My Journey As A Content Writer

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Avatar for bmjc98
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4 years ago

Writing has always been my way of getting rid of depression. I used to write in a piece of paper all my dramas in life and throw it away in the trash can, or burn it right after so no living soul could ever read it. Today, writing has become my bread and butter.

It all started in 2019, almost two months after I resigned from my job. I was so desperate to find a job because my loans were waving at me, begging to get paid right away. I was certain that I could get a job because of my mindset. I thought if my former colleague could find one with his broken English, I guess I could get one too. Im not saying I'm better than him, but being able to communicate with a client properly is a plus, and I used that mindset as my motivation as to not lose the only hope I had.

Then I started applying for different data entry jobs. Making the cover letter is easy but getting noticed by the client is always not. And the situation got worsen when I contacted support, which led to the suspension of my account. Yes, my account was suspended due to my stupidity. When I learned that I could still open my previous Upwork account, I immediately asked them to remove it permanently, so it won't conflict with my current one.

But I got suspended instead, and that incident had cost me a lot. I lost my account with more than 100 hours of working experience, as well as the positive feedback from the client. Although those hours were done by my friend (coz she borrowed my account when hers got suspended), I was still sad coz that was my only key to my freelancing career.

I felt devastated and hopeless because getting approval from Upwork after signing up takes time. I did sign up again for the third time but I got a lot of rejections from the Upwork team. But instead of giving up, I decided to Google other freelancing platforms, and that how I discovered OnlineJobs, a freelancing platform exclusive for the Filipinos only.

I signed up right away, completed my profiles, and started my job hunting. Not sure how long I did my routine, but one night, I came across a job offer looking for a ghostwriter. I don't even know what that was, but I still tried my luck and applied. A few hours after, I got a response, asking for some details and samples of my work. Luckily, I have my WordPress blog and sent to her the link to it. She then hired me the next day.

My first client was a Filipino. The initial rate was only $3 per article. The job was to write something about renowned entrepreneurs. She would give me the names, and I just Googled them. Luckily, most of the names are in Wikipedia with everything that I needed to know. But some aren't in Wikipedia yet, so I had to search all over to find what I needed. The job wasn't easy because that was my real first writing job ever. But with the help of my client, I was able to pull off her demands.

I also managed to get another client as a content writer for his Shopify store. I was assigned to write product descriptions and other stuff. Sadly, it didn't last long though. It only lasted for two weeks and earned $200 for that.

Days to weeks to months, and I finally got my courage to ask for a raise from my first client from $3 per article to $4. Unfortunately, something came up, and I hadn't heard anything from her anymore. So I applied for another writing job but the task was too much to handle that I quit after two days.

Then my first client came back, and we were back to business once again. But after two weeks, our internet connection was down and had to stop working for months. And then in January, I decided to update my Upwork profile again (for the nth attempts). The next day, I finally received a congratulation message rather than a thank you. After I got my new internet provider, I started applying for jobs. Then one day, I was invited for an interview for a job that I didn't apply for. I then grabbed the opportunity and after the interview, I got the job.

I had to end my contract with my Filipino client so I could focus more on my new one. Today, I have written more than 500 articles for my Italian client so far. But I'm also searching for jobs that are non-writing related, so I could do both without killing my brain cells.

And that's how it all started and definitely won't end it right there.


**All photos are free images from Pixabay.

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4 years ago

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Quite an experience but I'm glad you have a good mindset

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4 years ago

Well writer

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4 years ago

You are a such a great writer

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4 years ago

Great article Dear

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4 years ago

Are you professional on content writing? When you start freelancing?

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4 years ago

Content writing on other site like upwork, fiverr is not easy I think? Right? I was so interest to work for those site, but I don’t have much knowledge about them. But I know how to right. How much order do you get pper day? Will you help me to do?

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4 years ago

You need to sign up first.. And wait for their approval.. Once you're in, you can start applying for the jobs you want.. But be sure to only apply the jobs that you know you are capable of.. Coz once you run out of connects, your account will be suspended.. Will write something about upwork later or tomorrow.. Just a basic guide tho.

