What happens when a pandemic hits and you're furloughed from your job? For Stuart Tarn it meant taking advantage of his additional time and learning an entirely new skill. Stuart has been in his current job in the airline industry for nearly 17 years. In this episode, he shares why he pursued copywriting, the ways his past experiences help his copywriting, and some of the … [Read more...]
Ep. 20: Changing Careers to Become a Copywriter – Adele’s Story
Adele joined the CCA in July 2020 when she decided to make a career change after burning out in her job. Nicki originally talked with Adele in the Fall of 2020 to hear about her journey to copywriting. But, like many CCA students, work started to snowball fast. So, Nicki and Kate caught up with Adele again in early 2021 to talk about how things are going. You'll also hear … [Read more...]
Ep. 1: What is Copywriting?
Some people argue that copywriting has been around since ancient times—back when people were writing compelling copy for "Wanted" posters. I'm not here to enter into that debate, because what matters to you and me is copywriting in the 21st century. But, if anything, that argument proves the staying power of effective copywriting—and the need for trained copywriters. Think … [Read more...]
What Are the Most Common Copywriting Business Costs?
They say that it takes money to make money … but that’s not always true. Case in point: Your copywriting business. How much does it cost to start copywriting? Not much once you have training. Which, it should go without saying that you need training in order to work as a copywriter. You have to know how to actually provide the service you want to provide, right? And you … [Read more...]
The Career Resolutions You Need to Make
Look, I know: New Year’s Resolutions get a bad rap. But it’s not the resolutions themselves that are the problem, it’s us not following through on them, right? Not achieving resolutions in the past isn’t a reason not to make them now—especially for something as important as our careers. Remember, we spend at least 40 hours per week (and often more) plus commuting time at … [Read more...]
Why You Should Love Your Career
How many people do you know who really don’t like what they do for a living? Anywhere from “eh, it pays the bills” to “I fricking HATE it?” Are you one of those people? I was recently reminded of just how many people don’t like their jobs when I talked with a friend. She described all the things she hated about her job and then, when I asked her if she was going to start … [Read more...]
Do You Have the Natural Aptitude to Write Copy?
Likely, you're here because you like writing—you’re a good writer and you’ve been thinking that maybe you’d like to make a living with it. But, as one writer to another, I know that knowing you’re good at something and having confidence that you can DO something are two different things. I want to address something really quickly that may be coming up for … [Read more...]
The Best Copywriting Courses vs. Waste of Time (and Money!)
As soon as you decide you want to learn copywriting, you discover that there are a whole lot of copywriting courses out there. But which ones are good? And which ones are a waste of money? Today's article is all about the five things a copywriting course absolutely must have to be worth your time and money. 1. A Copywriting Course Must Cover All Kinds of Copy There are … [Read more...]
4 Books for Copywriter Job-Seekers
Open up your Amazon wish list! If you’re looking for a job—or, well, think you ever will be again—we’ve compiled a list of books you’ve got to read. Here are four books we'd recommend for someone looking for a new job in copywriting. The Rich Employee by James Altucher James Altucher has made a name for himself with this down-to-earth, tell-it-as-I-see it blog posts, … [Read more...]
The Three Steps to Career Change
There’s a good chance that you’re not going to stay in one career for the rest of your life. But once you identify what direction you want to go, the steps you take will make the difference between success and failure. And guess what? Most people take the wrong ones. This is one of my favorite topics. First, it’s a great topic because there are few changes you can make … [Read more...]