Summary

A freelance writer secured an $800 monthly contract on Upwork and shares strategies for establishing steady writing income through building trust, demonstrating value, and being selective with clients.

Abstract

The author, a freelance writer, details their experience in securing a consistent and substantial writing contract through Upwork. This contract not only provides financial stability but also the freedom to take creative risks and enjoy the writing process. The writer emphasizes the importance of connecting with clients on a values-based level, maintaining punctuality, asking for favors to build rapport, saying 'no' to energy-draining projects, applying to a multitude of jobs to find the right fit, and being authentic in interviews. The article serves as a guide for writers seeking to replicate this success by highlighting the necessity of massive upfront effort, reliability, networking, selectivity, and patience in the freelance marketplace.

Opinions

Surprising clients with massive effort upfront and never being late are key to building trust and demonstrating commitment.
Asking for favors can enhance likability and strengthen the client-writer relationship, fostering a sense of mutual support.
It's crucial to turn down projects that do not align with personal values or drain energy, even if they offer high pay.
Persistence in applying to numerous jobs is part of a numbers game that increases the chances of finding ideal clients.
Sharing personal interests and being authentic during interviews can help attract clients who are the best match for the writer's personality and style.
The author believes in the importance of patience and selectivity, suggesting that the right clients will eventually recognize the writer's value and seek out their expertise.
The article suggests that taking bold swings and having a backup plan can lead to greater opportunities and a more fulfilling career.

My Upwork Client Signed an Ongoing $800 a Month Contract

Here’s how you can secure a steady writing income

Photo by Ifedolapo Oluwamogbiele on **Unsplash**

He offered the contract, without me asking, and paid me more than I asked for.

As a writer, guaranteed monthly income is a god-send. I can’t tell you how much of a weight it is off my shoulders to have that $800 rolling in no matter how well my Medium posts do — or don’t do.

If you want to gain clients that stick around and pay you consistently for your words, you need to make sure to:

Surprise with massive effort upfront
Never be late
Ask for favors
Take bold swings
Have a back-up
Say “no” to energy-sucks
Apply to 1,000 jobs
Share interests in interviews

With that $800 as net under my trapeze, I feel liberated to take bigger risks in my writing, enjoy the process, and get more from my effort. Money can’t buy happiness but constantly worry about making rent sucks.

Here’s the process:

Take Their Ideas and Run With Them

My client was a therapist in Utah. He was on Upwork looking for someone to help him write his podcast.

In the interview, I worked hard to get to the heart of the issue. Why do you want to do this? What are your values? What are your goals? What do you want to get out of this? Don’t be afraid to get real.

He told me that he wanted to destigmatize mental health.

I love that. As a person who has struggled with — and overcome — mental health challenges, I instantly connected with him over his deepest values. If I hadn’t asked, we never would have connected on that level.

Knowing what he really wanted, I could take his ideas and expand on them. I’m the creative one in the partnership, after all. I used his values — ones I mostly shared — to create the podcasts scripts from a very deep place in my heart. I used real-life examples of my life. I wasn’t afraid to open myself up.

The next time we spoke, I came back to him with ideas for formats, SEO plans, ideas for topics, and just general enthusiasm. I let him know that I was in on his values and I wanted to bring them to life. I didn’t say it, but I showed him that I believed in him and his message.

If you can connect over deep values and help people share them with the world, you’ve not only made a trustworthy client, but you also have a friend for life.

Never be Late

It’s not about rules, or politeness, or what you’re “supposed” to do to seem “professional.”

It’s about the message you are implying. When I brought ideas to the second meeting, the message I was sending was, “I believe in you.” When you’re late, you signal, “I don’t think this is important.”

Nothing has to be said for that to come across. And even just once is enough to get the message across. Once bitten, forever shy.

You want to be especially careful near the beginning when first impressions are forming. People remember the beginnings of things much better than the rest of a relationship. You can afford to make a mistake way down the road, but not for a long while. You need to build trust, and it is shakey near the start.

Ask for Favors

On the other hand, I find that people are way too hesitant to ask for favors while building trust near the beginning of a relationship.

Asking to borrow a pencil is shown to make people like you more, for example. When you ask someone to do you a favor, they are likely going to say yes. While they are doing it, they will form an opinion of you. “I am doing this for Taylor. That must mean I like him.”

Look, I’m not saying you should get all manipulative. I’m just saying, friends ask one another for favors, and you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for favors while building rapport with a client. Treat them like a friend, and they will feel like a friend.

For example: When I would wrap up a meeting, I would have takeaways for myself, i.e. what I needed to write for my client. AND I would have a few takeaways for him. “Think about what you want to write about next month, come up with a title for the podcast, include my on your ‘about’ page.”

Say ‘No’

A dollar is not necessarily a dollar.

You have to think about money in terms of energy. That may sound woo-woo, but I just know that getting paid $1,000 to write some click-bait article for an MLM company isn’t worth it for me. The energy it takes from me is too much.

On the other hand, writing for my monthly client fills me with energy. It is more than worth it to work for him.

Most jobs on Upwork are going to suck your energy. Don’t worry! You will find the ones that make you happy, I promise. You just need to be patient. Hold out for your perfect match.

In the meantime, you are going to see bad pitches, have awkward interviews, and have rude people try to talk down your price. I promise you, it is worth it to cut these people out of your world forever and never look back.

Apply to 1,000 Jobs

Before I found my dream clients, I applied to over 1,000 jobs on Upwork.

It may sound crazy, but you have to know this is a numbers game, and you have to know that the right person is going to cross your path. The first one is the hardest, too.

You start to build the right reputation, your prices go up, and the right people beg you to work with them. That all comes in good time.

For now, be patient, be calm, say no, and keep applying. The right ones are coming.

Share Your Interests

You gotta be you, the weirder, the better.

The reason we hide our weird is that we are trying to please everyone, and we end up pleasing no one. You need to let your freak flag fly, keep doing interviews, and keep passing on people that don’t “get” you. Show what you’re like.

I’m not saying be a dick and only work with people who can take it. No. I’m saying you should not hide your interests to please the crowd. Yes, you will scare away most, but you will super-attract the right ones. That will feel good.

While you’re applying to those 1,000 jobs, you won’t connect with most people. Don’t freak out or change course. I promise Mr. Right-Client is coming.

Each no is one step closer to a yes.

Takeaway Exercise

Pitch 1,000 people in the next month.

Or 2 months, or 6. The time-span isn’t important. What is important is that you are putting yourself out there and you are always getting closer to finding your dream clients.

Good luck!