You’re a beginner or veteran who wants to go to the next level. You have a ton of questions, but nobody out there wants to answer you, especially the veterans.
Everyone is telling you how successful they are. But it looks like no one wants to share the intricate details with you.
Worry no more. Today, I’m answering your most critical questions. To make this more interesting, I’ll make this a conversation between you and me. So, picture me seated across the table, and let’s go!
Is it really true that there are people who earn more than KSh.100k ($1,000) per month doing freelance writing work in their pyjamas?
Yes, it’s absolutely true. I’ll give a few examples that you can easily prove online through a simple Google search.
Tom Nyarunda posted about how he earned over Sh. 260k in one month. Chepkoech Ann earns over Sh. 100k per month as a writer. Johnson Gitonga Nderi also wrote about earning $1,268 part-time as a writer.
Search Upwork, and you’ll see many more local and international freelancers doing $1,000, $2,000, and even $3,000+ per month as article writers.
Hehehe 😂😂😂…and yes…you can work in your pyjamas if you want to.
That’s amazing! Would you say article writing is easy?
Nope. It’s hard work, just like anything good in life. In fact, when starting, it requires a ton of hard work and dedication.
The good news is that if you do things the right way, things will start getting easier with time.
Nobody should join if they’re looking for overnight riches, get-rich-quick schemes, or success without effort. You’ll be utterly disappointed.
Whoa! With the numbers you’ve mentioned above, I’m sure people are drooling right now. What does it take to be a successful writer earning 100k ($1,000) and above?
Lol…I’d tell them to stop drooling first and read again. It requires hard work and dedication to make it. For you to cross the 100 KES ($1,000) mark, you’ll have to work for every single cent.
Let’s start from zero. Let’s assume you’ve never written, and you want to hit 100k in the next few months.
You need two things:
- To write content that clients love: First, you should have good basic grammar and writing skills. Second, you should know what clients want so that you’re able to deliver what I call pure gold.
- You need to be hired by clients who value you: You may not be able to hit 100k with crappy clients. Focus on progressive clients who pay well, give consistent work, are easy to work with, pay promptly, and communicate professionally.
Knowing how to write a basic article can take you a few days. You can Google the basics or get someone to train you. Once you know the basics, focus most of your time honing your skills, reaching out to clients, and delivering pure gold.
Credibility is huge right now. Someone won’t just go into their wallet and pay you 100k. To prove you’re credible, you need to quickly create samples and publish them out there.
Reach out to valuable publications and ask for guest posting opportunities. Let’s call these high-quality samples “clips”.
The more awesome clips you have, the more credible you’ll look!
Massively reach out to clients. That’s hard work. You should apply for at least 10 jobs every single day. The more, the better.
Of course, you should keep improving your skills for the rest of your freelancing life. That’s what will get you those top-tier clients that everyone wants.
Nice. What exactly does article writing entail?
Good question since many people get this confused. Hehehehe…even some of my close friends don’t know exactly what I do.
Article writing is creating text-based content for websites and blogs. It specifically means creating the content that goes to the “Blog” or “Articles” section of a website.
Think of content you’ve read with titles like:
- 5 Ways to Lose Weight
- 10 Amazing COVID-19 Facts
- How to Raise Happy Kids
- Why You Should NOT Save All Your Money in the Bank
All these are articles.
Some key features of an article include:
- A catchy title: There’s an enormous difference between a title like “Life Lessons” and “7 Life Lessons from a Guy Who Can’t Move Anything but His Face”. The first one is boring. The second one is mind-blowing! It’s from an actual article by Jon Morrow, a renowned writer and mentor. Catchy titles heavily determine the success of an article.
- An alluring intro: The intro comes next. It must be so alluring that someone just wants to read more. You can start with great thoughts, shocking statistics, a burning question, empathy, humor, etc. On common topics, NEVER start with a definition.
- Subheadings: Today’s readers mostly skim through stuff. They don’t read everything. Therefore, have multiple subheadings to make your content skimmable.
- Bullet points: It’s good to have at least one set of bullet points where applicable. This is not mandatory but really helps to make content easy to read. Bullets shouldn’t cover more than a third of the article, though.
- An assuring conclusion: Don’t mess up good writing with a lousy conclusion. Close by summing up your main points and give a call to action.
These are just basics. Some clients may want a few more things, but they’ll include that in their content brief.
No matter what you’re taught, always follow clients’ instructions. You’re free to discuss better approaches with a client. But once done, make sure you do what you’ve agreed upon.
How do you get those amazing clients who value you?
We’re so privileged to live at a time when there are tons of ways to get clients. Here are some methods that work for many successful freelance writers:
Upwork: There are multiple freelancing websites out there, but Upwork is the very best. It’s like Google or Facebook. The ultimate king when it comes to getting clients on an online work platform. However, you can get even higher-paying clients through cold-pitching.
Cold-pitching: This is like what Kenyans call “tarmacking”…you know…how job seekers will just wake up in the morning and reach out to multiple companies for job opportunities. With cold-pitching, you identify websites in your niche that look like they can afford your rates, then you pitch them directly. Nick Darlington explains it so well here.
Job boards: You can get valuable clients from job boards like ProBlogger, Listiller, Indeed, etc. I even once got some amazing clients from Craigslist!
Reddit: Go to Reddit and join subreddits like Hire a Writer.
Social Media: Reach out to clients on Facebook groups, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc. You can get fantastic copywriting clients from this Facebook group, for example.
Blogging: This takes more time to build up but can have amazing results and become semi-passive. Create an amazing blog, build an audience, and list “article writing” as one of your services. Clients can start reaching out to you directly.
Other freelancing websites: I put Upwork on its own since it’s amazing. But there are other sites like Fiverr and PeoplePerHour that are fantastic as well. Here’s a whole list of sites.
Networking: If you’re a genuine person who likes helping others and connecting with new people, this can be a wonderful way to get clients. People from your networks can recommend their friends or even reach out to you directly with opportunities.
Referrals: When you become really good, some of your amazing clients will refer you to their awesome friends.
Warm pitching: Simply reach out to people within your circles and see if they need your services. I’ve often challenged people to message their friends on WhatsApp, text, or call. Some have actually gotten huge deals!
There are many ways to get clients right now. These are just a few. Keep your eyes open for opportunities.
Should you buy an account?
No no no no no!
No matter how much you’re tempted to, NEVER buy an online work account. It’s against those sites’ terms and conditions, making it unethical and fraudulent. You get caught, you’re out. Use legitimate means if you want to stay in the game long-term. I’ve listed legitimate means above.
You’re a campus dropout, Walter, right? How did you start? How exactly did you get here?
Dropping out of campus was one of my toughest decisions, but I had to make it, else I’d not be who I am today. I thank God I survived this – my biggest rejection in life.
Guys out there, don’t just drop out for the sake of it. If possible to finish, do so.
For me, life was hard—total pain and tears. I started a family young, became a full-time caregiver, and nobody wanted to hire me for a long time.
I went through some unimaginable difficulties trying to raise a young family.
One day in early 2011, someone told me that they do article writing on a certain site. I joined it, got started, and it saved my life.
At that time, I was earning 15k working at a car hire firm. I couldn’t believe it. When I started article writing, my income quickly shot up. It doubled, quadrupled, and kept rising!
I could finally afford to take care of my family, mentor a few people online, and take up some philanthropic roles.
By God’s grace, my mentorship blew up as well. My site has been viewed over 2M times. My mailing list has over 20k members. And the Facebook groups I’ve founded have over 100k members (combined).
Back to where I started…
My first “serious” client used to pay me $1 per 500 words back in April 2011. Peanuts, right? At the time, I didn’t even know that was low pay. I was just happy I could finally earn a stable income.
