The ONE thing you need to succeed as a writer

From a copywriter who’s make over a million dollars [The Writer’ s Life]( April 30, 2020 Hi {NAME}, Success looks different for every type of writer … And the path they took to get there looks different too. However, there are three key roadblocks that threaten every aspiring writer's success, and according to AWAI Success Jon Stoltzfus, one critical secret that makes real success possible. He's here today to explain what it is — and most importantly, how you break down those roadblocks to it. Jon's own success story is phenomenal … If you're not familiar, he first invested in [The Accelerated Program]( in 2006. He started and stopped his training until he jumped in to copywriting in earnest by attending Bootcamp in 2014. Then he spent a few years writing part-time, until he was ready for the leap to full-time writing. Since then, he's made over $1,150,000, his earnings keep escalating, and he's enjoying his writer's life. Now it's your turn. It's the ideal time to set yourself up for massive success. And you can get started today from the comfort of your own home. No matter what writing specialty you want to pursue — copywriting, web copy, B2B, or any other type of writing … And, no matter how much experience you have (or don't have) … Together we'll launch your complete freelance writing business in less than 30 days. With the [Virtual Business Building Intensive](, a team of experts and I help writers (both brand-new or experienced) build complete freelance businesses … businesses that are up and running — and attracting new clients with paying projects — in under 30 days. But today is your LAST CHANCE to sign up for our Virtual Business Building Intensive … [Go here now]( to grab one of the remaining spots. It's amazing how much you can accomplish in 30 days if you start now … and the timing couldn't be better. To your success, Rebecca Matter President, AWAI The ONE Thing You Need to Succeed as a Writer By Jon Stoltzfus [Man jumping in forward motion across rocks] Right now, someone out there is looking for a writer like you. Strike that … right now, there are millions of people looking for a writer like you. Don't believe me? Take a look at this short list of potential clients: - 1.5 million charities seeking donations - 5,300 colleges and universities recruiting new students and asking alumni for money - 30.2 million small businesses, all likely in need of content and marketing And those numbers are in the U.S. alone. Worldwide, there are even more opportunities. As an AWAI member, you're already familiar with the wide range of ways you can make money as a writer. Sales letters. Emails. Newsletters. Articles. Case studies. White papers. Advertorials. Blogs. Video Sales Letters. And the list goes on. So if you haven't made your first dollar as a writer yet, I'm going to tell you the only secret to success you need. But fair warning … you may not like the answer. Here's the uncomfortable truth about your writer's life You can read classic books on copywriting … You can take courses on copywriting and marketing … You can attend conferences … (And I've done all of those … ) But there's one thing you'll still need to move from where you are today to the writer's life you've been dreaming about. Momentum. Momentum is the one thing that can help keep you motivated on the challenging days. The one thing that can help you overcome the occasional bumps in the road. And if you can generate momentum — even just by moving forward one step at a time — you can achieve your goals. How long that process takes is entirely up to you. And it is different for each and every one of us. But here's the thing … momentum doesn't come about naturally. Or by accident. Momentum is created when you make a conscious effort to move forward. It requires intent and effort. And because it is the journey to your writer's life, you are in complete control. If you sit back and wait for it to happen … wait for clients to come to you … you'll be waiting a while. Now look, I get it. There are a lot of reasons to get stuck on this journey. I've been tripped up by a few of them myself. But the key is to keep moving. And, when necessary, to change course a bit. Let me give you a few examples by addressing some of the most common reasons I hear from fellow members about why they're not making progress yet. Momentum Killer #1: "I don't have any money to buy anything" The truth is copywriting IS a business, so eventually you'll need to incur some business expenses. And investing money on programs or to attend a live event like AWAI's Bootcamp can jump-start your writer's life. But if you're one of those people who needs a client or two before that can happen, don't let this be an excuse. There are literally thousands of [free articles]( and dozens of [free webinars]( on the AWAI site. You can also hit your local library and sign out some of the outstanding books on copywriting. So to start building momentum, start watching and reading as many free resources as you can. At that point, you might be at this next step. Momentum Killer #2: "I don't have a portfolio to show potential clients" Let me make one thing clear … your initial portfolio doesn't need to be filled with copy you've been paid for or control-beating, million-dollar promotions. So pick a couple types of copy you're interested in writing, find some potential clients, and start writing some practice copy. Come up with Big Ideas. Write emails to existing promos. Rewrite some Facebook Ads that pop up in your feed. (Here's a free Inside AWAI webinar that can be a big help: [How to Create a Winning Portfolio of Samples If You're Just Starting a Freelance Writing Career — Even If You've Never Had Any Clients!]