How to Start Freelancing as a Copywriter
Introduction
Let's cut to the chase --if you have an interest in writing, you're willing to commit the time, effort and painstaking hours of trial and error, you can make it as a freelance copywriter. Here's a broad overview of things you should learn to get you started.
Find your motivation
Why are you doing it? Is it for the money, potential fame (semi-joking about this one) or because you truly enjoy it? It can even be all those things, and more. The idea is that once you find your motivation, the easier it is to start manifesting that goal.
Whatever your reasons are for wanting to start freelancing, make sure they're valid ones--and that they align with what the job actually entails. For example, if you're just in it for the money, you'll soon find that those painstaking hours, working low-paying gigs for the first few months might take a bigger toll on you than you bargained for.
For me, I started writing 2,000 word dog blogs for $15. I did this for months before I started to see some real action. If I was just in it for the money I would have stuck with my cushy, Silicon Valley tech job (that I hated) and stopped writing then and there. Yet because of my motivation; knowing that I wanted to help people find and amplify their voice(s) by helping them communicate, I stuck with it.
Now, here I am several years later with my own creative organization that does just that.
Learn the Basics
Different types of content writing
Learn about the different niches and test them out. This will be difficult at the beginning if you don't have connections in the field or a silver spoon. My grandma had a saying for when my classmates and I would all pick out snacks at recess -- "you get whatcha get and you don't make a fit!"
This about sums up what it's like in your first few months of copywriting. Take what ever job you think you can handle on the side of your main profession for the time being and take notes. What did you like? What didn't you like? It's all good data to save for when you get to pick and choose the projects you take.
Here's a shorthand list to save for later on the different types of content writing available:
B2B (Business to Business) Copywriting
Brand Copy
Content Marketing
Direct Response
Social Media Content Writing
Tech Writing
PR Writing / Email Blasts
Ghostwriting
Niche Blogs
Guidebooks
Grant Writing
I'm not going to dive into all of them here but if you're interested, check out our deep dive on Different Types of Content Writing
Sidenote: Don't be discouraged if you're drawing a blank for your first draft or if you finally finish it and you think it sucks. It's normal -- take a walk, drink some water, eat a snackie, hug your dog, and try again. Just like most things, content writing takes work, planning, and research (especially if you're writing about a super specific niche) and if that's not enough, it also takes creative brain juice, so cut yourself some slack.
Think about what kind of clients and projects you'd want to attract
It's no secret us freelancers work with a wide range of clients. Some are small businesses just trying to get their name out there whilst some are huge corporations looking to really peak their Q4 sales with new marketing campaigns. As you take on more projects, think about which clients you like working with, their communication styles and the project lengths.
For example, when I started I really sucked at marketing campaign projects that lasted over 6 months. At the time it was just me and I didn't have the organizational skill or tools to be able to really excel at those types of projects (yet). I found that I was most effective with 1-3 month contracts with the potential for extensions that were more straightforward, like blog writing for specific niches. Through that, I was able to double down, excel in that niche, and then branch out.
In the beginning, it can be difficult find what kind of writing you want to specialize in. There are so many niches out there from ghostwriting health and wellness books to mystery novels to email blasts and everything in between. The best thing you can do at the beginning is to try a little bit of everything. Take notes on what you like, dislike and what style of project works best for you.
For example, if you're interested in doing medical or technical writing, learn how doctors think and talk before jumping into it with both feet--you'll have a much better chance at getting hired by them if they know that you understand their world!
Sidenote: Also think about if you want to work under an agency to start. It can help get your foot in the door but it also really gouges the pay. As you grow you may also want to work on a sliding scale -- why? For me, I wanted to work with people that not only paid me well but also pulled on my heartstrings. I quickly found that there wasn't (at the time) a ton of sustainability, eco-businesses rolling in the dough, but I still wanted to help. I ended up doing half fintech writing and sustainability on the side until I could fully transition to only what I wanted to do.
Build up your portfolio and experience.
Get a mentor(s), please.
I can't stress this enough -- when you start, find a mentor(s). Now when I say mentor, what do you think of? Probably a 1:1 scenario where you have coffee with this person every few weeks and talk about what you're struggling with? Yes, that's all well and good but for a lot of us, we don't get the opportunity to do that without paying the big bucks.
Mentorship can look like you starting a YouTube playlist on creatives you admire, joining Facebook groups, or local writing groups. The more you can expose yourself to different avenues of learning, the better. Just make sure they're credible or have the platform or service that backs up what they're saying.
For example, I really dig Struthless on YouTube. You can check out his video about ADVICE FOR CREATIVES: 7 Life Lessons I've Learned from 2019 so far here.
I like his videos because he's relatable, super honest, and in his videos often gives tangible writing/visual tasks that make me critically think.
Come to terms with the fact that you'll probably do your first gig for free if not close to free.
If you're serious about becoming a content writer, you'll need to work on your first project for dirt cheap unless you've got some super-connected family member and can ring that nepotism bell (no judgment, just being honest.)
Consider working for an agency so you can see how they do things, the kind of clients you can get there, and take away what you liked and disliked. You most likely won't get the same clients as most agency contracts specify that you can't work for the same client outside of the agency (a big no-no) but at least you'll have a better idea of what clients you like.
I'd also recommend getting comfortable asking for testimonials and feedback. Even if you don't have a website or place to put testimonials yet, they'll be great to have in the long run. Feedback is pretty self-explanatory, if you want to be good at your job, you're going to have to be honest with yourself, even though it hurts the ego sometimes.
Be ready to work.
No, I'm not talking about Kim K. going off about how "noooobody wants to work these days." Freelancing is darn hard. It takes time, effort, blood, sweat, tears, your partner’s tears, chocolate, patience, and more. Just remember, it's a marathon, not a sprint, and consistency over time will pay off more than ADHD hyper-focusing for an hour then letting everything go up in flames for the next 2 months just to end up back where you started.
You can do it -- I believe in you and I don't even know you, so believe in yourself too!
Get ready for the long hours.
Everyone, including my family members, thought that "working from home" means I got to surf every day, make flower crowns and skip around in the forest. Hell no. I wish. It meant that I was working my own 60+ hours a week for several months and not seeing a return, aka payment, cash money.
One thing I wish I didn't do was neglect my mental health so hard. I started to notice I was making stupid mistakes like not catching grammatical errors, sifting over details that should definitely have had a second look and even worse, having a short fuse when it came to mistakes that my absolutely wonderful teammates would make.
If you want more on this topic, check out our Working hard doesn't mean your mental health has to go to crap, blog.
Although you should constantly update your portfolio, website content and constantly look for gigs, it doesn't mean you can't take that break for lunch, go outside, work out or do the things you need to do in order to be your best self. Remember, happier brains make better decisions, better content and most importantly it's easier to hold onto your motivation when you're not going loco in your coco.
Yes, you can.
Yes, yes you can. I did it, others before me have done it and people right now are picking up side-projects that they love because they're passionate about doing them. Don't give into those pestering negative thoughts like well I don't have a degree in content writing or I like it but I don't think I'm a good writer. No one, absolutely no one, is "good" at something they first try.
The key step is to try and keep trying.
Good luck, you got this.
Kaileigh
