6 Myths About Freelancing

If you’ve ever ummed and ahhed about the prospect of becoming a freelancer (or indeed a freelance Yorkshire copywriter) you probably have a few questions, including:

• Is freelancing better than holding down a full-time, in-house role?

• Can I make a decent living from being a freelancer?

• What do I do if the work dries up?

During your obligatory Google research phase, you may have seen a few things bandied around the Internet about what the life of a freelancer is actually like - but without giving it a go yourself, you may never know the answers.

I can’t tell you what every freelancer gets up to on a daily basis - we’re all different, with our work spanning a host of industries, too - but I can help bust some myths about going it alone and leaving your 9 to 5.

It’s a Lonely Life

Don’t get me wrong, there are days when I’d love a spot of company (besides William the friendly windowsill pigeon), but for the most part, I can still be sociable when working from home. ‘How?’, you might ask.

Regular check-ins with clients over Zoom calls, or the ‘old-fashioned way’ - over the phone. While it isn’t always the same as meeting up in person, it can fill the void a little when working on your own gets too much.

Before the pandemic, I’d regularly meet for coffee with fellow freelancers, or just head out for an hour for a walk during lunch time. Just seeing a few other faces on the route - or listening to a podcast while I walked - felt a whole lot better than being cooped up indoors.

So, if you’re worried you won’t hack the freelance life for fear of loneliness, don’t be. Build yourself a little community of sorts and you’ll be fine - even during the pandemic.

You Don’t Have a Boss

Err, yeah…you do. Aside from yourself, of course, your clients - and there can be many of them - act as your ‘boss’, in a way. They set the parameters for any given project - and the deadline. As a good freelancer, you’ll probably want to work in a way that suits them, if you can.

That said, one of the reasons I went freelance is because, sometimes, in a full-time office role, you have to work for someone who undermines you.

You don’t have to stand for that* when you work for yourself - and that’s great. Client not valuing you, your services or your time? Get shut of them.

*To be fair, you shouldn’t stand for it anyway.

You Work for ‘Free’

It still amazes me how many prospective clients take the ‘free’ in freelance quite literally. Of course, they know what a freelancer is and does, but that doesn’t stop some people pushing their luck.

‘Can you write me a sample piece of content before we decide if you’re the right copywriter for us?’. No, I can’t. Neither will I write something for you for ‘exposure’, or the ‘prestige’ of working with you and your high-flying brand.

You wouldn’t ask a painter and decorator to paint one wall first, before you decide if they’re the painter or decorator for you. Neither would you ask him/her to decorate your room for exposure - or because you’re a good client and it’ll ‘look good’ on their portfolio/website/other. Bore off - and, quite frankly, stop taking the p*ss.

There’s No Job Security

Does a full-time office job equal more stability? Lots of people seem to think so.

Sure, you have the reassurance of the same amount of dosh landing in your account each month, but as I often say to people who are considering going freelance, an office job isn’t the be all and end all.

If you’re made redundant from your office job, you’ll almost certainly have to look for another role. Lose one client as a freelancer and you probably have a few more clients to fall back on.

Once you’re established in the freelance world, you may have to lose two or three clients before the panic sets in. Heck, you may have to lose even more than that.

Freelancing can often mean you’re turning work down, which is a great position to be in. Go on; look into becoming a freelancer - you won’t regret it.

It’s Stressful

Like working in a full-time office role, freelancing can be stressful - yes. It’s only as stressful as you make it, though. For me, at least, that means pretty much zero stress. I won’t stand for any nonsense. I believe everyone should value your time and your services - just as you would them and theirs.

Don’t fancy working with a particular client? Just say ‘no’. Or maybe your existing client is difficult to work with. If so, see if you can set some boundaries going forwards. The freelance/client relationship works two ways - and it can be a hugely successful one if everyone involved treats each other with the respect they deserve.

We Work in Our Pyjamas

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked: ‘You work from home; do you get dressed?!’

Ha.

I’m not going to lie; if I’ve no Zoom meetings booked in, or if I’m feeling a bit groggy, of course I blinking well do. Sometimes, anyway. And so would you if you didn’t have to show up to a face-to-face meeting.

Do we also sit around, twiddling our thumbs waiting for work to come in? Perhaps in the early days, yes.

Now? I’m fortunate - like many a freelancer - to be in a position where I can say ‘no’ if a project doesn’t sound like it’ll be up my street.

When you choose the freelance life, it won’t be long before you’re doing the same. There is often no limit to the amount you can earn, too. Providing you have the time and the people to help you out, you can take on as much work as you can physically - and mentally - cope with.

