Hi Reader

If I had a dollar for every time someone in one of my courses asked, “Do I need a master’s degree to be a writer or editor?” well, I wouldn’t need a master’s in finance to know I could retire early.

It’s a question that comes up often, and it usually sounds like this:
​“I just don’t feel like I have enough experience to freelance yet. I’m thinking about doing an MFA to feel more confident.”

And look, I get it. Confidence is hard to come by when you’re building something from scratch. But I’m here to tell you: you don’t need a master’s degree to freelance successfully.

Here’s why:

1. They’re wildly expensive

My mom went back to school for a master’s degree late in her teaching career. She wanted the pay bump. She got it, but the student loans essentially wiped it out. When she received an inheritance from her mother, most of it went straight to the remaining loan balance, years after graduating. The cost outweighed the benefit, and she was already great at her job.

In many cases, the same holds true for freelancing. You can get practical, career-boosting knowledge through courses, workshops, certificates, or mentoring, without the six-figure debt.

2. Your clients don’t care

When you freelance, very few clients care about your degree*. They hire you because you solve problems. They care that you’re clear, reliable, and effective. If you’ve got the skills, they won’t ask where you learned them.

*The exception might be highly specialized industries, but they would want a degree in that field, not one in English, literature, or communications.

3. You can’t charge more for it

You can charge for your experience. You can charge for your results. But that MA? Clients won’t pay more for it. If your hairstylist had a master’s in 18th-century French hairstyles, would you pay extra? (Unless they styled your hair and narrated a revolution at the same time, probably not.)

4. Freelancing takes more than technical skill

Running your business, managing clients, setting boundaries, none of that is usually taught in grad school. It’s what you learn on the job or through real-world guidance (the kind I like to offer around here).

5. You’ll delay your business

Staying in education mode can feel safe, but it delays real growth. And the longer you delay, the harder it becomes to start, especially if debt is looming. Want to build confidence? Take action. Make mistakes. Learn from real-life feedback, not just grades and professors.

So, if you’re wondering whether a master’s degree is the thing standing between you and a thriving freelance career, ask yourself this:

What are you really hoping the degree will give you?

If the answer is confidence, I can save you a lot of time and money: confidence comes from doing the work, not from another diploma on your wall.

And if you really need a boost? Send me a few thousand dollars and I’ll email you daily affirmations for a year. Cheaper than tuition and fewer essays.

Okay, I’m (mostly) kidding. But if you’re serious about freelancing, I’d love to help you start with the tools that help. Check out the Freelance Success Toolkit (it's free!).

You've got this,

– Heidi