Some one who NEVER intends to write for someone else!

Start where you are and you'll see that the market is very good
at judging you. They would give you a very accurate picture
of the level of your skills of persuasion.

And you don't have to write for anyone else to be considered
a copywriter. Many copywriters think it is a sin to write for
others when you can write for yourself and keep all
the money.

-Ray Edwards

My secret master plan. Write for my own business (legal profession). Once I get good (if I ever do) attempt to sell the successful letters as a coaching/DFY service. Always a few months after launching it myself, and obviously in markets that I don't compete geographically.

Of course I'll need to learn how to write for that market (other lawyers) as well.

But first, trying to get the first part down.

Not sure what you are looking for here. You have already been given great advice from some very experienced copywriters:

--Don't prepare, do it.
--Jump in.
--Start where you are.

Check out the books in the stickies. Look over these resources here:
http://www.warriorforum.com/copywrit...pywriters.html

Just start writing copy.

Plus, read the great copywriting books mentioned at the top of the subforum.

And always be testing, testing, testing! The last client I worked with was rigorous down to a tee - he split tested 3 different headlines out of 6 and had two versions of copy to test - only going with the one that was performing the best.

Sometimes when writing for yourself, you can get a little too close to your own products - so I like to switch heads and imagine I am writing not for myself, but for a client. This way if I get stuck (and yes, we've all hit a brick wall sometimes), it helps to keep me on track.

Also, consider coaching for helping you write copy...

Hey Joshua!

Let me ask you something:

Are you interested in your own self-development?

Seriously.

If I were to train an aspiring copywriter, my very first step would be putting a stack of books in his or her lap that give them the vital emotional insights to create their own life.

When you can easily, genuinely feel the foundation-emotions for what you want... and apply them to reveal your ideal circumstances, you'll be able to organically reach prospects in ways you will NEVER learn in a copywriting book.

Should you still read tons and tons of copywriting books?

Yes.

Probably.

But unless you know how to connect with and command emotion, learning the copywriting tricks of the trade won't mean jack sh!t.

Here's a quick story/joke:

A mom brings her daughter half way around the world to ask Ghandi for advice.

She asks him, "How can my daughter quit eating candy?"

Ghandi says, "Come back in a week."

The mom says, "But we've traveled so far! I can't come in a week."

Ghandi replies, "Come back in a week."

So, the mom and daughter walk away confused, frustrated... a little angry.

The next week...

Same thing happens.

And the following week as well.

Long story short.

The mom tells Ghandi she can't keep coming back. "I demand to know the answer! How can my daughter quit eating candy?!?!"

Ghandi answers, "I don't know. I haven't done it yet."

My point of the story is...

You have to personally experience the emotions of becoming a successful-minded person and go through the steps of discovering, in your own life, what you're ultimately promising your prospects when you write copy.

In other words...

If you're selling something to help people create financial abundance, you have to get rich, first.

If you're selling something to fix people's love lives, you have to remedy or grow your own relationship, first.

If you're selling people a guide for how to become more elightened, you have to "accend" in your own life, first.

Now...

Most copywriters empthathetically fake it.

And it's true.

A great copywriter can sell just about anything because he or she is so gifted in connecting with and commanding emotion.

But as an entrepreneur who's selling to your own lists, you have to become the ideals you'll be preaching/teaching.

Personally speaking...

While I charge people to write copy...

...I would NEVER ask anyone for a dime - if I didn't first create financial abundance for myself through various on and offline businesses.

I don't think any copywriter should ask anyone for money - until they've either created financial abundance for themselves and/or took on projects for backend incentives and helped other people manifest wealth, first.

Likewise...

Every Internet Marketer should absolutely have gone on the quest to personally discover the path to abundance and success - before trying to create products and sell people on their benefits - without personally accomplishing the high-minded results you'll be promising, first.

Start small time.

Learn the ins and outs of IM on your own dime and time.

Then promise the people you want to HELP the world.

I know I kind of went off on a tangent, but there's a good insight in there.

Mark

Everyone has already given you good advice so I'm just going to offer something more on the technical side.

Before you start copywriting, pour some energy into just plain, old writing. Period. Blog about something; write a short story; or keep posting on forums. The bottom line is you should look for every opportunity to practice the art itself. Should you be a Grammar Nazi? Maybe not. However, being more self-aware of your own written words is a valuable skill for any sort of writer (copywriting or otherwise).

Just my two cents.