I delivered pure gold, and he increased to $2 per 500 words. I was over the moon! I hired writers and started paying them $1 per 500 words. Once again, at the time, I had no idea this was extremely low pay.
Within a few months, I’d grown a little empire delivering over 75 articles per day!
I wouldn’t encourage you to start this low, though. Charge your worth.
I hustled and got even better-paying clients. I reduced my team and did most of the articles myself. As time went by, I kept improving my skills and reaching out to even more valuable clients.
My highest paying client paid me $150 per 500 words for simple tasks. I also upped my skills and started earning through blogging, affiliate marketing, training, writing, selling my own ebooks, etc. The journey has been tough but totally worth it.
Should someone pay for training or just use Google and YouTube?
It’s a free world, so everyone decides what works best for them.
For me, I don’t like starting from the bottom without a mentor. That’s a lonely, unprofitable, and difficult place to start.
See, Google and YouTube have tons of information, but they may not give it to you step by step.
Some of it may be outdated. You may not get Q and As with the experts. And you won’t have an expert literally checking your articles, profiles, proposals, pitches, blog, etc., then honestly telling you exactly what to improve on.
When starting, I didn’t pay for training since I couldn’t afford it. But as soon as I started earning, I’ve always paid for courses and bought books.
I’ve learned from great writers such as Jon Morrow, Carol Tice, Bamidele Onibalusi, and many more. Yes, I paid them all for lessons. And I’m still learning from other people at a fee.
A lot of what I know about SEO, PPC, SMM, affiliate marketing, blogging, etc., came from a course I paid for many years from Affilorama.
Tons of my life skills came from books that I keep buying almost every month.
This means that I only started from the bottom once. From then on, I start from the middle with experts who show me the ropes step by step and give me industry best-practices.
If you totally can’t afford to pay someone or just want to test the waters, it’s okay. Go to YouTube and Google Learn, then give it your best shot. Who knows? You may end up doing very well.
However, if it doesn’t work for you or you want to grow faster, please consider getting trained by an experienced trainer.
What are your biggest achievements?
I’m totally grateful to God for the far He has brought me. Here’s a list of what I consider my biggest achievements:
- Getting valuable clients
- Becoming Top Rated Plus on Upwork
- Hitting 20k email subscribers
- Getting over 2M views on my blog
- Training over 3,000 freelance writers, including some of the highest-earning writers in the region
- Mentoring tens of thousands of people through my blog, emails, and social media platforms
- Being featured/mentioned on sites/platforms like Kuza Biashara, HuffPost, Nation, Standard, Family Radio, Homeboyz, WriteWorldwide, Writers in Charge, etc
- Working with big names like KEMU, Samaschool, Homeboyz Foundation, Change Creator, etc
How can someone reach you for further guidance?
I don’t like leaving people behind. I’ve always wanted us to grow as an industry. For that reason, I mentor others through:
- My blog – FreelancerKenya.com
- Facebook groups – Awesome Transcribers in Kenya and Remarkable Freelance Writers in Africa
- Free emails – Anyone can subscribe here.
- Facebook page: FreelancerKenya
- Personal Facebook profile: Walter Akolo
To avoid getting confused by all these platforms, the BEST place where I give guidance is via email. Most of you reading this are already getting my emails for free. If you are not getting them, subscribe here.
I’d opened this post up for comments for a limited time. See more questions and answers in the comments section below.
In case of any further questions, shoot me an email at walter@freelancerkenya.com (this is currently the BEST WAY to reach me). I strive to respond to all queries.
- 348Shares
Hi Walter thanks for your continued emails i get fro m you on a weekly basis. about the last email i read you mentioned about the three steps we should follow so as to send proposals on up work the best writer and also earn $1000. Is it a must we follow all the tree steps or as long as we have a catchy proposal we can still go on and apply for jobs on the bid accounts?
Hi Nancy,
Thanks for reaching out.
I’d strongly recommend you follow the steps. Those steps I sent were very specific. Consider them recommendations.
However, you don’t just wake up and send proposals.
Good to at least have:
1. The skill: Be able to provide what clients are looking for
2. A great profile: Your profile speaks volumes
3. Fantastic samples: Clients want to see what you can actually provide
4. Mouthwatering proposals: You should be able to literally respond to each client’s needs in your proposals. Don’t just copy paste a catchy proposal you saw somewhere.
Don’t be in a hurry. With hard work and dedication you can go far.
Thank you,
Walter
Hello Walter,
I’ve been training with you for the last one month. I’m still polishing on article writing.
It’s awesome discovering so much in writing. I’m truly excited though hv not started paid tasks.
My question:
1. What’s VA
2. What does Social media manager do?
Hey Mary,
That’s great!
Keep doing your best.
1. That’s virtual assistance. It’s sort of a jack of all trades. You do different kinds of tasks for your clients such as answering emails, publishing content on their blogs, helping them to schedule things on their calendars, create images, etc.
2. Social media managers help their clients succeed on social media. They do things like posting on behalf of their clients, responding, scheduling future posts, coming up with post content, etc.
These are good skills that can earn you something decent right now.
Thanks,
Walter
Great content, Walter.
I’ve read over and over again on the “10 jobs or more per day”. It’s until today that I really understood.
Do you know of a technical writer who can advice us here? I would like to push through the technical side, just wanted to know if someone has done it to the point of success…
Hi Samedi,
I’m glad you love the content. Thanks a lot.
Unfortunately, this post is timed and the comments will be closed any minute now. However, in case a technical writer sees this and decides to do a guest post on it, I’ll gladly allow them to.
Good thing is the steps are virtually the same in most writing categories. You can simply implement the steps here and do great in technical writing as well. And you can do more research and take free or paid technical writing courses.
Keep going!
Walter
I have been following you for quite some time. I have read almost all your articles from tips to testimonies. I always get tempted to join article writing, but like any other broke freelancer, I ask myself if I am guaranteed to get jobs once I am done training. Do you offer jobs to your students?
Hi Kate,
Thanks for reaching out. Wow! I’m glad you read most of my articles. So humbling.
Unfortunately no. Training guarantees training. It doesn’t guarantee jobs. You literally have to reach out to a client and get hired. Any trainer who guarantees jobs is lying straight to your face.
You must actually implement what you learn to get those jobs. That’s why I keep talking of hard work, persistence, effort, quality, etc.
I’ve been writing for 9 years and even now I still have to actually convince clients to hire me. Jobs don’t just come because I took all these courses I’ve taken.
Yes, I do hire top trainees once in a while depending on their quality and availability of work. I’m not hiring at the moment, though.
Thank you,
Walter
Hi Walter, what do you think about hourly jobs? I recently got my first invivitation to apply to one.
Hey Florence,
Go ahead and apply. It won’t hurt to get hired for a new job!
I personally always prefer fixed price to hourly jobs. Or other payment models like payment per project or on retainer.
I don’t like that feeling that someone is looking over my shoulder when working using those hourly time tracking apps.
However, I’ve been hired for hourly jobs and delivered gold. And if hired today for one, I’ll take it and deliver.
I don’t like wasting good chances.
Once again, go ahead and apply. It may be the breakthrough you’ve been waiting for!
Many thanks,
Walter
Hi walter,
Thanks for the countinous mentorship via emails and other social platforms. Would you advice someone to join kenyanwriters.com?
Can you mentor someone interested in digital market affliliate?
Hi Juliet,
Thanks for your kind comment.
No, I don’t recommend it. So many people are complaining about it. Maybe the site will change later and have good packages but right now it’s not worth it.
Regarding affiliate marketing, I don’t have a mentorship package on it at the moment. Creating and marketing a course takes time and effort. Maybe I’ll create one later.
