I want to take a break from all the shiny success stories and glamorous perks of being a freelancer to give you a dose of reality. It’s time for a witty chat about the downsides and challenges I’ve faced as a copywriter.
Don’t worry, though – this isn’t meant to scare you away or burst your enthusiastic bubble. Instead, consider it a friendly reality check, so you don’t give up when faced with unexpected hurdles due to unreal expectations. So, here I go!
The Sleepless Comma
Ah, the joy of editing! While we might paint a picture of sipping coffee while effortlessly crafting perfect sentences, the truth is we often find ourselves agonizing over tiny details. Spending hours debating whether a comma should be placed before or after a word becomes a copywriter’s midnight saga.
The Magic Spell of Deadlines
Deadlines can sometimes cast a spell that transports you into a whirlwind of frenzied writing. Juggling multiple projects, battling against time, and fearing that clients might transform into pumpkin-headed monsters if you miss a deadline – it’s all part of the enchanting journey.
Hope that my client does not come across this 😅
The Client Carousel
Clients come in all shapes and sizes, and they have unique preferences, tastes, and visions. Just when you think you’ve nailed it, they may request a complete revamp that leaves you wondering if you accidentally stepped into an alternate copywriting dimension.
Brace yourself for a wild ride on the client carousel.
The Great Distraction Dance
Freelancing often grants you the freedom to work from anywhere. While that sounds fantastic, it also means you’ll have to learn the art of dancing with distractions.
From Netflix seducing you with its latest series to your pet suddenly deciding that your keyboard is its new favorite bed, and then your child eagerly invites you to play with their new toy, focus becomes a prized skill to master
The Payment Predicament
Calling all freelancers! Let’s come together! We’ve all encountered the dreadful frustration of payment delays or clients mysteriously disappearing, leaving our invoices adrift in uncertainty.
Don’t forget to establish precise payment terms and diligently manage your financial matters like a confident leader. By doing so, you can evade the intricate trap of unpaid invoices and maintain control of your freelance career.
You would also love to read : Discover the difference between copywriting and content writing
Wrap up
Now, don’t be disheartened by these lessons. They’re not meant to discourage you but to prepare you for the twists and turns of the copywriting realm. Freelancing is an exhilarating adventure filled with countless learning opportunities, creative freedom, and the chance to build your own empire.
Embrace the challenges with open arms and a smile, and you’ll emerge as a seasoned copywriting maestro!
Remember, the joy of writing captivating copy, the thrill of seeing your work come to life, and the freedom to chart your own professional path make it all worthwhile. So buckle up, my fellow copywriting/Content writer warriors, and let’s conquer the freelance world with our wit, charm, and quirky words!
Stay resilient, keep honing your skills, and embrace the journey, quirks and all. Your copywriting dreams are waiting to be realized!
Over to you – Reflecting on your initial year as a freelance writer, what valuable lessons have you gained? ( or month or 6 months) as a freelance writer? Tell me in the comments!
Happy writing! ✍️
This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’
hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla
in collaboration with Monidipa Dutta.
I like your lessons. However, I like your way of putting it across better–pumpkin-headed monsters! You had me smiling big time. And yes, Netflix is the perfect seduction tool. I guess, all this shows what a good copywriter you are.
Dear Anjali What you talked here is absolute sense and that what is the reality of this freelance copywriter or content developer life. I am in this industry for more than a decade now and well aware of the disappearing, peanuts paying, frickle minded clients and their work. All that is important here is our power of sensing the right and wrong client. See bad payers and disappearing clients are there and will be there… we need to have a backkup ready to fire or manage the situation with smartness especially when you have your writers team under you. What we find perfect seems imperfect to them and that where the game begins.
What a heartfelt and humorous post, Anjali. It’s true that freelancing has its moments of trepidations but to see your work published and acknowledged and to receive payment for your efforts makes it worthwhile ultimately.
Your lessons are on point. Have dealt with them all apart from the sleepless comma of course. When I began freelancing over two decades back, it was practically unheard of. And since I was home, people thought I was free for a chat, a shopping trip, you name it. Finally, freelancers are getting the respect they deserve.
Freelancing is tough and competitive and to sustain one needs to take all your lessons seriously since they come from practical experience. Avoiding distractions, meeting deadlines and getting prompt payments are the biggest challenges I feel.
Never been a freelance writer but definitely thanks to you I can see the challenges one has to be met with.
I can relate to each point.WordPress readability goes against all the grammar I have learnt.Payments have always been an issue and deadlines I always find challenging. Distractions are plenty 🙂
Freelancing is not easy as people think. My daughter used to freelance and have a tough time dealing with clients because of payments. I enjoyed reading your witty post.
I haven’t done freelancing. But your humourous post did bring a smile on my face
Being a freelance writer is no cakewalk. I am nodding at your point on comma… sometimes the simplest spellings & punctuation elude you and make you wonder how you ever became a writer 😉
Haha, so true ..how I missed this point 😅
That was so much relatable. Wonderful horning our skills sitting in one corner with our laptop is how see the world come live for us.
Have been a freelancer for the longest time and I can relate to all of it, especially the payment part and oh! yes, the distractions! Can relate to every bit of it. Also, I would like to add that because of the payment the respect we get at home also is reduced.
Ah, you are on point and I can so relate to them! Why are all the companies the same when it comes to delayed payments I wonder! Sheesh!
That’s one helpful post Anjali. You’ve balanced the pros n the cons so well and that’s what I liked the most.
Pumpkin headed monsters… hahaha… I was actually visualizing them.
I salute you Anjali. You manage so much along with being a mom. That was an insightful post. Maybe someday in the future I might try my hand in it. I feel flustered with just managing 2 kids, household, blog, instagram and of course my patients.
I hear you and can understand the agony and ecstasy of being a freelancer. It is a great place to be in spite of all the challenges and disappointments that are part of the game.
To be very honest, for the above mentioned experiences I scared to work as a copywriter. So, I opt to work independently. I sensed these unavoidable challenges and excused myself not opting for the role. But yeah! I believe it is a field of creativity and learning. And I never loose to work in the direction as a blogger. I applause you to pen down the truth/reality.
I loved reading your honest take. I am planning on getting started with copyrighting, this post provided some real insights into the world of copyrighting.
People think freelancing is easy and a cake walk but that is not true being a freelancer I can relate to every point of yours. People should read this article to know all the pros and cons of freelancing
The blog post on lessons learned from the first year as a freelance copywriter is a goldmine of wisdom. Invaluable advice for fellow freelancers!
I am a freelancer I completely abide by this post this post is like a gold mine for people starting out
Will bookmark this page
This sounded so familiar…. as if you are telling my story. I recently made the decision to leave my 9-5 job and take a leap of faith into entrepreneurship. It has been so scary, but so rewarding at the same time! I’m learning so much about myself and how capable I am to make this work. So far, it’s been an amazing journey! 💖🙌❤️
Freelancing is tough but it also gives so much creative freedom that I love it! As a freelance journalist, I agree with many of your observations!