SO many well-paid writing projects...

Use these simple strategies to grow your skills [The Writer’ s Life]( November 8, 2023 "Your life is your story, and the adventure ahead of you is the journey to fulfill your own purpose and potential." – Kerry Washington Hi {NAME}, When AWAI was founded over a quarter century ago, the copy most marketers needed was for direct-mail packages … long-form sales letters, buckslips, and order devices. How times have changed! Today's marketers need an entire spectrum of marketing materials written … From the pre-suasive content side of things — to create awareness and bring in prospects — with blogs, newsletters, case studies, and white papers … To the persuasive copy side of things — to turn them into buyers — like emails, videos, and sales letters. Not to mention all the engagement projects like social media, retention efforts, and product fulfillment … oh my! Talk about being in the right place at the right time. 🙌 And I'm happy to announce that after 26 years of training copywriters … We've finally figured out a way to answer a big need on both sides of the equation — the writers AND the company hiring them — with [AWAI's Copywriting Academy](. Finally, companies will KNOW copywriters have been properly trained … will feel confident when hiring … and expect to pay professional fees. And writers will stand out from the pack with confidence … KNOWING they have what it takes to do the high-value work that warrants those fees. We'll "officially" launch Academy to the world in January, but as an AWAI member we're inviting you to get in early as a founding member. [>> Get all the details here!]( All you need to make great money as a writer is a working knowledge of copywriting fundamentals … And the desire to continue learning, so you grow your skills, and therefore expand your earning power. Today, AWAI Success Tammy Powell shares the five simple strategies she uses to keep her skills sharp, as she continues to build up her copywriting business. To your success, Rebecca Matter President AWAI Your ALL-ACCESS Key — Just $1! Get instant access to this exclusive B2B writing community and ALL their private resources, including … All the success roadmaps … All the writing templates … All the articles … All the how-to videos … All 150+ training webinars … The Forum, the Job Board, the tutorials, the tools … And much more! [Go Here for More Details]( 5 Ways to Improve Your Copywriting By Tammy Powell [Woman smiling at computer screen] No one becomes a million-dollar copywriter overnight … I'm certainly not there myself, and I still have a long way to go before I reach my loftier goals. But the good news is, my freelance copywriting business is growing each and every year. I believe part of the reason for this growth is my desire to continuously learn and improve. Here are five strategies that have helped me become a better copywriter … 1. Learn, Learn, Learn The field of copywriting is always evolving. Not only do effective messages and strategies change over time, but there are also new formats to take advantage of, such as web writing, video scripts, and even chatbots. Plus, as with any creative pursuit, your skills develop through a combination of training and practice — so learning from others will always be part of the equation. This includes formal courses, [Certifications](, and conferences. Based on personal experience, I also feel there's a lot of value in investing in a mentorship program. However, remember not to overlook all the free resources at your disposal … This could be as simple as reading a lot of blogs, websites, emails, and newsletters. Browse through the many [free articles]( and [webinars]( AWAI offers, as well as content that's similar to the type of copy you write for your clients. You could save a Swipe File of things you found to be especially effective or memorable. But even if you don't save any materials, the act of reading will still be helpful because you'll start to internalize the structure of effective copy. Reading and absorbing various materials — which is part of my research process for my assignments anyway — has proven very helpful for me. One more resource I've grown to love is YouTube. You can find videos from top content creators, marketers, SEO experts, authors, and others, all of which are completely free to watch. 2. Develop "Adjacent Skills" As a copywriter, you're not under any obligation to learn about fields other than copywriting. However, you may find it useful. You might also discover something you enjoy. When I say "adjacent skills," I'm talking about things that are commonly tied together with your copy to produce the final product. To name a few, this may include … - SEO - Graphic design - WordPress - Video production and editing For myself, I've found that knowledge of SEO goes hand in hand with copywriting. Some of my clients send me keywords from their SEO agencies so I can integrate them into articles I write. Another good example is WordPress. I'm not a WordPress expert at all — but if needed, I can at least log in to my client's website, create a new blog post, paste my text in, and do some basic formatting. And that's it — that little bit of effort is a big help to my client that makes them appreciate me more. Learning just the basics (enough to understand the lingo) can make communications with your clients easier and more efficient. And it makes you look smart and experienced. Plus, should you decide you like one of these skills enough to gain expertise, you can become a "one-stop shop" for your clients and charge more for your services. 