Today, I'm going to share my freelancing journey as a blog writer. How I started from freelancing sites to putting myself out there as an independent freelancer.
Disclaimer: I just started on this journey last year during the quarantine lockdown. I'm not a highly paid freelancer yet earning PHP 100,000 per month. (But that's the freedom goal 😉)
I made this post to celebrate my small wins. It's been a year since I decided to try and make a career out of freelancing 🥂 I also want to share that you can do it, too! We can create a substantial income stream from freelancing.
How I Started Freelancing
Kaycee Ports was the pen name I made for myself when I unknowingly went into freelancing in 2016.
I referred to them as my "online gigs" cause they made me feel productive while I was uncertain when I'd graduate from college. In those 6 months of gigs, I earned enough to pay for my own plane tickets (only!) during my first international trip with my parents to HK, Bangkok, Vietnam, and back to the PH in 2017.
Most of that money didn't come from blog writing though — I only earned $0.005/word for a 1,500-word WordPress article.
But still, I enjoyed the process of writing. Not so much about the topic (essential oils 😴), but the writing process. So, I didn't mind accepting those kinds of projects.
I discovered I could make money by writing blog articles for other people. Somehow, I already knew this was my prized skill (or call it passion).
- In elementary, my favorite subjects were English and Reading Comprehension.
- Still, in elementary, I wrote one article piece for our school paper.
- In high school, I joined a journalism contest wherein I tried to learn the different types of writing styles. I thought the closest style I liked was feature writing. But it didn't really fit the puzzle snugly.
- In college, more attempts in learning about feature writing for our school org paper. Whatever happened to The Reactor,
? Haha!
When I was trying to know what my ikigai was, blog writing was the obvious answer for me. Oh yeah, the first step to being a freelancer? Find your ikigai — know what you love, what you're good at, what you can be paid for, and what the world wants.
For me, that was blog writing. But that didn't come clear to me yet until I got my first legit client last year in July 2020. I had to go through low-baller clients before I realized what freelancing is really all about.
My Worst Freelancing Experience Yet
I can still remember when I was freelancing through Upwork last year of May. For a fixed price of $5, I researched a topic that didn't interest me at all just to write a 3,000-word article. For 5 bucks, I said yes coz I got nothing better to do than stare up at the ceiling while our company was on a no-work-no-pay situation because of the lockdown. I still had income flow, but it was deducted from my leaves and 13th-month pay. I had enough to go by thanks to my emergency fund (I was still building it that time) and the government's cash assistance.
I had to do something. So I accepted the offer.
I was able to take in 5 more 3,000-word articles until I couldn't take it anymore and humbly asked for a raise. The client's budget couldn't budge to accommodate my request, so I stopped. I was supposed to earn $30 for all that. But after Upwork fees were deducted, I got $24. A lot of effort for a very small price.
Friends, this is not how freelancing is supposed to be like.
Freelancing is one of the most lucrative income streams nowadays, especially during this pandemic. I know a fair share of freelancers who earn more than PHP 100,000/month while working less than 8 hours a day in the comfort of their own homes!
What is freelancing, anyway?
For those who aren't familiar with freelancing, freelancers serve as outsourced experts who help clients solve their problems and achieve their business goals. If you're reading this and you're interested in freelancing your skills, then the second step to freelancing is to debunk the misconceptions. Freelancing is not just a home-based/online job. You are not out there doing "gigs" — you are out there doing business with clients. Let's clear that misconception first. Take a look at this video.
Amazing, right? Bye bye 9-5 job, bye overtime. Hello to being your own boss — no one telling you you can't take the leave or having to work on the weekends just to finish your output.
How I "Met" My Freelancing Coach
I did not find a mentor on purpose.
There were no Google searches for "freelancing mentors in the Philippines".
Luckily, my mentor found me. Char! 🤣
I meant Facebook's algorithm thought I needed the help of a mentor when I scrolled upon one of her Facebook ads not long after I quit that Upwork gig. I didn't want to give up freelancing, I just wanted to know how to do it right.