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4 years ago

Owh! Thanks for your tips!

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4 years ago

Thank you for sharing your journey as a writer. Good luck and use your pen to change the world!

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4 years ago

And thank you so much.☺️

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4 years ago

Ang hirap ma approved sa upwork. Gusto ko din magkaroon ng freelance job pero diko Alam pano uumpisahan kasi parang back to zero na naman utak ko. 2 years na kasi simula nung nag resign ako sa work ko. Nag try ako sa Appen, na approved naman account ko kaso puro micro task lang din nakukuha Kong job.

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User's avatar Yen
4 years ago

Meron akong appen pero d ko na tinuloy.. Isang beses lang ata ako naka try dun.. Have you tried remotask? Gusto ko sana yun kaso mejo d ko alam pano.. Natry ko din yung glimmertech pero d kaya ng powers ko dahil baka wala na akong pahinga.. Try mo sa online jobs.

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4 years ago

Hindi Kaya ng laptop ko yung requirements ni Remo e. 8gb ram kase need Nila. Yung glimmer tech ngayon ko lang narinig Yun.

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User's avatar Yen
4 years ago

Same lang sila sa Remo.. Pero they are more on buildings and houses.. Unlike sa Remo na dba na puro vehicles? Need ko din bumili ng ram kasi 4gb lang din sakin..

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4 years ago

Pwede ba bumili tapos replace sa laptop? Gusto ko kasi aralin Yun kahit yung lidar task. Nag try nadin ako sa quiz Nila saka Naka add sa remotask. PH sa fb haha.

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User's avatar Yen
4 years ago

Oo nag check ako sa shopee, 850 lang siya.. But need daw na match sa current ram mo so dapat pa check mo muna kung anong ram dapat bilhin.

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4 years ago

I love reading about your freelancing story. This is very inspiring. Now I have the confidence that I can also do it. Its been quite some time thinking about what area or niche to focus on and this gives me the idea to focus on writing. I guess I can submit my readcash blogs if ever asked for a previous blogging experience, right?

The only problem is that I'm a mobile user, but I guess I can do something about it. Keep on writing more of your freelancing stories please πŸ™πŸ»

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4 years ago

Yes, that would be a problem.. Coz you can't work online with your phone.. You need a desktop or a laptop to do that.. You mentioned in your previous comment that you're going to buy a new lappy as soon as you have the money.. Well, I hope you could save the amount soon.. I'm sure you'll do great..

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4 years ago

I really hope so and I'd be glad to learn more from you with regards to freelancing. I'm losing hope on the post I applied in the government sector due to this pandemic thing so I'm starting to self study about freelancing and plan to shift my career if I still won't get favorable result from the government sector by mid 2021.

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4 years ago

Oo I suggest you watch tutorials online.. Aside from writing, try mo rin ng iba.. Habang wala ka pang Laptop, self study lang muna..

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4 years ago

I'll do that. Thanks for the suggestion.

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4 years ago

You're very much welcome 😊😊

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4 years ago

I've only worked on one freelancing platform since highschool but you took on so many freelancing jobs and it's pretty cool that you could handle it

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4 years ago

You really inspire me about your content writing journey. Thanks to you I found my way into this freelance writing world. Good luck in finding another job po. I'm sure you will find one.

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4 years ago

Hope so.. By the way, how's your writing journey so far?

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4 years ago

I had my first client from OLJ, but it only lasted for days. Hahaha! But now, I have a Filipino client. So far, okay naman. Okay din ung rate. 0.80 cents per word. But I'm also looking for additional client kasi may mga araw na wala akong ginagawa. 😁

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4 years ago

Galing naman. Kung mka 1000 word ka..eh okay na..

