Cari,
I joined Upwork in December and spent my first couple weeks in a panic. I landed my first job after about a week (I'm also a writer) but I was counting my precious connects and the ratio of proposals to hires thinking I'd never make it. In fact, I ran out of connects 10 days before they were set to be replenished. I'm currently swamped with Upwork jobs--which is exactly what I wanted--but it took me a few weeks to work out the kinks in my approach.
A few pointers from another Upwork newbie...
Spend the connects carefully and pay close attention to the job posts. Look at the client information, reviews, number of jobs, hire rate, etc. As a general rule, I won't bid on anything that has a hire rate below 50%. Typically, I shoot for much higher than that, but it depends on the job. For clients with low hire rates, I assume they are posting jobs on multiple forums and taking the lowest bidder. I joined Upwork because I know what I'm worth more than a penny per word. That said, look at their previous jobs and pay attention to what they've paid writers for similar projects in the past. If a 1,000-word blog earned a writer $5, I move on.
As for cover letters, I think you have to go with your gut here. My first couple weeks I followed all the traditional "rules" and submitted very polished, professional cover letters with almost no results. I think it's a bit trickier for writers because clients want to see some personality in the writing.
At first, I had a very clinical approach to listing my credentials and education assuming the client would be completely spellbound by my MFA, work history, and editorial experience. Yeah ... not so much. Honestly, I've had better results when I've taken risks in my proposals and written something a bit edgy or funny (depending on the job ad, of course). My point is this: Cover letters should be personalized but they have to stand out. If you're a writer, credentials are important but the writing is key. If you're not showing creativity in your proposals, clients aren't going to be interested.
Finally, I think you should add work to your portfolio. You've published 4 novels (with more on the way); you served in the Air Force (and write military stories!); you have a nursing degree, and you built a personal chef business from the ground up. You might be new to Upwork, but you've got experience. Showcase that work!!
I hope this helps! Let me know if I can clarify.
Stacie
