I’ve never really been a brave person.
Once, I was given the task of reciting a poem about flirting in front of my high school English class (consisting of several of my crushes).
Rather than buck up and do it, I pretended to be sick for an entire week of school. Just to be safe.
Getting started as a freelance writer was much the same way for me.
But, unlike high school, I couldn’t pretend to do the work. I had to actually do it. I had to fight through all the vomit-inducing, peed-pants-producing moments.
Doing scary things doesn’t come naturally to me or anyone else. Unless you’re superman, that is, in which case please contact me because I need to hire you on retainer to squish spiders around my house.
I think it’s important to share how I got started—even if it embarrasses me—because this is something I had never considered doing before.
I was supposed to get a good 40-hour-per-week job like a good little girl. Nothing in my education had prepared me for this. I could have told you what n=9 means, but not what a W9 was or why the hell I should fill one out.
I wished someone had shared their journey with me so I could see the transformation from regular person to weird freelance writer.
Today, I’m going to be that person for you.
You can see that I’m not magic. Far from it—sometimes I walk into trees.
If I can do scary things like this, so can you!
How I Got Started As A Freelance Writer
Let’s climb into the way-back machine.
I could start with when I learned to read (as that is a prerequisite for writing), but I’ll be nice. Besides, I don’t have all day and neither do you.
Let’s go back to when I first started writing in the real Grownup Pants world.
Related post: How much can you earn as a starting freelance writer?
January 2013
While still in grad school, I decided to create my own webpage about my thesis research project. For all my friends and family knew, I was trying to create a FrankenCaribou in the lab. This was my attempt to set them straight. I think I only half succeeded.
I had no plans to update or monetize the site, but technically speaking it was the very first place my writing ever appeared online.
My old office, up until 2014. I only WISH I could work in an office like this again.
December 2014
I published my thesis research and a scientific article in a peer-reviewed journal.
It’s the height of exciting reading if you’re a large mammal nutritional ecologist. Otherwise, read it if you’re an insomniac and I promise it’ll help you sleep.
January 2015
I was hired as a lab animal caretaker after graduating with my master’s degree in wildlife biology and conservation. It was a big slap in the face to go from being a published wildlife researcher to being a cleaning lady. It was hard on my ego and on my wallet.
Luckily, I was able to listen to podcasts at work. I started listening to personal finance podcasts because I realized I sucked at money and I needed to get better.
June 2015
I decided to start my own blog after hearing everyone tout the magic of blogging.
I knew how to knit really well, so I thought a knitting blog would be perfect—and thus, Knit Nerd Lab was born.
Be kind; it really is a silly blog. I never made any money with it, but it served another important purpose: it got me comfortable with writing online and learning more about how to blog.
October 2015
One of my favorite podcasts, Listen Money Matters, put out a call asking for support from their community in growing their brand. I thought, “What the hell?” and reached out.
Luckily for me, one of the editorial staff was a huge knitting nerd as well and really liked my knitting blog. She asked if I would be interested in writing a couple blog posts for them. I was floored that anybody else would want me to write for them. Most of the time the words I put together don’t sense any make. 🙂
But, I accepted. That’s how I got my first two non-knitting posts published: Navigating the Post-Graduation Job Hunt, and Networking Tips for Introverts.
At about the same time, I also wrote another guest post to try and publicize Knit Nerd Lab more. This post, How Not To Be Afraid: Advice From A New Blogger/Designer, appeared on Yarn Obsession.
These experiences were important because they taught me how to pitch stories and work with editors. They were also important for me becoming comfortable with the idea of my writing appearing on a site that someone other than my mom would read.
Related: The Well-Fed Writer: Financial Self-Sufficiency As A Commercial Freelance Writer In Six Months Or Less, by Peter Bowerman. (affiliate link)
Early December 2015
By this point, I’d been blogging about knitting for several months and listening to personal finance podcasts for nearly a year. Now, I actually began reading personal finance blogs. I don’t know why it took me this long to combine the two.
