After six months of freelance copywriting, the big question is simple—is it time to quit? This post takes an honest look at my freelance copywriting journey. It details my experience so far and what comes next.
Six months can reveal a lot about whether freelancing is working. Sometimes the hardest part isn’t getting started. It’s deciding whether to keep going.
- And the newest editor for the Korean Board of Audit and Inspection is…
- Things went well, but…
- Good gigs exist on this freelance journey—you’ve just got to keep digging
- Working as an English content writer is challenging—but enjoyable
- Unique position—English proofreader needed, but with a smidge of Korean on the side
- School’s out for summer—school’s out forever
- I’ve met almost all my goals on this freelance copywriting journey
- I haven’t met one goal on my freelance copywriting journey—enter the Korean market
- The future ain’t bright enough to be wearing shades, but it ain’t too shabby
An honest assessment of my freelance copywriting journey thus far
This week marks six months since I posted my first blog announcing my new career as an English copywriter. As such, I figured it was time for a quick 6-month update on my freelance copywriting journey. I know I posted an update a couple of months ago, but enough has happened that I decided it warranted this post.
I’m still adjusting to the freelance lifestyle (see last week’s post for reference), but I’m adapting. I’m learning to roll with the punches, accept last-minute changes, and switch gears at a moment’s notice. It’s a challenge, but one I’m conquering.
This week, I had to wait for client feedback before I could proceed. I unexpectedly had more free time on Wednesday and Thursday than anticipated.
Instead of putting my feet up, I formatted and scheduled this blog post much earlier in the week than usual. I wrote and scheduled a month’s worth of Instagram posts. I made a few changes to my website and added content that I haven’t had time to do recently.
By doing so, I freed up time on Friday and the weekend for the work I knew was coming. In an ideal world, I have a schedule that I follow. But that is not the life of the freelancer. I’m learning to accept it.
Regardless, the most challenging part of freelancing is still uncertain workloads. That’s why I applied for a full-time position several weeks ago.
And the newest editor for the Korean Board of Audit and Inspection is…
…not me. Shortly after my last update on my freelance copywriting journey, I saw a job posting for a native English-speaking editor. The position was with the Korean Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI). It was a government job, and it was only four days a week. The position paid around 3 million won a month (US $2,600).
It wasn’t exactly what I was looking for. But steady work and three days a week left to work on my business seemed doable. Based on emails that didn’t use BCC, there were about 30 applicants. I made a shortlist of five.
The five of us went to the BAI for a test and an interview. They blocked internet access during the test. Though I trust my editing and proofreading abilities, I regularly use online tools, dictionaries, and other sites. Honestly, it was more challenging than I’d anticipated. I can’t be sure since I didn’t speak to any of the other candidates, but I assume everyone found the test challenging.
No one finished early and put their feet up. One candidate admitted to only completing two of the three documents in the test. I managed all three, but I finished the last one and a half documents at a much accelerated pace.
Things went well, but…
My interview went well. I tend to do well in interviews. I have a decent success rate once I get to the interview stage. When I left, I didn’t think, “This is in the bag!” But I also wasn’t obsessing over silly mistakes or saying anything foolish. I’d answered questions confidently, and none of them caught me off guard.
Long story short, I didn’t get it. One candidate majored in translation. Although speaking Korean wasn’t required, I’m sure it helped. I’m not sure who got the job, but I’m pretty sure they did.
I was disappointed but not devastated. The steady money would’ve been nice, and a government job would’ve looked good on my resume. But I don’t think I would’ve enjoyed the work that much.
Good gigs exist on this freelance journey—you’ve just got to keep digging
In my last update, I mentioned that there are a lot of crap gigs out there, but there are good ones to be had. I had started working with one such client a few weeks before my last update. It was a 4 hour/week job doing some copywriting.
I’m happy to report I’m still working with that client, and for several weeks, I’ve been bumped up to 8 hours a week. I really enjoy working with them. I’m learning a lot, but I don’t feel overwhelmed.
The client and I seem to get along quite well. I want to continue working with them. And at present, I have no reason to believe this gig will end anytime soon. But I’ve learned my lesson, and I know freelancing comes with no guarantees.
We sometimes need to confer via Zoom, which can be challenging because of the time difference. Midnight isn’t my preferred time for such calls, but sometimes you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do. These occasional late-night Zoom calls are a minor inconvenience. I am a night owl, after all.
Working as an English content writer is challenging—but enjoyable
Shortly after my last update, around the same time I applied for the job with the BAI, I interviewed for another position. This client needed a content writer. After a couple of rounds of interviews, they hired me for 10 hours/week. After a couple of weeks, they bumped me up to 20 hours/week. This client has no shortage of work.
I’m finding it more challenging getting my feet under me with this client. But each week, I become a little more comfortable. Again, this client is great to work for. Demanding, with deadlines to meet, but very patient and full of helpful feedback. I’m also enjoying this gig immensely.
