Episode•August 19, 2021•23 min

The World of Freelance Writing with Laura Gariepy | Ep. 66

About Our Guest Laura Gariepy is the owner of Every Day by the Lake, LLC, a freelance written content creation company that helps busy business owners stay top of mind with their target audience. She is also a business coach to new and aspiring freelancers and runs an online resource hub for them called Before You Go Freelance. In addition, she helps other writers get clear on their message, plan their content, and produce compelling written works. Connect with Laura Email: [email protected] Twitter: @EverydayLake Connect with Tiffany on Social Media Facebook: Money Talk With Tiff Twitter: @moneytalkwitht Instagram: @moneytalkwitht LinkedIn: Tiffany Grant YouTube: Money Talk With Tiff Channel Pinterest: Money Talk With Tiff This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

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Key Takeaways

1
Freelance writing can generate a sustainable full-time income with a clear ramp-up process
Entry-level rates start around $50 per article but can scale to $500+ per article with experience and better clients
High earners in the space make $20k–$30k per month, though this requires significant hours and consistent client acquisition
The key is continuously replacing lower-paying clients with better-compensated ones over time
2
New writers should begin with a niche blog to build a portfolio before pursuing paid work
Start a blog on a topic you're knowledgeable about to create published samples
Network with other writers, bloggers, and potential clients early—even before you're ready to monetize
Guest posting on other sites (often unpaid initially) provides credibility and published clips outside your own site
3
Client workflows vary widely—some provide content calendars, others expect writers to generate all ideas
Some clients want full collaboration on topics month-to-month
Others expect the writer to handle ideation entirely because they lack time
Flexibility and adaptability are essential; there is no single standard process
4
Outsourcing parts of the writing process (research, SEO, proofreading) is possible but requires oversight
Some writers use virtual assistants for research and editing
The writer remains responsible for final quality and client standards
Proper onboarding and clear expectations are critical when delegating work
5
Maintaining personal content (blogs/podcasts) often takes a backseat to client work due to time constraints
Laura admits to missing podcast episodes and letting her blog go stale for months
Income-generating client work tends to take priority over evergreen personal content
Building a body of work over time still adds value even if release schedules slip

Intro

Tiffany Grant interviews Laura Gariepy about breaking into and succeeding in freelance writing as a career path.
Laura Gariepy is the owner of Every Day by the Lake, LLC, a freelance content creation company. She also coaches new freelancers through Before You Go Freelance and helps writers with messaging and content planning.

Email Twitter Before You Go Freelance

– Introduction & Background

Tiffany introduces Laura Gariepy, noting they first connected on Twitter and later met in person at FinCon 2019.

Laura runs Every Day by the Lake, LLC (freelance writing services) and Before You Go Freelance (resource hub for new freelancers).

– How Much Can Freelance Writers Earn?

Laura shares that some writers earn $20k–$30k per month, though this requires high volume and long hours.

You can definitely bring in a really nice salary just by writing.
– Laura Gariepy

– First Steps for Aspiring Freelance Writers

Start a niche blog to build a portfolio of published work demonstrating both writing skill and subject expertise.

Network with writers, bloggers, and potential clients while building initial content.

Pursue guest posts on other sites (often unpaid) to gain published clips and credibility.

– Laura's Own Journey Into Freelance Writing

Laura quit her job in 2018 without a clear plan; freelance writing "jumped up and bit" her and she ran with it.

Just becoming aware of that as an avenue to make real money [was] one of the best things that's ever happened to me.
– Laura Gariepy

– How Client Projects Actually Work

Workflows differ: some clients provide full content calendars, others collaborate monthly, and some expect the writer to generate all ideas.

It always depends.
– Laura Gariepy

– Niches and Topic Variety

Laura started in personal finance but expanded into HR/career topics, small business, and one-off projects like pest control and medical writing.

Writing across niches allows her to research new topics, avoid boredom, and qualify for more specialized work.

– Research Requirements

Familiar topics may need minimal research, but new or technical subjects require reading reputable sources or conducting interviews to ensure accuracy.

– Pricing Evolution and Client Acquisition

Laura began at $50 per article and now charges $500 per article by consistently acquiring better clients and retiring lower-paying ones.

There is a ramp-up period; success depends on treating writing as a business and actively seeking improved opportunities.

– Outsourcing and Quality Control

Some writers use virtual assistants for research and proofreading, but the writer must maintain oversight to ensure quality.

At the end of the day, you're turning in the piece and you want to make sure that it's a quality product.
– Laura Gariepy

– Onboarding Help Effectively

Proper training and clear expectations are essential when hiring; poor onboarding leads to subpar results.

Tiffany shares a personal story of attempting to delegate without adequate training and realizing the fault was hers.

– Personal Projects vs. Client Work

Laura's original blog (Everyday by the Lake) now primarily serves as a service advertisement.

She launched Before You Go Freelance in 2020 for freelancer resources but struggles to keep it updated due to client demands.

It's easy to drop the ball on those things that don't necessarily have an instant yield.
– Laura Gariepy

– Where to Find Laura

Main resource site: beforeyougofreelance.com

Email: [email protected]

Resources

Topics

freelance writingcontent creationpersonal finance writingclient acquisitionpricing strategyportfolio buildingoutsourcingentrepreneurship guest postingniche selection