12 Things I've Learnt In My 1st Year as a Freelance Copywriter
Exactly one year ago TODAY I was waking up after my leaving drinks and with the start of what would have soon turned out to be the seasonal flu.
Still, it was a special morning that I’ll never forget: my first official day as a freelance copywriter. Or, better, of finally being my own boss!
This is because I’ve actually been a copywriter for much longer, and I’d even already had Crafty Copy as a side hustle for a few months by then.
However, what was taking up over a third of my waking hours every week was an office job in a marketing department.
A part of me wishes that I could go back in time and teach my past self everything I’ve learnt during my first year as a freelance copywriter.
At the same time, though… would I have really found the courage to do it, had I known that a freakin’ pandemic was about to happen? What a time to choose to start your own business!
Anyway, while I can’t go back in time, I can at least share my knowledge with whoever needs it.
So, here are twelve things I’ve learnt in my first year as a freelance copywriter.
One per month.
In no particular order.
1. An entrepreneurial mindset is essential
I wasn’t looking to be a desperate freelancer: I wanted to become a confident business owner.
To do that, I knew I had to start treating my copywriting business seriously and, most importantly, embrace an entrepreneurial mindset even when I wasn’t used to it.
I’ve always been referring to Crafty Copy as ‘my business’ because… well, that’s what it was and still is.
And yet, you wouldn’t believe how many times my friends or family would say stuff like, “well, more like your website, isn’t it?”.
And that wasn’t even intended in a mean way!
I think that lots of people with traditional day jobs don’t seem to understand what having your own business means, but it doesn’t matter.
The important thing is that, as a fellow solopreneur or small business owner, you do.
2. Not all of your friends and family will understand
I touched upon it in the first point, so I might as well warn you about it in more detail: people won’t get it.
They’ll think that, because you’re your own boss and are working from home, you’re free anytime.
Random calls or disappointed reactions when you can’t make it to their last-minute events? They’ll be your bread and butter, at least for the first few months.
On top of that, get ready for some unsolicited comments on how they don’t understand why on earth you chose to quit a safe job…
Which is just great, isn’t it?
3. Potential clients don’t care about you, and that’s totally fair
If I could look at the very first version of my website, I’d probably find it as painful as seeing my old, cringe-worthy MySpace.
“I love writing.”
So-freakin’-what, Giada?
Nobody cares or needs to know that. What matters is and will always be what you can do for your target audience and potential clients.
Focus on that. Yeah, you reading this, too!
4. Content mills like Fiverr are the worst
One of the most important things that I’ve learnt in my first year as a freelance copywriter is…
stay the heck away from Fiverr, UpWork, People Per Hour and any website whose business model is built around quick and cheap work.
Clients who use these content mills don’t understand how valuable outstanding copywriting really is (and how much it should cost).
On top of that, they have no idea as to how much more expensive it will be in the long run to rely on cheap copy churned out in less than 24 hours by an overworked freelancer desperate to avoid a bad rating.
Wanna get a feel of how demotivating it is to use those websites? Here’s a genuine ‘brief’ that I’ve received through Fiverr: “Make it more marketing.”
Pleasant alliteration aside, those four words have basically destroyed centuries of grammar and marketing itself.
Plus, when you’re expected to complete 1000 words in a day at the embarrassing rate of $10 AND you have to part with 20% of it (lovely commissions), how can you even try to be a successful business owner?
5. Setting boundaries is essential...
Another helpful thing that I’ve learned is that, in order to be successful and happy with what I do, I need some boundaries, and so do you.
You need them with clients, friends, family members, and, above all, with yourself.
With clients? Make your working days and hours clear. If you work Monday to Friday, they shouldn’t expect a reply on the weekend.
With friends and family members? You might not be able to pick up phone calls when you’re working towards a deadline or bend to their whims when it comes to planning stuff.
With yourself? Here are the tough ones!
No matter how much you love your job, it shouldn’t be 24/7… or else you’ll burn out. Stop checking emails during evenings and days off, don’t work on weekends unless you’re planning on enjoying some extra time off during the week instead, allow yourself some time to relax, etc.
Which brings us to the next point...
6. … and so is a healthy work/life balance
That’s me enjoying some well-deserved time off in Pembrokeshire (and being slightly dramatic and over the top. #InstagramLife)
As well as setting boundaries, you should actively make time for yourself and your hobbies.
