If you’ve been freelance writing for any length of time, you’ve probably noticed something: some weeks your inbox is full, and other weeks it’s just you and the blinking cursor. That’s the nature of running your own copywriting or content writing business—especially when you’re the one doing the work and looking for it.

That’s where the concept of hunting and farming comes in. These terms usually pop up in the sales space, but they also apply to life as a writer-for-hire. 

Freelance Writing Means Wearing All the Hats

In freelance writing, you don’t just get to focus on the fun stuff like word choice and headline tweaks. You’re also the sales department. That might sound a little scary—especially if you didn’t get into writing to talk about money—but it’s part of the deal.

In bigger companies, there are usually separate roles for the “hunters” and “farmers” on the sales team. Hunters go after new leads. They’re outgoing, direct, and fast-moving. Farmers tend to be relationship-focused. They build trust, check in regularly, and turn one-off clients into long-term ones. These roles often match different personality types.

But when you’re running the show yourself as a solopreneur? You are the team. You’ve got to go out and find the work, then shift gears and keep those clients happy so they come back. You might be better at one side than the other, but both matter if you want to keep your freelance writing business going strong.

What’s Hunting?

Hunting is all about chasing new work. That could mean pitching yourself to brands, responding to job boards, cold emailing potential clients, or following up on leads. You’re actively putting yourself out there, hoping something bites.

It’s exciting. It’s tiring. And honestly, if you stop doing it for a while, you might find your project list starts looking pretty empty.

What’s Farming?

Farming, on the other hand, is about planting seeds that (hopefully) grow over time. It’s building relationships, doing good work, sending helpful follow-up emails, and being consistent. It’s about staying on someone’s radar—even if they’re not hiring you right now.

Farming is slower, but it pays off later. It’s what keeps people coming back.

Why You Need Both

If you only hunt, you burn out.

If you only farm, you go broke waiting.

You need to balance both to keep your freelance business moving forward. And that’s where things like blogging like a boss come in. Blogging isn’t just about SEO or showing people how smart you are—it’s farming. Every blog post you write on your site is a seed. Someone might find it tomorrow or six months from now.

At the same time, hunting might look like asking past clients if they have leftover end-of-year marketing budgets they want to use up. Or replying to that random Instagram story where someone says, “I need help writing this thing.”

Keep That Pipeline Flowing

Whether you’re just getting started or you’ve been writing for years, it’s important to always be thinking about the next thing. That’s why I talk a lot about promoting your business beyond social media—because relying only on platforms you don’t own is risky. Your website, your email list, your connections… those are things you control.

And hey, if you’re still building up your client base, trying out writing-related side hustles can help fill in the gaps. You can ghostwrite books, sell digital downloads, or even offer editing services. These are great ways to keep your skills sharp and income steady.

Don’t Wait—Work the Field and the Trail

So, what’s the bottom line?

You can’t just sit back and hope the work keeps coming.

Hunt a little. Farm a lot. And always be ready to plant the next seed.

Want help finding the right words for your blog, website, or marketing content? Let’s talk. Schedule time on my calendar today for a 15-minute blog scoping call.