However, you can read my post on affiliate marketing here https://freelancerkenya.com/money-online/affiliate-marketing-the-best-home-business-for-you/
I highly recommend affiliate marketing. It’s a great way to earn semi-passive income.
Many thanks,
Walter
From the time I started receiving your emails I have learnt a lot of basics. I have not gone into some deep facts so far. This is because of the unfortunate fact that I have not managed to get a PC. That’s what is hindering me now to fully venture into academic writing. Who can sponsor me I get one then I’ll return the favour back when I become stable. Thank you
Hi George,
Thanks for commenting.
Sorry about that.
I hope you get someone to give you one.
Meanwhile, take the bull by the horns and do your best to get some sort of computer access. See if you can:
– Borrow from a friend
– Negotiate with a neighborhood cyber for a low monthly rate
– Go to a nearby library
Once you start working, you may earn enough to buy yourself one.
Then in a few years, when you’re earning good money, you can go for one of these premium, high-value machines to make you feel like it was worth the wait.
Hehehehe…that’s what I did. I started with a very old, slow, borrowed laptop. Glad a friend later gave me his free of charge.
And when I earned something small, I rewarded myself with a nice machine. Not the best but at least way more powerful.
I usually give out mine when I buy others. But laptops have a 5 year life span. I gave one out last year and it may be a few more years before I buy another.
I keep telling myself that one of these fine days I’ll buy one of those exquisite machines that only a few human beings own.
It all started with that old, slow, borrowed one.
You can do it too!
Thanks,
Walter
Hi Walter.
Thank you for this fabulous initiative
My question:
If you are writing a profile in upwork,what should you include in the section of skills, experience and interests ?
Thanks.
Hi Dorcas,
Thanks for reaching out.
Skills include things like article writing, blog post writing, SEO writing, etc.
Experience means what you’ve done in the past.
Interests should focus on the client. What are you interested in offering them. I like using something like “I’ll be happy to see you meeting your goals”. Or more specifically, “I’d love to help you get more traffic, subscribers, and sales.”
Thank you!
Walter
Hi Walter.
Is copywriting a niche or a skill. Is it the same as emarketing?
I’ve opened a business Facebook page. It asks me to boost page. When I get to mode of payment, it only give Mr credit card option. When enter my debit card number, (not account no) , it tells me the card is not valid. What should I do?
How do I love link a debit card no to PayPal account ( which no should I enter?
Hi Ngigi,
Thanks for commenting.
Copywriting is a skill. It means writing marketing content such as Facebook ad copy, sales emails, sales pages, landing pages, etc. Some clients consider blog posts part of this since they’re part of the buyer’s journey.
It’s not the same as e-marketing but it’s part of it — the writing part of online marketing.
Regarding the Facebook ad, you can try another card. Make sure you’re entering the right details. The card number is the 16 digits on the front of your card. The CVV or CSC means the 3 last digits at the back of your card.
To link a card to PayPal, you go to Wallet then “Link a card”. Add the card number and CSC as stated above. Make sure the card has at least Sh. 400 before doing so. And call your bank or card issuer to confirm your card is activated for online transactions.
Thanks,
Walter
Hi Walter,
Thank you for creating time to address some questions we struggle to find answers.
I’ve a list of emails and I want to send them a single mail, but I would like each mail to bear the name of the recipient.
For example, Hi Walter, Hi William… Is this possible. If yes, how’s it done?
I appreciate your generosity.
Thank you so much.
Hey William,
Thanks for reaching out.
You use email marketing software for that. I use AWeber. You can join it here https://freelancerkenya.com/go/aweber
Once you join AWeber, create a mailing list that has at least their first name.
Then when writing emails, you’ll be putting a specific tag where you want first names to appear. When the emails are sent, AWeber will “call” each person by their first name 🙂
Thank you,
Walter
Hello Walter
Thank you so much for sharing informative tips through your emails
Have you ever been rejected by a client on the basis that you are not native speaker?
Sometimes I send my pitch and the response I get is,””Sorry I am looking a native speaker for this project”
How do you deal with this issue because some clients will not even want to continue having a discussion with you after realising you are not native speaker?
Hi Samson,
Thanks for your comment.
It sucks, doesn’t it?
But that’s life.
Some people are too specific. And some have genuine reasons why they’d want to work with people from certain areas.
In freelance writing, you may not convince all clients to hire you. Some give you a negative response. Most ignore.
But when persistent, you can still end up getting your match.
My take is you keep going and look for clients who value you. Don’t let one human being put you down.
And you’re not alone. Many of us have gone through this at some point in our careers. We just move on to the next one. There are still good people out there.
All the best!
Walter
Hi Walter!
Great idea. I have three questions. One: I see you use Hostagator to host your websites. I wonder how your experience has been with them given that their own site seems to be always down. I’ve been trying to buy hosting with them but their website fails and never proceeds to checkout. Might you have seen such a problem before?
Two: If you use your freelancerkenya.com email for cold pitching, do you think the “Kenya” part pushes away potential clients who look the other way at the thought of working with a non-native speaker?
Three: Can I link the normal ATM card to PayPal where they ask for a credit or debit card?
Thanks.
Hi Sylvester,
Thank you so much for dropping by and asking.
Now…
HostGator is not always down. It’s up right now. It’s actually mostly up. Just make sure you’re visiting the correct site.
You can try using my affiliate link https://freelancerkenya.com/hg to sign up.
With that, you’ll only pay $36 for your entire first year. And I’ll get a little commission for referring you 🙂
You can also reach out to HostGator support in case you continue having issues at checkout.
You don’t have to use a site like freelancerkenya.com for cold-pitching. You can always use other sites. For example, I have walterakolo.com, penstars.com, etc.
To answer your question, though, I don’t think the “Kenya” part should scare away clients. Not all clients are against non-native speakers.
Funny but true…some clients have reached out to me straight from this blog.
One was looking for someone to write about banks. When researching, he saw my post about Equity Bank and PayPal. He hired me and paid me a handsome fee 🙂
Another UK client even hired me to run his entire writing agency. Yes, through this Kenyan blog.
There’s an amazing US client I pitched. I gave him a sample from this very blog. He didn’t care I’m from Kenya. He saw a great post with hundreds of comments and shares. He saw I’m using email marketing and amazing plugins.
With all that, he knew I’m a serious writer and hired me! He loved my content and still does. We’ve worked together for years.
Don’t be discouraged about where you’re from. Remember someone with Kenyan blood once became the president of USA. A Kenyan once won an Oscar and said your dreams are valid no matter where you come from. A Kenyan won the Ineos thing and said no man is limited.
Yes, you can use a normal ATM on PayPal. Just make sure it’s enabled for online transactions. And that it has at least Sh. 400 in there.
Thank you!
Walter
Hi Walter,
How does one fight the guilt/fear of changing careers? I’m switching from writing to software development and such.
Hi Ali,
I understand the fear. I get that sometimes. We all do. A change of career is no mean feat.
However, I try and work with data, not emotion.
If my current career is not giving me great, tangible, and verifiable results, I’m out.
If I start doing something else and it gives me amazing results, I’m in.
That’s how I quit my day job and became a full time writer.
My day job was paying me Sh. 15k per month.
I started writing part-time and got almost Sh. 7,500 in a few weeks. Some clients hired me long-term and in my calculations, I figured I’d earn double (or more) what I was earning on my day job.
I quit and went on to double, quadruple, and even 10x my income as a full-time freelance writer.
So, Ali, here’s my take. Don’t just make decisions based on emotion. Use actual data. Try doing software development for real clients and see the results. Compare that with your writing results. That will help you make a sober decision.
Note that all the points I’m making here assume that you’re doing your very best. Sometimes we fail because we’re not working hard enough.
All the best!