() And then share your samples with somebody. A friend, a mentor, or someone in the AWAI community. Try to get some feedback on it so you can find out where you need to improve. Keep stretching that writing muscle until you find someone to pay you for the work. Momentum Killer #3: "I can't (or don't know how to) find any clients" Remember that list I started this article with? There are MILLIONS of potential clients out there. I don't want to hear you can't find a client until you've contacted every last one of them! Okay, I'm just kidding about that. But my point stands. I guarantee you personally know or are closely connected to someone who could use a writer. Are they all going to pay well? No, probably not. But it's a start. So start by offering to write a fundraising email for your church, a local animal shelter, the PTO of your local school or another nonprofit in your community. Reach out to all your family and friends and let them know you're hanging your shingle as a freelance copywriter and would appreciate any referrals. Identify your top 10 dream clients right now. Then come up with an idea or two you think could help their business or be used for a new promotion and reach out to pitch the idea. And if you don't get an initial response from any of them, set an appointment on your calendar to follow-up in a few weeks … and then make a list of 10 more potential clients and try again. (Check out this Inside AWAI webinar, [26 Ways to Find Freelance Writing Clients](.) Because here's the bottom line … While we all want to be living our ideal writer's life … You can't get to the end of the journey without taking the steps along the way. So get something done today — no matter how small — that moves you a little bit closer and start building up some momentum. One final tip: Already got some momentum going or want to really kick it into high gear? Then consider joining me and your fellow writers at [AWAI's annual FastTrack to Copywriting Success Bootcamp and Job Fair](. My first Bootcamp in 2014 had a huge impact on my career and I pick up something new each and every year. I can't imagine not going back. Do you have any questions about building momentum in your writing career? [Share with us in the comments]( so we can help. Editorial Note: Build major momentum right now. There's a "window of opportunity" to set yourself up for massive success, and to help you, we're bringing back our wildly effective [Virtual Business Building Intensive](! This is the training where our team of business-building experts take writers (even complete beginners) and help them build their writing businesses, step-by-step … To ensure you have a business you love — up and running — in just 30 days. If you've yet to launch your business, or you're simply not happy with it, [definitely check it out](. This is your last chance. LAST CHANCE: Get Your Writing Business Up and Running From Home in 30 Days Virtual Business Building Intensive takes you step-by-step through building a complete freelance business … One that's up and running and attracting new clients and paying projects … in under 30 days flat! But hurry, your $1,000 discount ends tonight at midnight. [Get started today for just $399]( Today Only! Test Drive AWAI's Copywriting Program for $29 If you've ever been curious about copywriting, TODAY is your chance to test drive our flagship program The Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting for just $29. When you master persuasive writing with our industry leading training, you'll be in big demand in this 2.3 trillion-dollar industry. You can make a good living, choose your own hours, and work from anywhere in the world. [But hurry, this "test-drive" ends tonight at midnight!]( FREE TRAINING: Get Paid to Do Simple "Research" It takes just a few minutes to do (if you know what you're doing). And even though it's fast and simple, businesses around the world find this research VERY valuable. Because with this research in hand, you can help them "unlock" a steady stream of free leads and customers. It's why businesses large and small are ponying up big fees for writers that can help them do this. In this FREE training you'll learn from one of the world's top experts. And he'll show you exactly what this is and how to do it. [Event takes place May 1st > click here to learn more.]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Trouble viewing this email? 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