Every company that launches a product, builds a website, communicates with customers, attracts investors, or manages its public reputation relies on writers. Much of that work is taken on by independent professionals who understand not only how to write, but how to reach business goals with that writing. This kind of work is known as … Read more
A Well-Fed EPUB subscriber, Steven Cohen, asked to see examples of business cards for freelance writers. This post will share examples of business cards submitted by our fellow freelance commercial writers, including Cohen’s own, that you can use as inspiration for creating or updating your business cards. But first… let’s talk about whether or not … Read more
Imagine finishing a web copywriting project, getting approval from your client, getting paid, and feeling the satisfaction that comes with that. Now imagine that client comes back weeks later asking for additional edits on that approved copy, all because their spouse, friend, or nephew read it and thought it could be spruced up. Scratch that. … Read more
In addition to being called “freelance commercial writing,” our field is also known simply as “copywriting” (AND commercial copywriting, business copywriting, marketing copywriting, and others). But, if you’re relatively new to the field, and you hear the term “copywriting,” you’ll likely think of direct response copywriting. You know, the “long-letter” variety: 10-15 hype-filled (“Wait, there’s more!”) … Read more
(Sorry for the delay in posting, but was in the process of upgrading the blog to a brand-new and far more stable WordPress theme. I know it looks very similar but that was one of the challenges. Hope you like!) Okay, so this isn’t a commercial-writing customer service story, but as an impressive example of … Read more
Got this email from a budding commercial freelancer in New Jersey, who wrote: I am in Central New Jersey, and I am seeing people who were previously “writers” now resurfacing as “marketing experts.” I’ve had a couple of them tell me that it’s not enough just to be a writer anymore, that you need to … Read more
So, I’ve been dealing with several cases of “scope creep” of late: when a copywriting project goes beyond the agreed-upon (in writing) parameters. We’d like to think it’s pretty cut and dried: If the project scope goes beyond what you contracted, they pay more. Period. And, sometimes it is easy, and the client “gets it,” … Read more
I got this email recently from a newly-minted commercial freelancer: I recently quoted a tri-fold brochure and three cover letters for a local university. I gave a range of $650 to $735 for the project, but my proposal was turned down because of budget. Could you offer any advice about pricing writing jobs that fit … Read more
Relax. No, our field hasn’t suddenly shut its proverbial doors. No, all companies haven’t suddenly stopped hiring folks like us. Nothing that earth-shattering (or ridiculous). Rather, the above semi-apocalyptic-sounding title springs from, shall we say, a semantic epiphany I recently had. Hang with me here. I think you’ll like this (or perhaps, indulgently, you’ll just … Read more
A month doesn’t go by that I don’t get an email or two from a (clearly marketing-averse) commercial writer proposing, in various and sundry versions, the following: “Since I’m sure you get plenty of overflow commercial freelancing work (not really, actually…), I’m wondering if you’ve ever thought about farming it out to others for a … Read more