Walter
How is Ciontena job board?
Hi Fidelis,
Sorry, I have absolutely no idea. I’ve never used it.
Whenever I get something new, the first thing I do is to do thorough research and see what people say out there. You can do that.
Meanwhile, you can be using the well known job boards like ProBlogger, BloggingPro, Indeed, Listiller, etc.
Thank you,
Walter
Hello Walter,
My question may seem quite obvious, still, What do you use to check for plagiarism, that is if you need to?
And what are the best ways you could recommend?
Respectfully…..
Hi Peris,
Good to see you here! Thanks for commenting.
The best thing to do is to never plagiarize. Read from multiple sources, learn, and write in your own words.
However, when I need to check for plagiarism, I use Copyscape.com. It’s the best in the industry at the moment.
Thanks!
Walter
Thank you soo much, Walter, for your mentorship and training, I have through the questions and I can confirm that you have almost answered all the questions I had, thanks Again
Hi Philip,
Thanks for commenting.
I’m glad your questions are answered.
Your friend,
Walter
Hie Walter!
Greetings from Zimbabwe! Thank you so much for your emails, they keep me motivated. I came across your post for freelancing sites. So far, I got into Freeup and I’ve had one client so far, crossing my fingers for more. My question is can I start cold pitching without a website and just my Gmail address? Will any clients respond? I can’t afford any of those things at the moment.
Thanks again for your support ! God bless you abundantly!!
Hi Evelyn,
How’s Zimbabwe! Thanks a ton for commenting.
Congrats on getting one client on FreeUp. Keep going. I believe you’ll get more with hard work and dedication.
Sure, you can cold-pitch with Gmail. If your pitch is amazing, clients won’t care about whether it’s Gmail or your own domain.
However, to increase your chances of success, create your own site soon. Apart from a custom email, it has added advantages. It becomes a one stop shop to showcase your writing and expertise to clients.
And it does look more professional.
God bless you too, Evelyn. Immeasurably!
Your friend,
Walter
Aaaaaaah man!! How you helping me with your free emails,,,I can’t really tell, I will come here one day and give a testimony! 0
By January am ready to getting started God bless you man
Hi Nyakundi,
Wow! Thanks man. I’m humbled by your kind feedback.
Let’s do this!
God bless you too.
Many thanks,
Walter
Hi,
Uhm, I used to write sometime back in highschool and I have a book full of articles, I also have an upwork account I’ve never used.
How do I use it to earn?(I still don’t know how it works)
Hi Antony,
Thanks for commenting.
Good to know you’ve been writing. And that you have a book full of articles. That’s amazing.
As you’ll soon find out, online writing is not the same as what we did in high school. And may not be the same as what you have on your book. Clients want work done in a specific way.
First, you’ll need to learn how to write in a way that will wow an online audience. That includes having a catchy title, intro, subheadings, bullet points, and an assuring conclusion.
Nowadays, clients love conversational writing, where you write as if you’re talking to a friend.
And you may be asked to include screenshots, images, links to authoritative data, etc.
Once you can do all that, start reaching out massively to clients.
Perfect that Upwork account such that it has great specialized profiles and stunning portfolio items. Then create mouthwatering proposals that respond to clients’ needs.
Upwork itself has a free course you can look up. You can also consider getting someone to train you how to do all this professionally. I give numerous tips right here on this blog plus I train writers. You can check out my course details here https://freelancerkenya.com/article-writing-and-blogging-training/
Thank you!
Walter
I have a passion to writing but not professionally May be we can call it for fun.
People find humor in posts I write.
How can I channel this to make money?
Thank you
Hi Wairimu,
That’s great!
Having a passion can take you far.
I was also extremely passionate when starting.
You can channel your humor writing to make money using these methods:
1. Comedy: Humor in itself is big business. You can curve yourself out as a humor writer, create an audience, become an influencer, and sell stuff.
2. Article writing: Learn how to package your writing into fine content that wows clients. Reach out to clients on various platforms for article writing work. Cleverly infuse your humor into the content to leave their audience in stitches, but still teach them stuff.
3. Blogging: Consider starting a blog. Same as number 1, create a hungry audience and keep feeding them with your content. You can then monetize the blog using ads, ebooks, courses, sponsored posts, etc.
Thank you for taking your time to answer me.
Thank you for always teaching us
God bless.
Hey Walter, thanks so much for this chance to answer our questions.
First question, what do you do about taxes? The pay bracket you’re talking about is higher than what a lot of people are making in Kenya, do you have any contacts I may be able to talk to regarding this if you can’t talk about it?
Second question, the VA job you had, did you create contracts or have your client sign something? If so, do you have a blueprint for what it should look like?
Hi Devota,
Thanks for commenting.
You’re right. There are some departments I don’t touch, such as tax, some aspects of law, and some aspects of medicine. These need professional help to avoid giving wrong advice with adverse effects.
You can inbox Raphael Jackson on Facebook for tax advice. Here’s his Facebook link https://www.facebook.com/raphael.jackson2
Regarding the VA job I did (and that one of my team members is still handling), no, we didn’t create a contract.
I got the client back in 2013 through an agency I was working for. The agency went down but she reached out to me later with more work. We’ve not had any issues. She pays well, on time, and loves what we do.
Since it’s hard to enforce some of these international contracts, I have a simple rule for my new clients. They pay at me 50 to 100% in advance. Or we do escrow payments like what happens in Upwork. That way, it’s hard to get scammed.
Some do send contracts like one I’ve worked for recently who’s from New York. The client created it using their legal team. And still paid 50% in advance and 50% on delivery.
Thanks!
Walter
Hi Walter,
Thank you for always helping writers get better. I appreciate all your help thus far.
My question:
Is there a difference between articles and blog posts?
Thanks
Hi Jackie,
Nope. Not a big difference.
Blog posts are articles.
There are sites that have an “articles” section instead of a “blog” section e.g news sites. In that case, those are just articles but you may not call them blog posts.
hello Walter,
Thank you for endless emails that have helped me grow as a writer
my question is, how do I get direct clients through Twitter? help me because am not sure how to use Twitter and yet its a very important tool.
Hi Juliana,
Thanks for your question.
There are clients who post job alerts on Twitter. If you see one of those, go ahead and apply.
Follow job boards on Twitter like Write Jobs https://twitter.com/write_jobs
Keep posting on Twitter, promoting yourself as an expert so that you get the attention of potential clients.
All the best!
Walter
Hi Walter,
First is to thank you for the great insights you extend to us so often via mail and social media platforms. Bet you have impacted so many of us and given us courage to get our feet wet and try out article writing.
I have been an academic writer for the longest time but I desire to switch to article writing. With the help of a friend I have managed to write two articles. I also reached out to a fellow writer on ATK group who offered to give me mentorship but the progress has been quite slow.
I used the aforementioned articles to apply for a freelancing job for a company in Australia but my application was rejected since my writing didn’t match their expectations.
Now here is my question, Can you help review my pieces of work? Even if its at a fee. Had desired to join your training program but at the moment I am not in a position.
I have done extensive research and come up with several topics which I intend to write more sample articles on. I want to challenge myself to even search keywords on my own and later publish on Medium. My only problem is getting a mentor who will hold hand.
Hi Muthoni,
Thanks for getting in touch.
Good to know your progress so far. Sorry about the rejected application.
I must admit that you write so well and have great potential. With a bit of polishing you can really go far.
We assess content for trainees on my course. You’re free to join it when able to. We give discounts on and off to cater for those who can’t make full price. Here are the details https://freelancerkenya.com/article-writing-and-blogging-training/
I understand that you’re unable to join the course at the moment. But you can still use our other service — https://penstars.com. We give professional content assessment services at a tiny fee.
