How I Earned $1000+ on Upwork In Only 2 Months (Being a Non-Native Writer)
It’s a great start and this is how you can do that too.
Earning $1K+ in just two months on Upwork!
Well, I never thought it would be possible for me. Let me tell you why.
Though I have years of writing and blogging experience on different platforms, I always thought I suck at writing when others tell me to write. I mean, if someone wants me to write for them, I don’t feel like writing. It’s like a burden for my free soul.
So, I thought and believed that I would never make a penny on Upwork. But little did I know that I will have a great start, even being a non-native writer on that platform.
In this post, I am going to tell you how I earned $1K+ in such a short time being a newbie on Upwork. And I hope it will help you a lot if you are just beginning or planning to begin your Upwork journey.
Make Your Profile 100% Complete
This is the very first thing you do while you join Upwork. And it’s crucial.
You need to select a catchy title that perfectly describes you and the services you offer. In my case, I wrote this — Experienced Writer and Editor Obsessed With Perfection.
Then, write something about your writing services mentioning the works you have done previously and how good you are in this. It’s like your CV for the Upwork. The better you exhibit your expertise, the more attention (clients, works) you get. Offer the writing services you are extremely good at. For me, I mainly write blog posts, SEO articles, and edit/proofread content or books. Because that’s what I love to do.
Remember, Upwork is no place for an inexperienced writer.
Don’t get me wrong! If you are just beginning your writing journey, write on different blogs or platforms, gain some experiences and then come to Upwork with your writing services. Otherwise, you will struggle to get work and become frustrated soon.
Build Your Portfolio
A portfolio is extremely important. It’s proof of your expertise. It directly speaks to your clients and shows them what you are capable of doing. So, be very careful while creating your portfolio on Upwork.
If you are a content writer, your portfolio must include the best writings you’ve written so far. By exploring your portfolio, your clients will get an idea of what they can expect from you. If your services match their requirements, they will love to hire you.
I included my best articles in my Upwork portfolio to exhibit what my potential clients may get from me.
Never leave the portfolio section blank. If you don’t have any published articles, write some quality articles, publish them in any blogs, or just upload that in Google Docs. And then, link those articles to your Upwork portfolio.
Set a Reasonable Hourly Rate
When you are starting your Upwork journey, it’s unwise to set the hourly rate too high. You know that you’re very good at writing, but your clients don’t. They rely on the client feedback they see on your profile. That’s why when you are new on Upwork, you should set a reasonable hourly rate to find your first client as early as possible.
Being a non-native writer, I initially set my hourly rate to only $10. Then, a few clients later, I slowly raised it to $20/hr. And I will definitely increase it after getting more and more reputation(earnings and feedback) on Upwork.
So, don’t bother about the initial rate. Just find your first few clients as early as possible and offer your best.
Choose the Right Job
There are thousands of jobs posted every day but not all of them for you. You must be very careful while applying for a job.
Before sending the job proposal, first, make sure you read and fully understand the job description and it matches your interest. Otherwise, you will find it very hard to complete the work and ultimately fail to deliver what your clients want.
Don’t just apply for the jobs that pop up in your profile. Instead, search wisely to find the best jobs and then sent proposals perfectly.
The following tips may help you find the perfect job and increase your chance of getting hired —
- Make sure the job matches your expertise.
- Be sure that the client’s payment method is verified.
- Apply for the jobs that already have less than 5 or 10 proposals.
- See client details and make sure that your client has an above 70% hire rate.
- Before setting an hourly rate for a particular job, see the average hourly rate the client has paid so far.
- Scroll down and see whether the client has already hired someone or not. Has the client already started interviewing?
- Read the freelancer reviews of the client to know whether she/she is a good client or not.
I never send a job proposal if I see the other freelancers were not happy with this client, or the client got so many bad reviews.
You must be very careful about this. Because when you choose the right job and right client, it enhances your chance of being hired and having a long-term business relationship.