We can also make our own hours, take as many holiday days as we like, and eat the full cake without sharing it with colleagues. In short, why wouldn’t you want to be a freelancer?!

Find this blog post useful? Let me know by saying hello via my website.

Until next time…

Who hires copywriters?

‘So…do you make money from that?’

It’s surprising how often people take the ‘free’ in freelance quite literally and assume that, if you’re writing for a living, it must be:

A) A hobby

B) Poorly-paid.

Now, I’m not here to tell you what I earn, but what I will say is this: writing for a living is less about drowning in scrunched up paper, rewriting pitches to editors and having novels rejected and more about actually being paid for doing what you love. At least for me it is.

Who hires copywriters, then - and what actually is copywriting?

Copy means ‘text’ and, well, copywriting is the practice of writing of said text.

The ‘who hires copywriters?’ question should actually be: ‘who doesn’t hire a copywriter?’ - because, if you have a business - particularly if said business has a website - you too will probably benefit from the services of a copywriter.

A copywriter can write anything that need writing. Think of a copywriter as an extension of your team. He or she can do the following:

* Write your company newsletter - the one you send to your staff, or the one you send to your clients or suppliers

*Craft the content for your website - from your ‘About Us’ page to your blog posts

* Come up with some catchy text for your printed marketing materials - from flyers and brochures to freestanding banners for events (events…er what are those?! ha)

*Help you come up with a slogan for your business - to use across your site, your business card, and even on your company car

Basically, a copywriter can pretty much write anything for you - and he or she will keep your customers in mind when they do.

Who uses copywriters then? Anyone from a restaurateur (who may need some tantalisingly tasty-sounding menu descriptions) to an electrician wanting to add some spark-le (sorry, couldn’t help it - love a pun!) to their website content, or even an author who wants a fresh pair of eyes to liven up or edit the synopsis of their new novel.

The fact is, there are no bounds to who needs content - and why.

To give you an idea, here are a few examples of what I’ve been working on lately. ‘Diverse’ is an understatement.

1. Editing and rewriting the content for an online course on mental wellbeing in the workplace - with a focus on how people are coping during the lockdown

2. Product descriptions destined for the packaging of a natural skincare brand

3. Lengthy, 1000-word+ articles for an independent group of hospitals, who want to reassure patients ahead of their visit by providing guides about various treatments

4. Adding some extra pizazz to some journalistic-style articles for a 150-year commemorative book all about motorbikes

5. Short, fun bursts of content for the Instagram and Facebook pages of an online clothes shop

6. A slogan for a food company

7. Informative blog posts for an Islamic charity which provides overseas aid to those in need

8. An e-brochure for a chain of pubs - who will soon be throwing open their doors for those in need of a pint (all of us, then?!)

Can I help you market your services to your customers? Get in touch to find out if you can benefit from hiring a Yorkshire copywriter - and how I can help.

Until next time…

Why use a freelance copywriter?

Copywriting? ‘Pah, I can do that myself!'

After all, it’s just putting pen to paper, ain’t it? Or fingers to keyboard?

Well, yes and no.

Anyone can write - it’s one of the first things we learn to do at school - but not everyone can write well. Or rather, write to sell.

It’s even harder when what you’re selling is yourself (not like that, folks - get your mind out of the gutter). Or your brand. If you’ve ever tried to write your CV (and I’m guessing most of you have needed to, at some point), you’ll know exactly what I mean.

Self-promotion is something our American cousins are pros at. Not us Brits, though. We’re rubbish at taking compliments and equally rubbish when it comes to shouting about ourselves and our achievements.

I’m a copywriter, as you know, but I even toyed with the idea of asking a fellow writer to pen my website’s ‘about’ page. Yes, really.

The thing is, writing about yourself is hard; we all know what we want to say, but knowing what our customers want us to say (or even our prospective boss, when writing that CV) is another thing entirely.

• ‘Do I sound like a big-headed know-it-all?’

• ‘Am I shouting about my achievements enough?’

• ‘Am I rambling?’

• ‘Do they really need to know this?’

• ‘Will telling them about X, Y or Z alienate them - or will they lap it up?’

• ‘Does anyone even read website pages these days?!’

How many of the above questions have you asked yourself when pulling together your own website content? If the answer’s one or more, you’ll benefit from using a freelance copywriter.

After all, we’ve been helping people like you stand out online for years - and because we do this every day, we know the kind of things people want to know when they visit your site. We also understand Google and its algorithms to ensure your website gets found in the first instance - and once people are on your site, you’ll want to keep them there longer. That comes down to what you write.

That said, we totally get it if you want to write your own website content; no one knows your business quite like you do.

