Welcome to the Danger Zone
being your own hype man
Have you ever wondered about this one? Is it possible to go in-house if you haven’t had a copy job before? The short answer is yes. The slightly longer answer is… that’s exactly what I did. And the good news? I didn’t have any kind of magical formula to follow… I was pretty much making…
Read Moreevery solution creates another problem
I have this really cool bedside lamp – it’s a touch lamp with three lighting levels and I love it. The only thing I don’t love is that it takes specialty bulbs… G9 to be specific. If you haven’t heard of those, they’re pretty weird looking and sometimes a bit finicky: I was reading in…
Read Moregetting advice you didn’t ask for
I think it’s safe to say we’ve all been there… Screwing up the courage to share something you’ve been working hard on, and ask for feedback. And then that feeling of being sucker-punched when someone reacts critically. This happens often in copy and marketing, so I have seen folks develop an interesting self-defense mechanism to…
Read Moreself promotion and nuclear winter
To say I have a flair for the dramatic is a tiny bit of an understatement. It makes sense, considering it was once my dream to write for television. Mmmmm… drama. Delicious. So I’m sure it’ll come as no surprise that I am good a catastrophizing. Turns out this is a skill a lot of…
Read Morethe “school of hard knocks” is a thing… and it’s about time you graduate
Some thoughts to ponder this weekend, particularly on education. [WARNING: I’m fired up, swearing ahead] Recently I was talking to someone about my path to becoming a coach. It sparked an interesting discussion on education, training, certification. Or rather, it brought up the age-old notion that only folks with degrees and certifications are qualified to…
Read Morekindness costs you nothing
I had a couple weird experiences within 24 hours, and I was surprised at how strongly they affected me. And it ties back to a little knowledge nugget that’s served me well over the course of my career… Kindness costs you nothing. It can seem daunting and maybe even a tiny bit overwhelming to be…
Read Morehow to get hired (especially if you’re just starting out)
Last week, I got a bit ranty about why you shouldn’t offer to work for free. (refresher: There should always be an exchange of value, whether you’re paying a mentor to educate you/shorten the learning curve, or you’re being paid/trained as a copywriter. Both you and your client/mentor will value your work more.) At the…
Read Morewhy everyone needs a kudos file
When I was first starting out, there was something that wasn’t really talked about in entrepreneurship and owning your own business: It’s friggin’ lonely. Sure, the bros bragged about Lambos and parties and working from the beach (#laptoplifestyle #douche). A few more genuine folks talked about the freedom and flexibility and fun projects. I was…
Read Morewhat clients really think of your offer to “work for free”
Recently I came across a question in a copywriter group that I see pretty consistently: I have no degree and very little experience so I’m willing to work for free, which I’ve already proposed to two smaller businesses but unfortunately, I’ve received no response. How would you guys go about this? Any tips/strategies? …
Read MoreI came to fight
I don’t know if anyone else thinks of starting a business as “revolutionary”. But I happen to think it is. Maybe mine is the hundred millionth freelance writing business to ever be started in the world, but it’s my small act of rebellion against the norm. It’s me daring to take back my freedom in…
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