

5. Share Testimonials and Social Proof

Showcase your success by sharing client testimonials and case studies. These validate your expertise and demonstrate your impact in tangible terms, which can be highly persuasive to prospective clients seeking proof of your capabilities. Ask for referrals and recommendations on LinkedIn. Reach out to current clients and request feedback as well as a testimonial you can share on your site.

6. Work on Continuous Learning and Being Nimble

The digital landscape is fluid and changing each day. Stay ahead by upgrading your skills and adapting to new trends. Demonstrating your commitment to growth and learning can be a powerful aspect of your personal brand that instills confidence in potential clients.

As a freelancer, your brand is your identity. If you don’t cultivate a freelancer brand to share no one else will. Create the image you want to share with the world so you’re in control of what clients see when they research you.

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