So, perhaps you’d prefer to hire a freelance copywriter to look over what you’ve done, suggest some edits and give you the reassurance that what you’ve put together will pull in the punters.

I like to work with my clients, not on behalf of them. It’s a lovely, collaborative process, which means if you want to take the reins and write the content, that’s great. You can use a freelance copywriter like me to whip it into shape, if it needs it, or for an extra - and fresh - pair of eyes.

Similarly, if you feel your content would benefit from a complete overhaul, I’m your gal - get in touch via the link above and let’s see how we can work together - and don’t forget to take a look at this blog post, which goes into a little more detail about hiring a UK freelance copywriter.

Until next time…

What does a copywriter do?

What is a copywriter? Or rather, what the blinking ‘eck does a copywriter do?

More often than not, I’m met with a blank expression when I tell people what I do, so I’ll attempt to put into words (I should be good at that part…fingers crossed, eh?) what I do day-to-day.

I’ll start by laying out what a copywriter isn’t:

1. Anything to do with the ‘copyright’ of products, brands or films. While the word sounds the same, it’s spelled differently, but let’s not be pedantic here.

2. Someone who ‘copies’ the work of others. Well, I can’t say the same for other copywriters, but all my ideas are legit my own. Yes, really; I’m not as daft as I look.

So, that’s ruled out a couple of things. But you’re still probably no clearer - neither am I sometimes, to be fair, as copywriting these days seems to cover the length and breadth of marketing, including social media management.

What is copywriting?

‘Copy’ means ‘text’ or ‘content’ - so copywriting is essentially the writing of any kind of text.

Seriously, any kind of text you can think of, including for websites, brochures, e-newsletters, menus, signs for vans and cars, banner ads, Spotify adverts, radio adverts, press releases. If it has a physical (or digital) surface, try me; I could probably write something on it.

If you’ve broken your arm, bring your brand new colourful cast my way; I’d love to pop my name on it. Although that could be added to the list of what copywriting isn’t, to be fair.

So, what does a copywriter do on a day-to-day basis?

After all, I’m dillying and dallying and, in doing so, I still haven’t answered the title of this blog post, have I? Pah.

Some copywriters work for themselves, others work ‘in-house’ for a company or an agency. Some copywriters work on long-form copy while others work on short-form copy.

Long-form copy or content includes blog posts (usually of around 500 words or more), website content (think ‘About Us’ pages and more), whitepapers and brochures.

Short-form copy, meanwhile, could be anything from slogans to short, sharp bursts of content - for Twitter or Instagram, for example. It all falls under ‘copywriting’ though.

Just to confuse matters further, copywriters can be known as any of the following - if you know any more to add to my list, let me know.

1. Content writer

2. Writer

3. Digital writer

4. Digital content executive

5. Conceptual copywriter (this is a specific kind of copywriter - usually the kind of copywriter who is tasked to come up with ideas for, say, a promotional film or campaign, although we standard copywriters may do that too)

6. Digital marketer (although this can encompass lots of roles).

Copywriters are essentially just sales people who can write well.

Do you need a copywriter?

It depends. Do you have something you’d like to promote and you’d like a professional copywriter Yorkshire to write about it in a bid to drum up some custom? Get in touch for a no-obligation chat if you think I can help.

Until next time…

A Day in the Life of a Copywriter

Well, this certainly feels very self-indulgent. It really does.

A whole post about meeeeeee and what I do for a living. Pah. Bear with me, though. There’s a reason I’m writing it - and it’s this: I get more than a few emails a week from would-be copywriters asking me how my day pans out and if I’d recommend writing for a living.

The answers? No two days are the same and: ‘YES, ABSOLUTELY’. Copywriting’s a very rewarding - if a bit challenging, sometimes - career.

I love it so much, in fact, that it doesn’t feel like a job and is more like a happy little hobby I happen to get paid to indulge in. Yes, really. For me, there’s nothing better than getting to the nitty gritty of a person (or their business) and ensuring my content does them and their work the justice they deserve.

If you love words and people, too, you’re bound to get as much joy as I do from writing words for people.

What exactly is copywriting then?

I get asked this a lot, too. Basically, ‘copy’ means ‘text’ or ‘content’ - so copywriting is essentially the writing of any kind of text.

Seriously, any kind of text you can think of.

Text for websites, brochures, e-newsletters, menus, signs for vans and cars, banner ads, Spotify adverts, radio adverts, press releases - and anything and everything in between. If it has a physical (or digital) surface, try me; I could probably write something on it.

Here’s what a copywriter isn’t:

1. Anything to do with the ‘copyright’ of products, brands or films. It’s a confusing one because, while it sounds the same, it’s spelled differently

2. Someone who ‘copies’ people’s work. Well, I can’t say the same for other copywriters, but all my ideas are legit my own. I know; I’m not as daft as I look.

