Being a Copywriter is like Riding a Wild ’n’ Crazy Roller Coaster …
By Tiara Cole

I love roller coasters! Ever since I was a little kid and rode the Racer 75 at Kings Dominion for the first time, I was hooked on the rush …

There’s nothing like that feeling of the first drop — where you can practically feel your stomach in your chest …

 … or shooting through back-to-back loop-de-loops that make you feel like you’re flying …

 … or those hidden, unexpected twists and turns that deliver a terrifying rush of excitement and shock your body!

These are the reasons why when the ride stops, you can’t wait to jump back in line and go again!

I can honestly say after 18 years in the direct-response industry — a roller-coaster ride is the best way to describe life as a freelance copywriter.

But it’s a ride I’m grateful to still be on — despite the many “ups” and “downs” I’ve faced in my career.

So I’m going to share three lessons that I hope will help you face your fears — and stay on your ride toward a successful copywriting career …

Lesson 1:
Buckle up and commit to the ride!

Picture this …

You’re strapped into your roller-coaster seat … full of excitement and anticipation … and ready for the green light to GO!

But right before the ride takes off — there’s a moment where you go, What the heck am I doing?

This is a make-or-break moment.

Now, every now and then someone panics right before takeoff and screams for the operator to get them off the ride.

A similar feeling can happen at different stages of your copywriting career. And when it does happen — I don’t want you to panic.

Instead, I just want you to …

Close your eyes … take a deep breath … and commit to the ride!

The normal human response is to freak out when you’re about to do something really scary. And let’s face it — copywriting can be scary!

You have to put your writing — and yourself, for that matter — out there and get the attention of prospective clients.

And then you have to confidently give them your rates that you probably agonized over to beat out other writers and get the job.

A “no” from a client is like the sudden, sharp, and jerky dip of a roller coaster that rattles your body.

But a “yes” can feel like you’re flying high and fast around a loop you wish would never end!

Either way — you’ve got to commit to the ride to see how it all plays out.

I remember the first time I charged the “big bucks” for a sales promo …

I was switching over from writing special reports, where I was comfortable getting paid $1,500–$2,000 per project …

 … to charging $10,000 — plus a royalty — for sales copy. Can we say scary?

When I tell you I felt sick to my stomach writing that project quote email — I’m not joking. I was in a sweaty state of panic after I hit the “send” button …

And then — all the negative thoughts came rushing in …

I was convinced this client was going to think I was CRAZY for charging an outrageous price for copy. He was going to laugh at my samples and think I was a total fraud.

I wanted to delete the email — and just forget the whole thing!

But do you know what he said?

“Sounds good! Send me the deposit invoice.”

I couldn’t believe it.

Within seconds I had my hands in the air shouting “WOO-HOO” as loud as I could. And you better believe I was committed to riding that project all the way to the finish!

So don’t let fear take you off your ride before it really starts getting good.

Remember you invested your time and energy into your AWAI training. You got your website up and running and you’re making connections and networking to get yourself in the game to start booking projects. You’re right on the cusp of something great.

Now you’ve just got to buckle up — and stay on the ride!

Lesson 2:
Hold on tight through twists and turns.

The best part of a roller coaster is what you don’t see coming, right? But those unexpected twists and turns can also be a real shock to your body. So …

You gotta brace yourself for the bumpy parts!

You’re going to experience a variety of growing pains during your copywriting journey. It’s not always going to be smooth sailing.

But here’s the thing: When you lean into them …

Unexpected twists and turns can make you stronger as a writer.

Back in my mid-20s, there was a time when I was really struggling to book projects — and it was getting tight for me financially.

I was overwhelmed trying to figure out the best way to manage my income … pay quarterly taxes … and successfully run my freelance business.

So, I made the decision to work part time as a chiropractic assistant just to get the bills paid and make sure I could support myself.

But my goal was always to go back 100% to freelancing — and I was determined not to give it up …

It took about six years for me to feel like I was ready to take the leap again …

 … but during that time, I held on tight to my freelance business.

When I had the opportunity to book a project — I did it. I made sure I didn’t let my copywriting and design skills get rusty.

In fact, once my boss realized he had a copywriter on his staff — it didn’t take long before I was working on promotions for the office and writing copy for his website.

We even worked out a royalty arrangement based on the number of patients my promos brought him!

And wouldn’t you know, right before I quit working part time to go back to freelancing …

 … I got hired to write a magalog for a client that was all about joint health. Talk about unexpected twists and turns! We even used my boss as the guru for the promo!

Here’s the takeaway from this story …

The challenges you face in your career can help you learn new ways to sharpen your writing skills …

 … and even push you to come up with creative, big ideas that will WOW your clients — so they keep coming back to work with you!

Each new challenge can also help you gain more business sense.

Hey — I found a way to negotiate a royalty arrangement by writing those simple promos for chiropractic services. I never thought that would happen when I first took the job.

And that situation gave me a chance to work on my negotiation skills so I could feel more confident and get paid what I was worth.

And when you make a success out of a bumpy ride — well, now you can share your personal challenges and help other aspiring copywriters survive their wild roller-coaster rides too.

So when the twists and turns come — just lean into them! Look for ways each challenge is helping you grow into a stronger copywriter.

Lesson 3:
Remember — the bumpy part will eventually end.

This is important because there’s going to come a time when you may find yourself struggling to hang on and stay on the ride.

A bumpy ride in the copywriting world could be the stress and anxiety over getting a client … or working with a difficult client … or not getting paid what you really want — or even need.

But you’ve got to remember that at some point, this part of the ride will end. So …

Don’t let a temporary bump ruin the whole ride.

One of the bumpiest parts in my career was making the switch from graphic design to copywriting …

I initially started learning to write copy — but at the time I just didn’t love it. It didn’t get my heart pumping, staring at the blank screen and struggling to write something my prospect would want to read.

It got to the point where I was seriously ready to throw in the towel … go back to college … and just get a degree in anything — I honestly didn’t care what it was.

But after attending AWAI Bootcamp, I was fascinated by the graphic design seminars. I loved the concept of designing words and making them come to life in color. It really pulled at me.

So I switched gears and focused only on graphic design when I launched my freelance business. And I did that for several years.

But then a funny thing happened …

At this point, I was designing a lot of special reports. When I’d get the copy to design — I found myself fighting the urge to make edits that would make the copy better or stronger. Apparently, my inner writer was still alive and well inside me.

A few times I made some copy suggestions — and my client loved them!

I got in the habit of doing this so much that eventually my client asked what my fees were to write — and design — a special report!

This was a game changer.

If I offered BOTH copywriting and graphic design services, I could keep an entire project in-house. I could increase my fees — and start making some real money! This bumpy part was over …

And the change I made to incorporate both skills finally allowed me to start living the writer’s life on my own terms. It helped me LOVE what I was doing for the right reasons — and made me more determined to keep going as a freelancer.

So from time to time — when things get a little bumpy — try to zoom out and see your big picture. There could be a hidden “aha” moment that can give you a burst of excitement to stay on the ride.

I can honestly say that despite the ups and downs — my copywriting roller-coaster ride has been pretty darn awesome!

I’m always looking to try something new and see where the next ride will take me …

 … because if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that when you survive a CRAZY ride — you end up looking for the next BIGGER … FASTER … and CRAZIER ride to jump on next!

And that’s what I hope will be in your future too …

So buckle up and get ready!