It’s one thing to want to make money through your writing talents and another thing entirely to actually do it. You might be able to imagine writing copy for a living: making a good, quite possibly really good living from your writing. But you might get a little fuzzy when it comes to the details. What does a day in the life of a copywriter actually look like? You can … [Read more...]
Top Free and Affordable Project Management Tools for Copywriters
Most copywriters don’t have the luxury of working on just one project at a time, so they have to be able to juggle multiple assignments. This is difficult for even the most seasoned writers, but a project management tool can make a huge difference in a copywriter’s organization, time management, and content output. Benefits of Project Management for Copywriters In the … [Read more...]
Know Your Copywriting Numbers
Your copywriting portfolio acts as proof that you know what you’re doing. But there’s another element to add that can be even more enticing and make you even more sellable. What’s that? Copywriting numbers, or metrics. Clients may ask about the results of your project. But what exactly do they mean by "results?" Here we look at copywriting numbers, or copywriting metrics, … [Read more...]
Copywriting Q&A: Software Programs for Copywriting Professionals
There are a billion and one new software programs for tracking projects, sending invoices, sharing screens, and all of the other tasks you need to perform on a regular basis. But how many of them are worth it? Let’s break it all down… Today’s question comes from Julia R., who asks, “I was wondering if you could share resources that you use to step up your ‘professional game’ … [Read more...]
Why I Won’t Use Google Docs for Copywriting
Technology has provided us with a lot of more efficient ways to collaborate with peers and clients. Screen-sharing is a game-changer for working with designers remotely and Zoom (and other video conferencing tools) mean you can have a face-to-face meeting with anyone in the world. There’s one technology, though, that gets in the way of great copywriting: using Google Documents … [Read more...]
Questions You Need to Ask Your Copywriting Clients
Starting a new project with a new client is exciting, but don’t let that excitement get in the way of your strategy. To keep your project from getting mired in confused schedules and dozens of rounds of review, you need to start the project off with concrete answers to some important questions. These are essential questions to ask your copywriting clients. You already know … [Read more...]
When You Need to Get Down to Work: The 5 Second Rule
I’d love my clients to think I have a super-human ability to get down to work and churn out amazing copy. However, the truth my students need to know is that I absolutely do not have that super-human ability, and I often find it just as hard to get focused and sit down to work as anyone. And because I know I face this challenge—and because I get the questions about it … [Read more...]
The Case for Slowing Down: Fast Copywriting Doesn’t Equal Better Copywriting
A lot of new copywriters equate speed with getting better at writing copy. And in some ways they’re right—but in others, they’re dead wrong. In fact, sometimes it even makes sense to slow down. Speed does not equal increased skill. Let's dig in to some of the myths behind why so many new, and even established, copywriters have the misconception that faster copywriters are … [Read more...]
A Copywriter’s Digital Toolkit
Building a copywriting career isn’t easy—sometimes we need a little help. As you know, we don't recommend paying for any sort of software for copywriters unless it's going to pay for itself. (Or, unless you're so far along in your business that it doesn't matter!). But there are lots of free apps, sites, and software that allow you to keep track of your work, cut out … [Read more...]
The Creative Review Myth
Every creative project ends with a creative review … or does it? There’s a lot of confusion around exactly what a creative review accomplishes and what you can expect once it’s done. So let’s clear some things up, shall we? Easily the greatest myth about creatives reviews is that they’re going to be “one and done.” The vast, vast majority of the time, you’ll have multiple … [Read more...]