18 proposals, only one responds and then opts someone else...

[#1]

18 proposals were submitted. Only one client approached and assigned a couple of tasks to see my writing style. He writes, "I made it to the top four." Finally, the client decides to go with another freelancer.

[#2]

Naveen, also at your price you have lots and lots of freelancers swimming with you.  The buyers who fish in those ponds are cheap and most of the time crooks.  They know for a fact that new freelancers are so excited to be on upwork and hungry to get their first gig that they would not do their homework and read up on the resources upwork provides.

[#3]

Naveen,

Your writing style should be in the Portfolio section of your Upwork Profile to refer the client to review. Never do free work because your time will be wasted. Contain all the needed information in the combination of your cover letter and Upwork Profile. Thanks!

[#4]

I can tell you from looking at your profile, I wouldn't be too keen to hire you. So that's an answer about the 18 proposals thing. 

I say this as someone who constantly is looking at my own profile wondering what I am doing and not doing to get work. What turns people off? What do people see? What is my persona?

It's not that the work is bad Naveen, it is that there isn't just much there at all. If you haven't gotten any assignments then find a topic to write about and make that your assignment. Give yourself work to do. Do you like food? Write a review of your favorite restaurant. Do you like music? Write about your favorite band. Do you hate my response? Write how my response isn't helpful at all. 

You have to give clients something that sets you apart. You need to highlight why they should care about what you do. What service will you provide for them? If your passion is cat grooming, I want to hear what it is that makes shedding an issue for you, and what about a cat's fur hygiene means to you specifically. 

Also, your question makes me want to rewrite my Ghostwriting profile.

[#5]

James,

You should have your profile reviewed in the New to Upwork forum. You would certainly pick up some pointer there.

I review profiles with a careful appraisal of the meta-communication aspect. This isn't an appraisal of what words you choose so much as a review of what the reader perceives. You might get something out of that.

[#6]

Anthony,

Thanks for the response!

I'm not new to Upwork, and I have gotten profile reviews, I've also read up on the subject, that doesn't mean I even begin to know everything there is to know about it. At this point, I  think I need to do some A/B testing, and moving information around, consolidate some of my portfolio, and present it in different ways. I also need to continue to do research on other profiles and see what they are doing that works and if I can incorporate it into my profile.

Just today I at least noticed a jump in my profile views due to some of the work I did over the weekend.

[#7]

Hi James, 
That was a nice piece of advice and will probably be a shot in the arm for me.
I'll work on the advice and see if it affects a change.
Thank you very much, James.

[#8]

Also, don't ever provide free 500-600 word articles.   Stay hungry.  5-10 or 15 dollars( even with current exchange rate) after upwork cut, money transfer fees won't go far.

[#9]

Dhanyawaad Prashantji. I will do this from now on.

[#10]

Ha. Welcome to the Upwork experience this month.

[#11]

It is common practice for cheap clients to trap gullible new freelance writers on Upwork, asking them to write samples for 500 to 1000 words and then coming up with a reply such as " We have found someone else" without you even noticing they are just scammers.

Moreover, pursuing writing as a career requires patience and time. We need to define our writing niche and master the subject. Genuine clients looking for an experienced person will be quick enough to judge how far you hold experience in the writing niche in which you claim to have experience.

As far as my experience goes on Upwork, I can say that once you have identified your niche and mastered the subject, you are definitely on the right path.

[#12]

Thank you very much, Rahulji. I will make some changes and will specialize now.

[#13]

Indeed in my case I am sometimes wondering if the clients CAN read my proposals and my invitation responses, nowadays.

[#14]

"I like to write" = "I am a copywriter"

"I know something about a foreign language" = "I am a translator"

I do both for a living and I know the misconceptions above will never be eradicated. 

[#15]

Most people who are EXCELLENT writers and who actually DO LIKE writing do not try to make a living at writing. Some of the best writers in the world have jobs other than writing. Just like some of the best singers and musicians in the world have jobs outside of the music industry and don't try to earn money through music.

[#16]

The problem I found with this was that if I wasn't writing for money, some other thing I was doing for money was always cutting into my writing time.