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Can you make money off copy writing if English is not your first language

by lorenzo86
9 replies
I think native speakers are always above non-native speakers. However, I wonder if it is possible to make livable income doing copy writing when English is not your first language.

Any ideas on how to start this?
#copy #english #language #make #money #writing
  • Profile picture of the author Tim R
    Find people who need copy in your native language.

    If writing in English hire a translator or proofreader to correct any mistakes you make. As long as your English is of a decent enough standard (yours seems fine) you shouldn't have too many problems.
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    • Profile picture of the author Cam Connor
      Originally Posted by Tim R View Post

      Find people who need copy in your native language.
      Exactly what I was going to say. You'll probably have a smaller pond to fish from, but there'll probably also be fewer fishermen to share the air...
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  • Profile picture of the author Don Grace
    I agree with Tim but there's one other thing to consider as well,... you have to know the "secret language" of your market and communicate in that way including slang. This goes far beyond proper English and grammar.

    It's like Spanish for a guy like me. I can understand it to some point, but I know the guys at 7-11 getting coffee in the morning in my town are not speaking it from Rosetta Stone lessons. It's "colorful" and conversational.
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    • Profile picture of the author lorenzo86
      Originally Posted by Don Grace View Post

      I agree with Tim but there's one other thing to consider as well,... you have to know the "secret language" of your market and communicate in that way including slang. This goes far beyond proper English and grammar.

      It's like Spanish for a guy like me. I can understand it to some point, but I know the guys at 7-11 getting coffee in the morning in my town are not speaking it from Rosetta Stone lessons. It's "colorful" and conversational.
      Yes I understand your point. However, I have lived in the UK since I was 14 and I understand UK slang because I have always been around British people and many times people assumed I was born in the UK, I would say I probably even wrote better than the average kid in my classroom. Now, competing with writers from forums like this makes the competition way fierce and I feel that clients demand more quality from writers when the supply level is high. I will probably just need to give it a try and see if I can make any money from this.
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  • Profile picture of the author MikeHumphreys
    Originally Posted by lorenzo86 View Post

    I think native speakers are always above non-native speakers. However, I wonder if it is possible to make livable income doing copy writing when English is not your first language.

    Any ideas on how to start this?
    Yes, it's doable. I know of a growing number of copywriters who have done it quite successfully.

    If you can write better quality copy than your clients and you know how to market your business then you can find paying clients. The higher quality copy you can write consistently... the better you can market your business consistently... the higher fees you can command consistently.

    Take a few hours (at least) and go through the links in this sticky:

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

    Good luck,

    Mike
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  • Profile picture of the author sr.20
    If outsourcing or buying direct response books to learn yourself are not an option, then i recommend look at a selection of high converting sales letters found on here and various other marketplaces & study them as they all have a scientific approach to the writing

    i hope this helps
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  • Profile picture of the author fulfilledlife
    I think if you can sell face to face using English, then you should not have problems putting this salesmanship in print.
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    Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value - Albert Einstein

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  • Profile picture of the author TJoseph
    It's going to be a heck of a hill to climb but if you're looking forward to the challenge then here's my 2 cents:

    PRACTICE. PRACTICE. PRACTICE.
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  • Profile picture of the author RichardGB
    You know, some might say that only people with native English can do this stuff. But they're wrong. People around the world learn English and they do it much more seriously than we do. So thay know perfectly all grammar rules and vocabulary that can make them really good copywriters. IMHO
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