The short version
You'll sell resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn makeovers and bios to job seekers, plus captions, product descriptions and blog posts to small businesses. Kentrell writes the first draft, you check it and make it personal, and the client gets a polished final copy.
What to sell and what to charge
Resume
Cover letter
LinkedIn profile
Professional bio
Social media posts
Product descriptions
Blog post
Updated: lower launch prices. You asked for friendlier starting prices, so these are about 35% lower than my first suggestion. They're my suggested beginner prices, not market data, and they sit well below what experienced writers charge so you can win your first reviews fast. Raise them about 20% after 5 good reviews, then again at 15. Rush delivery (first draft in 24 hours) is +$15.
What the market shows
| Service | Range found | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Resume (Upwork) | $25–$65 an hour | Upwork rate page |
| Resume (agencies) | $220 average, entry level | Find My Profession (2023 data) |
| Cover letter (Upwork) | $20–$75 an hour | Upwork rate page |
| Copywriting, incl. product descriptions (Upwork) | $19–$45 an hour | Upwork, Jan 2026 |
| Blog writing (Upwork) | $15–$35 an hour | Upwork, Jan 2026 |
| Content writing (Upwork) | $15–$40 an hour | Upwork, Jan 2026 |
What I couldn't verify: Fiverr blocks automated visits to its price guides, so I don't have reliable Fiverr beginner prices. LinkedIn, bio, caption and product-description prices from blogs varied too much to trust. Local prices aren't published anywhere reliable. Before you set prices, search each service on Fiverr on your phone and note what sellers with 0–20 reviews charge. Tell me what you find and I'll update this plan.
What the platforms take
Fiverr: Free to join. You keep 80% of every order, extra and tip. The buyer pays a separate 5.5% fee, plus $3.50 on orders under $200.
Upwork: Free basic account. Fee is 0% to 15% per contract, and you see it before you apply. Applying costs Connects at $0.15 each. Basic accounts may get some free monthly Connects.
Facebook and local: No platform fee when paid directly. Payment apps can have their own fees, so check yours.
Where to find clients
Fiverr
Pros
- Buyers come looking for you
- Fiverr handles payment, so no chasing money
- Easy to set up three price levels
Cons
- Fiverr keeps 20%
- Lots of competition, and new sellers can wait a while for a first order
- Reviews matter a lot early on
Upwork
Pros
- Bigger, repeat business jobs like monthly posts or blogs
- Payment protection
- You see the fee before you apply
Cons
- Every application costs Connects
- You have to write a proposal for each job
- Fee can be up to 15%
Local Facebook groups and your own Facebook Page
Pros
- You keep 100%
- People trust a local mom they can message
- Job-seeker and small-business groups are full of your exact clients
Cons
- Many groups ban ads, so read the rules or ask the admin first
- You collect payment yourself
- Facebook Marketplace generally doesn't allow service listings, so use groups and a Page instead
Word of mouth
Pros
- Free, and these are the warmest leads
- Happy clients send friends
- Easy to offer a referral thank-you, like $10 off
Cons
- Slow to grow at first
- Friends may expect a discount
Small businesses nearby
Pros
- Can become monthly repeat work, like captions every month
- Little competition from big websites
- Salons, food trucks, churches and boutiques all need posts
Cons
- Takes courage to walk in or message
- Owners are busy, so follow up kindly
Your first 30 days
Week 1: Get set up
- Pick your business nameChoose from the list below, or tell me your own.
- Make a business emailA free Gmail like yourname.writes@gmail.com keeps work separate.
- Open a separate bank account or cardUse it only for business money. It makes taxes much easier.
- Let me make 3 sample piecesA sample resume, a LinkedIn About and 5 captions, using made-up people.
Week 2: Go live
- Sign up on Fiverr as a sellerUse the gig text below. Add a friendly photo of you.
- Fill in the tax form Fiverr asks forUS sellers fill in a W-9. If you skip it, Fiverr can pause your gigs.
- Publish your 3 gigsResume, LinkedIn and social media posts.
- Post your Facebook announcementUse the post below on your own profile.
Week 3: Find people
- Join 3 to 5 local Facebook groupsLook for job-seeker, moms and small-business groups in your area.
- Read each group's rulesOnly post where ads are allowed, or ask the admin first.
- Message 5 small businesses you already likeOffer 5 free captions as a sample. I'll write the message for you.
- Make an Upwork profileOptional. I'll help you write it and your first proposals.
Week 4: Deliver and grow
- Do your first orders using the workflow belowAlways read every word before it goes to the client.
- Ask every happy client for a reviewOn Fiverr, or a Facebook recommendation for local clients.