Submit a Perfect Job Proposal
I think this is the most important part that many newbie Upwork freelances ignore. Yes, they do submit job proposals. But mostly, they are copy-paste ones.
My experience on Upwork taught me that no one should send a copy-paste job proposal to any clients.
Because your client will easily find out reading the first few sentences of your proposal whether it’s a copy-paste proposal or not.
To be honest, I am guilty of doing that heinous mistake. And that’s why it took a few weeks to get my first client.
Let’s break a job proposal into three sections and give you some tips to help you sending effective job proposals to your clients.
I. The first section of your job proposal
Read the job details (top to bottom) carefully, and then write your first few lines in a way that shows that you’ve read the job details and understood them completely.
Don’t ever start with I’m a great writer with years of writing experience. No, never start with that because your client doesn’t give a damn about how experienced you are.
Rather, your client wants to know whether you understand the job well and can do what is wanted perfectly.
So, be cool and repeat what is said in the job post. I hope the following screenshot will help you —
II. The middle section
In the middle part, tell your client what your client will get from you. Help your client visualize the outcome. Give your client enough confidence so that he/she client can rely on you. See the middle part I’ve written in the above image.
III. The final section
In the final section, tell your client what qualifies you for this particular job. But be very brief and keep a conversational tone. After all, your client is a human being, not a robot. So, don’t be too formal. Now, the most vital part is the concluding sentence. I always finish the proposal with a question. It works like magic. Tell your client that you are up for a call or meeting to know more about the project and start the work right away.
It will make your client feel that you are really interested in this and truly value the work.
Tips
- Never forget to send a work sample if your clients demand it.
- Sometimes, clients tell you to mention some words or phrases at the beginning of the proposal to understand that you read the entire job description. So, keep a sharp eye on that as well.
- Before clicking the send button, please, do check and proofread the entire job proposal once again.
Maybe, you’re thinking it will take a lot of your time to submit your proposal. Actually, it’s not. And don’t you think it’s better to send few good proposals and be hired than throwing hundreds of them in the dark.
Do the Work and Submit Before the Deadline
This is what I do religiously. I always submit at least one day before the deadline. And I highly recommend it.
Don’t work in the eleventh hour and struggle to meet deadlines. Instead, complete the first draft as early as possible and then relax and edit carefully. Finally, submit the work before the deadline and be happy. It will help you create a great relationship with your client.
Remember, no matter how many freelance writers or editors you see on Upwork or any other platforms, great and dedicated writers are always scarce.
Check at Least Three Times With Different Plagiarism Tools
I made a terrible mistake once, and it cost me a great client. I wrote a 2000-word article, checked it just one time with a free plagiarism checker tool, and then sent it to my client.
But to my surprise, the client found two sentences of that article quite similar to another post online. And due to their policy, he ended the contract immediately.
I was shocked to the core because I was working for him for more than a month, and suddenly it ended unceremoniously. But yes, I learned my lessons.
Now, I check at least three times with three different plagiarism checker tools before sending any write-up to any Upwork clients.
Never make the mistake I made.
Submit and Smile
I don’t know why I feel so good and relaxed after submitting each work. It feels like I did it. After completing each project, I take a rest and enjoy the successful completion of the work.
Sometimes, I take a walk and empty my head or go birdwatching in the nearest lake.
A sense of completion takes over me. I really like it.
To Conclude
If you are a writer who is yet to start working on Upwork, I highly recommend you start exploring it. It can make your ‘living by writing’ dream a reality.
But one thing — you have to be patient in that platform. And if you are a non-native writer like me, patience is a must. Don’t worry! You’ll be rewarded for your efforts and patience soon. Just keep going and keep learning every day.
Your dream of becoming a full-time writer will be a reality with your efforts, patience, and perseverance. And you will enjoy the journey for sure.
Happy writing!
Thank you for reading.
If you want to read more of my articles, you may check out the following ones.