Should you still become a copywriter?

Since first writing this article back in 2007, the world has changed considerably. As a copywriter, the competition has increased to a point I’m not sure it’s the right direction any longer unless — and this is an important point — you know how to market your copywriting business.

Marketing and selling your services is half the battle. Because most writers are, dare I say, a bit lazy. And if clients don’t knock on their doors, the writer has little to no work.

On the other hand, if you are willing to work hard to attract new clients and constantly out-service to competition and give service that is far and above all those other “writers” out there…it’s still a great way to make a living.

My warning about writing is this:

It seems great. You get to work from home; you work your own hours; you get to do something you love (hopefully), and you’re free from the office environment.

The thing is, some of the things that seem great can quickly become a negative.

1. You’re always working alone. But you get lonely. Really. So you have to find a way to meet humans (face-to-face). Some people don’t need real interaction but most do. You’re at home, alone, writing. Loneliness can lead to depression.

2. You work from home, but you’re not disciplined and instead of being able to focus, you jump from work “stuff” to home “stuff” and never get anything done. You become exhausted and when combined with number one, will burn you out faster than you can write a single page of copy.

3. You love to write, but you’re not typically writing what you want to write. You can pick a niche you feel good about — and you should. But sooner or later, it’s work. You still have demanding clients who want to say things their way. It can be, honestly, frustrating.

4. Yes, you’re finally free from the 9-5 (6 or 7) office world. Crazy people, more often than not. But if you go back up to #1 on my list above, it is possible you will miss it IF you don’t go out of your way to interact with other people who do what you do. Or know what you know. At least 3 times a week, meeting-up with others for a good hour a day is important.

The best way to look at writing is to see it as a step in the right direction. Most successful writers evolve and become coaches, or marketing pros, or find success in a very tight niche and keep doing what