So, how does a normal day pan out for we copywriters?

Again, I can’t speak for other copywriters. Some work from home (like me) and others craft their content in-house for a company or an agency. But for a self-employed copywriter like me, here’s how a normal day from home might go…

And while I started putting this blog post together weeks ago, I’m hoping now is as good a time as any to share it. What with the covid-19 pandemic, more of us are working from home, so my own productivity tips may well help you, too.

7am - My alarm goes off and I bound out of bed. I jest, because these days I’m not much of a morning person and my kind of bounding out of bed usually means reluctantly slipping out of the sheets, onto the bedroom floor and into the bathroom for a shower. It’s easy to think I’ll just hit ‘Snooze’ on my alarm for another hour when ‘you’re the boss of you’, but I imagine that’s a slippery slope to not doing enough work and letting down clients.

So, I try to make my day as ‘routine’ as it might be if I was heading into an actual office and not my makeshift one at home. A quick change, some breakfast (eggs usually, if you’re asking) and half an hour or so in front of the news on t’telly and I’m more or less ready to begin work.

8.30-9am - Some mornings are slower than others but I tend to sit at my desk - in my lovely little home office - no later than 9am. It’s when my clients will email or call (should any of them need anything) and I don’t like to leave anyone waiting too long for a response. I’ll usually pick a vinyl record or a Spotify playlist to play while I’m typing away - and once my laptop’s on and I’ve written a quick to-do list, I’ll crack on.

9am - My first job of the day tends to be to update a few of my clients’ social media accounts with fresh content their followers can enjoy. If I was a really organised copywriter, I’d have planned a month’s worth of content in advance (and sometimes I do), but thinking up a new update on the day itself means I can ensure it’s a bit more ‘topical’. Currently, I create social media content for the following companies: AAAtraq and Breton Shirt Company (as pictured below).

10am - Once I’ve uploaded or scheduled those small snippets of content, I’ll have another quick check of my inbox and my own social media channels, including Facebook and Instagram, to reply to any enquiries from new or existing clients.

Then I’ll get my teeth into any larger projects I’ve been working on. This varies from day-to-day; I can be working on anything from a full website rewrite to a proofreading job, or even script editing. My online portfolio gives you some indication of the kind of projects I take on - just click on the individual images to see my range of services.

Solid Writing Time

I work in blocks, allocating at least an hour at a time to any piece of work.

I tend not to exceed about two hours in one sitting. If you’re a copywriter too, you’ll know writing can be quite emotionally draining. If you’re not a copywriter, I often compare solid writing time to sitting behind the wheel of a car on a driving lesson or a test. That was a long time ago for me (and it took me six tests before I passed, so I know all too well how draining it is); that level of concentration can’t be sustained for more than a couple of hours at a time - and it’s the same for me when writing copy. Any more than a couple of hours in one sitting and I need at least half an hour or so to do something else entirely.

Once I feel like I’ve made some headway with the piece I’m working on, I’ll consult my list and see how I’m getting on. If I’m happy with the work I've completed so far, I’ll break off for some lunch. If not, I’ll sit a while longer and have another look at the work I’ve created. Sometimes I’ll completely delete it before starting again, but often, I’ll make a quick coffee and see if I can come back to it with a fresher pair of eyes and a more caffeinated head.

A Treat at the End of the Tunnel

I tend not to put more than a handful of items on any one list (usually three, to be honest). Try it, too - it means you’ll feel less overwhelmed.

Another of my top tips for working from home is this: promise yourself a short, five or 10-minute break at the end of each hour’s work. Whether it’s for making a cup of tea or sitting down to a slice of cake, it’ll make you work harder for that hour, knowing there’s a treat at the end of it. I call it a ‘treat at the end of the tunnel’, because, when I’ve been writing for a bit, I feel like you do when you come out of the dark cinema into the light. It’s an odd feeling, isn’t it: like you haven’t seen daylight for a bit.

I’d recommend you hold off checking your inbox during each hour of writing time, as well; falling down the ‘inbox-shaped rabbit hole’ means you’ll feel like you’ve accomplished less at the end of the day.

12pm-1pm (Lunch!)

While it doesn’t always happen, I try to give myself at least an hour’s respite from the glare of my laptop screen. I’d like to say I’m one of those people who heads outside for a spot of fresh air, but I tend to make myself a nice lunch and sit in front of the TV catching up a programme my husband refuses to watch. We have very different tastes when it comes to telly or films, so I use the time to indulge in something completely guilt-free. Sometimes - and while the weather’s warmer - I'll disappear into the garden with a book.