Once I dived into the personal finance blog world, I quickly realized that blog posts were something people paid money for—real, substantial amounts of money. None of this silly 5-cents-a-survey crap that I had been doing before.
This was a game-changer for me. I had been writing blogs for a few months now, for free. Would I be able to actually charge money for it?
I decided to try it out. After all, if it didn’t work out I could still go hide in my bed, which I was basically already doing then anyways.
I found a few sites that paid people to submit stories, including the Penny Hoarder blog. I reached out to them and proposed a couple of stories, and thus was born my very first, and second, paid blog posts.
By this point, I’d jumped over the first hurdle. I proved that I could do this for realsies.
Mid-December 2015
I decided to invest in a course so that I could learn more about how to do this professionally. I signed up for Sophie Lizard’s Get Starting in 28 Days (affiliate link) e-mail course. It cleared up some of the questions I had, and there was a great free forum to help me. This course gave me the confidence to start approaching people about paid writing opportunities, and I even started up my own writing website.
I ended the month by setting a goal: I would send out one pitch a day to a potential client.
This was a terrifying thing for me to do. I felt like a fraud, hitting people up and claiming to be a “freelance writer” with only five posts and a weird knitting blog to show for it. But by this point, my back was against a wall. I was flat broke, major expenses were on the horizon, and I was completely depressed about where I was in my life.
I didn’t have much else to lose. My pride had already been lost by that point. And so I went with it.
January 2016
Two people I had sent pitches out to finally bit the hook: they responded back, and said they were interested in what I had to write. I offered to write a couple (paid) trial blog posts for them, and if they liked my work, we would talk about signing a contract.
This was one of the most nerve-wracking things I’d ever done in my life besides agreeing to meet a stranger from the Internet for a date once (spoiler alert: we’re married now). I don’t know why, but talking on the telephone scares the bejeesus out of me. I’d rather stab my foot with a fork than talk to people on the phone.
Thinking about charging people money for my writing about something in which my only qualifications were listening to a metric sh*t ton of podcasts was equally frightening. But, I did it anyway.
I wish I could say that I knocked their socks off with my trial blog posts. I didn’t.
Instead, I didn’t fully integrate my writing with the voice they were shooting for on their sites, and both clients requested edits and do-overs. I was embarrassed and again, I felt like a fraud. But I redid the posts, and they were very happy with the outcomes! Within the first two weeks of the year, I had signed three-month contracts with my very first two clients.
At about the same time I was signing these contracts, I noticed an ad for a personal finance writer on one of the freelance writing job boards. I reached out to them with samples of the writing I had done thus far. I was honest and said I was just starting out, but nonetheless, they responded back and offered me a contract on-the-spot.
By the end of my first month, I had made $500 total.
February 2016
I began falling into the swing of freelance writing. I invested in joining the Freelance Writer’s Den (affiliate link), where I learned even more about how to be a better freelance writer.
This resource has also been incredibly helpful to me, because I had access to a whole host of recordings for writing classes, as well as a community of other writers. And not just any writers; ones who did this full-time for a living.
One afternoon, an old friend on Facebook reached out to me. It turns out he was now the editor at a popular dogsledding magazine (how random, but awesome!). He had seen that I was doing freelance writing now, and he was looking for contributors for his magazine.
It turns out that the pool of dog mushers (current or former, in my case) who can also write is not that large, and so I was a prime candidate. I used this opportunity to write my first magazine article, about strategies that long distance dogsled racers can use to combat fatigue.
By the end of the second month I had made an extra $600.
March 2016
Unfortunately, I got sick at the beginning of the month and couldn’t write for an entire week and a half.
I was determined not to let this bring me down, and so I ramped up writing efforts. I started waking up at 4:30 AM, and implemented some hardcore productivity tactics to keep me focused.
It worked; by the end of the month I received $600 from work I did the previous month, and I also sent out invoices for another $800 worth of work. This was my most productive month so far, despite only working for 2 ½ weeks.
