Success Story Interview:
Evelyn Durnell
From Nurse to Copywriter: Claiming Your Identity and Turning Experience into a Niche
After 20 years as a registered nurse and more than four decades as a licensed cosmetologist, Evelyn Durnell began building a successful copywriting business in the medical aesthetics space. Yet even as her writing career started to take shape, she found herself hesitating to fully claim that identity. When people asked what she did, she would often say “nurse” — or change the subject entirely.
That changed during a simple but powerful moment with her grandson, who asked, “Grandma, what do you want to be when you grow up?” The question made Evelyn realize that even though she was already doing the work, she hadn’t fully given herself permission to call herself a writer.
In this Inside AWAI conversation with Executive Director Katie Yeakle, Evelyn shares the turning point that helped her embrace her identity as a copywriter and the practical steps she took to move forward. She explains the three questions she asked herself to identify the niche where her experience could bring the most value, the first action she took that helped accelerate her progress, and how her “non-writing” background became the foundation for her success in medical aesthetics copywriting.
What You’ll Learn
- The moment Evelyn gave herself permission to claim her identity as a copywriter
- The three questions that helped her choose her niche
- How her nursing and cosmetology background became copywriting expertise
- The first action she took that helped move her career forward
- A framework for turning your previous career experience into copywriting opportunity
- Why waiting for “permission” to call yourself a writer can delay your progress
Recommended Resources:
- The AWAI Method™ for Becoming a Skilled, In-Demand Copywriter
- How to Choose Your Writing Niche: Your Step-by-Step Blueprint for Choosing a Profitable Market that’s Right for You
The AWAI Method™ for Becoming a Skilled, In-Demand Copywriter
The AWAI Method™ combines the most up-to-date strategies, insights, and teaching methods with the tried-and-true copywriting fundamentals so you can take on ANY project — not just sales letters. Learn More »
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