“Being a Writer Is Easy!”
But Here Is Why Not Everyone Succeeds
My friend’s eyes lit up when I mentioned how much I had earned last year while working as a freelance writer.
“Send me information so I can get started,” he said, somewhat eagerly. “I’ve always been a great writer.”
So, I did. His interest lasted all of a week.
He wanted to start writing at home because they saw how lucrative it had been for me and how I’ve been able to live less of a 9-to-5 life than many of our peers.
I sat down with him and walked them through starting out on a few platforms. To me, learning through platforms and agencies is good for beginners, because chasing down clients for payment or having to negotiate isn’t usually part of the process. Instead, the company that manages the clients handles payment concerns on your behalf. I thought platforms would be easier, but he still didn’t even make it through the application process.
This isn’t something new.
I started writing in 2009 when there were few platforms offering this kind of work. I absolutely hustled to find work and to become stable on some kind of income. At first, income was sporadic, and there were days when I’d make $10 or $15. Other days, I would earn $200 or $300. It was unpredictable.
Over time, freelancing and writing have changed. It’s much, much easier to get started, yet many people still don’t succeed. Why? There are a few reasons that I believe make up the core factors in early failure in this career.
Writing for Money Means Writing for Others, Not Yourself
Most people have an idea of what a writer is, but that vision isn’t the reality for the majority of writers currently earning livable wages in the United States.
When you think of a writer, do you imagine someone writing a story? Do you imagine someone covering the news or writing for a newspaper? Those are both legitimate forms of writing, but the great majority of people living on their writing incomes aren’t earning in that way. Instead, they’re working in marketing or communications. They might write product descriptions or website content. They may be hired to ghostwrite a series for an educational institution or a white paper for a technology company.
Writing isn’t just writing fantasy novels or telling stories, so a lot of people become disillusioned with what they really end up doing: Piecework for a variety of clients.
It Takes Persistence
Many people get easily frustrated when learning something new. There are thousands of people earning living wages as writers, but those surviving as full-time writers are the ones who have the most persistence. Didn’t get a gig? You need to apply for more.
The number of casting calls I’ve applied to in my 13-ish year career is astronomical. I’ve worked with hundreds of clients. It was almost eight years before I had a bylined book series and a little longer before I was able to be bylined with a cover story.
What I mean to say is that you will start small. If someone asks me what to expect when they have no experience, I tell them the truth: You’re probably going to have to accept lower wages (in my experience, anywhere from $0.02 to $0.03 per word, possibly up to $0.05) unless you can show a strong portfolio or test into a higher-paying platform. Asking for more is like walking into a brick-and-mortar store and telling the hiring manager that you’d like to be a manager with no retail experience.
I’m not saying you’ll be on those lower wages for long, but it’s reasonable to expect that you’ll need to accept less than seasoned writers to get your footing in the industry.
You Have to Keep Looking for New Work
Writing as a freelancer means there is no guarantee that you’ll have work. I’ve been fortunate in that I have one long-term contract that has been stable since 2012 and another that details how long I’ll write for each client (usually 6 to 12 months at a time). I also have around seven or eight regular clients who send work to me each month, so I know that I have a base amount of earnings to expect.
But even I can’t predict my income exactly. I’ve had clients promise bylines and then never send work. I’ve had people say they had thousands of projects only to send two and ghost me.
The best piece of advice for anyone in this industry is to keep looking for new clients even when you think you have enough. Putting too many eggs in one basket, as many of my writing colleagues say, is how you end up losing everything.
You Need Better English
Finally, a touchy subject. You need to use better English. No one wants to accept work that sounds like it’s written for the wrong audience.
If you are writing for a British audience, write in British English. For America, American English. Australia, Australian English. There are these and many other forms.
As well as making sure you’re using the right terminology and phrasing, you need to brush up on grammar. Use a product like Grammarly if you’re not 100% certain of your English, but keep in mind that even that program isn’t accurate all the time.
For something like Medium, you don’t need to be “perfect.” For a client paying you $0.50 a word? You need to be as close to it as possible. Know your style guides and basic English grammar before you start.
Enjoy the Experience and Be Ready to Work
Writing should be enjoyable to you, even if you’re writing for someone else. You need to enjoy learning about English and talking to new potential clients. You should also have a strong, persistent personality if you want to really push to make a career in writing, or you may end up giving up before you find what you’re looking for.
In the future, I’ll be offering consultations for people interested in working in this exciting (though challenging) field. If you’re looking for more helpful tips for becoming a freelance writer, consider signing up for Medium and subscribing to my email list.
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