If you read my last post, you probably didn’t expect to see another bit of writing from me. After all, I claimed the dream to write was dead. What’s this about being a freelance writer then?
Here’s the thing, even people with dead dreams need to eat.
Okay, the truth is I don’t need to work a job in order to eat. Mr. Engineer provides for all the basic necessities of living.
If I want to go on a nice vacation, on the other hand, I need to earn the cash to pay for it. This has been the way things work around the Hughson household since our boys entered the scene (back in 1991).
I should be happy to know that freelancing is the big thing these days. As you know, I’ve been doing it for more than a year on Fiverr.
According to this article , more than thirty-six percent of the U.S. workforce did freelance work in 2017. The number of freelancers is expected to meet or exceed forty percent this year.
There are several online forums for becoming a freelancer and bidding on freelance jobs. You can see them here.
The Fiverr Way
I’ve written about how Fiverr works before. Read about it here.
What I’ve decided overall is that most of the people searching for freelancers on that platform want to get stuff cheap.
It’s like the bargain basement of freelancers.
And I’m worth more than $5 for 500 words. I’ve got years of writing, editing and proofreading experience. I have a degree in English and a thorough understanding of how words work – and how they work in different arenas.
But…requests for my services dropped sharply when I tried to raise my rates.
Even after a more than a year working here, I’m not sure how the algorithm for advertising works. It seems to me the more orders I complete of a certain type, the more my name is thrown in front of prospective buyers.
Great! Except I don’t want a string of one-order stands. I’m looking for long-term relationships.
And I’d also like to keep one hundred percent of what I charge. Fiverr keeps $1 of every $5 I bill for my services. And yet those buyers still want me to write their emails and perfect their papers for $5 $4.
Why I’m Looking to be Free of It
I’ve appreciated many things about Fiverr, but I never planned to use it indefinitely. I had always hoped to find a few dozen faithful clients who needed regular copy-writing, editing or proofreading jobs done and make them a base for a sustainable business.
Of course, I had hoped that I wouldn’t need to keep doing freelance work. I was supposed to build a back list of titles and create several new books each year, which would eventually net enough money to sustain our vacationing habits.
Part of the reason I’m looking for a way to freelance independent of any platform is the money. I’m tired of getting paid $40 for my $50 proofreading job. (Any author knows this is a bargain! I should have charged $80.)
I know I’m using Fiverr’s platform, and I don’t begrudge them that, but I’d hoped to have a steady stream of clients. Instead, it’s more like a spurt of over-activity followed by long droughts of inaction.
That’s why I’m hoping my best clients are willing to follow me anywhere. If they are, I might be ready to set up my own copywriting/editing/proofreading business.
Naming my own schedule is the biggest reason I’m ready to be done with Fiverr. It seems like weekends are the prime times for new orders to be placed, and I’m not even at my computer. Especially on Sundays when the largest percentage of my new orders have come in.
This guide for freelancers has given me plenty of information, but it hasn’t cleared the path ahead. I’m crafting some business letters to send to my clients and a few people who I believe would make great regular clients.
Like my author business, the outcome is in the Lord’s hands. Maybe I’m really supposed to keep writing stories. At this point, there’s a bunch of fleece going out.
Good thing I can do it without slaying those sheep.
What do you know about freelancing? Are you familiar with any of freelance communities? What recommendations do you have?
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