And so when I saw this young Cebuana talking about freelancing in perfect English while she was on a vacation in Siargao, I felt the pull to listen to her.
Her name is Demi Bernice and she's my freelancing coach. She's the well-spoken lady in the video above. Right there and then, I wanted to enroll in her Academy — the Create & Rise Academy (CRA) — after I finished the ad. Yeah, I was sucked into her sales funnel haha!
The enrollment fee was around PHP 6,000 during that time (May or June 2020). Even though my resources were limited, I was still willing to use some of my emergency funds for the enrollment fee. But I wanted to make sure the money is worth it so I practiced due diligence.
So my personal tips for looking for a mentor are:
- Make sure they walk the talk. Know their story. What makes them the right person to be giving valuable advice?
- Check their socials. Are they giving free valuable strategies and freelancing tips already? For me, Demi's Youtube Channel alone can be a great mentorship platform. But if you want everything to be organized and systematic, there goes the enrollment fee.
- If you feel in your gut that someone could be your mentor, take a risk. You'll never grow if you don't. Think of it as an investment. In CRA, I earned back my enrollment fee (and more!) after 2 months.
- Try to see if your mentor has created a supportive community out of their training. You'll need the help of people that are going through the same process as you anyway. Sometimes, when your mentor is too busy doing other things, the community manager or the mentees themselves can answer your questions.
5 Practices I Changed To Become A Better Freelance Blog Writer
After I enrolled in CRA, I watched and read all the modules (edit: not all, I watch the modules that are applicable to where I am in the roadmap). And begin to apply them to practice one step at a time.
Here are the game-changing practices I've done for me to become a better freelance blog writer — that doesn't mean I earn a lot. No, not yet by my standards, at least. But, better in the sense that I know now what I'm doing and why I'm doing it.
🎯 I FOCUSED ON ONE SKILL
Let's see. I've done product descriptions, data entry, transcribing audio files, answering online questions, proofreading, rewriting articles, scriptwriting, copywriting, and web content writing. I thought doing all sorts of things will give me more coverage to paying clients.
Well, it did. Just not the right clients.
I learned that focusing on one skill will help your case when you say you're an expert freelancer. You can't do everything for everyone. So, pick your skill of focus.
I was torn between copywriting and blog writing. I knew copywriting was on-demand especially for the e-commerce industry like Amazon product descriptions. But, honestly, I feel sluggish whenever I copywrite. Blogging, on the other hand, may take longer to write but I enjoy learning about the topic as I research on it, and even more when I write about it. It's like I'm getting paid to learn! 😉
So if you're still starting out, choose one skill.
Just one.
You don't have to be really good at it. You just have to start and then you continue upskilling every day.
🎯 I NICHED DOWN
I tried writing topics on HVAC systems, ticket agencies, Judaica, technology, education, weightlifting gloves, essential oils, digital art, hairstyling, etc.
I needed money 🤷♀ And I thought, anything that can be researched, I can write.
It wasn't until I came across my first legit client that I determined what my niche was. He's an owner of a start-up blog on personal finance. I genuinely look forward to writing articles about investments, insurance, financial planning, etc.
Then, it dawned on me — personal finance is my niche!
It made sense because I've been into the topic myself since I opened my first mutual funds account in 2017. Plus, I'm a financial consultant and investments advisor for Prulife UK (another funny story to tell for some other time). The search is over 😍
Finding your niche is a process of self-discovery — so be experimental and be patient.
The goal is to create your branding. For example, if your niche is parenting, you have to make sure that when first-time parents are confused and need some answers, you're their go-to person. Because you've given so much value in that particular niche, you already placed yourself as an expert. And freelancers are not just paid because of their skill only — but their experience. If you've spent 10+ years writing on the same niche, the best clients won't wonder why you charge high.
🎯 I STAYED AWAY FROM FREELANCING SITES
Because freelancing sites like Upwork and Fiverr are saturated with blog writers.