If you still need me to look at your content in person, but not through my course, and not through PenStars, then you can email me we can work something out. It may not be cheap but I believe it will still be worth it.
Thanks!
Walter
Hello Walter.
I am an Article and Copywriter. I’m still new in this field as I started this year May. Recently, I opened an Upwork and LinkedIn accounts.
Before that, I did a couple of writing just for local employers who mostly paid me Kshs 0.5 per word. I then bid for another job that paid Kshs 1 bob per word. I left my employer of 0.5 for 1 bob but I stumbled a few blocks and that’s what made me opt for an Upwork account.
The articles I did were mostly web contents. Today I stumbled upon different articles I did posted on various websites and they looked great. I was even shocked that am the one who wrote them. The websites looked great with my writings on them even though I did them for Kshs 0.5 per word.
Now my question is, do I have the right to email the various websites and request them to allow me use their sites as my case studies when bidding to clients on Upwork or that’s unprofessional?
They’re international websites.
Thank you!
Hi Stephanie,
Thanks for reaching out.
I’m glad you’re writing high-quality work that looks great on the various sites where they’re posted.
No, don’t talk to the website owners asking them to use their work on your portfolio. Remember that once you were paid by your clients, the rights to the work moved to them. It’s now their work, not yours.
In case you were working with the website directly, then you’d have done that. But doing that after working with a middleman is unprofessional and can lead to tons of issues.
Now that you’re already an amazing writer, please start your own blog and be publishing stuff there. That way you fully own the content and can be showcasing it without permission.
One more thing:
In case you get a client along the way who publishes content in your name, then you can also freely showcase those articles to other clients.
I hope this helps, Stephanie,
Your friend,
Walter
Your reply has helped.
Thank you!
Hi am Pascal and I have two questions; I was an online article writer three years ago, never went for training but did it for about 2 months and later quit after my employer gone underground with my money, so I wish to come back again. I’ve been doing news article writing for news websites. So my question is, How can I make a comeback and do I need training. Second, How can I get my first gig bearing in mind that I have no sample to show case? Thanks in advance.
Hey Pascal,
Thanks for reaching out.
Sorry about the client who disappeared with your cash.
Regarding training, everyone needs it. You either learn through googling or by paying someone to train you. Either way, you must learn so that you know what clients actually want and how to deliver it.
Create one sample today and get someone to look at it. This can be your trainer (for detailed feedback), a professional editor, or your close friend. Publish that one on Medium.
I also want you to create a second sample next week. Also get a pro to look at that one. Publish that one on LinkedIn (log in to LinkedIn and click on “Write an Article”).
After that, I want you to start doing two things daily:
– Honing your skills through training, googling, or reading books
– Applying for at least 10 jobs
All the very best, Pascal.
Many thanks,
Walter
Hi Walter, thanks for the daily tips. They are very informative.
My question is when sending proposals on upwork most clients require samples in similar field.Does this mean i have to create a sample for every proposal i submit since they are varied fields.
Secondly, how do you get high paying clients to hire when you are still a newbie?
Hi Elizabeth,
I appreciate your kind words.
No, don’t create a sample for every proposal. But keep creating valuable work that you can share as a sample. Start with at least two awesome samples. Create them within the next seven days and publish on LinkedIn and Medium. Create your own blog where you’ll be publishing content like once a week. That way you’ll have an arsenal of samples to use when applying for jobs.
Getting high paying clients means you’ll have to deliver immense value. Therefore, you’ll need to always learn and always create quality. You can learn from being trained (faster) or googling. After that, reach out to clients massively. I recommend applying for at least 10 jobs per day.
You can do this! Start now.
Thank you so much,
Walter
Thank you Walter for your invaluable tips and insights.
I would love to know how you manage distractions to stay focused. Also, can you share some tools and resources that you use in writing specifically and life in general?
Hi Steven,
Thanks for taking your time to ask.
Distractions are the enemy of progress. A family man like me may even have more of those.
I do the following:
1. My family knows that there’s work time and play time. When working, there’s minimal distraction from them, unless it’s genuinely important.
2. I sometimes disconnect internet, turn off my phone, put it on silent, or even keep it far away.
3. If it’s time for emails, I respond to all emails and close other things. If it’s time to write, I close other things and focus on writing. Doing similar things at the same time keeps me productive.
4. When really down I take a break. And when really up (like now) I can work overtime! At most times I maintain a strict work-life balance.
I use a lot of tools. Including…
1. MS Word (I’m currently using Office 365)
2. Evernote for writing stuff I want to remember
3. Notion for task management
4. Notepad (the software, not a physical book) for distraction free writing. MS Word is okay but sometimes I don’t want to see the red and blue marks when writing. I go to MS Word to edit. You don’t have to do this as a beginner, though. MS Word is enough for most people.
5. Amazon Kindle (It has amazing free and paid ebooks). Try and be reading at least a book a month. You’ll learn a lot of things.
6. AWeber to send the emails you’ve been receiving. Check it out here https://freelancerkenya.com/go/aweber
7. Thinkific for my course content
8. Zendesk for customer support
9. Google Docs for some of my writing work and personal planning
10. Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, and Mega to keep things backed up on the cloud in case my computer fails.
And many many more…
Thanks!
Walter
I would like to ask a question on ethics. Could you clarify why it’s unethical to do some writing work? It’s a willing seller/buyer situation when you do academic papers. Why shouldn’t I take some types of work when I have skills in that area?
Hi Anthony,
I believe Walter will give a better answer but my thinking is – would the lecturer approve of the student hiring someone to do their work? Why wouldn’t they approve? Would you want to be operated on by a doctor who had all his theses outsourced?
Yes, it is a willing buyer/ seller situation, just like in drugs, counterfeit, or stolen goods.
That said, there are legit academic writing gigs but these are not so common.
But at the end of the day, it is all about choices and personal views.
Cheers!
Timothy,
Thanks a lot for chipping in with valuable input.
You’re such an amazing, helpful person.
Many thanks,
Walter
Hey Anthony,
Thanks for asking.
I echo what Timothy says.
Academic writing is unethical.
Also, writing on some topics such as porn is unethical.
Take a minute and think about this:
You’ve paid a lot of money for your daughter to go to Harvard. However, all her homework and papers are done by someone she hired.
You’ll feel wasted if you knew this. And she’ll be banned from Harvard if she gets found out.
Your friend,
Walter
Hello Walter,
Thank you for being readily available for mentoring aspiring writers.I am totally green on this line of work,like i just have my laptop and internet connection with me. So i am asking
1)apart from the paid courses on freelancing what are the basics of setting up an account with lets say UPWORK or other sites.
2) What do you think of writing articles for someone who is already verified and has clients,and what is the minimum amount you can expect as payment without being taken for granted?(is this what you refer to as a guest writer?
Hi Serah,
Thanks for your question.
1. The most intresting thing that most people ignore is that each of these sites has a tutorial on exactly how to set up an account. In Upwork, make sure your profile has a great overview. Talk about your strengths and tie them up with how you’ll use them to meet a client’s needs. Include your best samples on the portfolio section. Create the specialized profiles. And remember to send proposals that respond to a client’s deepest needs. Don’t just copy paste a proposal you saw somewhere.
2. You can write for middlemen. Your rate will depend on your specific situation — don’t copy people out there since they’re in different lanes. I see many Kenyans starting at $0.01 per word. Aim to get to $0.04+ per word to live a more comfortable life. Keep increasing your skills and keep increasing your fee.
That said, don’t focus on middlemen. It’s best to work directly with clients. This way you negotiate better rates, they can refer you to their friends, and some publish in your name (so you get amazing samples in wonderful sites).
You can do this!
Many thanks,
Walter
Do I include references on my articles
Hi Gishtra,
No. In most cases, clients won’t require that.
