Work Load and Scheduling Questions

by KingOfContentMarketing

Posted: 12 years ago 11 replies

COPY WRITING

For conversation's sake, let's say you are an in-demand, full-time copywriter and it takes you around 40 working hours to research, write and polish a client's sales letter. Let's also say your fees are over $5,000 per letter, high enough that you are not "churning and burning" to make the mortgage payment.

How do you manage your projects? Do you only work on one client at a time? Or do you have two or three letters going at the same time?

Do you finish the 40 project-hours in one week or is it spread out over two or more weeks?

Assuming you are booking clients far in advance, what kind of "window" do set aside down the road for each project? One week? Two? More?

If you want to interview the client's customers, what happens if they are not available when you are working on that project? In other words, do they work around you, or do you have to make sure all the interviews are scheduled well in advance so key people are not on vacation?

Do you like to work Monday-Friday with weekends off for family and friends? Or do you maybe work every day until a project is finished and then, say, take four or five days in a row off, and start the cycle again?
-----------------------------------------

Of course, your situation may not share that hypothetical exactly but how do you handle your own work flow?

#load #project #questions #scheduling #work

Andrew Gould

12 years ago

Hey Joe,

You might find this thread useful:

http://www.warriorforum.com/copywrit...cheduling.html

For any interviews that need to be done, whenever possible I prefer to do them with the rest of my research for that project, but if necessary I'll do them in advance. The only potential problem is if someone's not available who's vital to the project - I don't want a job to get pushed back leaving me sitting on my ass (I've found a definite deadline is just as much a benefit to myself as to my client).

When I first started it seemed like I was in front of a computer 24/7, after realizing that couldn't continue I started managing my time better and now I don't work weekends. I do make exceptions, like if a client's launching on a Sunday or if they're prepared to pay extra, but generally the weekend is my own time.

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Andrew Gould

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Steve Hill

12 years ago

Originally Posted by Andrew Gould

When I first started it seemed like I was in front of a computer 24/7, after realizing that couldn't continue I started managing my time better and now I don't work weekends. I do make exceptions, like if a client's launching on a Sunday or if they're prepared to pay extra, but generally the weekend is my own time.

Regardless of the exact occupation, scheduling personal time is recommended for freelancers in order to avoid burnout. As a web developer, I've done weekdays-only scheduling and the "work 10 days and take 5 off" scheduling, and it really depends on the requirements of the projects at hand and my own requirements.

I've also done the "24/7" scheduling for months at a time, and as Andrew mentions, that's not sustainable (or enjoyable).

The beauty of freelancing is you can do whichever you want, whenever you want (within scheduled project limitations), but the one thing I've learned is to take scheduled time off on a regular basis, and not let clients dictate my time.

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Mark Andrews

Banned 12 years ago

I guess I'm just a workaholic, I just plough on regardless through all my feelings of burnout etc. 18 hours a day at least at the moment. Juggling various copywriting projects and other things.

Typically, I'm writing about five various pieces of sales copy all at the same time. If I get a little stuck on one project, I simply open up another tab and carry on where I left off on this project, bouncing around between different projects simultaneously. I like the variety and the challenge - it keeps me on my toes.

Days off? For example weekends? Nope. I'm at this 7 days a week non-stop. Month in - month out. Been at it now with this punishing schedule for several years. Quite often, usually about twice a week, I'll really push myself and complete a couple of 30 hour stints at a stretch.

Just last week I put in one 60 hour stretch followed by 12 hours sleep to be quickly followed up with a 30 hour stint. I'm a glutton for punishment. Love it. Love every minute of it complete with all the corresponding ups and downs. I guess I'm just driven. And extremely highly motivated.

This song, the lyrics sum it up, me up very well... (to a tee no pun intended for you Joe)

CAKE - The Distance (Official Music Video) -...

I don't know, perhaps it has to do with the extraordinary amount of knowledge which was rammed down my throat as a kid from a very early age. I was brought up in quite an unusual way.

Bored stiff at school, usually found day dreaming as the teachers put it looking out of the window when the subject matter being taught was usually boring me close to tears - I was much more interested in much higher degrees of learning.