- Write down every dollar in and outUse the tracker at the bottom of this page.
- Check in with meWe'll look at what sold and adjust prices.
Copy-and-paste Fiverr gigs
Gig 1: Resume
Category: Writing & Translation → Resume Writing. Tags: resume, resume writing, ATS resume, cover letter, career change
Gig 2: LinkedIn profile
Category: Writing & Translation → LinkedIn Profiles. Tags: linkedin, linkedin profile, linkedin headline, personal branding, job search
Gig 3: Social media posts
Category: Writing & Translation → Social Media Copy. Tags: social media captions, facebook posts, instagram captions, small business, content
Facebook announcement post
How each order works
Intake questions for a resume client
- What job or kind of job are you applying for? Please send a link to a job post if you have one.
- Please send your current resume, or list your jobs with company, title, city and start and end dates.
- What did you do day to day in each job?
- What are you proud of? Numbers help, like how many customers, dollars or people.
- What schooling, certificates or licenses do you have, and when did you get them?
- Any gaps in work history you'd like handled carefully?
- Which skills and computer programs do you know?
- Do you want your full address on it, or just city and state?
- Is it OK if I use AI-assisted tools to help draft, with me reviewing everything?
Turnaround promise
| First draft | Within 3 business days of getting the questionnaire answers |
| Revisions | Basic 1 round, Standard 2 rounds, Premium 3 rounds, each within 2 business days |
| Rush option | First draft within 24 hours, for $15 extra |
| Delivery | Editable Word file plus a PDF, sent through Fiverr or by email |
Business name ideas
- Hall Pass Writing Co. (gets you past the gatekeeper) ✅ used for your website
- Fresh Page Resumes
- Ready, Set, Hired
- Polished Pen Studio
- Morgan Writes
- Second Draft Writing
- Hired & Inspired
- Word Up Writing Services
Before you pick, search the name on Facebook, Fiverr and Google, and check your state's business name search. I can help with that.
Honest notes on AI and quality
- Say it simply in every gig: AI helps me draft, and I review and tailor everything personally.
- Never invent jobs, dates, degrees, titles or numbers on a resume. Only use what the client gave you.
- Read every word out loud before delivering. Fix anything that sounds stiff or generic.
- Check names, dates, company names and spelling against what the client sent.
- Don't put Social Security numbers, birthdays or other private details into any tool, and leave them off resumes.
- Turn down school essays and homework. Fiverr and Upwork both prohibit academic cheating.
- If a client says no AI, either agree and write it yourself, or politely pass on the job.
Taxes and paperwork, in plain English
Business type: If you just start working, you're automatically a sole proprietor. No filing is needed to start.
DBA: If you use a name other than your own legal name, most states require a DBA ("doing business as") filing, often with your county or city. Rules and fees vary by state.
Self-employment tax: If you make $400 or more in profit in a year, you owe self-employment tax. It's 15.3% of 92.35% of your profit, which works out to about 14.1%, on top of regular income tax.
Quarterly payments: If you expect to owe $1,000 or more for the year, the IRS generally wants you to pay 4 times a year using Form 1040-ES.
1099-K forms: Fiverr and Upwork must send a 1099-K only if you get over $20,000 and over 200 payments in a year. Your state may use a lower limit. You must report all income even without a form.
Records: Keep every payment, platform fee, and receipt for business costs like software and supplies. Platform fees may be deductible.
Goals and income tracker
Monthly goal planner
You keep the full price
The 25% tax set-aside is a cushion I picked, not an IRS number. Self-employment tax alone is about 14.1% of profit, and income tax depends on your household.
Income log
| Date | Client / service | Where | Price | Kept* |
|---|
*Fiverr is figured at 80% kept. Upwork is figured at the highest 15% fee, so check your real fee in Upwork and adjust. Local is 100%, before any payment-app fees.
Where these facts came from
- Fiverr: Start Selling (you keep 80%)
- Fiverr Help: buyer service fee
- Fiverr Help: Using AI on Fiverr
- Fiverr Help: W-9 collection
- Upwork Help: Freelancer Service Fee
- Upwork Help: Connects
- Upwork: AI policy update
- Upwork Help: telling clients about AI
- Upwork: resume writer rates
- Upwork: cover letter writer rates
- Upwork: 14 types of freelance writing (Jan 2026)
- Find My Profession: resume service costs (2023)
- IRS: Self-employment tax
- IRS: Estimated taxes
- IRS: Understanding your Form 1099-K
- SBA: Choose a business structure
- Facebook Help: things that can't be listed on Marketplace