Your wins — we want to help and celebrate

A huge “milestone” checked off thanks to copywriting [The Writer’ s Life]( October 10, 2023 "Action is the foundational key to all success." – Pablo Picasso Hi {NAME}, We LOVE to celebrate your wins with you … Whether it's publishing your writer's LinkedIn profile, landing your first client, cashing your first (and fifth) paycheck, or launching your Money-Making Website … we're excited about every step you take. Today we're celebrating a win AWAI Success Steve Maurer accomplished, thanks to his copywriting career. He shares it below, along with HOW he reached the goal … so you can reach your own goals too. (Congratulations again, Steve — you rock!!) 💃 🥳 Whatever your goals and dreams, writing CAN help you accomplish them. And we're ready to celebrate with YOU when you do! We love a good reason to get up and dance. 😉 The quickest way to get started on the road to success like Steve is with our BRAND-NEW training program called [3-2-1 Launch](. It's a full immersion into the world of high-ticket writing … with a dream team of three mentors who will show you how to be your own boss, boost your income, and experience real freedom. You'll even get your very first "project template," giving you the ability to complete one of the simplest projects out there that pays $200-$800. Steve made consistent fees with this project when he was starting out, and you can do it too. Discover the shortest, most time-efficient way to get started making (great) money as a high-ticket writer [here](. To your success, Rebecca Matter President AWAI Former barista making $9/hr now makes six figures writing? [cover image] It's a true story … His "base" hourly rate is now north of $180 per hour. That's without any bosses breathing down his back … Without having to drive every morning to a job he doesn't like … And without having to ask permission for some time off. How did he go from making $9 an hour working at a coffee chain to making six figures with writing (even though English is his second language)? And more importantly, how can YOU follow in his footsteps? Click the button below to find out. [Find out here.]( Full Access for Just $1!!! This free blueprint shows you how to make $2,500 to $8,000 a month as a writer. And for just a buck, you'll gain access to every resource you'll need to execute that blueprint. All the roadmaps … All the articles … All the how-to videos … All the training webinars … The member forum, the job board, the tutorials, the tools … All of it! [Check It Out Now]( The Writer's Life — Wins Along the Way By Steve Maurer [silhouette of man giving victory gesture outdoors at top of a mountain] In August of 2010, my job income took a major hit due to cutbacks in hours at work. No more overtime unless required. While we could "tighten our belts" on some expenses, my wife Mary and I had one paramount concern. A fear, really. We would lose the house if we couldn't make the payments. And that was a real and present danger. I found some extra work, writing for a few low-paying job boards. But it wasn't nearly enough. The menace of foreclosure still loomed heavy on the horizon. But then something changed in a big way … But what? And … how? And how can you do it too? That, my dear writer friend, is what this story is all about. The Light from a Distant "Beach" Changed My Direction As you can imagine, those were pretty dark days in our marriage. We needed to make more money to maintain some semblance of normalcy. Mary was babysitting from home, and eventually started sewing for friends on the side. Like I mentioned, I started doing some writing in the low-paying job boards. And by low, I mean my first gig paid me $4.95. Yes, four dollars and ninety-five cents. Yeah, extremely lucrative … not! And it didn't get much better. Getting a second job outside the home was not a good option. I was on call 24/7 for my job at the plant. Wouldn't be a terrific idea, getting called in the middle of serving up burgers and fries, right? That's why I started writing from home. But five-dollar articles and sporadic overtime wouldn't save the house. So in-between my job as an electrician in a plant, and writing at night for low pay, I surfed the internet to find a better way. I found a few people who did make good money writing, like Bob Bly and Brian Clark, so I followed them and read their stuff. I found a few others. But one thing many had in common was a copywriting training company called American Writers & Artists Institute. They were based out of Delray Beach. And that's where I learned what writing for money was really all about. Web Copywriting and COS Started the Ball Rolling In the summer of 2012, I studied The Digital Copywriter's Handbook. I liked websites and had even built a site back in 2000. So, I thought that program might be a good place to start. It was a great start, learning how to write for the Web. And the money started flowing. Well, trickling at first. But wait … there's more. In October of that same year, an opportunity called Circle of Success (COS) opened for enrollment. At first, I wasn't sure if it was a good idea. Didn't know if I could afford the investment yet. Then my training as an electrician kicked in. To be a successful "sparky," you needed to understand four principles: - Find experts who know what they're doing and follow their lead. - Get the right tools and training to do the job. - Do. The. Work. - And don't innovate until you emulate. The experts are experts for a reason. Circle of Success would help me meet those principles and give me one more amazingly useful option … learning on demand. I could accept a gig I knew little or nothing about, download the program, and study enough to do the job. Very cool. I also made it a priority to attend [AWAI's Bootcamp]( every year. And every year, it paid off with more work, more tactics to try, more ideas to implement into my business. The Little Wins Along the Way When I worked in the low paying job boards, my annual writing income was only $2,000. I labored there for two years until I came across AWAI. After my first full year as a COS member, my writing income was $4,000, double from what I had been making. Not only was I becoming a better writer, but I also started finding clients on my own. Clients with deeper pockets. But it didn't stop there. For a while, my income doubled every year! Even during the pandemic of 2020, I made a writing income in the high five-figure range. My best year yet … and I was STILL working at my job. Which meant I doubled my personal annual income … and more. So, what has that meant for us? Plenty of small wins along the way. - When my daughter needed major dental work, I paid for it with a debit card, not a credit card. - When my son wanted to buy a car, I went to