The end of March marked my sixth month as a freelancer travel writer. I’ve finally hit a good groove with the whole shebang and it’s nice to see things coming together.
Before I quit my job and dived right into working for myself, I told myself over and over again that it wouldn’t be a walk in the park. In fact, I prepared myself for the worst – no work, no money, and a whole host of regrets.
Did that happen? No, it didn’t.
I haven’t had a dry month yet, I’ve always had a decent trickle of income, and I have absolutely no regrets. Going freelance was the best decision I’ve ever made, and the fruits of my labour are finally starting to show.
I’ve built up a solid stream of clients, I’m working way, way less than I used to in a 9-5 position, and I’m earning more. I know right, more money for less work – who doesn’t want that from life?!
I’m under no illusion that this could end at any moment, though. It would just take an email or two from a few of my clients for the whole fantasy to come crashing down. I actually had this happen a couple of months ago. Three clients emailed me to cancel their contracts within the space of a week. I was gutted, to say the least, but it spurred me on to find more work.
And guess what? I found more clients – better paying clients and better work to boot.
That’s the thing about being a freelance travel writer. It’s one big hustle. Even if you start to feel comfortable, you have to remind yourself to keep working hard, to keep pushing forward, to keep landing bigger and better jobs.
In the process I’ve learnt a lot about myself (besides the fact that people can simultaneously be the best and worst things in the world). I hope these nuggets of wisdom (ha!) will help you in some way – perhaps they’ll strike a chord with you, or perhaps they’ll give you that little boost you need to finally go out there and get what you want.
Preach, preach!
Being an employee is safe… But not always inspiring
Being employed by someone provides as much safety and security as you’re going to get in this day and age. You basically rock up for work, do your thing, and then get paid for it. There’s no hustle, really, unless you’re right at the very top of your game.
It’s nice, it’s comforting, it’s pleasurable being part of a cog in a bigger machine. But, the thing I realised, is that working 9-5 for somebody else made me doubt my own capabilities. Having to run my work past someone to get the go-ahead, and having to submit a report each week detailing every task I’ve done can wear thin after a while.
When I went freelance it kind of felt like I was free-falling without the safety net – blasted out into the unknown with a slightly diminished confidence and the thought that I wasn’t quite good enough nagging at the back of my brain.
It was strange, being my own boss.
Sure, my clients have to okay the work (that’s par for the course), but ultimately it’s down to me to get things done, to make sure I’ve covered everything I needed to by the end of the week.
When I started realising that I could do it by myself – I didn’t need to go through anyone else to secure jobs – my confidence surged. This, in turn, meant I felt more inclined to apply for bigger, better jobs because I truly believed in myself and my capabilities.
It’s important to stand your ground
I don’t know if you’ve heard, but the current freelance writing industry is pretty much up shit creek without a paddle. The explosion of online content and the no-barriers entry into the industry has seen an over-saturation of people who are willing to charge pennies for hours of work.
It’s sad and slightly disconcerting knowing that there are people out there working for peanuts. I had a new client tell me the other day that they’d had applicants quoting less than one dollar for 500 words of text – I mean, come on, seriously?
There’s no way anyone’s going to be able to make a living with pricing that low.
But it’s not just the low-ballers that are hopping on this sinking gravy train. Brands and companies are using the endless supply of amateur writers to request something for nothing. I’ve had so many potential clients come back and say “Oh, your pricing is very high… We’ve been quoted [absolute beans]”.
At first, I felt embarrassed that I’d been charging so much. Was I really worth so much more than these other people? No, I wasn’t worth more – but my work was, and it took me far too long to realise that people are always going to try and get something for free (or ridiculously cheap) if they can.
Now that I’ve built up a pretty strong portfolio, I feel much more comfortable stating my prices. I don’t feel like I need to justify why I’m charging more than others, because the evidence is clear to see.
Confession time: I’m a complete people pleaser. I hate anyone thinking badly of me so this took me a long, long time to come to terms with. Then I realised I have to separate myself as a person from my business – writing. I am not my writing and my writing is not me. Once you start doing this it’ll be so much easier to stand your ground when it comes to pricing.
The 9-5 sham
I read an article the other day that said the 9-5 working day came into play back in the 1800s to offer respite to many workers who were beavering away for up to 16 hours a day.
Even with the influx of technology and the tools to help us do things faster, the standard workday has remained the same for over 200 years – makes sense, right? No, of course it doesn’t.
It’s been proven that people will drag work out over the entire day just to meet their hourly needs. But, ask them to do it in four and then they’ll get to go home early – guess what?! They’ll do it in four.
Ridiculous, right?
I’m so much more productive now I’m working for myself because every hour counts. The quicker I work, the more I get paid, the quicker I reach my goals, the quicker I can move onto bigger and better things.
