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9 tips for journalists/freelance writers who want to break into copywriting:
1.
ask your editors to introduce you to their advertising department and/or marketing director.
does this cross some kind of ethical line between editorial/advertising?
i don't know.
who cares?
you need money. just do it.
ask your editors to introduce you to their advertising department and/or marketing director.
does this cross some kind of ethical line between editorial/advertising?
i don't know.
who cares?
you need money. just do it.
2.
leverage your journalism beat to find copywriting clients.
for example:
if you cover climate change, reach out to companies/nonprofits in the environmental sector.
they will value your deep understanding of their industry.
leverage your journalism beat to find copywriting clients.
for example:
if you cover climate change, reach out to companies/nonprofits in the environmental sector.
they will value your deep understanding of their industry.
3.
are you worried clients will not take you seriously because you lack copywriting experience?
or is it YOU who can't yet take yourself seriously?
bolster your confidence with practice.
come up with fake copy projects & execute them.
you'll feel better.
are you worried clients will not take you seriously because you lack copywriting experience?
or is it YOU who can't yet take yourself seriously?
bolster your confidence with practice.
come up with fake copy projects & execute them.
you'll feel better.
4.
always know:
audience: who you're writing to
context: where and when they'll see your copy
objective: what you want them to do (this can be hard for journalists! but yes, you are trying to convince and persuade and control people. it's your new job!)
always know:
audience: who you're writing to
context: where and when they'll see your copy
objective: what you want them to do (this can be hard for journalists! but yes, you are trying to convince and persuade and control people. it's your new job!)
5.
embrace calls to action!
your CTA tells the audience what to do.
think strong verbs and short, punchy phrases.
BUY NOW.
LEARN MORE.
SUBSCRIBE, DARLING.
embrace calls to action!
your CTA tells the audience what to do.
think strong verbs and short, punchy phrases.
BUY NOW.
LEARN MORE.
SUBSCRIBE, DARLING.
6.
forget the rules of "correct" writing.
write the way real people talk.
get comfortable with a strong POV.
soak your copy in personality.
fall in love with incomplete sentences, blips, blurbs, misspellings, colloquialisms and things the AP stylebook would never allow.
forget the rules of "correct" writing.
write the way real people talk.
get comfortable with a strong POV.
soak your copy in personality.
fall in love with incomplete sentences, blips, blurbs, misspellings, colloquialisms and things the AP stylebook would never allow.
7.
you set your own rates.
start at $100/hour and go up from there.
use project-based fees whenever you can.
(for example, you can write a pack of 10 emails for $5,000)
you set your own rates.
start at $100/hour and go up from there.
use project-based fees whenever you can.
(for example, you can write a pack of 10 emails for $5,000)
8.
your network is everything.
tell everyone you know that you're getting into copywriting.
ask for introductions.
ask for help.
everyone will be thrilled for you!
personal connections land you gigs!
your network is everything.
tell everyone you know that you're getting into copywriting.
ask for introductions.
ask for help.
everyone will be thrilled for you!
personal connections land you gigs!
9.
and finally...
remember that many great writers of all kinds have worked as copywriters at some point in their career.
if f. scott fitzgerald can write taglines for a laundromat, so can you.
you got this!
and finally...
remember that many great writers of all kinds have worked as copywriters at some point in their career.
if f. scott fitzgerald can write taglines for a laundromat, so can you.
you got this!
