I became a freelance author on October 10, 2020. I spent the primary few hours of my newfound freedom in a panic that I had made a terrible mistake. At that time, I made a decision that after I make $10,000 a month – and Just Then! — would I consider my latest profession a success that nobody could take away from me. Then I’d know that I’m on the best path.
Eight months after starting an independent lifestyle, I reached my goal: I earned $10,495.33 in May 2021.
Here’s how I did it and where all of it got here from:
1. I didn’t develop into successful overnight
Let nobody say that success comes overnight, since it doesn’t. In May I earned $4,999.26 from mine blog AND Youtube together, however it was not a random, one-off event. It was the results of 2 years of labor, writing, filming, editing, networking and learning.
Long before I began freelancing, I used to be working on my side cases. This platform I built for myself was enough to continue to grow as I became completely independent and finally had free bandwidth. I sent less to each of mine blog AND my youtube channelbut I had a significantly better understanding of what my audience wanted and how I could give it to them.
Most significantly, I also had an audience. If I had tried to develop into a fully independent shooter without this support, I’d have struggled. As an alternative, I blossomed.
2. I had a backlog of clients
Last week I had a rare experience: someone asked me to work for them and I declined because I used to be too busy. In hindsight, I must have set it because the “You made it” milestone. I had the luxurious of turning down paid work! I could barely consider it.
A part of me thought I used to be silly to show down any paid job, but the opposite sensible a part of me realized that the advantages of successful freelancing are this: I can refuse a job and keep my free time for myself.
In May 2021, I had five clients and earned a total of $4,475.00 from them.
More importantly, I used to be doing a job I loved and having fun with writing for these clients. They didn’t all come together overnight, but relatively they appeared one after the other. Some stayed, some left, some referred me to other clients. I used to be relieved that half of my income got here from sources I controlled, relatively than counting on the platform’s algorithm.
3. I did not sell myself
The last a part of my big $10,000 a month got here from selling myself and my services, totaling $1,021.07. I used to be dissatisfied – lower than 10% of my hit month was the worth I provided directly. More often than not I relied on other people or platforms.
After I began my journey, I wanted to separate the income equally between my three streams: platforms like YouTube, clients who paid me to jot down for them, and my very own products and courses. It was a bit sad to comprehend that I hadn’t been capable of sell myself as much as I originally intended.
It’s hard to advertise my courses and services. I do know many other writers, freelancers, and entrepreneurs feel the identical way. Selling doesn’t come naturally to most of us.
but me should be higher at it. And I do know I could be. While I’m disheartened by my sales failure, I recognize that that is an area for improvement in the approaching months.
4. I used to be working 16 hours a week
The true success, in fact, isn’t the cash earned. That is the time I spent not working.
In May 2021, I spent a total of 65 hours, 40 minutes and 39 seconds working. (I take advantage of Clockify to trace my time.) I’ve spent countless hours reading books, playing video games, hanging out with my cats. My husband and I used to go to the Braves game, to Six Flags, to walk across the neighborhood.
My lifestyle is useful for the cash it gives me, but in addition for the time it gives me. I’ve already written about how i like to work as little as possibleand how I think that the true value of an independent lifestyle is free a part of it. In May I spotted how right I used to be.
5. I allowed myself to interrupt down
Remember after I said I refused to work last month? I could have said yes and I could have had more income in June. Because June, unfortunately, didn’t come near May’s income. Still, I said no.
In June, I used to be stressed by unexpected life events. I didn’t sleep well. I used to be restless and nervous and had no motivation to work or create.
A part of me desired to push myself and attempt to secure a higher income. I felt I had reached the $10,000 milestone and must be reaching it every month any more. As an alternative, I took a month to calm down and get well from the pressure.
June’s income was more modest. It wasn’t five digits. And I’m glad that I allow myself to flow with the ebb and flow of not only work, but in addition my very own mental energy. Again, the true lesson I’ve learned isn’t that income matters – even though it does! — but the advantage of freelancing is that I can just be a vegetable for a month and nobody dies, not even me.
You possibly can read this text and say it took me 65 hours of labor to earn $10,495.33 in May. However the honest truth is that it took me almost three years to achieve that milestone. I began writing, blogging, creating and working as a freelancer in September 2018. In the primary month, I made just $3.32. Now, two and a half years later, I even have succeeded by any of my old definitions. I even have a job I like, with a lot time to do the things I enjoy, earning enough to be greater than comfortable.
My success also relied on whether I’d learn many lessons from which to develop further. For instance, I needed to learn the hard way how to cost my services. My first freelance client paid me just $30 for a blog post. Today I do know that I’m able to rather more.
And moving forward requires constant effort and improvement. I do know my income streams are volatile so I want to enhance where I’m weakest. Today it’s selling yourself. I’m sure tomorrow I’ll discover latest weaknesses that I’ll have to deal with and improve.
I made $10,495.33 in a single month of freelance writing and anyone else can do the identical in the event that they need to work as hard as I do.