If I could give my past self a list of lessons learned from starting a freelance business in 2020 (including crashing and burning to keeping going anyways), it would go something like this:

1. A license is just a legal thing. Don’t expect any credibility from it.
2. Editing tests are harder than you think. You’ll be surprised at what your so-called “eagle eyes” still miss. So you’re not perfect. Big whoop.
3. Confused about taxes as a sole proprietor? Google it.
4. Publishing on Medium sucks the joy out of publishing your work. Don’t take the “clickbait” bait. Stick to your blog.
5. People still won’t read your blog, though, either. But at least it’s yours and yours alone. It’s better to dedicate your energy to a few dedicated readers (thanks, friends and fam) than to try and please a general audience. Quality over quantity.
6. Ask clients for a longer turnaround time than you think you need. Your time matters, just like theirs does. And you being thorough is worth their time.
7. Confused and conflicted about how much to charge for editing and writing services? Google it. I mean, do “market research.” Adapt what you see out there to what you know about your work (i.e., do the math) to justify your rate.
8. Avoid Fiverr and similar platforms unless the client is willing to pay your rate. Those sites prize cheap labor. You deserve better than that, even as a newbie, and taking those jobs only contributes to the undervaluation of editors and writers.
9. Don’t feel bad quoting seemingly large sums of money. If that’s your honest estimate, stick with it. It’s math. Being strapped for cash makes you feel most quotes are too high. That doesn’t mean they are.
10. Send all your quotes as a proposal. Make sure to include “What do you think?” and the actual word “proposal” in your correspondence. Those key phrases buffer the uncomfortableness of stating costs. Eek.
11. Celebrate each new client and paycheck. You did that all by yourself, girl — amazing!
12. If the content of projects makes you uncomfortable for whatever reason, take your time to get the job done (i.e., take breaks to take care of yourself) and ask for those kinds of projects to be filtered out of what your client sends you next. Doing so better serves you and the client.
13. Plan things to do when you know you won’t have something to work on (there will be more of these days than you think!). Write, read inspiring entrepreneur books, go for a long walk, catch up on your spreadsheets, do something nice for someone, bake, write snail mail. Keep your mind engaged — it’s an antidote to anxiety.
14. Imposter syndrome — it’s a thing. Beat it down when you can.
15. When people ask, “What do you do?” answer proudly. Because you are proud of what you created. Toot your horn a bit.
16. Choosing what you do with your business is going to make you feel like you should be doing more. I mean, the world is your oyster, right? Kinda. It’s okay to push yourself but do it mindfully (i.e., you can’t do everything).
17. Have a new business idea? Overwhelmed with where to start? Wondering if it will prove to be any good? Great. Start somewhere, keep going.
18. Website maintenance sucks and is draining. Get help where you can.
19. Don’t check work email until after breakfast and definitely not on weekends.
20. Write in the morning and do it with pen and paper. This will prove to be a useful, effective, and — wait for it — fun habit. Kudos.