In case a client asks you to, just list your sources at the bottom of the article. Or basically just follow the client’s instructions.
The best practice is to link out to data. For example, if you have statistics, graphs, or very specific facts that you got from a specific site, you can link to them.
For example, you can have a sentence like, “According to WHO, Coronavirus has…”
In that case, you put a link on “According to WHO”.
I hope this makes sense.
Cheers,
Walter
Hi Walter,
Thanks for your tremendous support. I recently plunged into the B2B|B2C SaaS and Marketing space. I had bagged a well-paying client before the pandemic broke out but client work tapered off as a result of the pandemic.
Regardless, I’ve been trying to stage a comeback through cold pitching — and I have come up with a comprehensive prospects list.
My question is: do you think cold pitching between 10th November to 10th December this year (2020) is a viable strategy? Can I go ahead? In your experience, do you think I can still get clients from my cold pitching efforts even as this year draws to an end?
Kind Regards,
Peter Mbayaki.
Hi Peter,
Great niche!
Congrats on the client you’d bagged.
I know the pandemic came with it’s issues. But take heart. You can still make it.
And yes, cold-pitching is still very viable. Go ahead.
I actually recommend a mix of strategies for faster results. Don’t just depend on cold-pitching. You can also reach out to clients through job boards, Facebook groups, Upwork, etc.
Since you don’t have a client, apply for as many jobs as possible per day. Go for at least 10 applications. It’s possible to do even 50 applications per day if you’re serious.
All the best!
Walter
Hi Walter,
Many thanks for the encouragement! I’ll do my best.
Kind Regards,
Peter Mbayaki.
Hello Walter, thanks for the daily emails and guidance all through. I have been an academic writer for almost a year now but I’ve been thinking of switching off to article writing or transcription. I have a couple of questions
1. how’s the journey of transitioning from academic writing to article writing. + I have fears of going dry (no work) as I experienced that with academic writing
2. Would you advise buying a transcription acc, I have one with QA-world but I have to take like 10 jobs for three to be rated 4+
Hi Bernard,
I really appreciate your kind words. I’m especially glad to know you read my emails.
1. The journey definitely requires hard work, especially at first. You can do it though. Just make sure your articles don’t look like academic essays. Let them be free flowing, conversational, catchy, and easy to read. Make sure they have powerful titles, an alluring intro, awesome subheadings and an assuring conclusion. Keep reading from pros and practicing.
2. No, never buy accounts. It’s fraud. Actually messes up the industry. Do’t do that. Join legitimate accounts that allow Kenyans to work in. And reach out to clients directly through job boards, social media, cold pitching, etc.
Hi Walter,
Thanks for your concern and invaluable advice to newbie writers. My question is, how do I get clients especially on Upwork or any other platform. I have not succeeded in getting clients three months later. I am even shy to give feedback (homework checklist) because of that.
Hi Stella,
Thanks for your comment and compliment. I’m humbled.
There are different things involved in getting clients:
1. You should have the skill. Keep improving your writing so that you can attract valuable clients.
2. Your profile and portfolio items should be awesome. It should be hard for a client to say no to you after checking them out.
3. You should actually reach out to clients. Don’t just learn and wait. Take action. Apply for at least 10 jobs daily using different methods (Upwork, cold-pitching, job boards, etc).
4. Learning should never stop. Take at least an hour every single day learning. This can be from course content, YouTube, books, blog posts, etc.
5. Never stop applying for jobs, even when hired. Keep reaching out to better-paying clients.
Thanks Walter. I’ll definitely up my game.
I would love to know how to make an article/blog post conversational. One that would involve a reader.
Hey Ernest,
Thanks for asking. Some items that work great include:
– Empathy: Make the article, especially the intro, show that you really feel the reader.
– Questions and question tags: These make the reader think. And it feels like you’re conversing with them.
– Humor: Use humor where possible. Makes a reader laugh. Just like they’d do in a real conversation.
– Bucket brigades: These are statements like “Here’s the thing”, “The best part?” “Now…”, “I know what you’re thinking:” etc. These make someone want to continue reading.
– Bullet points: Use these where possible to make it easy to read a piece of content
– Short sentences and paragraphs: These are easier to read and more skimmable.
– Catchy subheadings: Don’t just do catchy headings. Make your subheadings catchy as well.
Start this way and keep honing your skills.
Cheers,
Walter
Thanks for your continued support.Do you hire new writers?
Hi Cate,
You’re welcome.
Sorry, I’m not hiring at the moment.
But keep reaching out to clients massively. Apply for at least 10 jobs daily using the different methods outlined in this article.
Thanks,
Walter
Hi Walter. Kindly visit my website (cutewriters.com) and give me a few writer insights that can revolutionize the website and catapult it to higher levels.
I love your emails so much. Keep them coming. I appreciate your blog so much since it is the best of the kind around here.
Hi Kegesa,
Wow! I appreciate your kind feedback.
Great work on your site.
Remember to have your main call to action and a button way up there on your homepage. Put it up before someone even scrolls down. See any of your favorite sites and you’ll see that implemented.
Avoid giving free work.
Break up any long page with images, block quotes, charts, screenshots, etc.
Avoid grammatical errors. Consider getting an editor to go through your main pages and help edit.
In your services page, start with at least an introductory paragraph talking about what you’re offering. Don’t just put a list of images and buttons. And you keep writing “Select Options” instead of “Select Option”. Still something better would be “Order Now”.
Improve the quality of your blog post titles. Note that they play a very important role in your success.
Keep going.
Your friend,
Walter
Hi Walter,
Thanks for sharing. I have heard many people talk about the Upwork platform as a good beginning area to get and grow clients. However, after they approved my profile in July this year, I sent very few proposals and they told me I couldn’t send any more since I had no connects. I thus stopped. What can I do?
Hi Mary, as we await Walter’s input, once you finish the connects that you got when you joined, you have to purchase more inorder to keep applying for jobs.
I hope that helps.
Hey Mary,
As Rebeccah says, you’ll need to buy more connects.
Upwork is still a goldmine. Take massive advantage of it.
Thanks,
Walter
Hello Walter,
Much appreciations for the continued updates even though I don’t respond to all of them. My big question is how to venture into another writing field say article, blogging etc. and where exactly should a person look to get the clients. I have been doing academic writing and yes, I feel like changing to a different field. Well, I tried this change in late 2019 and luckily got a client who gave me a project on leads creation/search but I messed it up (I had no knowledge about this but still decided to give it a shot after some research online). This scared me and so, I went back to a field where I am rich with knowledge, academic writing. I want to change though! Like badly. I’ll appreciate your answer.
Hi Emilly,
Thanks for reaching out.
Start with one field before going to another. That will heavily reduce your confusion.
For example, you can start with article writing.
You can get clients through the methods I’ve mentioned on this post i.e. Upwork, Fiverr, PeoplePerHour, job boards, Facebook groups, cold-pitching, etc. Read the post again and you’ll get more details.
Switching to article writing from academic is possible. It will definitely need hard work. Don’t be in a hurry.
First learn how to write a great article. Break it down into the various components e.g. how to write a catchy title, how to write an intro, how to maximize the impact of subheadings, etc.
Write something and get a trainer, editor, or a close friend who’s a freelance writer to read it. Perfect that article and make it your first sample. Publish it on Medium so that you have a published article. Do your second article, get someone to help you polish it, publish on LinkedIn.
That way you’ll have two great samples to start with.
I recommend you read my article here https://freelancerkenya.com/money-online/how-to-make-money-online-in-kenya-as-a-freelance-writer
I believe that can help you get started. Don’t give up too soon. Take your time, learn, and reach out to awesome clients.
