Write your way to personal freedom

Start here to launch your freelance writing business [The Writer’ s Life]( July 2, 2021 Hi {NAME}, Jump in quick … Or wade in slowly? As soon as she could kick off her flip-flops, my fearless daughter ran straight to the water and jumped right in to the deep end of the pool last week … But when my son started to follow, he quickly realized that even though the sun was bright and hot, the water was … well, not warm. So instead of jumping in, he stood on the metal stairs chatting for a few minutes while his feet got used to the water … And then once they didn't feel so cold, he lowered down a step to his thighs … then his waist … one step at a time … He took his time so he could get used to the water slowly, instead of shocking his system with the temperature change … So by the time he was fully immersed and started splashing around with his sister … he was having a blast … the cold, slow start a distant memory. All too often, writers assume they have to dive headfirst into the deep end to make any progress … When the truth is, it's perfectly okay to just dip your toes in and test out the water first. The end result is the same … You, living the life you want, enjoying your successful writing career. AWAI Success Jen Phillips April started out wading slowly into a freelance writing career … Yet a decade later, she's living the writer's life in sunny Mexico, with a beautiful pool (and the gorgeous Caribbean Sea) to dip into (or jump into) whenever she wants. Today she shares some of her journey from nervous beginner to independent, well-paid writer, so you can see how to make progress too. If you're standing at the edge of this well-paid writing pool, fearing a "big jump in," I want you to at least stick a toe in … Try out a couple of assignments … see what it feels like to learn the skills and actually do the writing. [>> This makes it easy.]( It's an opportunity to "test-drive" The AWAI MethodTM for Becoming a Successful, In-Demand Copywriter … the industry's newest gold standard … for just $29. With The AWAI MethodTM, you'll write and master the five writing projects businesses need today … You'll build a polished portfolio of writing … And you'll learn how to land your first clients and start getting paid as a writer! [Just make sure you go here by midnight tonight …]( And claim your $29 test-drive! Have a great holiday weekend, [Rebecca Matter’ s signature] Rebecca Matter President, AWAI Write Your Way to Personal Freedom By Jen Phillips April [Woman freelance writer working on the beach] How does your ideal Monday look? Mine includes waking up without an alarm. I roll out of bed, bumble my way into the kitchen, and pour a cup of cold coffee from the fridge. I can't reconcile myself to a steaming café in such a steamy climate. Some mornings, I step onto the balcony where I'm eye to eye with the noisy chachalacas in the palm trees softly swaying in the slight breeze. Soon, I'll settle into my writing chair. I'll flip my laptop open to plan my writing schedule for the week ahead and work on the day's assignments. But for the moment, I'm enjoying the lush green palm fronds and the birds carrying on their conversation among the branches. That's my ideal writer's life, and I'm thrilled to say I'm living it. I Needed a Push Like many people, a layoff pushed me into my freelance writing business. There I was, working my job as a museum educator at a famous historic site in Pennsylvania when the pink slips came around — well, mine was in a manila envelope. We'd lost our funding and would close the site for at least a year. It was a rude awakening. The Great Recession raged. I was newly divorced and now, newly jobless. Since I'd been thinking of a freelance writing career for YEARS, I figured this was the push I needed. I'd already bought AWAI's [Six-Figure Copywriting Program](. I'd read multiple books and spent hours trawling the internet for anything and everything that might help me launch my freelance writing dream. However, I needed a shove to take the necessary steps. So, I pushed my fear aside and created a plan. I wish I could tell you I started out with a full roster of clients due to a lucky meeting and made six-figures in my first year. Instead, I started with no contacts, little professional writing experience, and no clue how to find clients. I told a dog trainer friend I was launching my freelance writing business, and she said, "I'll be your first client!" My next client came via Craigslist. She wanted someone to write her newsletters and blog articles. Next, I worked up my courage to attend local networking events and said "yes" to everything that came my way. I worked with a slate of professional service people those first few years. A local attorney, a fitness trainer, a yoga teacher, life coaches, and psychiatrists were all early clients. I realized I could have independence It wasn't a bad start, and I realized I wanted location independence. I wanted to travel and live in other countries. That's what my ideal freedom and flexibility looked like, so I built on my experience. I joined the [Circle of Success](, connected with other freelancers from the AWAI community, and learned how to grow my business. A decade after my business launch, I'm writing this from my kitchen counter in the tropical splendor of the Mayan Riviera. My clients are all over the world. My office fits into a backpack, and I can work from anywhere. - I can choose the types of clients I work with. - I'm in control of my income. I can raise my rates and choose different types of projects or clients to pursue. - I have a support network of other freelancers (many of them I met through AWAI). - There's no traffic-snarled commute or annoying office politics. - I can be virtually anywhere. If there is internet, I can work. - I can visit family in the U.S. and work while there (I spent five weeks in New Orleans not long ago). - Sometimes, when the beach is perfect, I run down for a quick swim in the Caribbean Sea … at 3 p.m. on a Wednesday. Your ideal freedom might look different than mine, but I'll bet it doesn't include toiling away in an unfulfilling J.O.B. These days, I primarily work with B2B software companies. They sell business management software to daycares or pet groomers or hoteliers. I also write profiles for the pet industry. My work is varied and interesting. One thing I've learned over the years, you won't have it all figured out right from the beginning. The most important thing is the willingness to start. You can start by doing something as simple as writing blog posts for a friend's business. Get some experience. What about you? If you're ready to declare your personal freedom, what does that look like for you? This exercise can help: - Write out your ideal Monday. - Commit to a plan for getting your first client. (Doing what? For what type of client? By when?) - Make a list of 10-15 people you know well (family, friends, neighbors, etc.) and tell them you're launching your freelance writing business. You might be surprised at how often that'll land you your first client or two. Build from there. Step by step, you can create your version of the writer's life and the sense of personal freedom it brings. We'd love to hear from you. Please take a moment and [drop a comment]( about how you see your personal freedom! Editorial Note: Dip your toes into the world of well-paid writing by test-driving our industry-famous foundational writing program, The AWAI Method™ for Becoming a Skilled, In-Demand Copywriter! Learn the formulas … master the core skills … write the projects today's businesses need … build an "A-level" portfolio of five key projects … and land your first paid writing assignment … All in as little as 30 days. [>> Go here now to check it out.]( AND see how you can test-drive the entire program for just $29. But hurry, this Flash Sale closes at midnight. LAST CHANCE: The "Gold Standard" in Copywriter Training Developed from nearly 25 years of experience working alongside the industry's top writers and marketers … The AWAI Method™ for Becoming a Skilled, In-Demand Copywriter will teach you the techniques that are studied, tested, and refined by the people who use and measure them every day. This program has already helped thousands of people just like you become successful copywriters … [Get Full Access for Just $29.]( 75% Off AWAI's Masters Program Ends Today! For you — copywriting's most powerful writing secrets and techniques (at your fingertips!). Even if you're just starting out, you can benefit from the ultimate compendium of the advanced secrets found in AWAI's industry-renowned Masters Program — secrets top copywriters use to produce million-dollar sales copy and secrets every writer needs to compete at the highest level! Claim this powerful resource TODAY for just $1,150 $287.50! [Get Inside and See for Yourself!]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Trouble viewing this email? [View in your browser, here](. For questions or requests: [contact us online](. --------------------------------------------------------------- ©2021 American Writers & Artists Institute Do you know of someone who would benefit from reading The Writer's Life? 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