I truly believe that workplaces should encourage productivity by creating goal-orientated hours rather than set hours (obviously this wouldn’t be possible with customer-facing roles, but you get the idea).
Professional does not equal uptight and formal
So many people fall into the trap of thinking that professional equals “Yes sir, no sir, anything you wish sir,” and that’s really not the case at all.
I remind myself that the clients I’m pitching to are human, just like me. They probably want to be treated like a human, too. I start most of my emails and pitches with a simple “Hi ___, I hope you’re having a good day!”
You’d be surprised at the amount of times clients have said they chose me because I seemed approachable and easy to communicate with.
Yes, it’s important to remain professional at all times – swearing is completely out of the question, as is recalling how you got so drunk at the weekend you passed out, but professional doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be uptight and tiptoe around like a sneaky burglar.
Over the past few months, I’ve begun to think that professionalism comes from valuing your work. It’s easy to go all formal to build yourself up if you don’t think you’re work is up to standard. But if you really believe in what you do, then that professionalism will already come across in your emails, your pitches, and your work.
So six months, wow! Where has that time gone? I’d love to hear what you’ve achieved in that time or what you’ve learnt!
This was such an interesting post, Lizzie! I saw your post on Instagram and had to come check it out! I think it’s pretty spectacular how you’ve been able to make a living off of this, and travel the world while doing it. Very inspiring! I’m not a writer, but freelancing in other areas is something I’m definitely looking at for the future, so seeing it from a writer’s perspective was enlightening!
Sarah Shumate recently posted…We’d Probably Call This Oversharing…
Thanks so much Sarah, I’m glad you liked it! If you don’t mind me asking, what areas are you looking into going freelance in? Feel free to ask me any questions at all and I’ll try and help in any way I can 🙂
I wish you good luck in your freelance work. Congrats!
Laura @Travelocafe recently posted…10 Amazing Places To Visit In Romania
Thanks so much Laura!
Hey Lizzie!
After I read your article I was like “EXACTLY!”
If you still remember, I started freelancing when you did, and I’ve kept reading your articles to see what your experiences were, and they’re pretty much the same as mine.
Being my own boss was also weird for me, as well as learning to set the hours when I worked. At first I took on a lot of work and couldn’t keep up with my schedule, but now I only accept the work that is creatively challenging (so I can learn with every article), and the ones that are also totally worth the effort from a financial aspect.
I wish you the best of luck in your work and on your travels 🙂
Hope you’ll get to come back to Romania sometimes soon so we can meet and put our heads together 🙂
Adri T recently posted…PoW 13: Fragments of my Hometown
Of course I remember! It’s so nice to know that I’m not alone – that other people are in the same boat as me. It’s definitely reassuring knowing that!
I did EXACTLY the same when I started freelancing. I took on waaay too much work and got really stressed out about it. I was convinced that was what my life would look like for as many years as I chose to stay freelance and, to be honest, it depressed me a bit. Now I’ve found a great balance though and I’m feeling much more optimistic! I’m glad you’ve figured it out, too!
I really, really hope to get back to Romania soon! You’ll be the first person I’ll come to if it happens 🙂
Great post. As I work on steps to change careers, I find that’s it’s exciting and terrifying all at once. I know I am good at my job, really good. But I don’t want to do it anymore. But I don’t have that same confidence about changing jobs. I had an interview for a writing teacher part time and had to sell myself as a writer. Didn’t get it. I was pretty bummed. But I have to keep going. Thanks for the inspiration!
Lisa recently posted…Pauline Frommer Says Go to Africa: Notes from the 2015 Travel & Adventure Show
It can be really difficult making that change – I was teetering on the edge for so long, and just needed something to give me that final kick. I wish you all the luck with your career change! It’ll be well worth it when you get there 🙂
This brings back fond memories for me of when I was freelance writing. I think the most important thing is to be both optimistic and persistent. It’s easy to make something work if you want it enough.
Izy Berry recently posted…I’m Not Invincible: Dealing With Travel Anxiety
I completely agree Izy – optimism and persistence are definitely two tools you need to arm yourself with in this industry!
Congrats on your success Lizzie! I love reading these types of posts, they’re very inspiring as I make my way into the freelance world, keep them coming! 🙂
Mariana recently posted…Setting Boundaries In Relationships
Thanks Mariana! Plenty more posts like this to come 😉
OMG OMG OMG – knowing that you are a people pleaser who now has the confidence to quote her own price gives THIS people-pleaser – aka ME – some hope! LOL
a. I don’t know how to say NO – and sometimes I regret this. I enjoy working for others, but I need to set some boundaries to become more productive. I am burned out – lol
b. I don’t know how to quote a price – I cannot earn until mid-June, so I have never thought about setting prices. Oh dear – my hands are clammy even as I type this!
hehe – anyway, you rock in EVERY WAY, Lizzie! #HUGSS
(By the way, wish me luck as I follow YOUR lead and embark on my first solo-adventure to a town that is 6-hours away from Chicago (TERRIFIED, since I am a PHOBIC driver…lol))
LOVE you
Kitto
Haha it took me SO long to feel okay quoting prices… and even now I have to give myself a bit of a pep talk before I do it!