Thanks,
Walter
Hi Walter, I have recently ventured into Virtual Assistance, I would love to know how to land clients without necessarily going through hiring sites? Thank you.
Hi Ann,
That’s great! Congrats on getting into this awesome field.
There are many ways to reach out to direct clients. Effective ones include cold-pitching, job boards, social media, and Reddit. Just scroll up on this page and see how I’ve explained each.
You can even go to Indeed right now and look for VA jobs. Or pitch a successful company or entrepreneur right now after reading this comment.
VA can be a lucrative career. Give it your best shot.
To your success,
Walter
Am so anxious to start earning through freelancing but how can I control my feelings so that it does not exceed reason? What can I do to remain composed without too much expectation?
Hi Shadrack,
It’s exciting. A great field to be in.
To remain sober, just keep it in mind that this is not a get rich quick scheme. It may take you days or even weeks of learning.
Then actually focus on the action bit. Not the emotion bit. Take massive action every single day.
hey Walter, am glad you are fine, my issue is since i left training i have not been able to find a job, because i was left hanging I don’t know if am fit to find a job the last test I did, I did not pass in that site you give for people to test their ability to write, if there is anything you can help me with i will appreciate. thanx
Hi Emily,
Thanks for your comment.
I’m sorry about the challenge you’re facing.
I’d love to actually assess how far you’ve gone and give custom advice tailored specifically to your situation.
Please send me an email and let’s take this up from there.
I’ll be happy to see you succeed.
Thanks,
Walter
Hi Walter,
Great post, thank you for your continuous mentorship via email. I learn something new everyday!
I’ve got 2 questions:
1) What is your opinion on the future of copywriting?
2) Given your vast experience in the industry, would you venture into a digital marketing agency?
Thanks again for this amazing work you do.
Hey Liz,
Thanks for reaching out. I appreciate your comment.
1. There’s a bright future. As long as there are websites and apps being created, there’ll be need for copywriting. As long as people create ads and marketing emails, there’ll be need for copywriting.
2. I’d do that if it was my line of interest. It’s very lucrative. Right now I’m focusing on writing, blogging, training, affiliate marketing, and other things. You never know, maybe one of these fine days I’ll create a digital marketing agency 🙂
Thank you so much, Liz.
Your friend,
Walter
Hello Walter!
I am an academic writer and still a student. I do academic writing as a side hustle mainly as a way of getting pocket money. I have seen in your post that academic writing is unethical. Most of my mentors are academic writers and they are successful. Kindly elaborate on this so that I can well understand why academic writing is unethical.
Thanks
My question also
Hi Ogero,
Thanks for reaching out.
Yes, it’s unethical.
Personalize it a little bit and you’ll understand. You wouldn’t want to be paying fees for your son and he keeps hiring someone to do all his homework and exams.
Thanks,
Walter
Hello
I just have this simple question;
How many words do you write per day?
If you do more than 4000words per day, how do you manage that?
Hi John,
Thanks for commenting.
It depends on exactly what I’m doing.
I’ve once written 12k words in a day.
And in many days I do around 2,500 words.
Remember I don’t just write. I also train, market, manage a team, etc.
But if I was 100% free, 4k per words would be doable.
How would I manage that?
I type fast at 100+ words per minute. I also research fast. When given a task I quickly create an outline first.
All these make it easy to finish a task real quick.
There are subjects out there that I’ve written on over and over again. I therefore have that information on my finger-tips, further slashing my research and writing time.
Thanks,
Walter
Would you build my new product with wood or other material? (Facebook) What do you think of the groups as well?
Hi Blasto my good friend.
Hehe if I knew how to build products with wood and that was my area of interest, I’d do so.
Facebook groups are awesome.
Keep going,
Walter
Hi Walter, thank you for the work that you are doing to help the new freelancers. I had the following questions to ask:
1.Could you please explain the different categories under the writing section in Upwork? For example The difference between the content and copywriting, and web content, etc.
2. When Writing articles, do you have the choice to use whatever program you want (ms word and google docs) or you must use specific software?
3. Is article writing the same as web content writing.
4. In your course, do you teach everything from the beginning to the end or there are certain skills you have to learn by yourself. For example, do you teach SEO or you have to learn it by yourself?
Finally, Thank you again for giving me this opportunity to ask you the questions I had about freelancing. I am planning to enroll in your course when I get the money. See you there.
Hey Usama,
Thanks for reaching out.
1. Content writing is wide — basically encompasses different methods of creating online content. Some clients use “web content” to mean creating pages like “About Us”, “Why Us” etc. Copywriting is creating marketing content.
2. You can use either MS Word or Google Docs.
3. Article writing is specific i.e. creating the content that goes to the “Articles” or “Blog” part of a website. I’ve talked about the rest in number 1 above.
4. My course is on article writing. I show you all you need to know to succeed. SEO is a wide area. But I include information on SEO writing, which is what’s relevant for article writers.
Glad you want to enroll. I’ll be happy to see you succeed!
Hello Walter, thank you so much for this informative post. My name is Naomi and I would like to know, what I’m doing wrong?😔😔😔. I have been sending proposals on upwork like my life depends on it (it literally does) but the response is soo poor. Like getting 2 responses out of 30 proposals can be heartbreaking.😔😔😔😔. Kindly help
Hi Naomi,
Sorry about that.
I understand what you feel. I’ve been there, too!
The most likely culprits are:
1. Low quality proposals: It doesn’t matter how many you send. If they’re of low quality, clients will ignore them. You may need to take a break for a day or two and relearn how to do an amazing proposal. You can get trained or use the numerous resources out there.
2. Poor profile and portfolio: Make sure your profile stands out. Clear and concise. Punchy. Talks directly to clients. Your portfolio should have great work that showcases your skill.
3. No skills: This is the most basic thing. You should actually be good at what you do to get hired. Keep honing your skills so that you can attract amazing clients.
4. Copy-pasted proposals: Never do that. Clients HATE this. Read each job post carefully and make sure your proposal responds directly to the client’s needs.
You can make it, Naomi. Take time fixing these and give it your best shot.
Many thanks,
Walter
Is it worth to sell of academic writing and join article writing?
Hi Mike, allow me to offer my two cents…
A major benefit of article writing is that you can own the work you do and you can build a portfolio that will help you grow career-wise. Unfortunately, in most of the academic writing opportunities, things have to be kept hush-hush since you can not claim ownership of the papers you write.
You can also earn passive income in article writing. I am not sure of how one can earn passive income in academic writing where you cannot lay claim to your work.
About selling your academic writing accounts, I think you are the only one who can decide that after careful consideration 🙂
Yes.
thank you. I will like to join article writing and since I have writing for a while I don’t think its challenging. My fear is the transitioning and landing jobs.
That’s great. You can do it Mike. Here’s a guide https://freelancerkenya.com/money-online/how-to-make-money-online-in-kenya-as-a-freelance-writer/
You mentioned you have been doing this since 2011. How do you keep yourself interested in writing? I initially started because I wanted to write novels, but right now I feel alittle stuck and bored of it.
Hi Walter,
Thank you for your continued mentorship. I have 3 inquiries.
1. Does up work accept certificates from free online platforms? If so, kindly recommend a website with free certification in SEO and Content Writing
2. I came across an ad on upwork .The client is verified in terms of payments and her reviews are OK..the ad however provides a link where you apply outside of upwork..is this OK?
3. Kindly visit my blog site and recommend better ways to optimize it. Also recommend websites that accept writers interested in DIY, handicraft and homedecor.
Hi Dorcas,
Thanks for asking.
1. Yes. You can get free certification from Google and Hubspot then add them to your Upwork profile.
2. Upwork doesn’t allow you to apply, get hired, and get paid outside Upwork. That’s against the terms and conditions. Can get you banned. Clients who find you on Upwork should hire and pay you on Upwork.
