I started freelancing wayyyyy back in 2020 and my goodness, let’s not relive the past two years (although most of the photos in this post will be from that year!), but I’m pretty proud to say in that span, I’ve made some major strides. While I’m in no way making a full – time income, I have one regular client for whom I proofread, as well as editors I regularly pitch who actually know who I am. Anyone who has freelanced before knows how big a deal that is in it of itself! I’ve even been ASKED to write some pieces – as in publications have come to me with assignments. Not a ton, but it’s nice when it happens.
In general, I’m just a whole lot more confident than this time last year. So, let’s do a bit of reflection, shall we?
In 2020…
I had 3 articles commissioned and published.
In 2021…
I quadrupled that to 12!
And made around $3, 000 for those and other editing/proofreading projects.
Check out all my published pieces here.
Please note. Obviously I do not live off of these numbers. I had a full-time job until the end of 2020. Then in 2021 I lived off of stimulus checks, selling my car pre-Canada move, a bit of freelancing, benefited from cheaper cost of living and frankly, savings.
In December 2021 (after one year of funemployment), I got a part-time job at the University here in Luxembourg. That, along with my hard-earned savings from years of planning this move will keep me going just fine.
I believe in full transparency and often feel like a lot of writers and bloggers skim over specifics in favor of “success” posts that don’t give the full picture. Like how they saved for years while still employed. Or Lived with family to save money (been there). Etc.
So I’m hoping this is a more honest insight. It’s my hobby more than anything, and the fact that I make even a few dollars is amazing.
In 2022…
I hope to double last years’ published pieces to 24 articles, but I’m keeping it flexible! I’d also love to double the income, but again have a part-time job and savings as a safety net.
So all’s that to say, I’m still having fun. And that’s the whole point. I started this blog and freelancing as a creative outlet in the worst days of 2020. I want to keep having fun, remain inspired by the pitches and stories I’m writing and not be stressed over making it a full-time gig any time soon.
If you’re interested in how to break into freelancing, keep reading!
Start Where You Are
This means don’t go pitching the New York Times or CNN right off the bat. I mean, you could, but the chances of a response are slim. This could damage your confidence pretty early on and make you believe you’re not “cut out” for freelance life.
*Spoiler: no one really is, we all just persevere out of love of writing and stubbornness.
So, start small. A local publication or small online blog or perhaps somewhere bigger that is explicitly open to newer writers. Once you get that first byline, the game changes completely!
This is a huge reason why having a blog (like this one!) is a good idea, particularly when you’re first starting out, as it serves as proof of your writing ability without the need to rely on someone else for that first published piece. However, if you have no interest in blogging, that’s okay too, go ahead and get that first byline to start your portfolio! I recommend having some sort of online portfolio site, but more on that in a minute.
So, think of smaller or more open-to-newbie publications you could potentially write for.
I started with Matador Network, which is a pretty decent-sized online publication, but typically open to writers of all levels. I initially pitched in April 2020, when most travel sites either temporarily halted publishing or switched to focus on pandemic-era stories.
How did I succeed?
I sent a very specific idea that was relevant to what they were looking for at the time (travel around Covid.) At the time, my boyfriend and I were separated by the US-Canada border closure with no end in sight. However, I didn’t just pitch a generic “long-distance couple separated by virus border closure” story, as I figured they’d be getting quite a few of those around that time.
I focused on the US-Canada relationship, the history, and how unprecedented (this was before we were all sick of that word guys, lol), the closure was, tying in a parallel to my own relationship.
I highly recommend the same approach for anyone trying to get those initial articles published. Think about unique stories and angles only you can tell. Don’t pitch “Best Beaches in Sydney” or “Top 10 Cafes in Paris” for your first stories, more general pieces like that are handled by in-house staff or freelancers the publication has worked with before.
*The only exception is if you have really good insight like you grew up in Paris or have a strong connection to the local community. Even then, try and spin a unique angle for increased chances of success!
Once that first piece was live, it truly felt like the (freelance) world opened up. Suddenly, I had the confidence to reach out to a bunch of other publications. Often with little success, but when I did receive another win, my confidence continued to grow, bit by bit.
*Important to note: I only got paid $60 for that first article, BUT haven’t been paid under $100 since! So keep in mind when you’re new, payment will be lower initially.
