I turned a contract author on October tenth, 2020. I spent the primary few hours of my newfound freedom panicking that I might made a dreadful mistake. At that time, I made a decision that after I made $10,000 a month — and solely then! — would I contemplate my new profession a hit that no one may take away from me. I might know, at that time, that I used to be on the precise path.
Eight months after I launched into my freelance life-style, I achieved my aim: I earned $10,495.33 in Might 2021.
This is how I did it and the place all of it got here from:
1. I used to be not an in a single day success story
Let no one let you know success occurs in a single day, as a result of it does not. In Might, I earned $4,999.26 from my weblog and YouTube mixed, however that was not a random one-off prevalence. That was the results of 2 years of working, writing, filming, modifying, networking, and studying.
Lengthy earlier than I even began freelancing, I used to be engaged on my facet hustles. That platform I constructed for myself was sufficient to additional construct on after I went absolutely freelance and at last had the bandwidth to spare. I posted much less to each my weblog and my YouTube channel, however I had a a lot better understanding of what my viewers needed and the way I may give it to them.
Crucially, I additionally had an viewers. If I had tried to go absolutely freelance with out that backing, I might have struggled. As a substitute, I flourished.
2. I had a backlog of purchasers
I had a uncommon expertise final week: somebody requested me to work for them, and I stated no as a result of I used to be too busy. In hindsight, I ought to have set that as my “You have Made It” milestone. I had the luxurious of turning down paying work! I may barely consider it.
A part of me thought I used to be silly to show down any paying job, however the different smart a part of me realized that is the advantage of profitable freelancing: I can say no to work and preserve my free time for myself.
In Might 2021, I had 5 purchasers and earned $4,475.00 from them altogether.
What’s extra essential is that I did work I beloved, and loved each little bit of writing I did for these purchasers. These didn’t all come collectively in a single day however relatively confirmed up one after the other. Some stayed, some left, some referred me to different purchasers. It was a reduction that half my revenue got here from sources I managed, relatively than counting on the algorithm of a wishy-washy platform.
3. I didn’t promote myself
The ultimate little bit of my huge $10k month got here from promoting myself and my companies, $1,021.07 in all. I used to be upset — lower than 10% of my bumper month was worth I supplied immediately. For many of it, I relied on different individuals or platforms.
Once I began my journey, I needed to separate the revenue evenly between my three streams: platforms like YouTube, purchasers who paid me to put in writing for them, and my very own merchandise and programs. It was a bit of unhappy to understand that I hadn’t managed to promote myself as a lot as I initially supposed.
It is exhausting to advertise my programs and companies. I do know so many different writers, freelancers and entrepreneurs really feel the identical. Gross sales usually are not pure for many of us.
However I ought to be higher at it. And I do know I could be. Whereas I am disheartened by my failure to market myself, I acknowledge it as an space to enhance for future months.
4. I labored 16 hours per week
The actual success, in fact, will not be the cash I made. It is the time I spent not working.
In Might 2021, I spent a grand complete of 65 hours, 40 minutes, and 39 seconds working. (I exploit Clockify to trace my time.) I spent numerous hours studying books, taking part in video video games, hanging out with my cats. My husband and I went to a Braves sport, to Six Flags, on walks across the neighborhood.
My life-style is efficacious for the cash it offers me, but in addition for the time it offers me. I’ve written earlier than about how I really like working as little as doable, and the way I consider the true worth of the freelance life-style is the free portion of it. In Might, I noticed simply how proper I used to be.
5. I allowed myself to expertise downturns
Bear in mind how I stated I turned down work final month? I may have stated sure, and I may have had an even bigger revenue in June. As a result of June didn’t come close to to Might’s revenue, sadly. Nonetheless, I stated no.
In June, I used to be stressed resulting from unexpected life occasions. I wasn’t sleeping properly. I used to be anxious and nervous and had no motivation to work or create.
A part of me needed to push via and attempt to safe a better revenue. I felt like I might hit that $10k milestone, and ought to be hitting it each single month to any extent further. As a substitute, I took a month to chill out and recuperate from the strain.
June’s revenue was extra modest. It was not 5 figures. And I am glad I let myself go together with the ebbs and flows not simply of labor, however of my very own psychological vitality. Once more, the true lesson I’ve realized will not be that the revenue issues — though in fact, it does! — however that the advantage of freelancing is I can take a month to easily be a vegetable and no one will die, not even me.
You could possibly learn this text and say that it took me 65 hours of labor to earn $10,495.33 in Might. However the trustworthy fact is that it took me practically three years to achieve this milestone. I began writing, running a blog, creating, and freelancing in September of 2018. That first month earned me simply $3.32. Now, two and a half years later, I’ve develop into a hit by any of my outdated definitions. I’ve a job I really like, with a lot time to do the issues I get pleasure from, incomes sufficient to be greater than comfy.
My success additionally relied on me studying a variety of classes that I am going to proceed to develop from. I needed to study the exhausting manner the way to value my companies, for instance. My first freelance writing shopper paid me simply $30 for a weblog put up. At present, I do know I can cost rather more than that.
And it takes steady effort and enchancment shifting ahead. I do know my revenue streams are variable, so I would like to enhance the place I am weakest. At present, that is at promoting myself. Tomorrow, I am positive I am going to uncover new weaknesses to handle and enhance upon.
I made $10,495.33 in a single month of freelance writing, and anybody else can do the identical in the event that they’re prepared to work as exhausting as I did.