If you’re considering a career as a copywriter – either full time or as a sideline, you’d probably like some criteria to know if it’s a good fit for you. There are pros and cons to everything – of course – and copywriting part-time is no different.
It’s easier to make an informed decision when you have a way to get the ‘real skinny’. Well, here it is from someone who’s written copy for clients on and off for more than 20 years.
Copywriting is a fascinating and fun profession. You can write in a vertical market where you have expertise and you can branch out and learn about other markets and professions you know nothing about. You expand your knowledge, learn a lot and get to explore interesting topics and ideas and get paid for it.
That said, it’s not all fun and fantasy. You have to take what you learn and turn it into something useful for your clients – copy that really works and gets the job done. That requires creativity, focus and discipline. All of those things are enjoyable and great skills to have, but have them you must.
If you decide to work as a freelancer, you become a business owner and that means you must be willing to promote yourself, keep a schedule, deliver what you promise and make no excuses.
That is, of course, if you want to stay in business and most importantly, get repeat business. It’s not hard to do, but for people who find those tasks onerous, that’s a downside.
You have to learn how keep your pipeline full of prospective clients while balancing your current workflow. That might be a con, but once you get good and have enough people who recognize your value, you’re well positioned to command excellent fees and create a full-time income, working part-time.
There’s a big pro – the ability to work part-time and earn excellent money. Sure, it takes work to build up to that, but you can build up to it on your own schedule and your own terms.
Another big pro is the freedom and flexibility a copywriting career offers. You can work from anywhere – anywhere you can think and create that is – with no restrictions on your time.
If you are most creative at night, work at night if you’re able. If your best window for creating is at the crack of dawn, start then and be done by lunch and get on with other things you want or need to do. The scheduling alone is a luxury most people never experience and it’s a wonderful way to live.
Ultimately the pros and cons are different for everyone depending on your strengths and your desires. And, obviously, nothing is perfect, but a career as a writer comes darned close.
Sound intriguing? Learn the skills you need to become a professional copywriter through our comprehensive online course: Mastering Direct Response Copywriting.
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