For the first time in ages, I need to attend regular meetings. As a teacher, I was always the one leading online classes. It’s a nice change not being the one in charge. We can often work out task details via online chats, but meetings provide greater clarity.
Luckily for me, these meetings occur during typical business hours. Since I’m working from home, it’s also nice to socialize with a few people as we wait for everyone to join the online meeting.
Unique position—English proofreader needed, but with a smidge of Korean on the side
Finally, I’ve got an ongoing proofreading gig. This one is a bit odd. The client required a native English-speaking proofreader—but with knowledge of Korean. I was perfect for the job, and we’ve been working together for several months. This work is a little more sporadic. But I keep it in the back of my mind that I may have a few hours of work from this client each week.
As I mentioned, sometimes gigs disappear. I thought that’s what had happened with this client. After several weeks of steady work, I didn’t hear anything for a few weeks. The client had seemed very happy with the work I’d done. It seemed odd that things stopped, but I’d experienced it before.
But out of the blue, the client got in touch again. They explained that a medical situation had interfered, and they’d had to put work on hold. They assured me work would resume shortly, and sure enough, it did. This is a good example of why, as a freelancer, it’s good to keep the lines of communication open and not assume anything.
School’s out for summer—school’s out forever
I’ve decided not to go back to my part-time teaching gig in the fall. The steady money was nice, but I wasn’t enjoying it. And with my current workload of almost 30 hours a week, teaching two days a week would’ve been tough.
As I outlined in my last blog post, my days are currently pretty full. Carving out six hours a day (teaching hours and commuting) twice a week would’ve been doable, but challenging. I need more time to focus on making this career switch permanent and successful.
I’ve met almost all my goals on this freelance copywriting journey
When I started this blog, I had to decide how often to post. At first, without much work, adding content to my site seemed like a good strategy. I settled on one blog post per week.
And with this very post, I’ve hit 26 posts—exactly where I should be for half a year. With my workload increasing, it’s getting harder to squeeze in these blogs. Blogs like this one where I write about experiences are easier. But ones that need research and referencing are more labor intensive. They include hours of reading, writing, editing, proofreading—and formatting in WordPress.
My post about writing Korean names in English was supposed to be quick and simple. It’s a topic I’d taught often, and I knew precisely what I wanted to say. But then I decided to add the Olympic angle.
That meant spending time looking up names online. I had to note differences in names while watching events (and remember to write them down). All enjoyable activities, and all interesting to me—but also all time consuming.
I started posting pics of awkward English on Instagram on May 31. I’ve managed to post every day since then. I recently started sharing those posts on Facebook and LinkedIn. I’ve posted over 75 images on Instagram. With the 450+ current pics I’ve amassed (a quarter are my own), I’ve got enough material to post every day for over a year.
I typically get 3–5 submissions a week from friends. Since I work from home, I rarely go out, and I’ve already scoped out my neighborhood for examples. I got a ton of pictures from two Facebook groups when I originally asked for submissions. I’m sure if I reach out to those groups again in a few months, I’ll get another influx of material.
I haven’t met one goal on my freelance copywriting journey—enter the Korean market
One goal I haven’t met is making inroads into the Korean market. In my last update, that was one of the goals I set for myself. But with my increased hours from my current gigs, and by the time I finish writing blogs and Instagram posts—there ain’t a lot of time left.
I did do one proofreading job for a Korean client. This client found me via LinkedIn, and they were very happy with the work I did for them. I’ll gladly work with them again in the future.
As I get used to my new workload and learn to work more efficiently, I need to find more time in my schedule. I need to devote more time to breaking into the Korean market. If I can get my regular work done during the week, I’ll have time on weekends to start focusing on the Korean market.
I’ve got a pretty solid weekly system for writing blogs, and they are starting to take less time. I’ve figured out a strategy for selecting pictures and writing Instagram posts. I need to become more efficient at writing those posts too.
The future ain’t bright enough to be wearing shades, but it ain’t too shabby
I’m moving in the right direction. I’m working on the kind of projects I want to. They’re enjoyable, and I’m learning a lot while developing as an English copywriter. I ain’t ready to give up on this freelance copywriting journey just yet.
Besides, I must be doing something right. On one of the sites I use to find work, based on my success with two long-term clients, I’ve achieved “Top Rated” status. According to the site, “Top Rated talent delivers quality work with stellar feedback.” Hell, with that badge next to my name, I’d hire me!
My wife has been genuinely surprised by my progress. She’s supported this career change from the beginning and knew it would take time. As a freelancer herself, she knows better than anyone what it’s like to start out as a freelancer. She knows how long it can take to achieve some success. So if she says I’m doing okay, I guess I’ll take her at her word.
Did I miss anything? Is there something you’d like to know? Drop me a comment, and I’ll fill in the missing information.
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Glad to hear it is going well (enough)! Keep up the good work.
Thanks! Certainly not free and clear yet, but movin’ in the right direction!
Good job, hubby.
Great stuff, Dean. I am enjoying following your journey and impressed with your stick-to-it-iveness.
Thank you, kind sir! Appreciate the support!