8 things I wish I had learned sooner

As a writer for over 25 years now, there are some things she would have done differently… [The Writer’ s Life]( June 7, 2023 "Learn from the experts. Study successful men and women and do what they do and you'll be successful too." – Brian Tracy Hi {NAME}, We're lucky at AWAI to work with some of the best experts in the industry … In-demand writers who work hard to stay at the forefront of their specialties. Working every day, in the trenches … which ensures we're always training you on the best practices right NOW! They're pioneers, but also great teachers — always willing to break things down so they're easy to understand and learn. It's a rare combination — working experts AND great teachers. We think of them as unicorns! And they cover a wide variety of writing specialties … from Nick Usborne and Brian Clark in the digital space, to Guillermo Rubio in emails and AI, Russ Henneberry in SEO and content, and Steve Slaunwhite in B2B, to name just a few of the many dedicated instructors who work with our members. Collectively, their expertise covers every specialty in-demand in our industry right now. [Casey Hibbard] Casey Hibbard One expert, a pioneer in the case study specialty, is celebrating 25 years as a freelance professional … Congratulations on that amazing milestone, Casey Hibbard! 🎉 After reflecting on the past two and a half DECADES, she's able to clearly see what she wishes she had learned sooner … Eight things to be exact! And today, she shares them with you, so you can be prepared and speed past those roadblocks with ease. One of the amazing things about our experts is that they're always willing to pay it forward … share what they've learned … and do what they can to help you move your writing career forward. And for a limited time, you can find resources by all the top writers, marketers, and instructors in our industry in ONE place — our [Infinity program](! It's the ideal library for copywriters in all stages of their careers. As an Infinity member, you get access to all of our home study training programs and business-building resources — FOR LIFE! That includes everything we've already published over the last 26 years — 120 resources and counting — AND everything we publish in the future! [But check it out today, because enrollment is closing!]( To your success, Rebecca Matter President AWAI Now Accepting New Writers If you want … - high-paying gigs, - predictable writing income, - greater flexibility … AND the satisfaction that comes with LOVING what you do for a living … Then getting accepted into our influential club can set you up for everything you're looking for in a writing career. NOTE: Your acceptance window will be closing soon! [Apply Now]( 25 Years of Freelancing: 8 Things I Wish I'd Learned Sooner By Casey Hibbard [Numerals 25 in silver balloons with confetti] When I set out to be a freelance copywriter 25 years ago, I didn't know what I didn't know — and maybe that was for the best. Over the years, I've ridden inevitable highs and lows, but I couldn't be more grateful for what the journey has meant for my life and family. Doing anything new and scary takes a certain amount of blind faith, and maybe a little desperation. In my case, that was an urgency to escape my stressful business reporting job. In those early internet days, copywriting training was hard to find. To prepare, I had picked up Bob Bly's The Copywriter's Handbook and felt energized and ready to meet the writing needs of clients. Yet, I soon found I had grossly underestimated the scope of my new career. I wasn't just a copywriter, but now a business owner who was also my own bookkeeper, occasional tax consultant, IT technician, marketer, and janitor. And perhaps the most fear-inducing, I would be a salesperson on 100% commission. As an introvert, if I had realized that at the time, I might have thought twice about this path. As it was, I expected the work to just roll in as soon as I printed business cards and created my rudimentary late-'90s website. While I did find my way, slowly, to make a name for myself as a case study specialist, I navigated through economic downturns and recoveries over more than two decades. But It Was Worth It The challenges of freelancing have taught me more than anything else I've ever done (except for maybe parenting). But it's also allowed space for some of my life's dreams and the means to overcome obstacles I couldn't have foreseen. I've had the freedom for multiday treks in Peru and Nepal, and the ability to rarely miss an out-of-town family event. As a new mother, I set my own maternity leave schedule and could show up for the Halloween parades, science fairs, and volunteer requests. I've fit some of the most rewarding writing of my career — health narratives — around my client work. And candidly, freelancing has allowed me to keep earning an income through some significant health roadblocks that a full-time position would not have bent for. Now I head both Compelling Cases and Rebuilding My Health, I authored Stories That Sell: Turn Satisfied Customers into Your Most Powerful Sales & Marketing Asset, and I'm the instructor for AWAI's Case Study Mastery & Certification. Looking back, I'd make the same career decision again. But here's what I wish I had learned much earlier in my role as a freelance writer: Don't Think of Outreach as Selling As an introverted writer, even the thought of selling sends my body into fight or flight. But the idea of making connections, that's different. It's the critical mindset shift that allowed me to grow my business in a way that fit my personality. Some prospective clients will need your help and some won't. Or, they'll need help six months down the road. Don't take it personally if you don't get a project. Move on and keep reaching out or publishing helpful content for your audience. Keep Marketing When your workload