Ever wonder if there’s a well-trodden path to being a six-figure freelance writer?
You know…a step-by-step plan, without any twists and turns, that leads you straight to that sought-after income goal for a lot of freelance writers.
If you’re just starting out or you’ve been a freelance writer for some time, you’ve probably experienced the ups and downs of freelancing. It’s part of the gig.
So how do you get to be a six-figure freelance writer?
Here’s the thing. There’s more than one way to get there. Everybody’s path is a little different.
In fact, one freelancer almost gave up on writing for a living to teach English in Asia. And then unexpectedly found her way back.
At first it was a rough and winding road that included a stint on food stamps. But she hustled. She worked hard. She got some help along the way. Last year she broke the six-figure mark as a freelance writer. And so can you.
Want to be a six-figure freelance writer? Your path is this way…
Meet freelance writer Casey Hynes
Freelance Writer Casey Hynes
Freelance writer Casey Hynes earned a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University. From there, it didn’t take her long to get on the path to becoming a national political reporter. And then something happened.
She wasn’t sure political writing was her thing. She needed a change of scenery. So she moved to Asia to teach English.
And then almost unexpectedly, she found her way back to freelance writing about eight years ago.
She’s been writing for a living ever since. Last year, with the help of Carol Tice, fellow freelance writers in Den 2X, and plenty of hustle, Casey surpassed the six-figure income mark. Here’s how she did it:
Q: When you decided to get serious about freelance writing, what happened?
Hynes: I was in Beijing to teach English, and decided I’ll give writing a go again. And I ended up kind of being in the right place at the right time. There were tons of companies lots and lots of people and publishers in Beijing who needed someone who could write content for their English-speaking audience and their expat audience.
Q: What kind of freelance writing jobs did you get?
Hynes: It was kind of like a scattershot approach. I would just take anything that anyone would give me. I was editing translated work. I edited a guy’s fiction book. I mean, anything, writing, editing, whatever.
Q: How did it feel to start landing clients and making money as a freelance writer?
Q: How did you find your niche as a freelance writer?
Hynes: I thought I was gonna do travel writing and that ended up not panning out. I just ended up getting different clients and doing different types of features. And then I started getting fintech assignments writing about start-ups and personal finance. I never in my life would have imagined that that’s what I would be writing about. But one thing kind of leads to another and doors start to open.
Q: How long did it take you to be a full-time freelancer?
Hynes: I was able to make a full-time income by my second year freelancing. My first year I actually had been working. I was still teaching, in addition to writing, and odd jobs here and there. I was actually able to sustain myself by the second year.
Q: What made you decide to join Den 2X?
Hynes: I was at a crossroads at the time an,d I really wanted to be making more money. I booked a call with Carol with my regular Den membership. And she was just so awesome and direct. She went over my website tore it apart (which it really needed), and told me what to do. She talked to me about SEO and mentioned Den 2X.
It was just the thing I needed to level up, gain confidence to drop bad clients and raise my rates, and connect with a cohort of other people at the same stage in their careers to energize me an exchange ideas.
Q: Did Den 2X help you double your income?
Hynes: I didn’t double my income, but I increased it significantly. In 2017, my gross income was about $65,000. In 2018, I made $108,500, which was more than I thought that I had done. And it was far more than I had ever made. A lot of that had to do with Den 2X.
Q: What was the biggest change that helped you earn a six-figure income?
Q: What freelance marketing strategy worked best for you?
You’d be surprised at how quickly people will respond on LinkedIn. It only takes five minutes, if that, to send someone a message like:
Hey, I’m a freelancewriter. Can I send you some clips? Are you guys working with somebody?
You really don’t need an elaborate marketing plan or invest hours and hours into writing the perfect pitch. Just use LinkedIn to make easy connections and ask for referrals, and you probably won’t be scrambling for work again.
Q: What advice do you have for other freelancers on the path to a six-figure income?