Some publications offer flat rates, others give you one based on experience and others may even ask what your payment expectations are prior to accepting the assignment. Take it all in stride and if you’re asked (I’ve only been asked once I believe) do some research to see what’s appropriate and don’t low-ball yourself!
Which brings us (in a roundabout way) to….
How to Pitch
Connect with Editors
The best way to get a feel for publications and editors is to well…connect with them. How does one go about that?
- Read a variety of publications (and likely then, would like to write for) to get a sense of what kind of stories they publish. Also helps to follow them on social media.
- Look up the masthead for said publications and Google the editor names. Look them up on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram all the usual places.
- This will help you get a sense of what specific sections each editor works on as it’s not always obvious. They often have more details in their bios, i.e.: instead of just Associate or Deputy, perhaps for Finance/Lifestyle etc.
- You can also get a sense by scrolling through their feed to observe what articles they’ve recently edited or if they’ve put out any recent calls for pitches. Most also have their emails listed somewhere.
- However, beyond just internet stalking, it’s also a good idea to engage with editors so they know who you are. Comment on their posts, share stories they’ve recently highlighted, etc. Just don’t go overboard and harass them! You can do this before or after emailing or after initial publication, whatever you feel is right. It helps develop the relationship so you’re at the forefront of their mind for assignments or when you pitch again later down the road!
Read Pitch Guidelines
A lot of the larger publications have general guidelines on their site. If it’s not obvious in the navigation bar try searching “pitch guidelines” within the site, or alternatively Google “how to pitch X publication”.
These usually consist of which editor to contact for which topic/area. Abide by this, don’t waste their time! Additionally, if it points you to a general email, use that instead of filling editors’ already overflowing direct emails (unless they have a specific bio that says PITCH ME.)
This is a great resource of guidelines for a bunch of major publications.
For me personally I tend to reach out to editors, just based on the publications I wrote for. Fodor’s however is a good example of one you should only use the general email for as it’s explicitly stated in the guidelines.
Research!!!!
Pitch relevant stories guys.
Don’t send the Finance editor a food story (unless you can connect it back to finances). Don’t pitch a US-travel based publication on Bali. Again, read the guidelines and check out the editor’s socials to get an idea of what’s relevant.
I’m guilty of occasionally sending out subpar ideas, but I try to make them as relevant as possible. And remember, every pitch you’ll feel a bit more comfortable!
Follow Up and Stay Consistent
Both were game-changers for me. It was hard to maintain both while trying to freelance across three countries during a pandemic, but I now have a system that works for me. I typically draft a bunch of ideas at the beginning of each month/quarter, along with ideas of where to reach out, deadlines for when to pitch each story and scheduling time each week in my calendar to actually send emails.
All with a tracking system so I know when to follow up. When is best to?
Usually two to three weeks is enough time to not be pushy. However, if the guidelines say don’t follow up, DON’T DO IT.
Have an Online Presence
As mentioned above, some sort of portfolio is advisable. You know how I recommend looking up editors? You better believe they’re doing the same with writers!
So whether it’s a blog, a simple portfolio site (once you’ve published a few things) or a killer LinkedIn/Instagram/Whatever account, make sure they can find you on the web!
Don’t Get Discouraged by Rejection
I’ve focused mainly on the positives here, but I’ve also had my heart broken a time or two or twenty. The key to not letting it get you down is to expect it. Now, that doesn’t mean you should send bad emails because “there’s no way I’m getting published”, stay optimistic but with low expectations.
Rejection will usually come in the form of no response. Seriously, editors receive thousands of emails a day, so don’t get too down. If you’ve followed up and haven’t heard back, feel free to take the story elsewhere.
Due to this, any other type of response is a bonus! Even a “no thanks” email is a huge win.
Why?
Because you got A response. The editor at least skimmed it and will know who you are next time you reach out (again, connections!!!).
If you take every “no thanks” or no response personally, freelancing is gonna get you down real fast. So, pitch well, be relevant and stay positive (without going full on toxic positivity, we can all have a pity party every once in a while, it’s part of freelance life.)
So, how are you feeling about freelancing now? If you have any questions feel free to comment below, email me or connect over on Instagram!