Good afternoon, copywriters!

I apologize for not getting my blog out earlier in the day these past couple of weeks. I've had a lot going on...illness in the family...computers dying...trying to buy a house...getting my side businesses started.

I've been going to bed late and getting up early. It's taking a toll, so I'm starting to slow down.

I've been talking with a company called the Hypnosis Network about some writing projects for them. I've gotten some meaningful insights out of our discussion to this point, some of which might apply to you, so I hope you find this helpful.

First, do no more than one spec assignment per month, especially if you have other clients willing to pay you. I am always eager to pick up a new client who values quality copy. Sometimes you have to do some spec work to get a client like that, especially when you're new. This month I took on 3 projects with no up-front pay. One spec assignment for the Hypnosis Network...another spec assignment for a client I lost during my boozing days that I'm trying to court back...and another for a new product idea I pitched to a publisher -- and because I was the idea guy and I'll be doing the soup-to-nuts, they're giving me a very favorable profit split instead of a fee. Still, that's no immediate income, which can be stressful. Moral of the story? To stay sane, my end-of-the-year resolution is to take on no more than one project per month that doesn't have assured income.

Two: Ask for help. If you're stuck on a project, the first person you should go to is the marketing manager of the company you're writing for. The more questions you can ask the better. Don't worry about sounding like an idiot. They'll thank you in the end.

I don't know if you've read the comments by Demian Farnsworth under the "Embrace Failure" post a few days ago, so if you haven't, please do that now. Demian did a very smart thing by asking for help from a master copywriter when he had a question as to whether what he had written would work. This is smart, very smart. I am lucky in that many of the country's best copywriters are personal friends of mine -- Michael Masterson, Don Mahoney, Mike Palmer and John Forde, especially. But these guys are very busy.

Michael is always telling me I need to find a mentor as well as a protege. I have a smorgasbord of copywriters I can go to for help on individual projects, but no one to go to on a consistent basis. So, last night, I signed up with Chris Marlow to talk about coaching on a weekly or biweekly basis. It's expensive, but I have a feeling it will be worth it. Full report to follow.

Three: Embrace uncertainty. The best way to get to know any product you want to sell is to use it yourself. I bought a hypnosis CD from the Hypnosis Network to help me write their copy. It's called "Preparing for Uncertainty." I got more than I bargained for. Not only do I have a better understanding of hypnosis products, but after listening to the CD, I was much more relaxed. And instead of worrying about what the future will bring, I'm ready to enjoy the ride. Two thumbs up. Here's my affiliate link for Preparing for Uncertainty. I'd like to hear what you think about it, so I encourage you to give it a test-drive (comes with a 1-year guarantee). Personally, I think it's perfect for anyone facing uncertain challenges, like a new freelance career. I would add that people who haven't done some soul-searching on their own probably won't like it.

Until tomorrow! And as always, comments please.