Having a healthy work/life balance as a freelancer can mean different things to everyone but, in general, it’s all about making sure that you don’t overwork yourself or sacrifice your free time.
For example, I always start my day by having breakfast and don’t check my emails until it’s time to work. I eat a healthy lunch, I switch off in the evening, and, sometimes, I work from cafés or parks just to make sure I see other people and get some vitamin D.
Also, weekends are for myself or for days out with my boyfriend or friends! And, if I can take a few hours off to have lunch or a coffee with a mate during the week, you can bet your life I will!
7. Work droughts are part of the job
Ok, I’ll be honest: even though I’ve learnt that they’re normal and happen to most of my virtual colleagues, I still panic sometimes.
Maybe I’ll get used to it over the next few years. Who knows!
After all, being a freelance copywriter means that, some months, you can earn a loooooot more than you would in an agency or traditional company. Some other times? Less than you expected.
Whenever work slows down, the trick is to invest that extra spare time into all the tasks and projects that we never manage to get round to when we’re fully booked.
For example, last time I’ve gone through a dry spell I gave my website a makeover, wrote a few more blog posts to use over the following weeks, and allowed myself to dedicate more time to writing my novel without feeling guilty.
8. The copywriting community is AWESOME
It didn’t take long for me to start seeing LinkedIn connections and other copywriters as virtual colleagues rather than competitors.
I feel so grateful for all the help that I’ve received from this kind online community. We ask other freelancers if they need work when we’ve got too much on our plate, recommend each other to clients who need something more specific, and share helpful advice.
9. Imposter syndrome sucks, but it’s normal
Not sure if this is another one of those things that get better with time but, at the moment, imposter syndrome sucks.
You know that little voice in your head telling you that you can’t do this and that you aren’t as good as you think?
Yep, that hasn’t gone away, no matter how many happy clients have left me excellent feedback or come back for more orders (although it definitely helps and it feels amazing).
However, thanks to the honesty of the LinkedIn community, I’ve realised that it happens to… pretty much anyone who runs their own business!
So, when this voice tells me that I can’t do it, I’ve just gotta wear my virtual headphones… and do it anyway.
10. Task-batching is super helpful
At first, I used to try and work on a different project from start to finish every time. Now, task-batching is my motto.
Need to write two articles and three website pages? My tip is to perform all the article research in the morning and write the drafts in the afternoon. Tomorrow, do the same with your web pages, and then edit everything the following day.
To avoid wasting time or distracting myself, I also check my emails first thing in the morning, before lunch, and before 5 pm. Not all the time.
11. I actually love being my own boss
Being a freelance copywriter has its ups and downs, but… honestly? I freakin’ love it!
I don’t know how I managed to work for other people for so long instead of working with different clients. Having someone else decide when I could and couldn’t go on holiday? Not being able to sleep in if I woke up with a headache? Waste an extra hour on top of my eight-hour shift just to get to my workplace and back home?
No, thanks!
12. Taking the leap is scary, but not doing it is much, much worse
Deciding to freelance and start your own business is terrifying, but that’s just because we’ve been brainwashed into thinking that leading an unfulfilling career for our entire lives is better than taking risks.
Do you know what happened when I decided to become a freelancer? Even though I was offered a new job role and a pay rise, my whole department got closed down A MONTH after I’ve left, and most of my colleagues got made redundant.
For real.
As one of my favourite actors says,
“You can fail at what you don't want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.” Jim Carrey
Not just that, but I think the coronavirus pandemic has made it even clearer that ‘safe jobs’ don’t exist. They’re a myth. When you work for someone else, they can let you go at any time, and even the most successful company can fail or close down your branch.
So, if you have an entrepreneurial spirit, you might as well risk everything to make your dream come true instead of being paid peanuts to help your boss buy a new house, right?
These are the most important things that I’ve learnt in my first year as a freelance copywriter. I hope they can be useful to anyone who’s thinking of quitting their job and starting their business or who’s literally only just done that.
At the same time, I also want to thank everyone who’s supported me, all the clients that chose to invest in my services, and the virtual colleagues who gave me helpful advice when I needed it.
You’re the best!
#StayCrafty