How to skip the “beginner” stage of writing

[The Writer’ s Life]( June 19, 2019 Hi {NAME}, AWAI Success Liz Farr found a way to bypass the "getting started" phase … And has used it to go from copywriting zero to well, hero. It's so easy, you can start using this tactic immediately after you read her story today. Liz started her copywriting journey five years ago with nothing, and surpassed her salary as a CPA in less than three years. Now, she's booked solid with work she enjoys. Liz is living proof that when you follow the proven path AWAI lays out for you, your writing career can take off that quickly. So check out Liz's tactic for a quick start. You can use it too! One important update first … Due to overwhelming popularity, we will be closing the doors on our Infinity Program tonight at midnight. Today is your LAST CHANCE to enroll … As a member, you get lifetime access to AWAI's entire library of home study and business-building resources … For a tiny fraction of what you might pay on a one-off basis. And it includes EVERY home study resource we have in our catalog now — plus any we add in the future — yours free, for life … Just remember, enrollment closes TONIGHT at midnight. [Go here now to check it out.]( To your success, Rebecca Matter President, AWAI Last Chance: Claim AWAI's Entire Home Study Catalog for "Pennies on the Dollar" Our most popular "value" offer of the year is ending … This is your last chance to enjoy lifetime access to every book, guide, resource, home study course, and program AWAI offers for 91% off. That's over 120 items, valued at $55,000+. Plus you get all our future resources, so you never need pay another penny for all the business and writing tools you'll ever need. Sign up for AWAI's best value deal at the lowest possible price. [Go here NOW, enrollment ends at midnight!]( How Liz Farr Skipped the "Beginner" Stage of Copywriting Without Having to Hustle By Mandy Marksteiner [Credibility written and highlighted on a notepad next to a calculator on a desk] Talking to fellow AWAI Member Liz Farr, it's easy to assume that she's been writing for at least a decade. Why? She never hustles or passes out business cards or does any aggressive marketing tactics, and yet she is up to her eyeballs in interesting projects that seem like they were tailor-made just for her. At AWAI's 2019 FastTrack to Copywriting Success Bootcamp and Job Fair, she was on the client side of the table, offering advice and guidance to writers who want to make it in the accounting niche. Who better to show the way? She stands out as the go-to writer for accountants, bookkeepers, CPAs, and tech companies that make software for people in those professions. You would think it would have taken decades to build that kind of credibility, but she's just getting started. She first learned about copywriting in 2014 and took The Accelerated Program and attended Bootcamp the same year. A year later, she got her first client, and she went full-time in 2017. Best of all, in 2017, she completely surpassed her full-time income as a CPA. No matter what you did for a living before you got into copywriting, you can follow her example and enjoy a smooth ride. She was able to leapfrog over the common growing pains that new writers needlessly endure by building her writing career on a solid foundation of credibility. Instead of Announcing You're a New Writer, Adopt This Tactic For some unknown reason, most new copywriters feel the need to let everyone know how much of a beginner they are. If you ask many new writers how much experience they have, they would say they're just getting started or they've worked for six months or a year. If you're just starting out, you don't have to tell people that. Instead, follow Liz's example. She told people from day one that she was a B2B copywriter with 15 years of experience as a tax accountant and 10 years of experience as a CPA. And just like that, she skipped over the grind of writers feeling like they have to pay dues. Liz's career took off quickly and easily because she focused on her area of expertise — accounting. What is your area of expertise outside of writing? How can you frame your writing career to show how much experience you have in that field? Instead of Broadening Your Scope, Show Your Depth People want to hire writers who understand their customers' state of mind and the world they live in. While there are writers competing to be underpaid to write general articles, Liz whizzed past that stage. She doesn't bother talking to people who aren't in her niche. Specializing is the key to making more money because it allows you to separate yourself from the masses, demonstrate your special gifts, and create a natural sense of scarcity. The funny thing is that even though Liz knows more about accounting than the vast majority of writers, she almost made the mistake of becoming a generalist. "When I first started out, it was tough because I didn't know anyone who was an accountant and a freelance writer like me," said Farr. "At first it bummed me out, and I thought about broadening my scope." Luckily for her, before she went the route of being a jack-of-all-trades, she got her first client, the owner of a website who hired her to write web articles for bookkeepers and accountants. "He recognized how valuable and rare it was to be both a writer and a CPA," said Farr. "There just aren't that many people who do both