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4 years ago

Yes, pero blog posts lang sinusulat ko now eh. Nasa 400-500 words lang. Un ung ginagawa kong 10 articles now. Mas mahirap pala magsulat kapag maliit lang ung word count. πŸ˜‚

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4 years ago

Wow per word? Alam mo bang nag try ako dati na 0.01 ata per word and need ng at least 1000 words per article kaya ni let go ko after 2days..aksaya sa time.

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4 years ago

I mean in peso po un, hindi dollar. Haha So nasa 420 pesos per 500 words ang rate ko. Ung first client ko naman, $0.01 ang offer nya sakin, sabi ko masyadong mababa, so nagcounter-offer ako ng $0.015. Ayun tinanggap, pero di nagtagal. πŸ˜‚ May nag-email din sakin, tinatanong magkano rate ko. Triny ko ung advise nila na dapat di bababa sa dos. Ayon di na nagreply. Natakot yata. πŸ˜‚

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4 years ago

Dati ako nung pinaka first client ko sa upwork nung first account ko, as in nasa $.10 ata rate ko hourly.. Odesk pa yun so walang minimum rate.. Inaccept ko yun just to get an experience.. Tas after ng ilang weeks ata or a month, nag end ako sa kanya kasi me new client din ako.. Nung first pinay client ko super baba pero nakatulong pa din sakin yun nung walang wala ako.

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4 years ago

Grabe naman sa baba ung $0.10 per hour. Buti nakatagal ko po sa ganun. Sipag mo naman po.

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4 years ago

Ganun talaga kasi grabe yung bidding dati sa odesk.. Pababaan.. Kasi nga yung nga Indiano, grabe din bagsakan nila.. Pero buti ngayon me minimum rate na..

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4 years ago

Grabe pala kababa dati. Buti nag'improve na ngayon.

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4 years ago

Oo super.. Buti na lang at naging upwork sila.. The downside is, freeang ang connects dati pero ngayon me bayad na.

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4 years ago

Un nga po eh. Haha! Balak ko pa naman magtry na talaga sa Upwork. Pero meron yata silang binibigay na free connects din minsan.

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4 years ago

Once approved ka na, me free connects ka na dapat use wisely talaga.. Dati free yan nung odesk pa lang tas I think every week or month, mag rereset siya.. Now, me bayad na kasi yung iba, apply ng apply, d naman nila kabisado yung job.. They have to be stricter para iwas sa mga spammers.

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4 years ago

Galing nmn. Gusto ko dn mag freelance paguwi ko.. Braincracking tlga pagsusulat ng articles..pro hawak mo time mo... Sana mkahanap dn ako ng client. Bout the filipino site .. Ano exactly name ng site?

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4 years ago

Okay naman as a content writer kasi more on rephrasing lang naman at kunting sulat of your own words tas yun na.. Onlinejobs.ph ang full site.. Try mo din yan..

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4 years ago

Usually, magkano naeearn mo in one month? Thanks try ko jan

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4 years ago

Ngayon balik 25 hours ako a week.. Yan talaga time ko nung nag start ako tas biglang ginawang 35 tas 45.. Rate ko $3 lang hourly tas mga more or less 24k ako a month.. Ngayon nag increase na ako ng rate sa profile ko pero hindi sa client ko.. Nahiya ako manghingi ng raise e.. Feb 3 ako nag start.

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4 years ago

Malaki na ah.. Compare sa work jan sa manila. Kaltas pa tax. Atleast jan boo makukuha

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4 years ago

Me 10% upwork fee and $.99 per transaction from upwork to your bank.. Pero okay naman.. Mas okay pa rin siya.

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4 years ago

Meron pla.. Pro ok narn yun.. Mas malaki kaltas sa labas

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4 years ago

Kelan ba matatapos contract mo? Sa HK ka dba? Jan ka na ba nakatira or work lang?

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4 years ago

Next year pa.. Work lng. Walang balak tumira mahal dto πŸ˜…

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4 years ago

Hahahaha okay.. Well, enjoy enjoy na lang muna habang anjan ka.. I mean work and then a little fun din.

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4 years ago