<\/span><\/h5>\n\n\n\nWell, being a writer wasn’t my first career choice. Even though I love the art of writing, I seldom knew it is a career option. Right out of college, I sat for competitive examinations to secure a “safe” future. That was my idea of “success” back then. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After a year of fighting for my position, I knew this isn’t what makes me happy. I felt I haven’t done enough and knew: it’s not what I want to do for the rest of my life. So I decided to switch gears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While I was exploring other career options, I started penning down my thoughts on Quora. On some days, I would write fiction, while I would share my life’s story on other days. My readers used to tell me: “your words inspire me”. It was the only thing in the entire day that I looked forward to, enjoyed doing, and that gave me peace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One day I sat down to write, and I remember it was raining — a perfect time to knit stories — it struck me what if I can build a career in writing? It was scary. I knew nothing about this industry. I would either fall flat on my face or build a rewarding career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Well-versed with the consequences and unaware of the types of writing (content, copywriting, fiction, and more), I started looking for ways to learn writing — I did some courses, read a ton of articles, but what gave me the exposure was a job at a digital marketing agency as their full-time writer. I got introduced to the world of digital marketing, SEO, content, and copywriting. That’s when I knew this is what I’d love to do for the rest of my life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The abundant creativity and the infinite opportunities to learn and to grow fascinated me about my career choice. There are always new trends, something more you can learn, and there’s never a point where you can say you’ve learned enough. This field pushes (read: throws) you out of your comfort zone to think beyond your level of imagination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>3. Why did you choose to freelance? When did you begin to freelance? Were you planning it, or how did it happen?<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n\n\n\nGrowing up, I knew only two things to become successful: either to work at a job or build a big business. While the former felt like a full stop to my creativity, the latter was overwhelming. Freelancing was the middle ground. Moreover, freelance writing is the perfect amalgamation of what I always wanted to do — something creative while being my own boss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After a while of working at a job, I quit working as a full-time freelancer. It was an unplanned decision. To put it lightly, I was terrified of the idea of freelancing. I didn’t know how freelancers find work, how do they get paid, am I ever going to make profits? Thoughts like these clouded my mind. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Barely anyone around me understood what freelancing is, and people who knew didn’t believe it was a stable career. So I learned the majority of things from the internet and started applying them. When you freelance, your life is like a blank canvas, you’ve to paint it with the colors you want and carve your own path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So with shivering thoughts, I stepped into the world of freelancing, and creating content on LinkedIn gave me a headstart. I started sharing my stories and experiences with the world with no hopes of getting work from there. To my surprise, my inbox was filled with a few leads in the first month only. That’s when I knew this works, and I doubled down on it. I haven’t looked back since then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>4. Throw some light on the importance of choosing niches and working on personal branding for freelancers.<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n\n\n\nSelecting a niche is essential but perplexing. It creates your authority and sets you up as an expert. However, don’t force niche upon yourself; let it be a natural process. Work in various industries and types of content, see what you’re good at and what you enjoy, and then select a niche. You can niche down based on the industry or the type of content you create.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Personal branding is indispensable for freelancers. It has helped me connect with industry leaders, showcase my experience and land projects. When people reach out to you because they’ve read about you or your content, you stand a very high chance of closing that deal because they want to work with you, and you’re not bidding for the lowest price to sell your services. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You should also have your personal website\/blog, even if it’s a one-page website, to show your expertise. As I always believe: website is your home on the internet, it’s where you welcome your prospects to learn about you and decide to work with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Personal branding pays you in leaps and bounds. It opens doors to opportunities you never knew existed, which fuels your growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n