When I first joined the campus in 2016, I only wanted a part-time job and earn money for my weekend entertainment expenses. Since I knew getting a job that allowed me to juggle work, classes, and my weekend fun time was a bit challenging, I decided to narrow it down to an online thing I do at my convenience and still be able to make money.
From a little Google Search, I had a wide range of options as a beginner that I could do to make money online, like starting a YouTube channel, writing an eBook, selling products online, starting a blog, and freelance writing. There were other unreliable options (I term them unreliable because they did not work out for me, but they may work-out for other people), like online trading and gambling. I started with some gambling since it was an easy first way to make money. However, it didn’t pay off, so I quit. I then jumped into online trading, and it also dint work out. At the time, I realized I needed something that only required me to sell a service or skill and, in return, get paid.
I landed into Freelance Writing and have been doing it since 2016. Although it has not been a walk in the park, it has given me more than what a regular day job would give you. After getting my degree, I stopped thinking of ever getting a regular day job and focus on full-time freelance writing.
Why I Love Writing
I love the freedom that comes with writing and being my boss. That pretty much sums up why freelance writing is worth it. I have also learned a lot of helpful lessons as a freelance writer related to financial literacy over the past few months.
The following are things that have helped me as a full-time freelance writer.
Diversifying Income Streams
I am a freelance writer (or an online writer and tutor). However, this doesn’t mean that all I do is wake up, write, sleep and repeat. There are other things I do. Here is a short list of things I do and online platforms I work for: I work at Fiverr as a Research, Article and Blog Writer. I also offer these similar writing services at Upwork and Guru.
The following are some of the services I offer:
- I am an academic writer at Uvocorp and EssayShark.
- I mentor and teach people who would like to venture into freelancing writing.
- I write content as a guest writer for blogs
- I am a part-time gym trainer, and I exercise regularly.
Why I have diversified income streams
The point of trying to have different income streams is to try and make a considerable amount of income over time. Not all of the above income streams generate good money, but a few have helped me establish myself as a writer.
Because I want to increase my income, I take up a lot of writing gigs and assignments on different subjects.Working for different platforms online has helped me gain experience and get a wide range of clients.
Getting Serious and Taking Risks
The thing about starting as a freelance writer is all about mindset. When I was starting back in 2016, it was challenging for me, and I did not take myself seriously as a writer. Over time, I have learnt to treat my freelancing writing gigs as any other important job. I show up, put in the late hours, and take it seriously. I used to hide the fact that I am a writer to people because when I started, it seemed not like a real job. However, I eventually started saying it out loud, and it stopped feeling like a lie, and it became more of a real job. Lastly, the most important thing and lesson is taking the risk of becoming a writer. Becoming your boss means taking a leap of faith and putting yourself out there.
In Summary
To summarize, here are the important things that have helped me as a freelance writer:I have diversified my income streams working for Fiverr, Upwork, Guru, and essay writing platforms like Uvocorp and EssayShark.I reached out to potential clients, people working in the writing field, and those with more experience than me.
I took myself seriously as a freelance writer. I try new things and am never afraid of being rejected.
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