5 Game Changing Lessons From My First Year of Freelance Writing

Start strong and skip the mistakes with these lessons

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I started off as a freelance writer in the year 2020 with absolutely no professional writing experience. Writing for a living was as challenging as climbing a very steep cliff without any equipment.

Imposter syndrome? Oh, it was alive and kicking. I juggled blogging part-time while managing a 9-to-5 job, scraping together side gigs and passion projects.

Fast-forward a year, and those scraps transformed into a full-fledged freelance career. Today, I’m earning a consistent five-figure income working remotely, and I want to share the lessons that got me here.

If you’re starting your freelance writing journey, these tips will fast-track your progress.

1. Choose Value Alignment Over Paychecks

At first, I chased high-paying gigs in industries that didn’t align with my values. I pitched gambling companies and other niches that felt, well, soul-sucking.

Guess what? The money didn’t make it worth it.

Now, I only work with clients whose values resonate with mine. When your principles align with your work, the job feels rewarding — not draining.