🤷🏻‍♀️ Freelance Devs Drop Your Realest Truth Here

Published: (December 6, 2025 at 04:00 AM EST)
2 min read
Source: Dev.to

Source: Dev.to

Call for Freelance Devs

If you’ve ever made even $1 from coding outside a 9–5, this thread is your mic. 🎤🔥
Silent juniors who think they’re the only impostors are reading every word you write. 👀💭😂

How to Respond

Reply using the exact template below (copy → fill → send).

Template

💰 Platforms that paid me:  
→ (Upwork, Fiverr, Toptal, Arc, Lemon.io, Contra, Twitter/X DMs, cold email, referrals, friend of a friend, etc.)

😶‍🌫️ Imposter syndrome in 2025:  
→ Still hits daily  
→ Only when I raise rates or meet a new client  
→ Sometimes, usually late at night  
→ Rarely now  
→ Never had it (respect 🫡)

🔥 One sentence I wish someone told me when I was terrified to send my first proposal:  
→ “Your real sentence here — keep it raw.”

Copy → paste → answer honestly ↓

💰 Platforms that paid me:  
→ (Upwork, Fiverr, Toptal, Arc, Lemon.io, Contra, Twitter/X DMs, cold email, referrals, friend‑of‑a‑friend, etc.)

😶‍🌫️ Imposter syndrome in 2025:  
→ Still hits daily  
→ Only when I raise my rates or meet a new client  
→ Sometimes, usually late at night  
→ Rarely these days  
→ Never had it (respect 🫡)

🔥 One sentence I wish someone told me when I was terrified to send my first proposal:  
→ “Your real sentence here — keep it raw.”

Real Examples (copy the vibe, not the words)

  • Platforms → Fiverr + one repeat client from Reddit

  • Imposter → Daily, especially when they call me “expert”

  • Truth → “I started at $15/hr while following YouTube tutorials with the client on call.”

  • Platforms → Upwork → Arc → now mostly direct

  • Imposter → Only before sending $8k+ invoices

  • Truth → “Half my career is just being the only one who answers emails on weekends.”

No sugarcoating. Just truth. 💕

The dev who’s about to give up tonight will read your comment and think:

“…wait, even THEY feel like this?” 😭

Your Turn

Copy the template, fill it honestly, and post your story.
If you prefer to write in your own words, that’s totally fine—just share your experience. I’m listening.

We’re waiting for your line ↓

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