Leveraging the AWAI Community
By Rebecca Matter

Rebecca Matter here – with the second and final week of our Holiday Success Series …

Now through Friday, you’ll hear from five more of your fellow AWAI members who are each living different versions of the writer’s life.

My hope is that you can draw inspiration and tips you can use by reading how they did it … and how they plan to find even more success in the coming year.

Today, we touch base with web writer Jeanie Davis, who had some major breakthroughs in 2011, including a big retainer contract with a major player in her niche.

Read on to learn how Jeanie used the AWAI community to help her find success and leveraged the networking opportunities that come with being a member.

Jeanie Davis: Web Writer, Health & Medical Copywriter

What was the biggest highlight of your writing career this year?

Getting a retainer contract with a major health publishing company! It’s a perfect fit for my health writing background, plus I’m getting a chance at sales writing. In fact, I just finished my first sales piece … and preliminary feedback has been very positive. I’m so excited!

What contributed most to it?

Joining Circle of Success in May and getting to know Katie! In our first conversation, she mentioned that my background would be a great fit for the major health publishing company. She encouraged me to contact them. I put together a four-page personal sales letter … trying to duplicate their very persuasive style … and that opened the door. I jumped through a couple of more hoops to prove myself. It was definitely a case of perfect match, perfect timing!

What inspires you most these days?

All the successful people I have come to know through AWAI, Wealthy Web Writer, and Bootcamp. They talk about layoffs, setbacks and crazy bosses … stuff we all can relate to. Yet they are proof positive that success as an independent copywriter is entirely possible. And they’re so willing to share all their secrets to success … what a generous bunch!

What has living the writer’s life meant to you this year?

The very best thing: there’s no commute! I typically get up very early (5 or 6 a.m.) and can get a huge amount done before noon rolls around. And if I want to vary my work schedule, that’s up to me. . In fact, if I want to, I can crank up the radio and dance in the middle of the day! There's so much freedom when you work from home. My deadlines are a top priority, but I LOVE being able to set my own schedule for meeting them.

What’s your goal for 2012?

It’s more like “goals” in the plural … Keep growing as a writer. Market myself more. Create a lead generator. Tinker with a secondary niche. Keep pushing toward a money-making website. It’s hard to find time to make it all happen!

Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give to someone just starting out?

Believe in yourself, invest in your career, and take action to make things happen. If you get a chance, go for it … and make the most of it. Absorb all that AWAI and Wealthy Web Writer have to offer.

One AWAI program you’d recommend people take and why?

Copywriting 2.0. It’s an amazing compilation of very practical text, webinars, teleconferences, articles … plus, you have access to all the latest updates. It’s a great launching pad.