Day Job Optional was a resource and community for freelance writers founded in 2015 by two friends in NYC.

The site has since retired.

But don’t worry! We’ve been busy creating something else for you…

Visit Freelance Writing Cafe for up to date tips on launching and growing a low-stress, high-income writing career online.

DJO was founded by two wanderlusting, multi-passionate writers in Brooklyn during the sweltering summer of 2015. Yup, that’s us!

Michelle Christina Larsen is a veteran fashion & lifestyle copywriter with a decade of experience writing for some of the world’s biggest brands.

Krystal Raydo is an accomplished ghostwriter, content writer, and editor who pens some of the raddest fiction you’ll ever read.

Together, we show freelance writers how to grow careers on the internet.

In the early days of DJO, we both quit our corporate jobs and booked trips to places like Costa Rica, Mexico, Colombia, Romania, Greece, and more.

During these trips, we learned how to make money with writing jobs while we traveled. There’s no feeling quite like waking up in paradise to payment notifications on your phone.

For us, travel was the main inspiration behind the DJO lifestyle…

But we quickly realized working online could benefit women with other priorities, too.

Such as…

• Women who are raising kids at home and can’t do the 9-5
• Women with chronic illness who want the option of prioritizing comfort
• Women who’ve been passed over for traditional jobs due to “lack of experience”
• Women who’ve hit a ceiling in their professional lives and want to take control

There are many more scenarios, but hopefully, you see a pattern.

Let’s face it: the internet is obsessed with promising you your “dream life”, right? But for most of us, our “dream life” isn’t about billions of dollars and private islands.

It’s spending time with the people we love, having the freedom to take a random Tuesday off, and never crawling out of bed to the tune of a screeching alarm clock again.

Remote freelance writing is for anyone who craves the freedom to design their own days, whether their reasons are heavy or light.

This realization inspired us to create Day Job Optional:

A non-hype-y, down to earth place to find actionable advice, expert training and non-stop support for freelance writers.

Yup, we’re here to help you change your life through freelance writing, and we’re going to use every resource we’ve got.

After three years of combining forces to develop these tools, we literally can’t wait to share them.

Whether you’re eager for passport stamps or a cozy home office, we’ve got something for you.

So, what is all of this good stuff?

Keep scrolling!

Actionable advice

Our digital world is packed with tips to help you grow. Our weekly freelance writing newsletter, for example, is an awesome resource for insider tips, lessons, and stories from the world of freelancing… and it’s delivered right to your inbox.

Inspiring content

We’re passionate about giving you the best free content, from blog posts and podcasts, to vlogs and Q&A videos. It all comes from the heart, with your success in mind. 

A supportive community

Writing can get lonely sometimes. We get it. The Wi-Fi Writers Club is our place to connect, ask questions, and share experiences. We host writing challenges, post interactive daily themes, and facilitate new friendships all week long.

Okay, enough about us…

Let’s talk about you.

Be honest. Do any of the feelings below sound familiar?

“I’m a writer… but I haven’t written much lately. I need to get my sh*t together.”

“I want to work remotely, but I don’t know how to find remote writing jobs.”

“My day job is draining my energy. I wish I could work in a better environment.”

“I’ve tried freelancing, but I didn’t make real money. It’s hard to find clients who’ll pay well.”

“I’m really excited by the idea of freelance writing. I’m just overwhelmed. Where do I start?”

If you’ve had any of these thoughts run through your head, you’re not alone.

And you’re exactly where you need to be.

It’s a rampant cliche to market day job liberation right now. In fact, the “work from home” pitch has been an online scam since the dawn of data entry!

Here’s the deal, though: studies show that remote working is rapidly on the rise, and it’s predicted that as much as 50% of the workforce will be freelance by 2020.

This “non-traditional” way of working is about to become the norm instead of a trend. This is happening, whether you decide to be an “early adapter” or wait until everyone else is doing it, first.

Since it’s still a bit unorthodox, it might all seem like a big ol’ “too good to be true” load of BS.

That’s why we’re 100% upfront about what it takes to make the DJO lifestyle happen. (And here’s where we might scare some of you away.)

We’re about working with what we’ve got, using tried-and-true strategies, and applying expert techniques to meet our goals.

No quick fixes, no magic wands, no lofty promises.

Because of this, we know we won’t be the right fit for everyone.

Use this survey below to see whether you’re one of us:

Day Job Optional IS for you if you’re…

A hard worker.

A problem-solver.

An aspiring or established writer.

Day Job Optional is NOT for you if you’re…

A complainer.

An excuse-maker.

Not an established or aspiring writer.

Cool? If you’re down with the top section, you’re in!

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Day Job Optional has retired, but you can get up-to-date inspiration and resources for freelance writing success at FreelanceWritingCafe.com!

Thanks for a wild ride!

xo,

MC &K