Related post: The Best Freelance Writing Courses That’ll Teach You How To Earn Thousands
April 2016
I’m currently still tweaking things here and there to continue to be more efficient at writing. The three-month contracts that I signed back in January are all currently up or will be soon. All of my clients have agreed to resign their contracts, so now I will have long-term work!
Becoming a freelance writer has brought freedom and self-worth back into my life when it was at an all-time low. I felt financially and mentally trapped by my day job, but now I feel like I could develop this into a full-time income if I needed. I’m excited to see where this work takes me in the future—stay tuned!
My current office today, where I wrote this post. I’m a tad more on the frugal side now.
Don’t Be Afraid To Try Something New
The biggest thing I learned through all of this was to not be afraid to try something new. I would have never gotten started as a freelance writer if I had stayed in my old mindset. I used to think “mindset” was a fairy, hocus-pocus word. But it’s real, and you can change it if you want something bad enough.
Have you ever thought about freelance writing as a side hustle? Leave a comment below!
This is a great story! I have written articles for pay in the past (in 2015) and am in the process of ramping up my pitching efforts again. I’ve gotten a couple of responses, but still have a long ways to go.
It’s not very often people share how they got started, so this is a very unique post. Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome, Aliyyah. Glad you enjoyed it, and good luck with your pitching and writing!
Way to go! And can I just say how smart it was to secure contracts rather than one-time posts? I don’t think a lot of people plan ahead.
Shameless plug here, but if you can spare the funds I recommend my mom’s (Donna Freedman’s) course Write a Blog People Will Read. I know money’s a little tight (especially with the house repairs), but it’s something to think about. And there’s a discount if you go through my blog (naturally).
I like your writing, but I think pretty much every blogger I’ve read would find it interesting/helpful. I’d absolutely include myself in there, but I learned everything she put in there when she edited me during my formative years. She edited me A LOT. And she still found tons of things to fix in my book, so clearly I still have a lot to learn from her.
I’ve heard good things about Cat Alford’s course about becoming a successful freelancer (also on my blog because apparently this comment is all about shameless plugs!) and she recently created a payment plan over the course of something like 10 months to help defray the cost.
Even without those, it seems like you’re on your way. The more you do, the more you can ask — because I know a lot of freelancers have to ask for practically nothing when they’re just getting started.
Thanks, Abigail! It means a lot to me. 🙂
I’m frugal with many things now, but one thing I’ve never regretted investing in was myself. Except for college speech class. That was a waste of time and money; Toastmaster’s was way better and a fraction of the price. But I digress.
I’ll definitely look into the two courses you recommended. Once the sale of the house goes through, at least our money income/outflow will be predictable, and I can plan the finances better!
Hey, Lindsay…what am I, chopped liver? I am the “someone other than your mother” who reads your blog posts…and I distinctly recall spending some $ buying knitting patterns from you as well.
This is a great article, and I am sharing it with friends in my writer’s group who are interested in doing some web-based freelance writing. You really offer the useful details they (and I) will need to get started.
Thank you for sharing!
Love,
Aunt Lisa
Ha! For one of my knitting patterns, Aunt Lisa, you are the ONLY one who has bought a copy so far. Thanks as well for your kind words. There were a lot of technical things I didn’t include in the post as well (like invoicing software, productivity tools, and yerba mate…lots and lots of it!), but I think the biggest hurdle in starting up as a writer is yourself.
That is a great story Lindsay, congratulations on your success! That is one heck of a niche by the way: a knitting caribou researcher and personal finance writer.
I have always enjoyed writing and even was the chair of the board of a magazine a while ago. But I never considered it a possibility to start writing for a pay myself, just figured you would need to be an ‘official writer’ with an official degree to do that.
But maybe all I need is some courage and start pitchin’. Yikes.
Thank you! I have fun with my niches. 🙂
You could totally do freelance writing if you wanted to. I thought I would have to be a CFP to do this, but I don’t know anyone else who does personal finance freelance writing who is also a CFP. Go for it!
Thank you for sharing this! I’m thinking of trying to do some freelance writing but I’m really quite terrified and don’t feel at all qualified. I think I just need to try and get myself out there.