the bank and got the money for it that day. (Honest disclosure … he paid me back.) - We started paying the bills on time, all the time. Even early! - We were able to loosen up our belts again … whew! That's all well and good. And they're kind of fun things to talk about. But then, there was a BIG win … A "Milestone" Checked Off Thanks to Copywriting This win was life-changing. Friday, August 23, 2021 I made the last payment on our home mortgage — years ahead of schedule! Thanks to my copywriting income, Mary and I now own our house, free and clear. Our worries of losing our home are a thing of the past. What a great feeling! And that's not the only important win I've had thanks to my writing business. The other real wins came in the last few years. Wins that are, well, hard to talk about without a tear in my eye. When the Light Really Broke Through To have money in the bank we could give away was a real dream of mine and Mary's. We were tired of opening our hearts to family and friends in need, and but not being able to open our wallets. Now for the last several years, that's changed. When Mom and Dad were sick with cancer, we made sure their prescriptions and medical expenses not covered by insurance were paid. When a good friend of mine back in Indiana passed away unexpectedly, I was able to make a huge donation to his family through GoFundMe. One of my work buddies who's been on leave of absence lost his mother and I was able to donate $200 to the fundraiser without blinking an eye. During the pandemic, we were able to help people who needed to pay rent, or buy food and clothes for their kids. Freedom from work, leaving the day job behind, was a great long-term goal. But the freedom to help others from the bounty you've created with your words? You can't put a price tag on that. It's priceless. So, what's your next step, my writer friend? Final Tips for Your Success as a Writer Check out AWAI's complete [product catalog]( for an idea of the options to pursue as a writer. Here are some free Inside AWAI how-to webinars on growing your freelance writing business to give you a start: - [3 Ways to Make Your First $1,000 as a Freelance Writer]( - [How to Make Good Money with Freelance Writing — in 9 Easy Steps]( - [The Wide Range of Freelance Writing Opportunities for YOU]( Remember that to be successful in whatever you decide, follow these four tips: - Find experts who know what they're doing and follow their lead. AWAI has the experts. - Get the right tools and training to do the job. - Do. The. Work. Kind of simple … but if you don't work it, it won't work. - And don't innovate until you emulate. The experts are experts for a reason. Try their way first. And I'll add a fifth tip for success. Don't get distracted by shiny objects. Remember FOCUS: Follow One Course Until Successful Whatever choice you make, whatever path you take, persistent and consistent work will guide you in your journey to YOUR personal dream of the writer's life. And let me close with one more BIG win — last July, I finally achieved something I had been planning for and dreaming of for nearly a decade. I finally got to leave my day job after 30 years and shift to full-time freelance writing. I reached my BIG goal … now it's your turn … It's time for you … to win! [Here's an excellent place to start …]( What's Hot at AWAI … 📣 [Grab our BRAND-NEW program 3-2-1 Launch: How to Set Yourself Up to Make Money as a Copywriter for just $49!]( 😄 Need some inspiration? [Re-watch some of our past Monday Morning Jumpstarts to get the boost you need!]( 🙌 Did you submit your entry for the Writing Contest? Submissions are due before midnight! [You can get the details here.]( 👉 [Don't miss this year's Bootcamp, join us virtually here!]( 👀 [11 tips for success when attending virtual events.]( 🤩 Bootcamp Member Spotlight: 😎 [Rebekah Mays navigates career success.]( Celebrating a lucrative September … [Social media post about landing their biggest strategy project yet on top of two other projects and being curious if they can bring in even more in Q4] Congratulations, Rebekah! 🎉 This is an amazing win, there's no doubt that Q4 will bring even more. 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! Countdown to Bootcamp — 14 Days to Go! [AWAI Bootcamp Member Spotlight Pauline Longdon] Pauline Longdon has been going to Bootcamp every year since 2016 — which is really remarkable when you find out she's from Australia! She loves meeting up with her mates in the States. 😄 She's also had an amazing journey from PTSD to powerful copywriting success. Follow Pauline's inspiring story of resilience as she proves that every challenge can be overcome. Learn how she defied the odds and found success while breaking gender barriers. She also shares the surprising link between copywriting and playing a didgeridoo, along with essential advice for aspiring writers. Discover how to rewrite your own narrative, reshape your path, and find unwavering purpose amidst challenges when you [watch her inspirational Member Spotlight here](. Ready to transform your writing journey? Don't miss your chance to [join us for AWAI's Copywriting Virtual Bootcamp](. Enrollment closes soon! Free Live Training! The 3-Phase Blueprint for Building a Thriving, ZERO-CLIENT Writing Business (And Making a TON of Monday as Your Own Client) Thursday, October 12, at 2 p.m. ET [Click here to register (it's free!).]( Featured Jobs You can find these jobs and thousands more on [WritersWanted.com](: --------------------------------------------------------------- Senior Copywriter — Alta Full-time, Baltimore, MD Write persuasive, conversion-focused copy on both front-end and back-end products. --------------------------------------------------------------- Senior Copywriter — Bloom Nutrition Full-time, Remote We are seeking a Senior Copywriter with a witty and a little edgy personality that can reflect the fun, fresh, and trendy voice of the iconic Bloom brand. This person will help take Bloom to the next level through compelling campaigns, impactful storytelling, and a strong voice/tone/personality. --------------------------------------------------------------- Senior Copywriter — Burrell Communications Full-time, Chicago, IL The Senior Copywriter will create copy for print and digital advertising, to video, social media properties or a combination of all three complimenting the art direction. --------------------------------------------------------------- Trouble viewing this email? [View in your browser, here](. For questions or requests: [contact us online](. --------------------------------------------------------------- ©2023 American Writers & Artists Institute Do you know of someone who would benefit from reading The Writer's Life? 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