Are You A Freelance Copywriter or a Phony? Identify Yourself

Welcome, my freelance copywriters! This digital copy has been crafted for you. As a copywriter for 8+ years, working for more than 20 companies and teaching more than 2k copywriters, I think what I will say in the upcoming copy will be relatable to you. 

The revelation in this copy would hurt the fake and phony writers who claim that they are the best in the game, but when you deal with them, they can’t even speak a proper sentence or craft a basic copy. 

First of all, don’t believe the social media says about freelance copywriters. You see a copywriter with a laptop in a posh cafe or a luxurious hotel or on LinkedIn claiming that they are a copywriting guru and they have all figured it out. Nope, they don’t. I have seen freelance copywriters with less than 200 followers booked for the entire year and copywriters with a plethora of followers with no work.  

So what does it tell you? The message is clear: if you are a copywriter who is focused on earning money but doesn’t have the skills, nor do you upgrade yourself with the industry standards, you will be broke.. You will never be successful.  

Furthermore, it shows you that copywriting is a quick money-making career, and anyone can do it since it’s easy to figure out.  Copywriters don’t have everything figured out. Bruv! We can’t even figure out the best CTA or the introduction for our copy, and you think we are printing mad money? Nah, relax.

As a copywriter, you can only print mad money if you have mad skills. 

Be honest, are you a freelance copywriter?

Check this list. If you can say yes to these, then you are a freelance copywriter 

You don’t care what society thinks about you

The copywriting industry is like a marathon and not a sprint. You need incredible patience to be successful in the industry. Your friends would get a job, get married, travel the world, and you would be glued to your computer, crafting the best piece for your client.

You will miss multiple occasions, and your friends will think you are arrogant and unsociable. Remember, if you don’t care what society thinks about you and are comfortable missing events since you love the pen, then you are a copywriter. 

You can undergo freelancing depression

There would come a time when your emergency fund would finish. There would no no new clients approaching you. All your projects have expired. This means you have hit rock bottom. This is known as freelancing depression. 

What would you do now? Change your profession and be someone else since you can’t handle being broke, or would you upgrade your skills in this period and stick to your profession? 

Even in the darkest hour, if you love your pen,the pen would hear you cry and answer you. Be patient in these moments. Go and do things that you have missed. Watch movies, read books, and meet your friends. Rewire your brain thinking that is not the end of your career. You have food on your plate and shelter over your head, but you will be making money again only if you are a real freelance copywriter. 

You take suffering as a blessing

Freelance copywriters are meant to suffer. Your mental health would suffer, since the clients would suggest multiple changes after you submit your copy. They won’t say their requirements beforehand, nor would they be patient enough to allow you some days to incorporate those changes. The torture would be endless.

 If you can suffer these, then you are a freelance copywriter. Remember to be successful, there would be suffering, and that’s a beautiful part. You would know the trigger points of these clients, and when you work next time, you would know which button to push. Now, if you can’t handle harsh words and insults, then this copywriting is not for you 

You don’t cut shortcuts

To write a unique copy it’s hard. Sure, if you call paraphrasing and changing some lines as unique, then it’s easy, but I am talking about authentic copy. When you open 8 browsers in your tab, look for the loopholes that authors have missed and then put them in your copy so that a user doesn’t bounce back but glued to you. Then you are a freelance copywriter. 

If you cut corners by modifying the copy by changing some lines, use AI to write a few sentences and headings, or writing complete gibberish and jargon just to fill the word count, and stuff keywords to rank, you are in the wrong profession, homie. People will call you out. It’s time either you learn real copywriting or leave the industry. 

You talk to yourself

 Copywriters are cracked. So if you don’t talk to yourself, read books to improve vocabulary and generate new ideas,  pen down quotes and sayings that pierce through your heart, or have the energy to journal every day, you are not a copywriter. All successful copywriters have created their own world where they are the kings and queens of their kingdom. Our escapism is a way to creativity.

You are limited

You can’t write more than one niche, play with tonality, or have knowledge on multiple forms of copywriting. You are not the one. To be a successful freelance copywriter, you have to master every niche and tonality. If you want to build a client base like Christ’s fan base or work in multiple companies, you need to write multiple niches, and there is debate about it. 

To summarize, you are a copywriter if 

• You can see the rocks’ bottom as a blessing. 
• Be madly in love with your pen. 
• Have the authority be versatile. 
• Suffer the wrath of clients. 
• Never cut corners while writing a piece. 
• Be creative. 

Ending Note

Today, I see a lot of people claiming to be freelance copywriters but are miles away from it. Look at the points mentioned in this article and be aware of yourself. Being a freelance copywriter is not easy; it takes the life out of you, to be honest. 

You might have a client who is okay with your cutting corners as a freelance copywriter or accepting AI pieces. These clients don’t want to be big, and they won’t let you go big either. Within a year, their website would fall and they would stop working with you, saying there are no visitors or impressions on their site. A Google penalty would destroy their website reputation since they submitted content that is AI-based and not authentic. If you are fake, learn how to be real. If you are real, learn how to become the best in the game. 

Hope your boy Gourav has given you a good screen time. Connect me through my email ( contactgourav3@gmail.com) or my linkedin.