Copywriting

These lessons, by one of our most consistent FaithWriters' Challenge Champions, should not be missed. So we're making a permanent home for them here.

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redrockmom
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Copywriting

Post by redrockmom »

Hi Jan! I've been looking at all of your writing lessons, and noticed there is nothing on copy-writing.
I have never attempted this, but it looks interesting. Is it worth my time? ...and is it profitable? :thankssign
glorybee
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Re: Copywriting

Post by glorybee »

Hi, Redrockmom--

Your question is one that I have no idea about. You might want to post it on the Open Forum, where there are people with more experience than me. Sorry I can't help you with that one!

j
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Shann
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Re: Copywriting

Post by Shann »

If you freelance, you have the ability to charge whatever you like. Some charge per word or page, others by the hour. It can be quite tiresome and takes a lot of time. You also have to really know your rules.

When I joined 5 years ago, I wanted to be a slush-pile reader. I read extremely fast and thought it would be perfect for me. Unfortunately, the traditional companies use interns for free. God, however, had other plans for me.

I also wanted to be a judge for the challenge (back when volunteers did it), but I didn't meet the criteria. Then they went to professional judges. However, I decided to challenge myself to read every article and leave constructive critiques. Before I knew it, I had 10-15 people asking me to be a challenge buddy or proof an article. The next thing I knew, someone recommended me to edit a poetry book, then I was asked to do other projects, and eventually I started editing on a regular basis for two companies and for some individuals too.

All of this was thanks to FW. I am disabled and never thought I'd be able to earn money again. It's not a lot (sometimes it averages to less than $1 per hour), but it helps a little. Even more, it did wonders with my self-esteem. God had planned it all out for me.

If you feel him calling you in the copywriting direction, I say go for it . A great way to get to know people and make connections, and showcase your writing skills is to start by leaving feedback in the challenges. I try to say positive things first and last and constructive things in the middle. I shoot for a 2:1 ratio. It isn't always easy to find positive things, but as soon as I pray about it and let God lead me, I find tons of positives. Sometimes, he tells me not to leave constructive feedback. I try to tune into his will, but sometimes end up doing it my way, which hardly ever feels good, but always a lesson is learned. The Critique Circle is another great place to connect with authors. There are always people looking for feedback and it's a great way to introduce yourself, help others, and become a better writer.

Though it didn't directly answer your question, I hope how my dream of becoming a slush-pile reader or a beta reader that led to something way above my expectations helps you.

You may want to check this link out too:
http://www.copyblogger.com/copywriting-101/
Shann

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Sometimes God calms the storm; Sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms His child
redrockmom
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Re: Copywriting

Post by redrockmom »

Thanks Shann....your comments did help. There are so many different avenues in becoming a successful writer, and I hope to test the waters to see what I enjoy the most. I thought copy-writing is more of a marketing idea put into words to convince the audience of a promising product. Just like story-telling, I think I would be good at reviewing a product if I personally liked it. I see you have successfully delved into many different forms of writing also...good for you! I hope to experiment with as many as I can in my writing career. Thanks! :wink:
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