if i were starting my writing business from scratch
you’re scrolling through instagram at 11pm.
someone your age just announced they quit their job. they’re working from a café somewhere. making money somehow. and you’re lying in bed thinking — wait, how?
it doesn’t feel like luck. it just feels like they know something you don’t.
here’s what they probably figured out: income can come from skills, not just jobs. and if you can write — clearly, usefully, in a way that helps a business communicate better — someone will pay you for it.
the part nobody tells you is how to get that first client. or the second. or the fifth.
so let me try.
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if i were starting from zero tomorrow — no audience, no testimonials, no portfolio — here’s exactly what i’d do to get my first 5 clients.
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client 1 — tell your network
open your phone. think of 10 people you already know who run a business or work at one.
don’t pitch them. just send an update.
“hey, i’ve started writing for businesses — emails, websites, content. if you ever need help or know someone who does, i’d love a referral.”
that’s it. no pressure, no sales deck. just a human message.
someone will know someone. that’s almost always how client 1 happens.
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client 2 — do one free thing, strategically
pick one business you genuinely like. rewrite one email or one page of their website. make it noticeably better.
then send it. no strings attached.
“i rewrote your homepage. thought it might help. feel free to use it.”
this does something a cold pitch never does — it shows them, concretely, what it feels like to work with you. they’ll remember it. some will hire you. all of them will respect you for it.
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client 3 — be useful in public
post one piece of writing advice on x or linkedin this week.
not “hire me.” just something genuinely helpful. one observation. one tip. one thing you noticed.
do this consistently — not every day, just consistently — and something quiet starts happening. people begin to associate your name with writing. when they need a writer, they think of you first.
inbound is slow to start. but it compounds in a way outbound never does.
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client 4 — knock on agency doors
this one is underrated.
small marketing and content agencies are almost always overwhelmed. they have clients but not enough writers. they don’t need to be convinced that writing is valuable — they already know. they just need capacity.
dm 10 of them. keep it short:
“i’m a freelance writer. if you’re ever swamped and need overflow help, i’d love to be on your list.”
half won’t reply. a few will say not right now. one will say yes. that’s your client — and often a long-term one.
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client 5 — show up in communities
join one slack group or discord where your ideal clients hang out. founder communities, startup groups, creator spaces.
not to promote yourself. just to help.
when someone asks “how do i write a better cold email?” — answer it properly. when someone shares a landing page that isn’t working — tell them why, kindly.
don’t pitch. just be the person who clearly knows their stuff.
people notice. dms follow.
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the pattern across all five:
your first clients won’t come from a perfect website or a cold pitch. they’ll come from someone who saw you, trusted you, and thought of you at the right moment.
most people spend months building a logo, picking a niche, designing a portfolio — before they’ve spoken to a single potential client.
your first client doesn’t care about your website. they care about whether you can solve their problem.
get the client first. build the rest after.
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one question worth sitting with this week:
what can you do that someone else would pay for right now?
not someday. not after a course. right now.
most people have more of an answer than they think. write down three things you’re better at than most people around you. not world-class — just better than average in your circle.
that list is your starting point.
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“you don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.”
— zig ziglar
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if this was useful, share it with one person who’s thinking about going freelance. that’s all i ask.
see you next friday.
