How to Become a Six-Figure Freelance Writer from Home

Freelance Writing is one of the most popular ways to make money online. Just look through any list of work from home jobs and it’s sure to be in the top 3.

It’s because it’s a great option for many people. It gives you the freedom to work from home (or anywhere), set your own rates and hours, and become your own boss.

And the best part, it does not require a degree to get hired!

I’ve personally worked as a freelance writer with a base rate of $0.25 per word but I’ve also worked terrible $0.005 per word gigs in the past so I can tell you that freelance writing is not just about knowing how to write.

Without the correct information on how to get started, you may end up as I did in the beginning, scraping peanuts.

That’s why I brought an expert over to share some tips to help you get started as a freelance writer.

Holly Johnson is the mom behind ClubThrifty.com which she runs with her husband, but she’s also a six-figure freelance writer pulling in several hundred thousand per year and the creator of the famous Earn More Writing course.

Holly very kindly agreed to answer some of my questions regarding freelance writing and I hope that you learn everything you need to become a freelance writer and start making money from home.

Hi Holly! Can you give us a brief look into your background and how you got started as a freelance writer? What motivated you to become a freelance writer?

I got started as a freelance writer after my husband and I started our blog, ClubThrifty.com, in 2012. Based on the writing I did for our website, I got a few easy offers to write for other sites. I started earning around $75 per post at first, but that figure grew to $150 to $300 per article over time.

Since I only earned around $38,000 per year in my full-time job, it didn’t take me long to replace all my 9-5 income with part-time writing work. I liked my old job in the mortuary industry, but I decided to write full-time because I knew I could earn more money and have more time to spend with my family.

And how has that paid off for you? Very well?

I started writing professionally in 2013 and I believe I did pretty well that first year, but I definitely hit six figures in income the following year. In 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018, I earned over $200,000 writing content online. 

So far in 2019, I am on track for my best year yet. I should earn more than $300,000 per year in writing income alone and that doesn’t count income from our website, which my husband runs as his full-time job. Believe it or not, but my husband earns more money than I do! 

That’s interesting, can you tell us how freelance writing works exactly?

I help businesses write content that helps them earn money, whether that’s by helping advertise their product through storytelling or writing articles they can use to sell more of their product or service.

Businesses pay a lot for high-quality content because working with freelancers is still less expensive than hiring an employee to do this type of work. 

If you had to say, is freelance writing hard? Especially if you have no experience. Also, are there any cons?

Freelance writing isn’t easy. If it was a piece of cake, everyone would do it. 

You have to have good work ethic to be self-employed, and you will definitely face your share of rejection. I still think my worst day freelancing from home is better than my best day at my old job, mostly because I’m working on my own time and my own terms. 

And for moms who want to start a freelance writing business, what skills do they typically need?

To work as a freelance writer, you don’t need a ton of experience.

You do need the ability to write clear, concise content that is somewhat entertaining no matter the topic. You also need a thick skin and a great work ethic that helps you start working even when you don’t want to. 

One question lots of moms ask is how much freelance writing pays, especially for beginners. Can you give us an estimate to go by?

I started writing for $75 to $100 per article, but now I earn up to $2,000 per piece. Most pieces still pay between $400 and $800, however.

How much you’ll earn depends on your level of skill, your experience, the niche you write in, and more.

So can one start freelance writing with no experience?

Yes!

I don’t have a professional writing background, although I did a lot of writing in my old job.

You can get started with no experience as long as you write well and are willing to continue learning. 

And any tips on how to get jobs? I know that figuring out how to get freelance writing jobs is a big issue for most beginners.

It helps to have a basic online portfolio website where you can post writing samples.

Side note: This is what Holly means when she says portfolio website.

Without one, it will be hard to share your work with potential clients, most of whom will likely be online anyway.

If you don’t want to have a website, you can at least create a profile using LinkedIn or a company like Contently. 

And that’s it!

Remember to sign up for Holly’s totally FREE freelance writing course to get more tips and put yourself well ahead of the pack in the race.

Goodluck!

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