is full, you have to find time to market your own business. Otherwise, marketing gaps can lead to income gaps. I've been through enough freelance dry spells to have learned that — no matter what — I need to keep reaching out to prospects, sending a monthly newsletter, dropping notes to contacts, or posting on LinkedIn. You can always pass on projects or refer them to other writers if the timing turns out to not be right. Get Help These days, there are way more resources for freelancers than back then, from [AWAI]( to YouTube to your local small business development center. As you can, outsource the business tasks you don't enjoy, understand, or have time for, like bookkeeping, tax reporting, and tech upkeep. Tools like AI can help you transcribe interviews or organize notes, while Canva can help you create pretty social posts. Be Known as the Go-To Resource for Something … Positioning yourself as the expert for an industry or two helps prospects think of you when the time comes. So does specializing in a type of copywriting, as I have with customer case studies. Just be cautious about narrowing down to one type of writing for one type of industry because that could shrink your market too much, depending on the size of the market. … But Stay Flexible While you might promote yourself as working with certain types of industries or projects, be open to other opportunities — especially when business is slower. As I built my reputation and workload as a case study writer, my marketing emphasized case studies. But especially early on, I took on other types of projects to pay the bills. I wrote more bank officer bios than I can count. Find a Support Group Honestly, solopreneurship can be lonely. While my husband is eager to offer ideas, he works in a different world. To prevent isolation, connect with a community of other writers, freelancers, and mentors, whether that's a mastermind, Facebook group, or informal handful of writers that meets regularly. Get Out of Your Comfort Zone A mentor recently handed me some hard truth, "The comfort zone is where dreams go to die." To enjoy the many rewards of freelancing, there are times you have to stretch yourself, and get a little sweaty. The hard things usually aren't as bad as you think and get easier each time you do them. Actually Take Advantage of Your Flex Lifestyle I have few regrets from my freelance time, but for a remote worker, I haven't worked remotely nearly as much as I could. Before parenting locked me to a set place and school calendar, I wish I had spent a fall in New England, a summer in Europe, and helped out-of-state family more. Lastly, if I could tell my wide-eyed new freelance self one thing, it's "Breathe. You've got this." Freelancing has been the right choice for me and I know it can be for you too. [Editorial Note: One of the easiest ways to be sure you're able to meet the demands of your freelance career is to gain lifetime access to AWAI's entire library of home-study skill and business-building resources … For a tiny fraction of what you might pay on a one-off basis. That includes everything already published over the last 26 years … AND everything published in the future — for LIFE! Check out how you can get access to this ever-expanding library [here](.] What's Hot at AWAI … 👉 [Unlimited access to AWAI's entire catalog of training programs — FOR LIFE!]( 👀 We have some of the BEST experts at Bootcamp this year!! [See who's coming and how to sign up here!]( 🙌 Say YES! to any writing opportunity that comes your way. [And then go here for help to figure out how to do it.]( 🤩 [Boat captain navigates rough waters; finds copywriting success.]( 💰 Watch this webinar to see [how Ben Settle built a six-figure clientless copywriting business in just 10 minutes a day](. "Learning never ceases" Isn't that the truth?! Sheila K. is correct … in an ever-changing industry like copywriting, there's always something new to learn. Here's what Sheila had to say about the advantages of the Infinity program … "I want to let you know how much I enjoy having the Infinity membership. I am very happy to have all of the self-guided programs right at my fingertips. When I have finished one, I can easily jump into another program that piques my interest or need to move forward in my writing/copyediting venture. I would definitely recommend this membership to anyone who is part of AWAI because, after-all, learning never ceases." And Derek S. has enjoyed the opportunity to explore one program after another too. "The AWAI Infinity program is one of the best online purchases I ever made to date. I keep going back to re-read courses I already read, or to explore new courses to help me write and create content. I would recommend Infinity membership to someone who is new to copywriting, or someone who has a few years in and needs additional guidance and additional education in various copywriting specialties." Infinity helped Sheila and Derek expand their expertise and add more skills to their writer's toolkit. [See how it can work for you, too.]( Have your own story to share? Email us at mysuccess@awai.com, or [post it over in the Facebook group](, so we can celebrate your win too! FREE TRAINING: How to Start Making Money FAST as an Email Copywriter Join top email copywriting expert Guillermo Rubio, this Friday, June 9 at noon ET. [Click Here For Details]( TODAY! Get all this for $1 … [PWA Product Spread] The Professional Writers' Alliance (PWA) takes the stress out of running your writing business. With ready-to-use business forms, templates, and checklists … VIP job board access … networking opportunities … and a mountain of tips, tactics, and "been there, done that" advice from working freelance writers … You'll minimize the "unbillable" hours you spend working on your business and maximize your time writing — and getting paid. 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