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Starting Out

by jmckeeco84
3 replies
Hello Everyone,

I'd like to go ahead and thank everyone ahead of time for any assistance they might offer, it is truly appreciated.

About six months ago I became involved with the freelance writing scene and fell in love; the pay isn't always great but the fact that I could dictate my own schedule and work from home made me very happy. This has worked out well so far but I am definitely craving more out of my career.

I looked into copywriting because I heard the pay can be out of this world, and so I picked up Marcia Yudkin's 6 week copywriting course. I have definitely enjoyed learning more about how to adhere to corporate standards when doing B2B copy; however, a nagging question keeps popping up: "What comes next?"

Now I know that everything takes time and I am more than happy to work for $25.00-$30.00 an hour to start; but, I am at a bit of a loss as to which door to try and pry my foot into. If anyone could give me an idea of how they "Broke into the business" I'd really appreciate it.

I've been told that I should do some mockups regarding ads, so I've been working on those. I've also decided that I want to focus on writing copy for plastic surgeons and those who sell digital products (network security, etc..). Is this something I should be investing my time in (the mockups I mean)?

Finally I'm wondering what to do for income in the interim to finding my way in the copywriting world, at the moment I am writing for a content mill (who shall remain nameless) and I'm wondering if anyone could suggest a place to write at? Even .003 cents a word would be a huge improvement for me at the moment, I wish I were joking; but, I am not. Any well paying content mill or other site that anyone could suggest would be awesome.

Thanks all!
#starting
  • Profile picture of the author adamlantelme
    You can do what I did.

    Go through any local publications where people are paying for advertising. This could be your newspaper, local city mag, or the like. Then, find ads that you feel can be improved on and clip them out and circle areas that you think can be improved with Red ink.

    Then write a proposal letter that says "Dear X, I'm a local small businesses advertising expert. As I was looking through X I came across your ad I felt that it could use some areas of improvement.

    Make sure that in sending the letter, that you give them a reason to open it ( I used clear see through envelopes.)

    Of course, you are going to need to sell them on the idea that them taking the time to talk to you is worth it, so give them a free report or something like that. But mock ups, or samples of an existing product are always helpful, it shows what you are able to put forth on paper.

    Another option is to get a copy of any of the major mailer lists( which I believe you can find in local libraries,) and start pitching your services to these mailers.

    People in the DM business are always looking for new talented writers, so if you can find something they have produced and tell them that you can beat it, they might give you a chance.

    In the meanwhile, if you have no money coming in, you can try any of the various sites online such as craigslist, elance, etc. Your best bet is to do everything you can to find a client and whatever else is going to pay the bills should come second.

    I'm sure there are a lot of other good ideas to come.


    Adam
    Signature

    MY WSO. htmlhttp://www.warriorforum.com/warrior-...lent-copy.html

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    • Profile picture of the author jmckeeco84
      Hey Adam,

      Thanks for the reply man...it is much appreciated!
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  • Profile picture of the author MissLizzie
    Hey JMC - Firstly, welcome to the WF! Secondly, I'm not sure that I can help out much with freelance writing sites, but have you tried Constant Content? From what I understand, the rates are much better than other freelance writing sites. However, the quality of your work needs to be pretty good, so be careful with your portfolio and any submissions!
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