Conor Walsh – Freelance Ghostwriter

How does Conor make money online?

In a December 2019 interview, Conor reported that he earns the majority of his online income as a Freelance Ghostwriter.

He explained his freelance work like so:

My main gig is ghostwriting for a team of ethical hackers doing penetration testing on websites around the world. I translate their work into reports for journalists, and blog posts that non-techie people like me can easily understand.

In April 2021, Conor reported via email that he had started a new role as a Content Manager for the same client. While he continues to ghostwrite, he also manages a write of writers across a portfolio of websites.

He also currently writes part-time for a second client.

Finally, since we originally profiled Conor, he has invested in two small niche websites: Living in Kigali and Living in Nairobi.

The websites provide information for people moving to, and living in, the capitals of Rwanda and Kenya. The websites generate income selling ad space directly to companies targeting residents in both cities.

How much money does Conor make?

In the same December 2019 interview, Conor reported that he earned an average of $3,000 per month, and that 90% of his income came from ghostwriting. That worked out to $2,700 per month income as a Freelance Ghostwriter.

In April 2021, Conor reported that his new position as a Content Manager – along with his second freelance client –increased his income to $6,100 per month (pre-tax and expenses).

Meanwhile, he mentioned that his niche websites are currently generating a “modest” income each month.

What’s Conor’s background?

Conor reported that he “started ghostwriting in March 2019 with zero experience or real preparation.”

However:

I’ve been sloooowly transitioning to working remotely since maybe 2015.

That’s 4 years.

In that time, I’ve picked up a lot of resources, soft skills, and mentorship that helped me land my ghostwriting job and quickly develop it from a part-time, entry-level gig to something more specialized and much better paying.

Conor also mentioned a resource he found helpful:

For actually learning to write well, Shani Raja’s Ninja Writing courses on Udemy are a great resource. He used to be an editor of The Wall Street Journal, and slowly, methodically goes through big and small ways to improve your writing.

There’s also plenty of exercises where he shows you how to rewrite sections of text, making them more impactful and engaging.

How does Conor find clients?

Conor has one primary freelance client. Here’s how he found them:

In March 2019 Niall posted a writing job in the Freedom Business Builder group. 

I applied and that job became my current ghostwriting gig.

• Discover more ways to find freelance clients

What type of online business does Conor have?

Conor runs a multifaceted online business. 

According to our framework it can be broken down like this:

• Freelance (Level 2)
  Conor works as a freelance ghostwriter and content manager.
• Authority (Level 4)
  The niche websites are in the early stages of becoming authority sites.
• Social Network (Level 5)
  Living in Kigali has an online community of over 20,000 people.