You did it! You landed a job or a freelance gig and you're flying high. Every day, you get the chance to work with bright creatives and an inspiring creative director (and hopefully even a copywriter mentor). You're working hard and thinking big. But there are still a few things you need to do to stay on your creative director's good side. To ensure a good working … [Read more...]
Is Copywriting Training Really Necessary?
It's a question you'll see on forums across the internet: "Do I have to get training to be a copywriter?" It's been asked so often and in so many different ways that I figured it was time for a definitive answer from a real, live working copywriter who's written for clients and brands you use every day. Ready? Let's get down to it. The answer to the important question, "Is … [Read more...]
Fire a Copywriting Client—Without Burning Bridges
Most of your copywriting clients will be terrific, but every so often you'll end up with a client that drains your creative resources, takes up more than their fair share of your time, and just generally makes you miserable. If that happens, you may have to "fire" that client to free yourself to take on projects that energize, rather than drain, you. Every copywriter will have … [Read more...]
Staying Productive While Working From Home
"Working from home" can sound like a dream: the freedom to make your own schedule, the comfort of working within personal surroundings, the proximity to your kitchen. But whether you're a full-time, at-home copywriter or a professional who has the perk of working from home a few days a week, it doesn't take long to find out that working from home can be much more challenging … [Read more...]
9 Myths About Copywriting, Part 3
Does everyone have an opinion when you tell them you're interested in copywriting? Get the truth about three more of the biggest myths about copywriting in the final part of our series. (Check out Part 1 and Part 2 of the series if you missed them.) Let's dig right in! Myth 7. You have to write copy full-time. Not only is this not true, but it also runs the risk of … [Read more...]
9 Myths About Copywriting, Part 2
As we began discussing in Part 1 of our series, there's a lot of misinformation out there about copywriting. In an effort to dispel some of the confusion, we've come up with the top nine myths about copywriting—and we're knocking 'em down, one by one. Here we look at what is and what isn't copywriting, where the money is, and why "working in your … [Read more...]
Top Copywriting Myths & Misconceptions (And the Truth Behind Them!)
Considering a new career is a lot like trying to find a place to live in a new town. You don't know the areas, you don't know who to trust, and you don't even really know what questions to ask. Well, that's where I come in. I've been a copywriter for more than 20 years now, plus teaching others how to launch wildly successful copywriting careers fore more than a … [Read more...]
How to Protect Yourself from Copywriting Burnout
In a creative profession like copywriting, it's very easy to succumb to burnout. It's that feeling of being utterly unable to do any of the work you need to do and, as you can imagine, it's dangerous for both your overall well-being—and your career. We all hit the occasional wall where we don't feel like working, aren't feeling creative, or both. Not feeling excited about … [Read more...]
How to Deal With Feedback and Criticism From Copywriting Clients
Advertising and marketing (and, therefore, copywriting and design) are very collaborative fields. You put your best foot forward with great copy, but the team you work with is always going to have added insight and opinions based on their own expertise. But it's not always so easy to listen to feedback and criticism of your work, especially since what's up for review is your … [Read more...]
The Best Career Advice I’ve Ever Gotten
I thought I'd offer up a few gifts that, in a way, are a bit re-gifted: the very best business and career advice I've ever gotten. No matter your job, your career, or your goals, these gems should provide at least some wattage of a guiding light. They've served me well and I'm proud to pass them on to you, whether you use them in your copywriting career or … [Read more...]