I started freelance writing recently, too. It can be quite lonely. What platforms do you like to stay away from? I work for one client specifically on Upwork. I tried writing for others but, like you said, the quality of work they expect for the ridiculous pay was soul sucking. Medium is such a blessing because we can literally write about anything we want. There’s an audience for every odd thought that pops in your head. It makes the grind of freelance article writing more bearable. You aren’t alone.