So exciting about your adventure! I’m sure you’ll have a fabulous time – once you get on the road it’ll be fine, just play some great music and take care :):)
Thanks for the article Lizzie. I was just wondering: how do you go about finding your clients? There are so many sites and publications that pay writers peanuts. How do you sort through that to find the ones that are worth pitching to? Thanks! 🙂
Marie-France recently posted…How to spend less on food while travelling
Hi Marie! Thanks for stopping by. Yes, you’re right, there are SO many sites paying absolute peanuts and it can often be disheartening. In all honesty, I mostly use oDesk and Elance, and I’m actually going to write a post in the next couple of weeks about finding well-paying gigs on these sites (as they’re renowned for paying $1 for 1000 words… eek!). At the moment I haven’t had to pitch anywhere, but I’m looking into doing that this year to broaden my pool of work (will let you know how it goes!).
I have been going back and forth on whether to try my hand at travel writing. I have done some extensive traveling in the past and have detailed journals from them. But I wonder if I should on top of trying fiction writing (blogging) and photography.
But this gives me a little more hope. That it is still possible to make a living doing this and that there are people who still appreciate good work. And not just cheap work.
Anung V recently posted…The Crossroads of Should and Must: A Book Review
It’s definitely possible! I write fiction, too, but am yet to find a way to make that pay. Would be interested in any advice you have!
Great post! I would really like to focus on freelancing, but it just doesn’t seem to be financially viable. Can I ask how you find work?
Dannielle Lily recently posted…Storms and Secluded Beaches in Mui Ne, Vietnam
Glad you liked it Dannielle! At the moment it’s a mix up between sites like oDesk and Elance (I’m going to publish a post on finding well-paying jobs on these sites soon), job boards like Problogger and All Indie Writers, and people approaching me through my portfolio site and blog. Let me know if there’s anything in particular you’re interested in and I’ll help in anyway I can!
Very cool to do this, and damned brave!
Thanks! It was certainly a leap into the unknown!
Great post! I enjoyed reading it. I agree, the stretching hours thing is a bit outdated… I too would like to see a shift to more goal oriented achievements! I don’t see it happening though. Great thing we live in a day and age where we can make our own way! Thanks for sharing ^_^
Francesca @onegrloneworld recently posted…Reader Question: How Do You Afford to Travel?
Yes! I think goal-orientated achievements are the way forward… but I agree, I think it’ll take some time… unfortunately!
Hi Lizzie! Thank you so much for this information. I have decided to quit my full time job because I’m so madly in love with travel writing. I can’t wait to have the freedom you have expressed and although I’m nervous, just like you were about not making a single penny, I know it is possible. You gotta believe in yourself and go for it <3 Thank you!
Alice Teacake recently posted…Pregnant: Where can I get an abortion in Asia?
Great news Alice! So glad you made the decision to do something you love 🙂 It’s definitely possible to make money (and quite a bit of it, too!)… But, as they say, you have to be in it to win it. Taking that first leap of faith is so important! Good luck 🙂
This article has officially made me want to explore this career and all that it has to offer! I am a young writer who aspires to be this successful and I just wanted to thank you for sharing your experiences. If you don’t mind, do you happen to have any suggestions on freelancing sites?
What a cool community your are creating here! I am new to your blog and found it recently (via Pinterest!) as I’m setting up my own freelance business right now. It is scary and hard, but I have been wanting to do this for a while, and as I sit here the last few months applying to big corporate jobs and getting rejection after rejection for one reason or another, I find myself thinking, “What the hell? What have I really got to lose?”
Excited to hear more from you and our kindred spirits!
Kind regards~ Kate
PS. Website is IN PROGRESS 🙂
Thanks, Kate! Glad to have you in the community 🙂
Good luck with the website in progress -looking forward to seeing it!
Thank you for being so honest with us about your time as a freelance writer, Lizzie! I love the comment about how the freelance writing industry is up shit creek. I never thought about it that way but I can do so freely now. I didn’t put much thought into it all and now that I’m putting that thought into it, I realize you couldn’t be more right about it. I can’t wait to make the leap into freelance writing full-time but I need to get the clients to do so first. lol
Lisa Fourman recently posted…My Life, My Job, My Career: 5 Simple Ways Overwhelm Helps Me Succeed in My Business