Portfolio Building Concern

1) Still very strongly against you charging nothing. If you don't value your own writing skills, how do you expect them to? And think about the future of other writers you'll be helping later down the road. Not charging for a valuable service helps perpetuate that damaging mindset, helps further the idea that what we do is somehow not valuable. It is. The sooner you convince yourself that what you do is valuable, the better.

2) I think you're getting a little ahead of yourself with these worries. This is something John Carlton talks about - you're worrying about step 5 instead of step 1. You need to be focused on step 1 - the only thing that you can do next. And that is to find clients and write for them. Your future (including bigger, better clients) will come soon enough. But you've got to start to get there.

There was time I had to hire copywriters, specialists outside of the company, whose own copywriters might have been swamped or we needed an expert.

If I were looking for someone to write on a new Faux Cheese product, I'd look for someone who has written for many or has/had a control or was the expert in that market.

I agree, you're getting ahead of yourself, write and write some more. That should be job one for now.

Set a goal, perhaps 3-5 years you will be THE go to copywriter for all things Vegan.

Here is a link (no affiliation) to a person who HAS become the go to person in her specialty, she is most worthy of your time and attention.

Carline Anglade-Cole

Good luck, and write, write and write some more.

gjabiz

Free = no perceived value.

Even a broke client can afford a few hundred bucks for your help. Ask them what they think is fair.

No investment = no commitment. Why should they value and use what you give them?

In a niche like that, sounds like you might benefit from pursuing expert status. Have you thought about trying to get a few bylines in prominent trade publications?

Most people have no clue what copywriting is all about & how it can help their marketing -- let alone how an unproven copywriter can help their marketing.

...But if you can show them clips of articles you've published in the trades, instantly you're a "somebody" in the niche and a more credible sales writer in their market... Your cred as published writer in the trade press might help you convince prospects of your cred as a sales writer and publicist... that you know what you're talking about when you claim you can help...

If there's a brief bio that accompanies your byline, you might even be able to plug your writing services there (or at least your web address).

If you're passionate about veganism & you're a writer, publishing on the topic is probably par for the course and a good starting point for bigger things... If you have something new to say, articles on veganism could find a home in lots of trade mags, consumer mags, regionals, holiday issues, travel mags, etc. etc.

p.s. -- Like everyone else says: don't work for free. Value what you do and insist that others value it too... Maybe you can start by re-writing one web page on spec & let them use it if they pay you to re-write the rest? I dunno... However you approach this, you're going to have to sell your services... Don't pitch to work for free...

I'm impressed.

You're niching yourself. That's something most copywriters, especially new ones, refuse to do.

Kudos.