Teacher-Turned-Copywriter Finds Happiness

Amy Slagle began her working life as a pharmaceutical sales rep – a job she loved. But after she gave birth to twin daughters, she wanted to spend more time at home instead of frequently traveling.

So she left the pharmaceutical company, used her degree in education and spent the next 13 years teaching everything from second grade to middle school.

But what she really wanted to do was write.

“I had been wanting to write professionally for years,” says Amy. “I just didn't have a clue how to start.”

To hone her writing skills Amy had been writing a humor blog, but it didn’t bring in any money.

“It really was just a creative outlet for me,” she explains. “Something to practice my writing skills on and have fun with.”

An Email Changes Her Life

Then Amy received an email from American Writers and Artists Institute (AWAI) that would change her life. AWAI’s flagship writing program, The Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting, seemed exactly what she had been looking for.

But this former teacher didn’t just jump in without first doing her homework.

“I’m a researcher,” explains Amy. “I have to turn over every stone before I make a decision. I did look at other options. But I truly felt that AWAI was the industry leader for copywriting.”

Amy decided to jump in headfirst. She resigned from her teaching job to focus full-time on developing her copywriting skills.

“I just decided to kind of rip the Band-Aid off and make the leap,” says Amy. “I didn't have anything as a backup. I was diving straight into copywriting.”

Amy enrolled in the Accelerated Program. But she didn’t stop there. She also joined in AWAI’s SEO Copywriting Success and in Site Audits Made Simple. And although taking simultaneous programs was intense, it eventually paid off.

She Lands Her First Client

While Amy built the writing skills she needed to establish her career, she also needed paying clients. She secured her first one through word of mouth.

Amy had just finished AWAI’s Site Audits Made Simple when her husband started mentioning her work to his friends. As it turned out, one of those friends was a business owner whose website needed an overhaul – and Amy was able to do it.

“I was able to practice writing a proposal, having a discovery call, and then doing the job,” Amy explains. “And it’s nice to get paid while you're learning.”

A Win – for Her Confidence and Bank Account

With SEO Copywriting Mastery and Certification Training, Amy felt ready to enter AWAI’s SEO Challenge. The goal: create an “SEO Lead Magnet” – a site filled with strategic keywords to help search engines find it.

Amy nailed the challenge, winning $5,000 for her efforts. Russ Henneberry, the course instructor and the man who pioneered the concept of SEO magnets, personally judged the competition. Combined with the mentoring and ancillary help she received from AWAI, it gave her the confidence she needed to launch a full-time writing career.

“Winning was a huge confidence booster for me,” she says. “I felt more prepared to really start getting more business. And it really did snowball from there. I got another client and then I got another. It's really what got my career started.”

A Lifetime of Learning – and Peace

These days, Amy has two retainer clients keeping her very busy writing email newsletters, website copy and content like long-form articles and lead magnets. Right now, she’s not limiting herself to a specific type of writing.

“I am definitely open to other things,” says Amy. “I want to look at a lot of other areas of copywriting, so I'm still learning.”

To continue expanding her writing skills, Amy joined AWAI’s Infinity Program, which offers a more cost-effective way to access AWAI’s extensive library of programs, templates and more. Plus, she enjoys connecting with other writers through AWAI’s Facebook groups.

Amy’s income now exceeds her teaching salary, but she continues to develop her skills in many different areas of writing as she continues to bring in more clients.

And in the meantime? “The biggest thing that I've noticed is less stress,” says Amy. “Teaching is a hard job and I was always stressed. I just feel so much more peace in my life now. And my family has noticed that too. It’s amazing!”

Ready to pursue the writer’s life?

Learn more about the program that launched Amy’s career, The The Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting..