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How I became a copywriter in one year

by Sebastion
9 replies
Hi all. I just wanted to share with you some of my good news...to inspire all the newbies out there.

I came to warrior forum a few months ago knowing absolutely nothing about writing copy. I still feel I know nothing, but I'm learning.

I've been writing professionally since 2005 when I started at the age of 27. I wrote band articles and landed a few freelance gigs.

One of my friends knew I was a good writer that he could afford, so he paid me to write his sales page. I did. It was a great sales page but didn't sell his product. I really believe that this had very little to do with my copy. However, I learned a lot and feel like I should pay him for the lesson.

I took that sales page and used it in my portfolio on elance and craigslist. Eventually that page, along with other pieces landed me an upcoming internship with a small marketing company, as well as a $100 gig on Elance.

The $100 gig got me a five star review. My first review. I used the copy from that Elance Gig and the Other long sales page, and then applied to more Elance Copy Writing Jobs.

Which lead me to winning a contract writing sales pages, emails, landing pages, ebooks, etc, as a junior copywriter. The gig pays $15 an hour, for 15 hours a week to start, for 8 weeks to start. I won out over ten other applicants.

So after this contract I will have a great big portfolio. The future looks bright.

So my advice to all you new guys...don't give up. You don't need to match any credentials. What you need is experience. Your pitch must be the best pitch.

I'm very good at landing gigs. How do I do it? I tell them "I am the best writer. I'm arrogant but humble. I'm a league above everyone else and I'm willing to work my butt off to make you happy. If you don't pick me...you lose. Just read this copy I've attached and you will see...I'm your man."

So believe in yourself. See you at the top.
#copywriter #year
  • Profile picture of the author IdrisSG
    Well done...

    It must be very satisfying to accomplish your vision.

    I would recommend that once you've got your stable of PROOF that you can write copy... that you move away from Elance.

    Because you may just find that for your talents there are people who will pay you more, much more... especially if you've got PROOF that you're good.
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  • Profile picture of the author amo992
    Originally Posted by Sebastion View Post


    Which lead me to winning a contract writing sales pages, emails, landing pages, ebooks, etc, as a junior copywriter. The gig pays $15 an hour, for 15 hours a week to start, for 8 weeks to start. I won out over ten other applicants.
    Are you expected to write a certain amount per hour? Could you elaborate on this a little please?
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    • Profile picture of the author Sebastion
      I'm not sure about the hourly deal. I suppose they have lots to do.
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  • Profile picture of the author mrelosa
    Good for you. Hard work must have really paid of. Congrats!
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    • Profile picture of the author Sebastion
      Thanks! Though I don't feel I worked my butt off at all. I did everything in short spurts with long bouts of nothingness.
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  • Profile picture of the author robfrancis
    Originally Posted by Sebastion View Post

    It was a great sales page but didn't sell his product. I really believe that this had very little to do with my copy.
    Firstly, congratulations to you on starting out as a copywriter.

    What makes you say that it was a great sales page when it failed to sell his product? I recall crafting a really long sales page in 2004 after going through John Reese's original Traffic Secrets (one of the single longest sales pages I ever came across). The sales copy was good and I had invested so many hours tweaking it and trying to get it perfect. Although it produced plenty of sales, it was low in terms of what the client was expecting after a big advertising campaign and lots of traffic driven to the site.

    Other marketers that I knew back then tried to tell me areas to improve or - shock, horror - remove completely! I thought that I knew best and that there was nothing wrong with the sales page at all. I thought that they didn't know what they were talking about.

    Basically, I was too close to my copywriting, my art, my creation.

    What I needed to do was stand back for a moment and take on the suggestions. If you have ever learned about split testing then you will know that it never matters what we think but let the actual figures speak for themselves. So if heading A is brilliant and 10% of all visitors buy the product, then half the time show heading B and see what it produces. Say it produces 15% conversion rate, then try heading C, and so on.

    As copywriters unless we achieve a 100% conversion rate then there is always room for a little improvement.

    Best of luck to you with your copywriting gigs,
    Rob
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  • Profile picture of the author livepsycle
    Originally Posted by Sebastion View Post

    It was a great sales page but didn't sell his product. I really believe that this had very little to do with my copy.
    You may want to question your beliefs.

    It's a bitter pill to swallow. But there is only one measure of our effectiveness as copywriters. Conversion rate. If people are buying, it's good. If people aren't... it aint.

    So if people were reading the letter but not buying, it had everything to do with your copy. Unless you were being forced to sell something no-one wanted.
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    • Profile picture of the author Daniel Scott
      Originally Posted by livepsycle View Post

      You may want to question your beliefs.

      It's a bitter pill to swallow. But there is only one measure of our effectiveness as copywriters. Conversion rate. If people are buying, it's good. If people aren't... it aint.

      So if people were reading the letter but not buying, it had everything to do with your copy. Unless you were being forced to sell something no-one wanted.
      Not necessarily. Might have been a bad offer, or crappy traffic.

      Good copy's important... but it's not the only important element you need.

      A friend of mine is dealing with a client at the moment who insists his traffic is targeted (it's not) and his offer is amazing (it isn't). He's trashing the sales page and the writer, when the sales page is the strongest part of the triumvirate (IMHO).

      Having said that, I appreciate the point you're driving at and actually agree with you. I'm just saying poor conversions does not always mean poor copy.

      -Daniel
      Signature

      Always looking for badass direct-response copywriters. PM me if we don't know each other and you're looking for work.

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  • Profile picture of the author Russell Barnstein
    Sebastion;

    It's not a good (or legal) practice to use work that is now owned by another party as part of your portfolio unless you have explicit permission to do so. As a freelance writer you no longer own that work once your client has paid for it and you can cause some serious problems by placing that work in your portfolio. One of your primary functions as a freelancer is to ensure the confidential and work-for-hire nature of all content that you produce on behalf of others.

    I know that lots of writers use work they did for clients in their portfolio and many probably see nothing wrong with it, but I am just cautioning you as a new writer that there could be serious consequences for your writing career if you are caught doing this. If you insist on doing it anyway, it's probably not a wise idea to broadcast this practice in a public forum.

    Instead, you can ask your clients to be able to use their work in your portfolio- perhaps in exchange for a discount. However, I can tell you from experience that you'll find out right away that many of your clients will absolutely not want you to do that under any circumstances and there are extremely sound reasons for this. Conversely, many will not have a problem with it.

    Your portfolio should only contain two types of work:

    1.) Work you wrote yourself and that no one else has any rights to anywhere
    2.) Work that you have explicit permission from the owner to include in your portfolio and showcase to other clients

    Lots of people will tell you that it's harmless and you'll never get caught, but I'm telling you based on more than a decade of experience writing on the internet that it can and does happen. ;-(

    Just thought I'd throw that out there. Good luck on Elance, you can make a lot of money there and gain valuable long-term clients. Don't forget that after 1 year of the initial contract you can then take the client off Elance and save that ridiculous 8.75%.

    -Russ
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