9 things you need to know as a new copywriter

Dear New Copywriter,

Don’t give up just yet.

You might be stalking job boards, refreshing your inbox, or rereading that one client’s “Let me get back to you.” Or you may be juggling three projects now, all of which you have no idea how to complete. Another probably option? You feel completely worn out by the industry at this point, barely staying upright. 

One thing you’re not: satisfied.

But I want you to know you’re not alone. You’re not doing it wrong. And you’re far, far from being done.

Here’s what your first year of freelancing might look like. Know that these things will happen, they are inevitable, and, once they do: congratulations, you're hitting you're milestones, right on time.

1. You’ll say yes to everything.

You’ll accept any job that comes your way. You’ll second-guess it, then panic a little, then regret you ever said yes.. You’ll forget your worth and beat yourself up for taking it. You might pace, gulp down four coffees, or inhale a sleeve of Oreos — whatever gets you through. But then you’ll sit down and just do it. Even if it means working until 2 a.m. or giving up your Sunday. You’ll finish it — and it’ll be better than you expected.

2. You will work for free. 

Even if it’s just a tiny project. Even if it’s for your portfolio. It isn’t great, but it gets your foot in the door. Some clients are fantastic and prefer giving you a trial run. That’s wonderful, you get to showcase your talent while (hopefully) getting paid at the end of the project. But many times, you’ll pitch ‘love it or it’s free’ services just to get a chance. Do it when you have to. We all have to begin somewhere. Aside from getting you started, it’s also excellent practice. An unpaid internship, if you will.

3. You won’t know your worth.

You’ll flounder when it comes to quoting prices for big projects. You’ll be afraid that they’ll hear your price and run the other way. You’ll sell yourself short, uncertain if they’ll like you or your work.  But eventually, slowly, you’ll stand up straighter. You’ll charge a little more. You’ll stop apologizing for your rates. And one day, you’ll quote with confidence — and mean it.

4. You will work nights and weekends. 

And you might even enjoy it. The thrill of having received a job is still there, and you’ll want to complete it, fast. You’ll want to impress your client with your laser-fast turnaround. You’ll want to keep working through the night, even if just for your vanity, to tell yourself that you’re ‘super busy’ (hair-flip). You’ll push yourself to places that you’ve never been before. And that’s a good thing; welcome to your hustle era. Milk those young moments for what they're worth. Keep that energy going. You’re building your foundation. Just don’t forget to breathe. And yes, take the Oreo break.

5. You will mess up. 

At a certain point, something will go wrong.  A client won’t like your work. You’ll miss a deadline. It’ll happen, it’ll hit hard, and you’ll want to bury yourself. That’s fine. You’ll have to do it once to know how not to do it again. To catapult high, you’ll have to enjoy the weather at the very bottom first.

6. You will do work that you hate. 

Until you discover your niche and until you build a steady stream of clients, you’ll accept jobs that aren’t exactly up your alley. These jobs aren’t fun, but they lead to the real treasure: experience. They also tell you exactly what it is you shouldn’t be doing and in which direction to take your career. And when the money hits your account, it won’t feel that bad.

7. You will want to give up many times.

You’ll forget why you wanted to enter this field. You’ll kick yourself for leaving your desk job, your predictable paycheck. You’ll rue the day you decided to follow your dream.  You'll consider quitting. But don't. Although the climb is uphill, keep pushing. Eventually, you’ll reach steadier ground. It’s just beyond that bend — don’t give up just yet.

8. You will wonder if AI is coming for your job.

You’ll hear whispers (or full-on LinkedIn rants) about AI replacing copywriters. You might even test out a few tools and feel your stomach drop. But here’s the deal: AI can help you work faster, sure. It can spit out a rough draft, save you from a blank page. What it can’t do is care. It doesn’t listen, it doesn’t feel nuance, and it definitely doesn’t know when to leave a line hanging for effect. That’s still your job, you human worrywart. Don't spiral.

9. You’ll learn that you’re stronger than you thought. 

Because of the struggle, because of the hours of hard work, you’ll realize that you have Iron Man strength to do this thing. You’ll realize you’re stronger than you thought, and you’ll start to trust this new version of you. It’ll be a wonderful revelation and one you should capitalize on. Let it propel you further and higher.

So that’s the 9 things you must know. Listen, you’re doing the hard part right now. But what comes next? That’s the good part.