Reading fluently from the age of 4, I was always reading books way ahead of my years and very fast too. Typically several books at the same time, usually around 6-8 books at any one time. The deeper and more complicated the subject matter - the better.

I thrive on knowledge. Sociology, futurology, psychology, world affairs, politics, religion, history, natural sciences, science in general, pure mathematics, philosophy, quantum mechanics and physics, astronomy, cosmology... you name it, I find it all quite fascinating.

You only live once (as far as I'm directly aware) although that's debatable if we go down the philosophy route but that's another story. I don't think I should go down the route of parallel dimensions in time and space on this thread. Don't want to lose you all after all.

I say this not to boast but every serious copywriter I know has an insatiable appetite for more knowledge. We love learning about the world around us and the people within this world - understanding what makes us tick on both the individual and collective consciousness levels.

Take copywriting for example...

Maybe I'm just odd but when presented with a new copywriting project, I typically will hold it there 'in front of me' just above head level height. A tangible holographic form resembling a ball. Big enough to walk around it to examine it closely.

I'm asking intuitively in my mind various questions and from examining this virtual ball in front of me, I like to see how it responds to certain stimuli (questions).

If a portion of the sales copy needs adjustment or attention, in my minds eye, I watch it glow or beat with intermittent light signals operating at certain frequencies. And after my examination, I'll set about applying my toolkit to make the necessary adjustments required.

All the while I've got my bank of subconscious monitoring devices measuring the intensity of the various color spectrum's to see which is operating at peak performance. (We can call these emotional connectors).

Obviously the end goal is to write the sales copy which most closely matches the emotional needs of the target market. Matching up in perfect alignment and balance the exact needs of the target audience, their feelings of emotional and psychological frustration and pain with their ideal solution offered by the product offering in question.

When this sentence in this location has been tweaked to reach optimum performance it's glowing in my metaphorical sphere of light at just the right frequency. now I know this section of my sales copy is good to go but just for good measure, on completion, I'll let it incubate for a few days longer.

Walk around it, poke it again with my finger, observe what happens. Withdraw my finger, rub it here, scratch it there, move this or that around all the while measuring in my intuitive consciousness (through the third eye) the overall effect on the words used to connect with the intended readers mind.

Sounds about as whacko as they come I know but it works for me.

Oh dear, I seem to have gone off a bit of a tangent, sorry, lost in spirit again. Rambling on like there's no tomorrow. I digress.

Weekends off? Yes, well, this is something I may have to start thinking about soon. But then only to make time putting my own 'stuff' together. No rest for the wicked as they say. Life is for living - you're a long time dead. In this blink in time, I want to make the most of what I have.

Tickety boo,

Mark Andrews

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Tangycontent

12 years ago

Originally Posted by Mark Andrews

Typically, I'm writing about five various pieces of sales copy all at the same time. If I get a little stuck on one project, I simply open up another tab and carry on where I left off on this project, bouncing around between different projects simultaneously. I like the variety and the challenge - it keeps me on my toes.

I used to do this quite often, but I do so far less now that I got accustomed to building my content from outlines. Essentially I wireframe the content out from big picture downwards - chapter ideas, headings, subheadings, etc. until there's so much material to write for that I can just get at it. I'll topic jump here and there in the same niche, but rarely go between niches as I find it completely disrupts my flow. Seems to work for you though!

Days off? For example weekends? Nope. I'm at this 7 days a week non-stop. Month in - month out. Been at it now with this punishing schedule for several years. Quite often, usually about twice a week, I'll really push myself and complete a couple of 30 hour stints at a stretch.

Just last week I put in one 60 hour stretch followed by 12 hours sleep to be quickly followed up with a 30 hour stint. I'm a glutton for punishment. Love it. Love every minute of it complete with all the corresponding ups and downs. I guess I'm just driven. And extremely highly motivated.

You say you're driven... I say you're nuts! I'd go on and on about how this couldn't possibly be good for your health but hey, it's your life and you're an adult. Kick some ass.

