As many of my close friends and family know, writing has always been one of my favorite outlets, and something I have genuinely enjoyed for as long as I can remember. I was always enthusiastic about entering local writing contests, with this habit starting as young as the first grade, and continuing throughout my years in the K-12 system. Actually, I did surprisingly better in these contests than I ever expected to; my best award was a $2000 prize for about a page and a half of writing. While I wasn't in it for the money, it was nice to receive compensation and recognition for my time and effort.
Nearing the end of my second year in college, I have realized that since leaving high school, my writing has taken a back seat. I have spent the last two years writing nothing but required essays, and I miss what I was doing. So, here I am, deciding to go for what I am passionate about. I am bound and determined to step through the threshold of freelance writing, no matter how slow my internet connection may sometimes be, or how little pay per word I receive... You have to start somewhere, right?
Let me just tell you a little bit about my journey so far, which started about a week ago:
Day One (February 19th) - Google searches for hours lead me to what other writers like to call "Content Mills." The first one I stumbled upon was Textbroker. I signed up, printed about 22 pages of FAQ information, and still have not figured out how to access an assignment - it now won't let me log in, saying they are "verifying my information." But they also said they appreciated my patience... that's nice of them.
Day Two (20th) - Still cannot log on :( More Google searches don't tell me why, but do lead me to the website of a seasoned veteran (28 years old and freelancer for 1.5 year) who has a beautiful website and portfolio of work. On blind faith, I send her an email, asking for any advice she has for getting into these secret freelancer world.
Day Three, Four, & Five - I have found another content mill, much easier to get into, and submitted my first assignment. If it gets posted, I will share the link!
Day Six - The seasoned vet actually responded, and was very kind! She offered wonderful advice and was very welcoming considering I am a twenty year old wasting her time and filling her inbox.
Day Seven (Today, February 24th) - Received feedback on my first assignment, just had to take out a few "you"s and resubmit! I think that's a good sign. Hope to have my first official work published to their blog in the next few days!
Thanks for reading,
Shaylyn
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