Sharon Wu is a freelance content writer and ghostwriter who helps CEOs, founders, and marketers gain web visibility through SEO-friendly blogs and articles.
- From: San Francisco Bay Area—I’ve always been a Californian! These days, I split my time between Encinitas and Palm Springs, CA
- Began freelance writing: 9 years ago
1. 68 blogs in one month! I’ve gotta start there. That’s an extremely high level of productivity! Can you share some behind-the-scenes insight into how you did it?
Ahh, I haven’t always been a fast writer! It certainly helps that I’ve been producing content professionally for almost a decade. They say, “practice makes progress,” right?
I’ve been working with the same five or so partners on a retainer basis for several months. Naturally, I’ve gotten to know each of their needs, brand voice, and expectations well. Over time, we’ve established an efficient workflow. Not onboarding a ton of new one-off clients helps me maximize my time.
Besides streamlining the admin part of my job, I ask clients to provide detailed briefs so I can focus on writing content that meets their needs. Most are great at this, making my job easier. Thorough briefs mean fewer or no revisions, which gives me more time to keep writing new blogs.
If clients give free rein instead, I’ll use copyAI to come up with a loose outline with possible H2s and H3s (goodbye, writer’s block!). Then, I’ll tweak and use this outline as a guide for crafting unique, valuable, and search-engine-optimized content for each talking point.
Before I start writing, I’ll gather relevant sources and studies for research-heavy pieces.
2. Do you ever have work days when you’re not feeling like writing? If so, how do you react to them?
Yes! I have some ultra-productive days and days when I just want to lay out on the beach or in my bed and do nothing. Completing projects with intention and listening to my body is so important—I won’t write when I’m feeling off. One of the best perks of freelancing is the flexibility to do your work when and where you’re most motivated.
To get out of a “funk,” I like to go outside for a walk and fresh air, or to the gym for a nice weight-lifting sesh! Some days, I’ll take my laptop to a cafe or library to switch up my workspace.
3. It’s clear that service quality is a top priority for you. What steps do you take to repeatedly exceed your client’s expectations?
Effective and timely communication is key here. I consistently outstrip deadlines because I set expectations upfront with clients before beginning projects, and give myself plenty of time to deliver. Assuming life doesn’t throw me lemons, I can finish the work well without stress.
Clients are happy because they get quality deliverables on time, with no surprises. I’m also never out of reach throughout my partnerships, so clients know they can count on me.
“I consistently outstrip deadlines because I set expectations upfront with clients before beginning projects, and give myself plenty of time to deliver.”
Sharon Wu
4. After scaling to $10k months as a freelance writer, what advice would you give to others looking to hit that goal as quickly as possible?
My advice would be different depending on where someone is in their journey. But if you’re a new freelance writer wanting to gain traction quickly, I recommend three things:
1. Develop a robust portfolio to showcase your talent and strengths. You don’t have to work for free or pennies to do this. Instead, write for yourself and/or create spec pieces.
When I started freelance writing, I wrote in the higher education, senior living, and home security niches—not because they excited me, but more so, the opportunity kind of fell in my lap. I knew I wanted to work with more partners in the travel, beauty, and wellness niches, though. So, I self-published a few relevant articles on Medium that clients could potentially envision on their website blog.
I’ve had leads get in touch after discovering my Medium articles on Google search (most recently, a travel bureau reached out about a partnership opportunity after seeing this piece, Encinitas: San Diego’s Best Beach Town)!
2. Build a personal brand and network with others—you can be incredible at what you do, and still not get very far if nobody knows about you or your talent. Plus, people buy from people, and you are much more than your service. Don’t be afraid to show off your skills, personality, and what makes you uniquely you!
3. Get advice from industry professionals at least 2-3 years ahead of you, and pay it forward by helping someone else later. Community building is crucial as a business owner—nobody gets to the top without help and support along the way 🙂
“People buy from people, and you are much more than your service. Don’t be afraid to show off your skills, personality, and what makes you uniquely you!”
Sharon Wu
5. Now to back up a little, can you tell us how and why you got into freelance writing?
My love for writing started at a young age when my mom encouraged me to read and journal every night. I excelled in English classes throughout my school years and eventually graduated from UCSD with a BA in Communications.
After college, I launched a lifestyle blog where I shared my favorite beauty finds, OOTDs, and other things that interested me. This was purely for fun at first. But brands started noticing my work and offering paid sponsorships where I’d blog about my experience with their product(s) and share editorial photo content on social media… at this point, one of my hobbies became a lucrative career.
During this time, I also got the opportunity to write content in higher education, home security, and senior living niches for a digital marketing agency. I did that for a few years on a part-time freelance basis, until that company got bought out.
When COVID hit, my lifestyle blog sponsors had to restructure their marketing budgets. With the rise of TikTok and Instagram reels, they were shifting toward video content, which isn’t my expertise. So, I decided to pivot and offer freelance blog writing services to brands needing SEO content. Fast forward to today, I ghostwrite blog articles, guides, and service pages for companies in various industries.
6. And what type of writing is your favorite?
Writing blogs and long-form content is my jam. I’m more of an educator than a “sell this product/service in ten words or less” kinda gal. Currently, I write a lot for medical practices and beauty spas! But I keep my job interesting by writing about other topics too, like digital marketing and web accessibility.
7. You’ve shared that you’ve been doing quite a bit of self-development reading, too. What’s your favorite book so far?
Most recently, I enjoyed Freelance Your Way to Freedom by Alexandra Fasulo. It’s an excellent book for all solopreneurs… written by a seasoned freelance writer! Alex packs a punch (and no fluff) in 272 pages. I promise every minute of reading will be of value.
8. It’s also been fun to see a few of your pets from your adorable pugs to your Chinese water dragon! Are there any other pets you have yet to share?
I also have two leopard geckos but they’re nocturnal and don’t come out much. They’re super low-maintenance, docile, and cute lizards to own. I was never a pet person until meeting my boyfriend a decade ago… our first pet together was the sweetest Chinese water dragon named Babadook!
9. When you’re not writing, what are some of your favorite things to do?
I enjoy going on drives in my convertible, exploring new sights, and attending car meets where I geek out about mods with other European auto enthusiasts.
10. What’s next for you? Do you have any new projects underway? Goals for 2023?
I’m embracing each day as it comes! Besides continuing to scale my freelance writing business, I’m exploring a few passive income streams. I also have a list of 12 career development books to read. Tackling one book per month if anyone wants to join me 🙂
Where can people find you, follow you, get in touch, and learn from you?
- I share my journey of learning and growing as a content creator on LinkedIn.
- LI is my main social channel, but you can also find me on Instagram @sharewrites_.
- Learn more about me and what I do on my website, www.sharewrites.com.
- Get in touch via email at hello@sharewrites.com.