Why DId You Start Freelancing?

Wendy C · Jul 12, 2017 03:35:16 PM

Louisa, you are an inspiration! I know that is not why you posted, but IMHO - you deserve to know.

Ludy F · Jul 12, 2017 10:32:20 PM

One of my hobbies is writing. To learn more about the craft, I joined a fantasy writer's forum. A recurring question of fellow authors is whether you can really make money by writing. One day, someone answered that you can earn a bit on the side by doing freelance work as a ghost-writer. That got me curious and in December 2016, I registered and offered my services as a translator.

I still don't understand how I got so lucky, but I received an invitation to do a job almost immediately. After that first assignment, I forgot about Upwork a bit, until last February. I'd had an operation, was "sentenced" to stay at home for 6 weeks. Resting and healing quickly became boring. I wanted to write, but since the cancer diagnosis back in November, I'd suffered from a massive writer's block.

I'm not sure why I thought of Upwork, but I visited the site, browsed some jobs, sent offers… It's not difficult to guess what happened after that.

At present, I work hard on becoming a more successful freelancer and hope to one day resign from my day-job where a bore-out is impending. My boss is under the misapprehension that filling my days to the brim with chores a five-year-old can do, is all it takes to keep me satisfied. I'm a secretary with 35 years of experience and fluent in four languages, for crying out loud!

As far as I'm concerned, Upwork is a life-saver, with sometimes truly challenging jobs to do. Those 5 star reviews and accompanying words of praise boost my confidence and show me that I'm on the right track. Plus, I'm writing again, not as much as I used to, but start is there. Things are looking up!

Mary W · Jul 13, 2017 06:22:26 AM

Ludy, that's one of the best stories so far! Kudoes to you.

Nichola L · Jul 13, 2017 02:30:51 PM

Not that it really matters - but guys you do realize you are all contributing to the great Upwork Ebook for which you will not get paid, but might well have to pay to read your own words of wisdom!

Sorry Lena couldn't resist. So freelancing - done it since 19xx on and off. Freelancing is not quite the same as being self-employed.

Freelancing presupposes being paid for expertise within a framework - time, experience etc.

Self-employed can be freelancing, but it is also more entrepreneurial. I was a self-employed artist, and I did not necessarily rely on commission clients for my living. I produced work that would sell in my shop, which annually, was more lucrative than my commission clients and I was not cheap.

Pat M · Jul 13, 2017 03:05:07 PM

Regarding this question, I did consider posting "Buy and read my book someday" but decided not to. Oh, wait...I guess I just did post it. Hmmmm.

Aron H · Jul 19, 2017 09:23:49 AM

In January I quit my regular job and started freelancing as an Illustrator and Concept Artist.

There was no particular reason why I did so, I just "wanted to".
With no education or relevant experience to the field, I did everything and beyond to get my first jobs and reviews.

Absolutely ridiculously low payment and awfully high working hours led to several life crisis and depressions, but also made me learn the essentials about self-marketing and what freelancing means.
Without my partner telling me to continue and fight through the bad times I'd quit at this point, pretty sure.

Half a year later I am having a solid income, much higher than the job I quit originally, pretty much freelancing purely on upwork. At the moment I am meeting very nice and heartwarmingly friendly clients around the world, and I can get my hands on interesting projects.

I know that I am still at the start and half a year is basically no time, but given the rise of the quality of work and life and income of the past months, I am curious where I will be finding myself in some more months.

Mary W · Jul 19, 2017 10:01:53 AM

Aron - Great job!

Handy R · Jul 28, 2017 02:07:24 AM

I am freelancer since 2010 until now,but I knew upwork already 2 month.

Vernon M · Jul 9, 2020 08:25:43 AM

I started freelancing because I am on full-time disability but allowed to work part-time. I have many talents. You designated me a rising talent, but so far no one has hired me, so now my profile has gone from public to locked and private, which doesn't help me much. I can't make someone hire me. What can I do?

Bojan S · Jul 9, 2020 08:50:02 AM

Hi Vernon,

Your profile visibility has been updated. Please check this help article to learn more about how you can avoid having your profile automatically set to private.

You may check these great topics in our Resource Corner to help you enhance your Profile:

Also, I would recommend that you check out these topics to help you create proposals that win jobs, and help you boost your career on Upwork:

Thank you!

~ Bojan