1pm

I allow myself a small slot of time to check my emails and respond to any queries or make a couple of quick calls to clients. Sometimes this takes 10 to 20 minutes, sometimes more. But once I’ve finished doing that, I get back to some more writing and try not to check my inbox..

1.30pm - 3.30pm

Now’s the time to get onto some more writing - and I make sure I knuckle down with minimal distractions. If, after half a day spent writing, I feel I have something worthy of showing a client, I’ll send them a first draft.

I always explain that the first draft is just that - and it’s an opportunity for them to take a good look over what I’ve written and decide if A) they like what they see, or B) they absolutely don’t. Either response is fine.

I tell my clients that, often, it doesn’t matter if they hate what I’ve put together at first, as sometimes finding out what you don’t like is all part of the process. It ensures my work more than meets their expectations in the end.

For example: a client might say, “I absolutely loved this paragraph”, but that paragraph just didn’t sound like me or my company.

It helps me craft copy that hits the nail on the head across every paragraph and every last word. Of course, it all starts with a kick-off call; determining a little more about my client’s business is key to good copy, but getting inside someone’s head is the really tricky part of my role. Sometimes I manage first time, sometimes it takes a bit more to-ing and fro-ing.

3.30pm - 5pm

A quick brew break and another quick check of my emails. I’ll then spend the remainder of the day updating clients regarding my progress on their work. In some cases, I’ll have a sample paragraph of content for new clients to view. In others, I’ll have spent some time researching their brand and that of their competitors.

It’s vital, though, that I get to know each client on a personal level, understanding their quirks and their motives for starting or progressing their business.

My days sometimes involve a spot of ‘traditional journalism’, which I’m always eager to partake in.

I spent five years at a local newspaper and I hugely miss my time there. It gave me the start I needed in writing and developed my passion for people and learning about their stories. I’d like to think that makes me better at my job: getting to the bottom of why my clients do what they do is important when crafting emotive, storytelling-esque piece for their websites.

Some Top Tips for Remote Working

Have you found yourself working from home due to the coronavirus pandemic? I’ve technically been social-distancing for six years (!); as a freelance copywriter, it’s pretty much my day-to-day life to see no one face-to-face.

This is how I cope…

Create a Cosy Workspace

I recently gave my home office a makeover; a lick of paint, a good tidy and some new prints for the walls was enough to breathe new life into the space and give me even more motivation to set up camp there, day in, day out.

Try doing the same, too. While you can’t necessarily bulk buy home trinkets during this social-distancing period, you could see how you could transform it using the storage solutions, prints and pictures you already have. Set about creating a plan for sprucing it up and I promise you’ll be ready and raring to work from home.

Minimise Distractions

Sometimes distractions are good (like when a relative rings you to say hello or the postie pops by with a nice piece of post). But more often than not, distractions will put you off your work for a while.

Try to mimimise the chance of doing the housework or reorganising your wardrobe (the temptation is strong when you work from home) by shutting the door on all those things and holing up in your home office.

Maintain a Routine

It’s easy to get out of a standard 9 to 5 routine when you work from home - and there’s no pressure to even work traditional office hours when you’re your own boss. But try to stick to some form of routine - even if it’s one you’ve created for yourself - and you'll discover that motivation comes much more easily.

Treat ‘Yo Self

I work best when I know there’s a break or a treat coming my way. I talked about this earlier in this piece, but it really does benefit productivity when you work towards a goal: i.e. a piece of cake. Tell yourself you’ll break off for a cuppa and a slice of sponge just as soon as you finish, say, 500 words - and you’ll be writing beautiful prose like the wind.

Don’t Feel Guilty

There’s enough to feel guilty about in life - but not playing by the 9 to 5 rules isn’t one of them. If you work for yourself and you fancy (or need!) a morning off (and you don’t have any looming project deadlines), do it. Similarly, if you just want to spend half an hour on the phone to a friend or relative; if your workload will allow you to do that, go for it. We spend a lot of our life working - and if self-employment gives you the opportunity to be flexible in your approach to the way you work, then why feel bad about that?!

I work a lot at weekends, which means I tend not to feel rubbishy about taking the odd morning off here and there. It’s that little thing called self-care, isn’t it? And sometimes we all have a day when we need some time to relax. Plus, I always find my work is all the better for it when I’m well-rested and ready to get back to it.

Did this blog post help? I hope it gave you some insight into how a copywriter like me plans their day - and why it might make a rewarding career for you, too.

I’m currently preparing some handy, paid-for resources for would-be copywriters - do let me know if you’d like to hear more.

Until next time…