The Best Reason EVER to Begin Your Freelance Copywriting Career (or, Why We Freelance)
By Tom Chandler on Nov 15, 2007 in Underground Entertainment
If you needed a small shove to move you out of the corporate world and into freelance copywriting, perhaps this is it. From the New York Times:
AT&T plans to introduce a nationwide program today that gives owners of small- and medium-size businesses some of the same tools big security companies offer for monitoring employees, customers and operations from remote locations.
Under AT&Ts Remote Monitor program, a business owner could install adjustable cameras, door sensors and other gadgets at up to five different company locations across the country…
…Aside from helping to verify insurance claims, the system can detect break-ins, alert an owner if a boiler breaks down and monitor employees who “are just sitting around on the clock not doing what they’re supposed to be doing,” Mr. Roby said.
Suddenly, the lack of a view from my downstairs office seems like a lot less of a problem.
Why We Freelance
Every freelancer I know can point to a single, memorable moment when joining the ranks of the self-employed suddenly made perfect sense.
Like most, my “moment” was the result of a string of them; I was writing for an ad agency where promises to employees were routinely not kept. One day, one of my own Account Execs ripped me a new one in front of a client — for her screwup.
In the ad agency biz, it’s best to avoid fistfights with your own people in front of the client, so I simply turned on my heel and walked out.
After all, age doesn’t necessarily bring wisdom, but it does provide a useful backlog of experience. For me, this was one “experience” too many. I started packing my office later that day.
What was your bright, shining moment of clarity? Undergrounders, the floor is yours.
Keep writing, Tom Chandler.
(via Nicholas Carr’s excellent Rough Type blog)
I shoveled horse manure for a whole summer (actually, five, but that one was the worst), I trained green horses for jumping at a stable that pushed animals too hard, I taught horseriding to young children on those same, dangerous, unpredictable horses, and then decided that I’d rather walk away before seeing someone driven out in an ambulance (my point of view about children and danger fell on deaf ears). I faced a long, hard winter with no job, no hope of a job in a low-economy rural area, and my bank account was empty. So were my savings. I had two kids to feed, rent to pay, and I stared a long time at the welfare application.
My best friend said, “I wonder if there are writing jobs on the Internet you could apply for. You’re a good writer.”
The rest is history.
James Chartrand - JCM Enterprises | Nov 15, 2007 | Reply
My moment came 20 years ago when I was working at a DM agency as an Acct Exec. The owner wouldn’t consider me for a raise/promotion FOR A JOB I WAS ALREADY DOING. Reason? We don’t like to move our people ahead too quickly. You need more seasoning, more “grey hair at the temple” experience.
“Balls,” I thought to that. 6 months later I gave my notice. And because I have my mother’s great hair genes, 20 years later, I still don’t have much grey hair at the temples. :)
Roberta Rosenberg | Nov 16, 2007 | Reply
James: Good one. Big risk.
Roberta: I knew an SF Bay Area writer who filled a Creative Director slot for a year while the agency looked for “the right candidate.”
Naturally, he didn’t see a dime more for his 16 hour days, and they guy they hired to “do the job” was wholly incapable of doing so. Moral? When you hire a suit, you get… a suit.
Being as you’re talking two decades ago, was it really a “greyness” issue or was it simply that you were a woman? Back then (I’m being kind), the DM world was notoriously sexist.
Tom Chandler | Nov 16, 2007 | Reply
“Being as you’re talking two decades ago, was it really a “greyness” issue or was it simply that you were a woman? Back then (I’m being kind), the DM world was notoriously sexist.”
– Great follow-up question, Tom. Yes, there’s no question that the agency owner didn’t like women all that much and those he did hire were expected to um, know their place. (Sounds so antiquated, I know.) I wasn’t always bad about that ‘know your place’ thing. Still am, truth be told.
I was told later on, that my leaving was dismissed as “She’s leaving to get pregnant, start a family, etc.” Well, they were right, but I did that 5 years after I left ;=)
Roberta Rosenberg | Nov 16, 2007 | Reply
Correction - I WAS always bad about knowing my place. I always thought I deserved a great spot at the table.
Roberta Rosenberg | Nov 16, 2007 | Reply
I knew you were one of them thar troublemakers.
Tom Chandler | Nov 16, 2007 | Reply
I just remember being sat in an interview for a marketing position and my heart sinking when I was told there wasn’t going to be any writing involved.
When I got home I went straight on the internet to find what jobs I could get with my English degree, and have never looked back since. Being able to make my own decisions and be my own timekeeper has been a nice benefit as well.
Becoming a freelance writer has been one of the most life affirming things I’ve ever done. Hopefully one day my bank manager will think so as well.
Matt Ambrose | Nov 16, 2007 | Reply
For me, it was the day finally I worked out that the fabulously paid, bonus-tastic job in the marketing department of a major investment bank was actually earning me about £12 an hour. I still often work weekends and way into the evening but at least every hour is billable.
Clare Lynch | Nov 18, 2007 | Reply
The straw that broke this camel’s back was similar to yours, Tom. For a year I had a decent position in a graphics department, this was my dream job and perfect in every way. The company hired some hotshot manager who had it in for me from day one. He was the type of person who constantly made everyone else’s job difficult, took all the glory and blamed his mistakes on guys like me working under him. Of course upper management listened to their new golden boy instead of me, an employee with a good record they had known for the last year. Similar instances followed with the rest of the employees there and many people “lucky” enough to still have a job with this advertising agency suffered through rapidly deteriorating management on all levels.
Ah, but there is justice and I was glad I kept in touch with the friends I had there. This manager ended up getting fired for costing the company $15K in mistakes he made. And the icing on the cake? The company just closed their doors for good last Friday.
Harrison McLeod - JCM Enterprises | Nov 18, 2007 | Reply
I had a grad school experience that didn’t work out, and moved back to my hometown in 2004. I wanted to build up the freelance web design I was already doing, but I was afraid of going completely freelance. I was offered a job by my previous employer (I left on very good terms) but I couldn’t grow my own business; another previous employer offered me a graphic design position I was fully trained for, told me all sorts of lies, and after two months I quit. She took me on at single-digits an hour, then changed my position to work on the company’s scripted website “when I had time”, still for single-digits an hour. When I got tired of ignoring the memos, I left and decided I was sick of ignorant bosses telling me what to do.
(Now I have clients. Not entirely sure if the result is less stressful or not, but at least *I* can fire *them*.)
Danielle Signor | Nov 21, 2007 | Reply
I’ll never forget the advice of a guy at a recruitment agency I slogged my guts out for. On a two hour drive to a clients he asked me what I wanted to do with my life. I said I’d like to be a writer but don’t have a computer or any savings to get started. He said if it’s something you want to do, beg, borrow, steal and get that computer. So I mugged him and stole his wallet. Not really, but later that week I scoured the classifieds and bought the oldest / noisest old laptop from some guy who wanted to get rid of his now old laptop (it had a black and white screen and ran Windows 3.1!). As long as I saved everything as Rich Text Files, I could send work out to editors and magazines. Two months later, I got my first commission for a national newspaper. I’m now a copywriter for a digital agency.
Man I miss that recruitment agency…
kenobi | Dec 5, 2007 | Reply