I just hope you're making a minimum of $30 - $40 per hour, or you might want to focus a bit more on quality over quantity...

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Mark Andrews Banned 12 years ago

Originally Posted by Tangycontent

I just hope you're making a minimum of $30 - $40 per hour, or you might want to focus a bit more on quality over quantity...

Rather more than this thanks. Quality over quantity? After 31+ years of being in business, I think I should know by now what works and what doesn't work. And where my priorities are.

Thanks anyway.

Mark Andrews
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KingOfContentMarketing 12 years ago

[DELETED]

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- Steve The Copywriter 12 years ago
  
  I do one gig at a time.
  
  And try and schedule it that way - it usually works.
  
  To take a "break" I'll start the research on the next gig.
  
  Interestingly, the "research" often on a completely different subject - brings in some useful ideas for the one I'm working on.
  
  Steve
  
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  http://www.warriorforum.com/warriors...right-now.html
  
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Raydal 12 years ago

You gave two options for the client fee levels you deal with.

I know fora fact that is makes more sense resource-wise to
have one $5,000 client than 10 $500 client. So any copywriter
should be trying to raise fee and reduce the number of clients.

When I just started offering my services to Warriors I did a
10-letter WSO for $297 each and got seriously sick at the
end of that deal. I was in bed for Christmas. I decided
I would never make such an offer again and I never did.

It's even better to have multiple letters from the same
client than multiple clients. A big part of the stress of
writing for others is centered in the relationship. When
you have who doesn't 'click' with you it's hard to do
your best.

Writing is stressful work and you need to take time to
refresh or you can easily get burnt out.

-Ray Edwards
a client w
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NickN 12 years ago

Sweet, I was just coming to this forum to search for a thread like this.

As a semi-new copywriter, I still haven't figured out how to make a "designated time" for my copywriting.

When I'm working on a project, it preoccupies my thoughts most of the day. I'm always trying to think of new ideas or ways to improve my copy. I feel like I'm wasting valuable time when I'm not thinking about the project at hand.

This is probably a quick recipe for burnout, but I haven't learned to separate my copywriting from the other aspects of my life...yet.

Is this how it is when you start out, though? I'm sure you get your own "groove" after awhile, right?
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Mark Andrews Banned 12 years ago

Completely off-topic I know for which I do apologize most profusely and do feel welcome to delete this post if you must, including the one above where I went off on an incredible tangent but...

...like many super intelligent people, I'm amazingly thick as well.

Anything practical and I'm about as unintelligent as they come. Ask me to wire a plug and I'll probably just look at you with a somewhat dazed and confused utterly perplexed look upon my face.

Carpentry, oh lordy lord, dreadful!

Hanging wallpaper? No way!

Fitting a car stereo? What a joke. Anything to do with basic wiring and I'm just as likely to blow it all up, myself included.

Car repairs lol. Good grief.

Playing a musical instrument? Ow! Plug your ears immediately.

Artistic creation, drawing for example? Remember those little stick men? That's about as far as my capabilities in this department go.

I see everyone as being pretty much equal.

You can have the most intelligent person on the planet trying to work out the most complicated theory in the world, it's 3am in the morning and there s/he is distracted beyond measure, not able to bring the final pieces of the jigsaw puzzle together to make it work.

And in pops a young wet behind the ears lad...

...with a piping hot bacon and egg sarny and a steaming mug of hot tea.

Nourished and re-energized the guy trying to work out this seemingly indecipherable and complicated problem suddenly has a Eureka! moment and pulls it all together and voila! has the perfect solution.

Now, who is more important?

The guy trying to work out the most complicated problem to save mankind from some impending disaster or the lad who inadvertently helped him to find the perfect solution by feeding his mind with exactly what was needed at the appropriate time?

To me - they're both equally as important as the other.

What we lack in one area someone, somewhere else, more than makes up for this lack of knowledge in another way. We all have our place. We're all unique.

We all have our own unique abilities and it's what makes each and every one of so valuable.

You can carry on again now again with the original topic in hand, please pardon the intrusion and my rudeness going off on this 'slight' tangent...
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