answering top reddit questions on freelancing

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Reddit is one platform many of my friends recommended me for unfiltered, insanely quality content - but I never really prioritized it.

Only a week ago, I started to understand how Reddit works and what are the best subreddits for a guy like me. I also wanted to use Reddit for work; especially for content.

While I was still browsing and figuring out how Reddit works, Aditi (she handles ops for all my content) was super fast in finding some really cool questions about freelancing and told me, “Why don’t we answer all these questions on Cognition?”

…so here I am, answering top Reddit questions on freelancing! Ready to dive? 🤿 

I could never think of a technical answer to this. I have tried. I have tried to formulate or create a framework for understanding how to price your work in content—it just didn’t make sense to me.

What made sense instead is - “Charge what you feel is right.”

I know it sounds cliche; let me explain. I don’t know what the metric is for other freelancers, but a simple rule I follow is - “I should never feel I am compensated too little while I am working on a project.”

Because once I feel I am overworking for an underpaid job, I won’t be able to give my best. I won’t be able to take those extra steps in research, ideation, and editing, where the magic happens.

So I follow this simple exercise:

I never admit to any charges on call. I just mention I’ll think it through and get back to them. Then I understand what it feels like to get x amount of money for y amount of work. Once I feel happy with a number, I will add 15% while quoting (just in case the lead wants to negotiate.)

But there is a catch: For ‘CHARGE WHAT YOU FEEL IS RIGHT’ to work, you need to be extremely self-aware about what your work is worth and what results you have brought for your previous clients.

I am telling this because I have seen both sides of the coin. I have seen folks quote higher than their skills and proof of work would suggest—and on the other side, I was shocked to see exceptional writers charge lower than what their work is worth.

Answering about moving from one client to another, I do have a tangible rule of thumb:

• I charge at least 10% more than what I have charged my previous client

• If I can’t do that, I try not to close the deal less than my previous pricing

PS: I don’t charge per word or hour, and I don’t package my services. My charges are extremely personalized based on the intersection of my expertise/skill, time, and deliverables. I only charge in a per-project model, which is why charge what you feel is right works well for me.

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The way I see it, there are two directions a writer can move in.

One - Continue to work as a writer with larget brands handling bigger projects

Two - Continue to grow in roles

While the first one is self-explanatory, here is what I mean by growing in roles: You are a writer now. The next step could transition into leading a team of writers - and then a team of writers and designers - and then leading a small full-stack marketing unit, and so on.

I’ve seen this kind of progression if you’re working in agencies and rising startups, but if you are a one-person business or an agency owner; your role transitions into more of a strategist (working with your team primarily on content) or an operator (more towards getting leads, managing clients and team, and only overviewing the content.)

There is no right-wrong transition into a strategist or an operator—it depends on what you enjoy as you grow. I love being in content, and I can’t see myself operating a brand while I have seen top freelancers like Shreya Pattar express they enjoy management and operations more.

Let me answer this question in different parts.

Is building a career in freelance writing still worth it?

Yes. But it’s harder than ever because of two things - saturation and AI. The number of folks getting into freelancing writing is increasing every quarter, and AI is only improving. So if you are a beginner, surpassing AI’s beginner-level writing and getting your first paid gig will take some time.

But what’s more important is to create many content pieces - either for yourself or brands - before you land your first high-ticket client. This will not only polish your skills but will also improve your awareness of how audiences react to different content.

What about AI?

As I have said, AI has replaced the need for basic writing. The nuances of the brand and the human touch will always stay relevant, but how you quickly drive results for your clients becomes the North Star metric.

I wrote a killer issue on AI’s impact on writers when the GPT was released for the first time. It’s still relevant if you wish to read.

How long will it take to land your first paid gig in legal, meditation, and all the niches mentioned in the image?

I’d say six months if you’re constantly learning and applying—depends on various factors like your expertise level, ability to articulate, research, pitch and network, etc.

Three stories top my mind whenever someone asks me this.

1. Naming a supermarket: It was a really fun gig. My suggested name didn’t get selected and I am biased towards believing my name is better than what they have picked, but working on this cute little project made me happy.

2. Getting paid to watch Naruto: PLAYMOBIL is the biggest toy brand in Germany and France. Their marketing head contacted me to write one-liners for an anime-related event they’re hosting. They needed someone who understood English, watched Naruto, and could write—and I fit perfectly into this combination.

3. Selling Sex Toys: Worked with a brand that makes intimate products—strategized and wrote their Valentine’s Day campaign, driving 10x results than what they’ve invested, and also rewrote their multiple email sequences.

I have documented every process.

Click on the links and you will find yourself reading interesting case studies.

I have several more questions ready, but we have already crossed a thousand words, so let me park the issue here.

Tell me how you liked this format so we can occasionally tap into this Q&A kinda content.