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I paid off $60,000 in student loans nine years earlier, partly by freelance writing on the side. I recommend side writing to anyone trying to get out of debt. Focus on content types instead of niches, learn the basics of SEO and be reliable. Loading Loading something.
On December 31, 2020, I paid off the last of my $60,000 in student loans nine years ahead of schedule. It was no small feat and it took a lot of sacrifice to achieve, including moving to South Korea to teach english
But my Korean teaching job paid me less than $30,000 a year. And while it’s enough to live on, it’s not enough to help me pay off my debts.
To supplement my income, I started freelance writing in 2014. Since then, I’ve learned a lot and made literally thousands of dollars that I wouldn’t have otherwise. Thanks to freelancing, I am debt free and have traveled the world.
I have five tips for anyone thinking of starting a freelance writing job to get out of debt.
1. Don’t worry about industry niches; focus on content types
When you start to delve into the world that is freelance writing, you’ll hear a lot about “niching” or choosing specific industries to write about. The main reason for this is because, according to “everyone”, you’ll make more money catering to certain companies as a subject matter or industry expert rather than trying to appeal to everyone.
Personally, I think this is terrible advice for new freelancers. While it’s technically true that you can make more money by picking a niche or two, I think it’s more important to be open to a wide range of industries. Instead, focus on learning how to write different types of content well.
There is more than one way to make money writing – you can become one technical writera business blog writer, a case study writer, a editor, or something else. By writing different types of material for a variety of industries, you may learn that you enjoy (or hate!) something more than you expected.
2. Learn the basics of SEO as soon as possible
SEO stands for “search engine optimization”. This is a fancy term for what Google does to discover and “classify” everything on the Internet so that when you type something into the search bar, the results you get are directly related to your query.
No matter what type of content you’re writing, and especially if you’re writing anything that will be experienced solely online, SEO will come into play at some point.
You don’t need to be an expert, but it would be wise to have a good understanding of the basics, such as long- and short-tail keywords and best practices for writing well-optimized internet content.
3. Connect with other writers and freelance communities
I wish I had spent more time before connecting with other freelance writers and online entrepreneurs like virtual assistants.
When you’re new to entrepreneurship, things can be lonely. (And make no mistake, as a freelance writer, you are an entrepreneur!) Often times, your circle of friends and family doesn’t really “get” what you’re doing as a freelancer. Making friends who are going through similar experiences or have been where you are is invaluable.
Facebook and LinkedIn are great places to join communities of other writers and online workers. You can ask questions, get advice and learn about job opportunities, as well as connect with other like-minded people who “make it”. And you’ll also have a great resource for referrals.
4. Keep an open dialogue with your customers
Spoiler alert: You won’t be perfect every time you send something to a client! It is important not to take things personally if you are asked to modify your work. In fact, you should expect to make changes.
If you really want to make a name for yourself, ask for feedback often. Even if you feel like you’re knocking things out of the park and you’re not being asked to make a lot of changes, showing your clients that you’re open to their honest opinions will go a long way.
If you think customers are satisfied, don’t be afraid to ask witnesses i references. This is the best way to build your business. If your clients are happy, they will be more than willing to recommend your writing services to someone in their network.
5. Be the most reliable you’ve ever been
Over the years, I’ve worked with dozens of clients and made friends with other online entrepreneurs. I’ve also been both the freelance writer and the editor who hires them.
And no matter what kind of position I’m in, whether I’m a freelancer or boss, one common complaint always comes up: it’s hard to find good, reliable help online.
I hear this all the time from my clients and other friends and I’ve experienced it myself with other freelancers I’ve hired. If you want to be invaluable to your customers, you just have to be reliable. You don’t even have to be the most talented writer. Your customers will appreciate your consistency and speed above all else.
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