3. Nurture Your Creativity Coming up with new ideas all the time can be challenging. And when you're on a deadline and can't think of a good idea, it may feel nerve-wracking. To calm your nerves and nurture your creativity, it's helpful to work relaxation into your schedule at least a few times per week. This could be something as simple as going for a walk, watching a movie, meditating, or enjoying a cup of tea. Research has shown that relaxation allows the creative part of your brain to shine. That's because the task-oriented part of our brains dominates when we're in a busy, productive mindset. But when we ask the task-oriented part of the brain to step back, the creative side is finally free to take the lead. That's why we hear so many stories of ideas coming to people in the shower, driving, or taking a long walk. I also firmly believe in pursuing anything that's interesting to you, whether that's reading a book series just for fun, dancing, singing, playing a sport, knitting, cooking, or anything else. By keeping life interesting, you may find a connection or story to include in your writing somewhere down the line. 4. Try Other Types of Writing Learning from other copywriters is important. However, there are other types of writing that can boost your copywriting skills. For example … - Fiction writing can help you hone your storytelling skills. It can also teach you to build emotional tension or set a scene in vivid detail. - Poetry is interesting because it teaches you economy of words. Poets need to create scenes, stir emotions, and tell stories in as few words as possible — often in a much smaller space than copywriting, blog posts, or fiction writing could ever fit into. The poets in my critique groups coax their words into unique structures with a different number of syllables on each line, or fit them into rhyming schemes. These art forms really challenge a writer to master their use of words! - Memoirs and personal essays can also be useful. In addition to being therapeutic, this fact-based style of writing forces you to find the lesson in each story you tell. It will really hone your skills in terms of telling an emotionally touching story that others can relate to, and help you develop "everyday stories" so they're interesting to read. 5. Practice in a Way That Works for You As a writer, practice is crucial. It's the only way to get better because everything you learn needs to be developed through practical experience. However, you have options in terms of how to practice. For consistency, I recommend writing something you enjoy, such as … - Write for your own website or blog, especially if you have a Money-Making Website or another passion project. - Write for your own enjoyment. Keep a journal, write short stories or poems or a screenplay, or craft a witty social media post. - Write and pitch articles to publications that interest you, like travel magazines, Chicken Soup for the Soul, or blogs you normally read. Bonus points if the publication is in your copywriting niche. Whatever you choose, consistency is key. Writing every day is best, but even a few times per week will keep you sharp. Also, don't be scared to start working for clients because you feel you're "not ready." Some things can only be learned through experience, and the sooner you get that experience, the more comfortable you'll feel. It may seem a little intimidating at first. But if you find ways to learn, practice, and improve, you'll be amazed at how quickly your skills grow. What's Hot at AWAI … 👀 Have you checked out AWAI's Copywriting Academy?! [Learn more and become a founding member today!]( 🤓 Curious about what to charge for different copywriting projects? [Check out our free guide!]( 🤩 [Former commercial contractor swaps 3-hour commute.]( Sharing lessons and birthday presents … [Social media post about getting a multi-project client from first pitch] Wow, Raechel! Talk about a great birthday … You've gained so much traction from so many of your firsts all while continuing your training. From the moment you sent your pitch you became a professional writer and marketer and you've managed to score a multi-project client! Standing ovation! 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 Virtual Open House: All Your Questions About Circle of Success Answered! LIVE: Friday, November 10 at 12 p.m. ET Join AWAI's Executive Director Katie Yeakle and some surprise guests as they lift the curtain on our industry's most comprehensive and personalized level of copywriting training – Circle of Success. Discover the transformation that happens when you have top industry professionals setting you on a fast track to success … mentoring and guiding you every step of the way … teaching you the skills you need … giving you the feedback and direction you need to step into the "pro ranks" faster than you ever thought possible. It's all happening LIVE, this Friday at noon! Attendance is FREE, and there's no obligation. DON'T MISS IT! [Go here now to reserve your spot!]( Featured Jobs You can find these jobs and thousands more on [WritersWanted.com](: --------------------------------------------------------------- Copywriter — Publicis Media Full-time, Chicago, IL As a Copywriter, you create persuasive and compelling copy in the established voice and style of the brand. You take pride in your craft and can work across different mediums—short-form, long-form, and everything in between. --------------------------------------------------------------- Copywriter — Upper Echelon Products Full-time, Marble Falls, TX Write copy that brings strong ideas to life across all media channels – digital, print, multimedia, etc. --------------------------------------------------------------- Script Writer — WritersLink Production Part-time, Remote In this role, you'll craft engaging and immersive audio drama content. 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