Surfer By Day, Seller By Night: Only at Fiverr

We’re constantly amazed by the accomplishments of our Fiverr community. Whether it’s taking the freelance leap or making that first sale, no hard work goes unnoticed around here. But every once in a while, we get to witness those inspiring bottom-to-top climbs, and just like any proud parent, we love to show them off.

Enter Morgan Sliff: Pro surfer and writer extraordinaire who worked her way from Rising Talent to Top-Rated Seller! We chatted with Morgan about hard (yet majorly satisfying) work, grilled her for seller strategies, and even got a sneak peek at her 2019 copywriting predictions.

Hey Morgan! First things first - tell us a little bit about yourself!

Hey everyone! I’m Morgan Sliff, and I’m a copywriter and journalist. I live in Hermosa Beach, California where I grew up by the ocean with my two brothers. I actually lead a double life—when I’m not typing away in my co-working space, I’m a professional longboard surfer :).

How did you become interested in writing? What inspired you to go down that path?

I was on a very different career path in my early twenties but had always been encouraged by my professors to pursue English. I didn’t think there was much of a career in writing—boy, was I wrong. By chance, back in 2015, I got asked by my local paper, the Easy Reader, to scribe a daily blog for an athletic quest I was (and still am) on.

After a few submissions, they were like, ‘whoa, you can seriously write!’. Besides the daily blog, I started doing community journalism for them and acquired a few mentors (now lifelong friends) in the field. I left my boring desk job and haven’t looked back since!

Sounds amazing. So what made you join Fiverr as a seller?

What really drew me to Fiverr was the opportunity for diversity that I wasn’t afforded by having a few select clients. I LOVE learning about the different gears that make this world spin.

On Fiverr, I’ve been able to write about everything from Bitcoin to Feng Shui to Ferraris to personal pieces for mini-celebs—every article is a new journey and something to grow from. To add, Fiverr has been quite the lucrative venture!

When you first joined Fiverr, your Gig was handpicked by Fiverr’s Editorial Team, granting you a temporary Rising Talent Badge and lots of perks! Did you notice the change?

YES! I started seeing inquiries pile up in my inbox and I knew something was up!

You’re now a Top Rated Seller (YAY!). What Fiverr connections and clients helped you get there?

I started focusing on my Fiverr account in April 2018 and it took a solid seven months and a lot of work to make it to Top Rated Seller. The president of Bolton Financial Group out of the UK contacted me to write a white paper for their new STO (Security Token Offering—think cryptocurrency). He needed it immediately.

After about 48 hours of flipping through miles of crypto and blockchain novels, I wrote a 50-page technical white paper in two weeks! It was tough and I didn’t sleep AT ALL, but I’m so proud of what I was able to accomplish. I started writing very technical articles for that client every day for two months, which helped speed the process (and my career) along.

What advice would you give new Fiverr sellers?

This platform is such an incredible financial opportunity—one could have the potential to work full-time solely via Fiverr. But it takes a lot of work, cultivation, and attention to sprout the seeds of endless inquiries! For newcomers, I’d highly recommend putting together a fun, authentic video that showcases your true self and your unique talents!

Don’t be afraid to have a little fun with it. And when you take the leap in creating your first gig, I propose starting off by discounting your standard rates slightly until you have about ten solid reviews that prove your worth—you’ll take a small hit, but it’s an investment that’ll get you on the map. Also, it’s important to treat every last client, no matter how small of a job, like they’re the most important person in your Fiverr world. It makes every transaction smoother and you both benefit from it.

Always be friendly to each person you come across—smile through the keyboard, and remember that there is a real human at the other side of the screen. Fortifying those Fiverr connections makes everything easier! [video width="848" height="478" mp4="http://blog.fiverr.com/wp-content/uploads/vz42624635d8db4a80a2fcdc95c41bb5e4.mp4"][/video]

Any writing trends/pieces of advice for 2019 that you care to share?

As you all know, digital everything is on the uptick. Print journalism is fading, and everyone is getting their information online. So staying ahead of the curve, analyze your target market and finding a niche that’s in demand and will sustain for a long time. For me, it’s been company blogs. Another critical thing for up-and-coming writers in this field to focus on is to make sure you’re doing quality research from credible sources and not simply regurgitating information.

Keep ethics in your pieces and contribute to the betterment of the written word. Make sure when people are reading your work that the information is accurate. It’s easy to write something and post it online, but it’s easy to lose trust with pages of misinformation.

‍Ready to hang ten with Morgan? Check out her copywriting Gigs—and give her some love in the comments below!