Risk: Moderate

Starting a digital policy writing side hustle from scratch can be risky, especially if one cannot afford to lose money. Potential losses could include money spent on training, time invested in learning the craft, energy put into pitching clients, and confidence if faced with rejection. Beginners often invest in courses or tools without guarantee of immediate returns. There are startup costs for software, training, and marketing that might not pay off right away. Online discussions mention instances of people failing to generate income or losing money due to lack of clients or market saturation. I'd rate the risk a 2 out of 5 because there is a significant chance of losing money and time, especially at the beginning.