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According to conventional wisdom, you must struggle and even starve just to deserve the title of “writer.” The only formula, supposedly, for making a little money (and it will be a little) is to:

1. Come up with book or article ideas that must be brilliant, timely and irresistable reading for masses of

people

2. Send proposals and queries (i.e., invite a lot of people to reject you)

3. Hope someone out there likes even just one of your ideas as much as you do and is willing to pay you an

amount that you probably can't negotiate unless you have a high-powered agent (who takes a high-powered

bite out of your earnings)

4. Wait months and sometimes forever for the check to arrive

5. Cry all the way to the bank

6. Pick up a bottle of ketchup for tonight's dinner: ketchup soup

All these shenanigans are part of a time-honored tradition in the freelance writing profession. Sure, it's a wonderful thing to have your books and articles published. But this is the hard and rarely successful path to prosperity as a writer. If you'd rather embark on the easier and faster path, consider becoming a freelance copywriter.

As a freelance copywriter, business people and professionals will call you to ask you to write for them. What a concept!

What is copywriting?
It's the creation of copy, or text, that is designed for a specific purpose, such as selling or instructing. Copywriting is also known as corporate writing, but the word “corporate” is misleading because copywriters also write for solo professionals, small businesses and non-corporations like the government.

Some people think businesses have copywriters on staff. Some businesspeople think they don't need copywriters; they can write that “stuff” themselves. The fact is, most companies do not have staff writers unless they are large and need a lot of copy all the time. And most businesspeople do not have the skill, time or motivation to write their own effective copy.

What does a copywriter write?
Just about anything you'd expect to see in business. Traditionally, copywriters have focused on advertising, publicity and marketing materials. But, responding to the diverse needs of modern businesses, today's copywriters work on an even wider array of projects. Here's just a sampling:

Advertisements for newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, websites, billboards, etc.
Advertorials (ads that look like magazine or newspaper articles)
Articles
Biographies
Books and booklets
Brochures
Business plans
Catalogs
Direct mail packages (someone has to write all that stuff we get in the mail!)
Door hangers
Educational materials
Grants
Infomercials
Instructions
Manuals
Marketing plans
Memoirs
Newsletters
Package copy
Policies and procedures
Press releases
Proposals
Public service announcements
Reports
Sales letters
Slogans
Speeches
Tests
Training materials
Video scripts
Web content
Workbooks
…and much more

What are the advantages of being a freelance copywriter?

Being your own boss
Working from home
The freedom to work when, where and how you like\
The opportunity to make more money than you would working for someone else
Lots of variety--not only in the type of writing you do, but also in the kinds of people you meet
Being the director, designer and chief operating officer of your own life!
...and many more

What are the disadvantages?

Potential isolation because you work alone much of the time
The need to continually motivate yourself to work (despite such distractions as the TV and the fridge)
Long hours. In the early stages of freelancing and during very busy times, you may need to work more than 40 hours a week.

You said freelance copywriters can make more money working on their own than they could working for someone else. Is that really true?
Freelance copywriters have the opportunity to make more money working solo. Not all of them do. To prosper in this field, you need more than the ability to write reasonably well. You also must know the fundamentals of:

Human behavior and motivation (so your copy will be effective)
Business (so you can run your own and understand others')
Marketing (so you can sell your clients' products and services as well as your own)

Fortunately, you can learn these things from experts, books and classes.

So, how much money can I reasonably expect to make in this field?
That depends on so many factors, it's impossible to generalize. But I do know freelance copywriters who make over $80,000 a year, and a few who make over $100,000. With commitment and strategy, I believe it's possible to make at least $40,000 to $50,000 annually.

Okay, I'm committed to prospering as a freelance copywriter.
Where do I go for the strategy?
Delve into this website for tips, techniques, inspiration and resources. And, if you'd like to get your freelance writing business off to a fast start, e-mail me at clarity@iag.net. As a coach, I help writers start, run and expand their businesses and create a life of prosperity and happy abundance.

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