You’re welcome! You can totally do it if you want. Just start small and build up the projects you work on as your confidence build as well. Good luck!
I recently (in the last 2 weeks) got my first freelance client. I now understand what everyone says when they say they feel like a fraud. So far they have been happy with my work and I hope they continue to be.
I hope to be able to grow my freelance income to the point of replacing my 9 to 5 income (I’m not a high earner so it won’t take much to be honest) and reading articles like this really help encourage me. Not just to see other people succeeding but seeing the sacrifices and work you had to put into it and to know that I have to do that same amount if I’m hoping for similar results.
Great job, Tyler!
I hope that I’ll be able to replace my income as well. I’m also like you – I don’t make much at my day job, so it wouldn’t be hard to do!
Good luck with your writing. As long as you keep at it you’ll continue to improve and build up your business.
“I felt like a fraud, hitting people up and claiming to be a “freelance writer” with only five posts and a weird knitting blog to show for it.” LOLOL. I still feel the same when sometimes when I talk about blogging and I’ve been doing this for 3 years. Congrats on all the clients! I’ve recently started to get interested again in trying to take on more freelance writing work, but it’s slow finding clients.
Good to know I’m not the only one who feels like a fraud! 🙂
I thought it would take me a long time to find clients too, but the sending out one pitch a day thing really helped. Also, having a broad base of things which you feel at least somewhat knowledgeable in helps.
Nice job! I keep telling my old boss, who is of retirement age but has no retirement savings and is living with is daughter and doesn’t have much money that he should try this. I think some people still have that old model of making money firmly stuck in their heads, when there are a million ways to make an extra buck or two nowadays! And with writing, you don’t have to be a “journalist” to write!
Great point. I think this would be perfect for older folks who have a ton of knowledge and need a way to make some money. It’s good money, and you can help the world with what you know!
Awesome job! I like how detailed and transparent you are with telling your story. Freelance writing is quite competitive at first so it may be a little tough to get into but once you hit your groove it only gets better from there.
Thanks! It’s good to know that the hard part is over. I’m looking forward to seeing what the future brings.
You can do it – it just takes some gumption and writing ability! 🙂
Incredible progress! Thank you for sharing the details on your efforts and how they eventually paid off. I’ve been freelancing since November, and while I haven’t made $2,500, I am happy with the progress I’ve made so far. I really need to step up my pitching game so I can land some solid work as we bring in summer. Keep up the good work and looking forward to hearing more from you!
Thanks, Latoya! Good luck with your pitching as well. Every little bit helps!
You can do it too Jaime – it just takes some guts and writing ability. You have both. 🙂
This gives me hope! I had a potential client hire someone half my rate after my email flubbed up. I have no hard feelings and I’m glad they found a good arrangement, but my self confidence took a major hit. I’ve been so scared to pitch since, but I need to get back in the game. I’ve dreamed of being a writer since 4th grade.
There’s plenty of opportunities to find new places to pitch. Maybe it’s a good thing you didn’t get the job; you can charge the higher rates elsewhere!
Thanks for the breakdown of your freelance story. Great to see how it all started off. Also on a side-note have that exact same “We Can Do It” picture in my room and was one my old boss used as a profile picture for my work in the lab. The “We Can Do It” woman was holding a pipette… 😀
Haha, I love it! Now I want a picture like that… 🙂
Thank you for this encouraging post, Lindsay!
I’m a newbie to your blog and love it.
I’m just starting out in the same niche. I live and breathe personal finance and want everyone to catch the ‘bug’. I’m probably not much fun at parties. 😉
Thanks again for the inspiration and reassurance that a new and nervous writer needs to make a leap of faith. 🙂
Ha! We are a weird bunch to the everyone else aren’t we?
Are you in the FinCon Facebook group? It’s where all the cool people hang out. I also like the Choose FI Facebook group, even though I’m about as far away from FI as you can possibly get, haha.
You might also wanna check out my recent post about getting outside of your comfort zone. It’s one of the favorite ones I’ve written 🙂