Freelance copywriting is a great career for a beginner.
But eventually, you’ll want to step away from writing the copy and create a small army of writers who write copy for you.
That’s the difference between making $10,000 per month and $50,000 per month.
But first, let's take things one step at a time.
It depends on what you define as a good career.
I’d think about these 3 things:
Do you want to travel the world or work from home?
If so, yes.
Do you write copy for people you genuinely like to work with and topics you like talking about?
If so, yes.
How much money do you want to make to support your lifestyle?
According to X, the average Freelance Copywriter makes $x per year.
When I started as a freelance Twitter Ghostwriter, I hit $10,000 per month in the first 3 months of starting my business.
The money was great but make no mistake, there were some disadvantages which I’ll talk about later.
Freelance copywriting doesn't require money up front.
You don't need to shell out cash for a degree or certification.
You can literally start today, read dozens of copywriting books, start practicing and make thousands writing in your first 6 months.
It’s attractive compared to taking out a loan and going to college.
People like to think not going to college is risky, but I disagree.
I went on a date with a woman the other day.
— Dakota Robertson (@WrongsToWrite) April 5, 2022
She's paying 60K/year to get a writing degree.
It's a 6 year program...
And no job after graduation.
You could fuck up for 6 years straight in entrepreneurship and it'd be less risky than university.
Copywriters are worried AI will replace them.
I don’t see AI as con, if anything it’s an advantage.
Copywriting uses creativity, emotions, and empathy - elements that AI hasn't mastered yet.
Even as technology advances, there are certain elements of experience and human traits which are irreplaceable.
You can’t build an AI influencer with fake stories which will connect with real people (at least not yet).
What AI can do is help you speed up your workflows 10x. You can write more copy and generate better ideas faster than ever.
Let’s say you’re a Ghostwriter on Twitter, you can use AI to crank out endless ideas which might have taken you hours to think of.
If you’re a freelance writer for a SaaS company, you can write the same amount of articles in almost half the time.
I wanted to be able to work when I want, wherever I want.
Once you break away from your 9 to 5, you have more flexibility to travel.
You’re not shackled to your desk, counting the hours until 5 o’ clock.
Freelance copywriting, while rewarding, can be challenging. It demands self-discipline and resilience as you navigate fluctuating income, isolation, and the constant need to find new clients. It's not a path for everyone.
It can be tough to land clients.
Sure, you can go on gig websites like Upwork and Fiverr but it can be a race to the bottom especially when starting out.
If you need quick cash, by all means use those sites.
But if you want to build a sustainable long term business, start building a brand on Twitter from day one.
I owe my success to Twitter and I didn’t have to send one cold DM or cold email.
Eventually, clients came knocking on my door and I got to choose who I did and didn't want to work with.
I didn’t want to work with one guy and put out some ridiculous number to turn him away.
He wound up saying “let’s do it.”
At the time, I was shocked.
It can feel like you’re fighting an uphill battle.
Because the barrier entry is so low, there’s increased competition making it harder to stand out.
The good news is your competition is mostly horrible.
I see it all the time with Twitter Ghostwriters.
They break into the space, not knowing what they’re doing and either give up or can’t get their clients results.
Luckily, you can pierce through the noise with a personal brand. Something I teach in my coaching program based on the 500,000 followers I’ve gained while on social media.
When you become a “niche of one” like Dan Koe mentions, there is no competition because people want to work specifically with you.
Freelance copywriting can fill your pockets, but don't expect it to be a source of passive income.
Like a regular job it needs your constant attention.
You won't find money rolling in while you sleep with this gig. If you're dreaming of earning passively, you’ll need to build a team of writers who can do the work for you.
You can only write so many tweets, sales pages or blog posts but when you leverage other people’s time, you can make more money working less.
It’s the best time in history to start a business.
If you have the money, find someone who will mentor you (like myself).
If not, you can figure it out as you go.
Stop thinking you need thousands of dollars to start your online business.
— Dakota Robertson (@WrongsToWrite) May 12, 2023
Do this instead: pic.twitter.com/66STMp2KqL
I show you how to build a high-paying creative business without doing work you hate.
