Copywriting: Secrets of a Freelancer

Lately, I've been getting emails from other copywriters who ask me questions like "What's your secret?" and "How did you do it?" and "Can I be your apprentice?"

Aw, heck, are you serious? People are talking to me like I'm some kind of demi-goddess... when really, I'm just a humble girl from Jersey who's having a fun time running a freelance copywriting business.

I take that back. Freelancing isn't fun. It's AMAZING. Brilliant marketing, like beautiful music, makes my arm hairs stand up. Meeting people who share my passion for writing and dreaming up clever advertising strategies exhilarates me. Connecting with entrepreneurial geniuses who can teach me things I didn't know before is such an incredible privilege. Having the option to walk away from people I don't respect... well, that feels mighty fine too!

To all who want to know what it takes to be successful:

It takes will and determination. That's pretty much it. Here's a crazy analogy for you. Suppose you haven't eaten in days. You're starving beyond belief, and there's a thick, juicy steak just out of your reaching distance. You reach out your arm but you can't get it. You're sooo hungry. If you just stretch your arm a little further, maybe then you can grab that steak. It might mean you'll dislocate your arm. Do you stretch beyond your limit? Of course you do. You would sacrifice the temporary use of your arm for that meal you need so badly.

That's what freelancing is like. The steak is your paycheck, and your success. The stretched arm is your time, resources and patience. You'll have to make a lot of sacrifices if you really want to be successful as a freelancer. You'll be forced to do things that writers aren't always naturally good at, like math, and negotiating, and dealing with people on the phone! You won't see your friends nearly as much as you used to, because you'll be shackled to the computer. But that's in the early stages.

As you grow and learn, your circle will expand, and you'll have more help to run things. Your income will grow. You'll have money to buy little gifts for your business (your baby!). And the more you put into your business, financially and otherwise, the more you'll get back. It's like a rolling snowball that just keeps growing bigger and bigger. And it's ALL YOURS! That's a glorious feeling. That's worth some sacrifice, I think.

To the people who asked if they could be my apprentice:

I don't like to use that word. I might know more about some things than you do, but maybe you have something to teach me as well.

If you think you'd enjoy being associated with the Wordfeeder.com brand, well, okay! Send me an email and let's get you some writing jobs.

Knowledge really is power. I was once a floundering little freelancer, groping around in unfamiliar territory. But now I see that there are so many wonderful, smart and honest people out there who are willing to pool talents. Are you one of them?

Don't be intimidated by what you have yet to learn. Don't be a lost babe in the woods! Instead, grab my hand... and together we'll run toward the light. :D

Copyright 2005 Dina Giolitto. All rights reserved.

Kick off your freelance copywriting career with guidance and commissioned assignments! Dina Giolitto is a Copywriting Consultant and web marketer with ten years of experience. Visit http://wordfeeder.com. Email your bio and writing samples: dina@wordfeeder.com.

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Google News Updated : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 23:50:53 GMT World is united to tackle financial crisis, IMF says - MarketWatch BBC News World is united to tackle financial crisis, IMF says MarketWatch - 2 hours ago By Rex Nutting WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Financial policymakers from 180 nations around the world are united in their resolve to tackle the financial crisis, Youssef Boutros-Ghali, head of the International Monetary Fund's policy committee, ... G7 nations face going cap in hand to China guardian.co.uk Finance officials comments at IMF meetings Reuters AFP - BBC News - Bloomberg - New York Times all 579 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 21:23:46 GMT Got $700 Billion? Sweat the Details - New York Times Telegraph.co.uk Got $700 Billion? Sweat the Details New York Times - 3 hours ago The bailout plan gives Henry M. Paulson Jr., the Treasury secretary, three broad choices in buying assets. By ALAN S. BLINDER THE House of Representatives was against the bailout bill before it was for it. US firms up plan to buy into banks to stem crisis Reuters Paulson Indicates Need to Purchase Bank Equity `Soon as We Can' Bloomberg Los Angeles Times - Washington Post - The Miami Herald - International Herald Tribune all 2,358 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 20:39:07 GMT YouTube to play full TV episodes with ads - Afterdawn.com Vancouver Sun YouTube to play full TV episodes with ads Afterdawn.com - 2 hours ago Google has announced that it will begin offering full-length TV episodes through its YouTube platform beginning this week, thanks to a content deal with CBS. YouTube to Offer TV Shows With Ads Strewn Through New York Times YouTube beams up Star Trek for long-form video, prominent new ads CNET News Wall Street Journal - eFluxMedia - Silicon Alley Insider - Bizjournals.com all 109 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 21:13:12 GMT Nobel Peace Prize winner wants jobs for the young - International Herald Tribune Times Online Nobel Peace Prize winner wants jobs for the young International Herald Tribune - 10 hours ago AP HELSINKI, Finland: Nobel Peace Prize winner Martti Ahtisaari said Saturday that finding jobs for more than 1 billion young people in the Middle East and Asia will be a major challenge to peacebuilding in the next decade. Video: Ex-Finland President Wins Nobel Peace Prize AssociatedPress Nobel Finn Wall Street Journal Voice of America - Times Online - Burlington Hawk Eye all 1,453 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 13:12:07 GMT US space tourist set for blast-off - Reuters Canada.com US space tourist set for blast-off Reuters - 40 minutes ago By Maria Golovnina BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan (Reuters) - US video game magnate Richard Garriott will blast off into space aboard a Russian spaceship on Sunday watched by his father, a NASA astronaut who went into space at the height of the Cold War. US space tourist set for launch BBC News Russian space chief reassures US partners The Associated Press Times Online - USA Today - Spaceflight Now - RedOrbit all 287 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 23:10:50 GMT Gay Marriage Is Ruled Legal in Connecticut - New York Times Boston Globe Gay Marriage Is Ruled Legal in Connecticut New York Times - 5 hours ago In Hartford, Crystal Pretzman of Willimantic, Conn., celebrated the State Supreme Court's decision to legalize same-sex marriage. Video: Connecticut Court Allows Gay Marriage AssociatedPress Marriage ruling not the end of debate in Conn. The Associated Press Newsday - Washington Post - Reuters - NECN all 1,711 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 18:13:08 GMT GOP Officials Hope for Stability From McCain - New York Times Voice of America GOP Officials Hope for Stability From McCain New York Times - 1 hour ago By ADAM NAGOURNEY and ELISABETH BUMILLER Republican leaders across the country said Saturday that they were worried that Senator John McCain was heading for defeat unless he brought stability to his presidential candidacy and settled on a clear message ... Antiwar Protestor Disrupts McCain Iowa Rally Washington Post Obama needs 75 percent turnout in Philadelphia, says Rendell CNN Political Ticker The Weekly Standard - Summit Daily News - USA Today - WNCT all 1,087 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 22:23:47 GMT Rss Feed Reader Increase Website Traffic

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