Build a Freelance Writing Business in 5 Hours a Week (Step-by-Step Plan)

When I first started freelance writing as a mom, I didn’t have full workdays available.

Nap schedules changed constantly. Someone always needed snacks. The house was loud. And honestly, most days I felt exhausted before noon.

So when people talk about building a freelance writing business like you need 40 extra hours every week and a perfect morning routine, I just can’t relate to that.

Because that wasn’t my reality at all as a newly mom to twins.

I built my freelance writing business in tiny pockets of time around my family life.

Early mornings before the kids woke up. During nap times. Evenings with my laptop on the couch. And random quiet moments during the day.

Little by little, I was able to build a freelance writing business that’s still thriving over a decade later.

And, it all started with only 5 hours a week…that’s all you REALLY need to make this work.

You don’t need unlimited free time or even the perfect work at home office that’s Instagram-worthy.

You just need consistency and a plan.

First Off: Stop Waiting Until You “Have More Time”

This is one of the biggest things that keeps new freelance writers stuck and they never move the dial with their side hustle.

They keep waiting for the perfect season of life.

Maybe when the kids are older. Maybe after summer. Maybe once work slows down. Maybe once I feel more confident.

But freelance writing rarely starts at the perfect time. When I started freelance writing, I was still taking hour long stroller walks to get my twins to sleep for their daily nap.

I was also living with my inlaws so I rarely had “alone” time or uninterrupted time.

But, I made it work when I could.

Most freelance writers start messy like I had to.

You figure things out while you go.

And, having only 5 hours a week can actually help you because it forces you to focus on what truly matters instead of spending hours on busywork.

Once my twins went to school and I actually had several hours of uninterrupted time, guess what I ended up doing?

I wasted a lot of that time updating my website with the perfect brand colors, changing my email signature to make it perfect, and just fussing over the little things.

But when I only had an hour during nap time to focus on freelance writing, you bet I was super duper productive.

I was pitching, writing, circling back and checking job boards constantly.

So when your time is limited, you stop obsessing over tiny things like changing fonts on your website for the fifth time or endlessly watching YouTube videos instead of pitching clients.

You become more intentional with your time and you really mean it.

What Actually Matters in the Beginning

If you only have 5 hours a week, your goal is not to do everything all at once.

Your goal is to build momentum little by little.

That means focusing on activities that can actually help you land freelance writing clients.

Things like:

creating writing samples
improving your LinkedIn profile
pitching clients
networking with other writers
learning SEO basics
building a small portfolio

This looks like a lot, but you can do all of this in a 5 hour week.

I know a lot of new freelance writers spend too much time preparing instead of actually putting themselves out there. At times I do this when I am faced with a new client or a hard topic to write about.

But freelance writing businesses grow through action. And sometimes you have to be your own cheerleader and push yourself to do those action steps.

So hpoefully this 5 hour a week plan is doable and easy enough for you to do when you have a full-time business or have your hands full with kids like I had!

Here’s What a 5-Hour Freelance Writing Week Could Look Like

This is very close to what my schedule looked like when I first started freelance writing during maternity leave.

Hour 1: Improve Your Online Presence

Use one hour each week to improve your LinkedIn profile, portfolio, or website.

For example, you can use that hour to update your LinkedIn profile or bio.

This might mean:

Scheduling a few posts
Adding relevent experience
Editing the About section
Tweaking your LinkedIn title
Making an optimized LinkedIn banner

When you take the time to show love to your LinkedIn profile, you’ll get more views and hopefully the right views that will end up hiring you.

Other ways to fill up that hour is to focus on your writer website. This is your service-based website that you will use to attract clients and link to in your pitches.

You can take the hour to clarify your niche when talking about what you offer to clients. You can also work on creating a freelance writer title to help you brand yourself better.

Clients search for freelance writers on social media and on Google.

Your online presence matters a lot because businesses want proof that you understand your niche.

Even a simple portfolio with two or three solid samples and a LinkedIn profile can help you start landing writing job opportunities.

Hour 2: Create One Writing Sample

For your next hour, create one new writing sample and add that to your online portfolio.

This writing sample doesn’t have to be 2,000 words. It can be around 1200 words and can list tips or steps about your niche.

So, if you want to write about eco-friendly topics, you can use ChatGPT to help you gather some ideas that green companies might want on their blog and then create a simple outline and write your article.

But you don’t have to write a blog post for your writing sample. You can also write a newsletter, case study, landing page or social media ad.

That alone can help freelance writing or copywriting clients quickly understand your skills.

And honestly, creating samples gets easier over time.

The first ones usually feel awkward for everyone but after the third one, it’s second nature.

I still create “writing samples” when I do guest posting so it’s not a skill you lose.

Hour 3: Pitch Potential Writing Jobs

You can do all the things with your website and LinkedIn profile but if you don’t actually pitch to writing jobs, you can’t call yourself a freelance writer!

Pitching builds your business and it’s something you need to do.

Even sending five thoughtful pitches every week can create momentum surprisingly fast.

And your pitches don’t need to sound robotic or overly formal either.

Some of my best client conversations started with very simple DM’s or emails.

So build a habit during this hour to focus on finding writing jobs or companies you want to write for.

You can:

Check job boards for active listings
Ask friends and families if they need writing done
You can use ChatGPT to find companies in your niche and check them out for potential cold pitching

Hour 4: Learn One Skill That Helps You Charge More

Businesses want more than generic blog writing now.

Long gone are generalists writers that can write about anything. This is the time for specialized writers that know and understand one niche or industry.

This stype of writer also understands marketing and startegy too.

That’s why learning skills like:

SEO
email marketing
audience psychology
conversions
content strategy
AI-assisted workflows

…can help you stand out much faster.

You don’t need to master everything immediately and I don’t think you should either.

But spending even one hour each week learning these skills adds up over time.

For me, it took years to really learn all of these skills so don’t worry if it doesn’t take you a month or even six months to learn all of this.

Hour 5: Build Relationships Online

Freelance writing isn’t only about writing.

Relationships matter too. Even though we work alone, you can still find camaraderie with other fellow freelancers.

How do you build these relationships?

Comment on LinkedIn posts
Reply to newsletters
Talk to other writers
Stay visible online

A huge amount of my work eventually came through referrals, repeat clients, and people who had followed my content for a while.

So, take that time to network and build relationships!

You Don’t Need Full-Time Hours to Start

I think Instagram and TikTok makes new freelance writers feel like they’re already behind.

You see freelancers talking about giant launches, six-figure months, and complicated client attraction systems.

But most freelance writing businesses start much smaller than that with one client, one pitch or one referral.

That’s how momentum builds.

And, some of the most successful freelance writers I know are building their businesses during school pickups, sports practices, nap times, and late-night work sessions after everyone else goes to bed.

You don’t need 50 hours a week to become a freelance writer.

You just need 5 focused hours and the willingness to keep showing up consistently.

How to Make This Work

The secret to making this 5-hour a week business plan work is attaching it to a routine you already have. That is what turns this from “one more thing” into a habit.

This might mean working on this during your morning coffee. Or, in the evening when the kids are in bed or doing homework.

It also mean working on this the hour BEFORE you have to go to work.

The thing is, pair your hour of working on your freelance writing business with something your already doing.

This will make all of this intentional and help you build it into your life.

It’s Time to Freelance Write

I hope you can see that even if you work full-time or a new mom you can start a freelance writing business at home!

Go ahead and dream about that possibility! In your pajamas, drinking coffee and on your laptop checking your emails for replies from your pitches.

This is what I do every morning and I love it!

So, what are you waiting for?