8 mistakes I see freelance writers making everyday

Remember the day you received your first dollar online as an article writer? What a joy it felt! I never forget my very first withdrawal of $330 back in May 2011. Minus fees, I got around KSh. 27,000 for this. Wueh! This was unimaginable since the highest I’d EVER earned was KSh. 21k. I soon quit my day job and focused on writing.

There are many people right here would like to have that feeling. That gush of joy. That relief that you actually can earn from the air (internet). However, many make these 8 mistakes that hinder them from earning anything. They also keep some who think they’re earning well from growing.

Here are the 8 dream-killer mistakes:

1. Poor writing: Nowadays, even low paying clients won’t pay you if you write poor articles.

2. Not bidding and pitching: This means you depend on low-paying content mills that have a cap on how much you can earn. Bidding and pitching can seem harder, but once you get 2 or 3 long-term clients, you no longer have to keep competing on a queue. You determine how much you earn.

3. Buying accounts: This is illegal in most article writing sites. Most people end up getting caught and losing a lot of money. Sites like Textbroker close accounts en masse every year, taking people back to zero. Major account sellers are now multi-millionaires. Sadly, there are so many buyers crying. Don’t get me wrong. It may work for some people. But for many, it’s a HUGE mistake.

4. Poor proposals and pitches: Once in a while I’ve looked for freelancers in Upwork (or Freelancer years ago) to do some technical stuff. Some proposals were so bad that I had to just click “Archive” or “Decline” after reading the first sentence. This is one of the worst mistakes since there is only one chance to make a great first impression.

5. Sticking to a vicious cycle: This is similar to number 2 and 3. Guys assume that the only way to earn as writers is getting content mills or even worse, buying them. The accounts get closed then they start again from scratch. In short, if they earn $10-20 per 500 words, they never get out of that bracket for years as they keep the cycle of buying accounts and them getting closed. Some think they’re doing really great. While newbies hit $30+ per 500 words from direct clients with less hustle.

6. Thinking you know it all: Like I said a few weeks ago, I’m currently so busy. I’m not even as active on social media or email since I’m reading all these books and doing a course. I don’t know it all. So I keep learning. You NEVER know it all. Keep learning daily, and take some frequent paid courses to keep you up to speed.

7. Getting the wrong mentors: I’m so careful on who I choose to mentor me. Currently my biggest mentors include Strive Masiyiwa and Jon Morrow. There are many others. These are guys who’ve gone against all odds to do things that are bigger than what their peers would ever imagine. For those who keep (wrongfully) saying that billionaires don’t mentor others, please look for Strive Masiyiwa and Richard Branson (among many others).

8. Laziness and lack of confidence: This is self-explanatory. There is no amount of training or motivation that can make a lazy person successful. You need courage, commitment and confidence to get yourself out there. You can’t photocopy or duplicate success. You have to go out there and take swift action. Successful people work so hard to get, maintain and exceed their status.

Meanwhile, if you want realistic, actionable article writing guidance so that you don’t make the mistakes above, I have an in-depth, affordable freelance writing course. It’s purely online and goes for one month. My hardest working trainees have used this course to earn over $400 weekly. Click here for details.

I also have a free, email-based mini-course for writers that will give you the basics. It’s highly recommended if you’re not sure whether you should pay for a writing course (or if you’re already being trained but need extra, frequent inspiring updates). Click here to subscribe.