Competition is so tough, that a lot of paying clients are on the lookout for the cheapest service with the fastest delivery. It's a win for them, but it spells burnout for me.
I'm speaking only from experience. It took me more than 3 reviews before my Upwork profile was approved. My rate was a pathetic $5/hour. When I earned my income, Upwork takes a bite of it before handing it to me. Perhaps, I entered when an overflowing stream of service providers was crowding in Upwork.
I also tried Fiverr when Upwork didn't work out. It was a better experience. I earned $0.01/word over there, but the stream of clients wasn't consistent. I didn't like waiting for someone to stumble into my profile and pick me.
My opinions were validated when my mentor felt the same way! I couldn't leverage my rates because I can be easily compared with others. Plus, I was a newbie. How can I dictate my own rate when more experienced writers were available?
So, I went rogue 🤣 I'm kidding. Of course, we had some guidance in the Academy. I learned how to approach clients from Facebook and Linkedin groups. I learned how to make my own contracts, invoices, and my payment channels. If there's one key takeaway from quitting freelancing sites, it's learning how to create and market my brand. I even DIY-ed my logo using Canva (see byline in the end).
🎯 I CHARGED A PRICE THAT I WASN'T COMFORTABLE WITH
This bit is tricky because I have to decide what my worth is. I was taught that I should anchor my price because I am the only person of authority who knows what my worth is.
Now, for a terrified, intimidated beginner — that's a limiting belief that's hard to shatter. I don't want to shoo away opportunities just because I'm too expensive. The knee-jerk instinct is to be a people-pleaser. But of course, I also want to have an idea if my pricing is too low or too high. I want perspective.
In the Academy, we had a price list for different kinds of freelancing services. The price ranges were categorized by skill level — beginner, intermediate, advanced.
Even though I've been doing this since 2016, I considered myself a beginner because I have just decided on my skill of focus and niche.
As I mentioned, there were price ranges. Now, how should I name my price? My mentor Demi said:
Start charging what you’re uncomfortable with. This cumulative process of proving yourself wrong will bring you to great heights, both financially and mentally. Just keep on upskilling and charging what you’re uncomfortable with. Together, that combo can change your confidence as a freelancer.
What I felt comfortable with was $0.02/word which was the cheapest limit. I went with that rate when I was outsourced by a co-mentee and I was trained under her wing for a bit. But for my first client, I closed my eyes and typed out that my rate was $0.04/word. He agreed!
And when I found another client, I said my rate was $0.05/word. Again, he agreed! I feel the adrenaline every time I prove myself wrong. Just trust the process and do it anyway. Some people will decline, but the important outcome is — some people will see your value and pay your price 😍
So, keep upskilling. Make sure you offer something new to the table. And, charge a little bit higher than what you're comfortable with. Don't think too much about the outcome. Just try it. You never know 🙂
🎯 I NEGOTIATED WITH FOREIGN CLIENTS
This was the part that I avoided the most.
As an awkward introvert, I prefer everything to be discussed in email or over chat. I'm good with words when I write them.
But clients need to connect with you. So, talking to them over Skype or Zoom or Messenger is normal. It can be paralyzing at first, but you'll get the hang of it 😅
Here is my first team conference with my first client (he's German). We discussed the vision of my client's company together with the project manager, editor, and graphic designers I work with.
And here was my first legit discovery call with an Italian lady. It was so nerve-racking before the call. Although we didn't reach agreeable terms during the call, it was still a good learning experience for me.
I'm Going To Meet My Freelancing Coach and Co-Mentees This Week!!!
If you've read through everything and reached this point, thank you so much for your time and attention.
If ever you need help, advice, or just anyone to talk to about freelancing, feel free to comment down or connect with me through my email: kayceeports2020@gmail.com.
Anyways, I haven't met my mentor yet in flesh. But this Friday, I finally will. She's going to hold a meet-up event here in Cebu for all her mentees. I'm going and I can't wait to share my experience here in Hive soon!
Till next time!