3. Great work on your site. Optimize your home page. Make sure it has your main USP and a call to action. That page should drive heavy conversions when well done. Put some copy before the contact form on your contact page. Keep polishing your writing. Don’t make your images too tiny. Avoid showing too much metadata and ads in a way that they mess up a user’s experience. Sites like Upwork, Fiverr, and PeoplePerHour accept writers in those niches. Also use other methods to get clients, such as cold-pitching, job boards, social media, etc.
Thank you,
Walter
Hi Lesley,
Good question.
It’s a mix of so many things.
1. Skill: This is something I’m actually good at. It’s not trial and error for me.
2. Interest: I love writing. Most of what I do involves writing.
3. Results: When you get results from something, you don’t just abandon it.
4. Finances: Writing has fed my family since 2011. It continues to do so even now.
5. Rewards: Apart from finances, I’ve managed to visit some humble places and buy some humble things.
It’s not been a bed of roses. I’ve had my ups and downs. Many times I’ve felt like giving up. I’ve even taken long breaks when necessary.
My ultimate strength is God. He’s been keeping me going each and every day.
Thanks,
Walter
Hi Akolo,
I have been doing academic writing for since last year march. I have to say that the feedback from various assignments has been good. The problem I have is that when I try to write to my friends doing the same, they complain that I need to more in terms of my style of writing and the sources where I get the information. Some promise to help me but they keep on focusing on their own activity. Most of the time I’ve been stagnant in this field and nothing new seem to come my way. It is very hard to move when one very broke. Kindly advise me.
Kind Regards,
Juma Obare.
Hello Juma,
As we wait for Walter’s response, my view is that, in academic writing, the paper is for the lecturer’s or teacher’s consumption (to grade). The teacher does not look for grammar, SEO, styling, etc. All that the lecturer looks for is content, and if the paper covers the relevant points notwithstanding the writing quality.
Many academic writers are good in research and in writing the papers to cover the necessary points but, sad to say, this does not necessarily mean that they are good writers.
At times it is necessary to polish one’s writing skills before taking on article writing. Training, such as Walter offers, can help to make the transition.
Hi Juma,
Thanks for your question.
Unfortunately, I do article writing, and not academic.
I’m not the best person to advice on academic writing.
I see Timothy has given you some tips. I hope they help.
The tips I’ll give here are general. I believe they work across the board.
What I know about friends is that not all friends can be trainers. Even the Bible says that not everyone is a teacher.
Sometimes, it helps to reach out to professionals. Or if you’re strapped for cash, to actually go online and research different ways to do things.
Hiring an editor can help in pinpointing specific errors that other people wouldn’t easily catch.
All the very best!
Walter
Hi Walter. Thank you for your continued guidance. My question regards being a virtual assistant.
How does a new VA with administrative assistant/PA experience create a portfolio on Upwork?
Hi Rebeccah,
Thanks for reaching out.
You need something to showcase your work/talent to clients.
This can be:
– Results: If you did email marketing for a client and they got results, you can ask the client for a screenshot of those results e.g. open and click rates.
– Certification: Take online certification courses from companies like Google and HubSpot. Showcase those certificates on your portfolio.
– Screenshots of work done: Take a screenshot of what you’ve done and use it on your portfolio.
– Links: If you’ve published something online, put up a link to it.
Take time and check out other VA profiles. See what they’ve done in their portfolios.
Thank you,
Walter
Hi Walter, can you manage to do academic and article writing and excel in both?
Hi Calvin,
Yes, you can!
Thank you Walter. Your mentorship is a treasure trove.
Do you have any articles on your time as a virtual assistant for those who are writing but carry on as VAs?
Hi Rebeccah,
I appreciate your kind words.
Sorry no, I haven’t written any article on virtual assistance yet. I may do so later.
Good thing there’s a ton of great info out there. Look up Gina Horkey. She gives valuable info!
Thank you,
Walter
Thank you for your insights, Walter. I have a couple of questions:
If I’m working as an academic writer and want to switch to article writing, how steep will the learning curve be? You also mentioned that you once did academic writing but stopped since it is unethical. How did you make the switch from academic to article writing, did you have to train for long to become an expert article writer? There are some clients on Upwork who need their literature review written. Can work on the literature review be considered unethical? Is it advisable to include academic writing in your Upwork profile if that is the only writing experience you have?
Hi Walter,
Thank you for your free mentorship, it has been great content as usual, I’m James kithokoi.
So I have a few questions,
1.Assuming you were to start afresh as a newbie, which steps will you take/ which path will you follow, how will you go about this journey of freelancing.
2. What does your article creation process look like? From researching to compiling it to editing the full piece, what does this process entail of and what are some of the tools you use.
3. How do I know my articles are well written as a newbie or what do I have to include in my articles to make them better, and what are some of the steps one should take to sharpen his/her writing skills.
Kind regards,
James
Hi James,
Thanks for reaching out.
1. I’d start by polishing my writing then joining Upwork to bid for jobs. At the same time, I’d look for jobs using other methods such as job boards, pitching, Fiverr, and social media. I’d be applying for at least 10 jobs a day. I’d take a course every few months and try buy a book (or read a free ebook) every month.
2. I carefully read what the client wants. I ask questions when necessary. But if it’s clear I go straight to work. I first research, get multiple sources, and read as I create an outline. I write a quick draft using Notepad (software, not a physical book). I then paste on MS Word. Flesh it up if need be. Thoroughly edit using both MS Word and Grammarly. I add images and links where necessary (depending on the client’s instructions). I love using MS Word’s “Read Aloud” feature (on Office 365) to ensure the article sounds natural. After finishing, I submit.
3. You first need to know how to write a great article. You can research or get trained. Your trainer can check your quality. Or you can hire an editor to do so. A professional will catch things that a random friend wouldn’t. And a professional will tell you the truth. To sharpen your skills, keep reading and writing daily. Never stop learning.
All the best!
Walter
Hi Yvonne,
Thanks for reaching out.
There’ll be a bit of a steep learning curve since you’ll unlearn and relearn some things.
You’re not writing for lecturers here. You’re writing for the average, highly distracted person.
You want to create content that will get them from infinitely scrolling on the internet to reading and consuming what you’ve written.
Good thing, your learning curve will not be as steep as for someone who’s never written online before. But, trust me, you still need to learn.
I’ve been an article writer since 2011. I just did a little bit of academic writing for a few months from some time in 2013. I wasn’t comfortable with the ethics bit. I later stopped and simply continued with article writing.
So, it’s not that I switched from academic to article writing. I simply continued doing article writing, which is what I’ve always done.
But people do make the switch and succeed. There are many success stories out there.
No, I didn’t train long to become an article writer.
I’m blessed to have been a good writer since my early schooling days. Once I learned about online writing, I started googling more about it and also reaching out to clients at the same time.
So, all these years, I’ve been learning more (I’m still learning) and getting better clients.
At first, I self-trained. Made a ton of mistakes and lost a fortune. Yes, I did learn from clients as well. But clients don’t want to teach you. They want you to give them results. That’s why they’re paying you.
Later, I started learning more from books and courses as well. These really helped push up my success rate.
It’s always good to learn from mentors who’ve already been there.
As long as you’re doing homework for a student, and that student will go on and submit it as their own, that’s unethical. Doesn’t matter if it’s a literature review or English exam.
There are academic writers on Upwork. The ethics bit doesn’t mean people don’t do it. You just have to decide what side you’re on.
If you’re doing article writing work, I wouldn’t recommend you put anything about academic writing on your profile, though.
Thanks,
Walter
Thank you so much, Walter, this is very helpful.