things, and he needed someone who spoke their language." Being able to speak the language of accountants has led her to write for companies like Intuit and other tech companies that make software for accountants, without ever having to hustle aggressively. As you begin to market your writing services, ask yourself, "What groups do I understand at a deep level?" This Low-Key Trick Paved the Way to Prestige and Credibility and a Steady Stream of Paying Clients The next big break came from her writing a simple email, and you can do this too. As an accountant, Liz subscribes to the Journal of Accountancy, which is the journal of record for the American Institute of CPAs. At the close of their email newsletters, the editor invites readers to reply back with any comments. Liz replied to the email with some comments about an article she had read, and casually added, "By the way, I'm a freelance writer and an accountant. Does it make sense to connect?" The editor agreed it made sense and gave her an assignment. Liz has written bylined articles for that journal for the last three years, and those articles have been an excellent source of work. She said, "It gets my name out, it's a huge credibility boost, and I get clients through those articles." Credibility Comes Easily If You Position Yourself According to Your Strengths Liz shows us that it's not necessary to say you're just getting started as a writer. It doesn't matter, because you can learn as you go, and you can always reach out for help at any time. Instead, tell people you are a writer with experience in your field (whatever that may be). Introducing herself that way made it possible for Liz to instantly appear more qualified than people with stacks of writing samples, and it can work for you too. Spend just as much time learning about your target market as you do learning about writing. When people look for a writer, they're usually looking for someone who will connect with their customer, but they don't want someone who needs a lot of time to get to know the business. When you specialize, it gives you the time you need to understand the customers and the business. Finally, Liz, who first became a CPA in 2004, will continue to keep up with her credentials because she knows it's an important part of her branding. The process of staying up-to-date in the CPA world makes it possible for Liz to connect with a stream of clients. Are you keeping up with publications relevant in your industry? Send an email to the editors and publishers, and let them know what you are doing. They may be looking for someone like you. Focus on your area of expertise — a former career, unique credentials, or copy specialty — and set yourself apart from other generalist copywriters. Even when you're new to the world of paid writing, no one has to know. Show your professional credibility and your career can take off quickly too. Do you have any questions about getting started? [Share with us in the comments]( so we can guide you. Editorial Note: Having the resources you need at your fingertips will help you feel like a professional, even if clients ask you to do a project you've never done before. With access to our entire library of home study training programs, you can confidently handle whatever comes your way. But today is your last chance to enroll in AWAI's Infinity Program … where you can get lifetime access to AWAI's entire library of home study and business-building resources … for a tiny fraction of what you might pay on a one-off basis. And it includes EVERY home study resource we have in our catalog now — plus any we add in the future — yours free, for life … Just remember, enrollment closes tonight at midnight. [Go here now to check it out.]( FLASH SALE: 12 Templates to Help with Any Web Writing Project Get ready to say "yes" to every web writing project that comes your way … We've put together 12 of the best web-writing templates so that you can approach any web writing project with ease. And for the next 24 hours, you can get all of them for only $6.58 per template! [Get all the details on these time-saving templates here.]( Grow Your Writing Business Faster … For only $29!! Join our professional writers' community and get access to all the tools, training, templates, and industry connections you need! PWA is a professional organization that will help you land better clients, make more money, and run your writing business with ease. [And for a short time, you can join for only $29!]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Trouble viewing this email? [View in your browser, here](. For questions or requests: [contact us online](. --------------------------------------------------------------- ©2019 American Writers & Artists Inc. Do you know of someone who would benefit from reading The Writer's Life? Simply direct them [here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- American Writers & Artists Inc. 101 SE 6th Avenue, Suite A Delray Beach, FL 33483 (561) 278-5557 or (866) 879-2924 Ensure your subscription delivery. AWAI Whitelisting info available [here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- You are subscribed to this newsletter as {EMAIL}. To unsubscribe from any future issues of The Writer's Life, please click here: [Unsubscribe from The Writer's Life](. To unsubscribe from all AWAI broadcasts click here. [I want to permanently unsubscribe from all AWAI emails](.