r/copywriting

I just started out as a freelancer at a marketing agency. I noticed that I was started out with some client projects and was busy in the first month. Then, I think because of disorganisation there was a long silence before it was reviewed. Then I was asked to do amendments urgently, and now after some more adjustments my content is being briefed up in design and reviewed by the client.

So ive had a really quiet month and quite insecure about that with this being my first agency. I don't know if it's quiet cause I did a bad job or if it is just the pipeline of work, waiting till these things are finalised properly till I start something else.

Can anyone with agency experience clarify this for me? By the way it is quite a highly regulated and technical copywriting niche. It would be helpful to know if the work is usually inconsistent like this for freelancers, and if it is common for the client to suggest amendments.

Most copy doesn't fail at the hook. It doesn't fail at the CTA either. It fails somewhere in the middle. One specific sentence where the reader's momentum drops and they stop caring. Everything after that sentence is invisible. They keep scrolling but they've already left. I spent months trying to identify what makes that sentence different from the ones around it. Turns out it's almost always one of five things a momentum killer, a tension drop, a logic gap, an identity mismatch, or a vague promise. So I built a scanner that detects it automatically. You paste any landing page, email, caption, or sales page in. Select your platform mode. It scores every sentence individually, flags the ones killing momentum, and tells you the failure type and why it happened.

No signup. No API key. Completely free.

I tested it on my own copy first. Found a sentence in my hero section I had read fifty times without catching. The scanner flagged it in three seconds. Would love feedback from this community specifically *** copywriters are the hardest audience to impress and the most useful critics. ***

What's the worst breakpoint sentence you've ever caught in your own copy?

After graduating with a PPE degree from UofM in 2024, my plan was to go to law school. After working at a law firm for a little over a year, I've realized that law might not be for me.

In my current position I write various website content including SEO/AEO/GEO blogs, case highlights, employee bios, etc. I'd like to continue leveraging my writing ability and think that copywriting would be an excellent way to do so.

I have a portfolio, but it's limited to the content I just described + some of my stronger academic pieces (spanning various topics). I've been networking with people in the marketing/advertising industry, looking for ways to strengthen my portfolio + break into a copywriting position. They've recommended:

• finding voulenteer opportunities
• finding mock copywriting / creative briefs to respond to
• pursuing freelance work

In addition to these methods, I have considered starting a blog on substack, centered around my passion for fishing. My goal is to supplement my portfolio + demonstrate my writing ability (although, I realize being a copywriter involves more than just writing).

Of these approaches, is there one that stands out as most promising for someone looking to get started?

Any recommended resources to find volunteer / freelance work? Any resources / databases for mock briefs that I can respond to? Am I approaching this wrong altogether?

I'd appreciate any insights you're willing to share! Thanks in advance for the feedback!

So I know quite a few people might dislike this question, because I am sure it is not super easy to just one day wake up and become a copywriter. I am not asking that either, only what is the quickest way(s) I could make this happen and how long might that look like (2 months, 3 years, etc?). I can only explain how I feel, and ask, I lose nothing in asking. So at the moment, I really want to leave my job and have been considering getting into copywriting for quite some time now. Problem is, I just don't know exactly where or how to start that process, but also, a process that will truly give me an actual realistic chance of getting an entry position as a copywriter. I don't mind putting in some work and effort after I get home from my job, as long as I know that it will offer me a realistic chance of landing a copywriting position, otherwise I would just be wasting my time and energy for nothing which I'm sure anyone could understand.

Some brief researching in the past mentioned trying to start a project/assignment through certain sites like "Fiverr" or "Upwork", I haven't actually tried this and am not sure if you can just start an assignment with no prior experience at all or does that still require experience? Or how demanding are the deadlines on there? I heard mention of different online programs (I think probably my best bet) that I could take and receive a type of diploma/certificate that can possibly improve my chances (if so, any suggestion of any specific programs would be much appreciated). In an attempt to better conceptually grasp what copywriting looks like and what it entails, I've also tried watching various "a day in the life of a copywriter" videos to really see what it looks like, but they never fully show what the work and end result looks like. I'm guessing due to the security policies for the workplace in revealing sensitive information when recording these videos (which is understandable), they never actually show the computer screen at those moments. That part is unfortunate because I would better understand it, I could (and have) research online all day long of the description/definition of copywriting, or various online images of samples of copywriting, but it doesn't give me (personally) a full picture of what copywriting looks like. I need to see it firsthand, and from there, once I can see it and better understand it, I can then actually start writing some samples. That is just the best way that I learn. So if anyone happens to know of some kind of educational video(s) that is more in-depth and actually "reveals" what it looks like, that would be fantastic and extremely helpful.

Because of that, I'm hesitant to even start writing "samples" because my idea of copywriting samples might be so off that it's laughable. I also don't even have MS Word on my PC, only Notepad at the moment so I'm not sure how big of a difference (negatively) that might impact how my copywriting samples appear.

As I mentioned in the beginning, I want to switch careers because I have an interest in getting into copywriting, and because I am getting somewhat desperate to leave my current work. I am not asking or expecting to be one of those copywriters who are in the top 1% or 10% or whatever the % is that is making six figures. That is not what my current aim is, I mean if one day I get to that point, great, fantastic, but I am ok with getting an entry level position that could maybe pay me roughly the same that I am currently making (around 45K) or even as little as 35K and hopefully work my way up in pay with time and experience.

I am looking forward to any help.

Thank You

I've published a lot of content on Linkedin about website's hero sections.

Many website owners overlook its importance.

I see some who just have large images and no text (no alt text). Or copy that doesn't say anything. It even puzzles the visitor!

This section can help your website be more easily found in the search engine results.

Whether you're in the service business or you sell products, always think like this:

1. Say What You Are
2. Say What Makes Your Offe Different (of course, this will give you the most headache, but you can always outperform in certain segments- be it duration, swiftness, thoroughness etc..)
3. Mention Your Location (many websites omit this one! And it's VERY important for SEO, local SEO!)
4. Include a Memorable CTA (not Buy, Book or similar).Dare to put something else here.

Anyway, download this short PDF doc, a short e-book. I'm intereste to hear what you think about it.

On website's hero sections

Every project I take on, landing page, advertorial, presell page, ad scripts, starts with the same process. I don't touch copy until this is done. It takes about 3 hours and it consistently produces better results than any amount of creative brainstorming.

It's called Voice of Customer research. VoC. The process of going through hundreds of customer reviews, forum posts, and social media comments to understand how your buyer actually talks about their problem, what they've tried before, what they're afraid of, and what finally convinced them to buy.

Here's the exact process:

Phase 1: Collect the raw material (45 min)

I gather reviews from 4 sources:

• The brand's own product reviews (5-star, 3-star, and 1-star, each tells a different story)
• Competitor reviews on Amazon (same product category, this is where the richest language lives because Amazon reviewers are incredibly detailed)
• Reddit threads about the problem the product solves (search the relevant subreddit for the condition or pain point)
• Facebook group conversations (search for the product category in relevant health/wellness groups)

I aim for 200-400 data points total. Copy them into a document, one review per line. Don't summarize, keep the exact words. The exact words are the whole point.

Phase 2: Mine for themes (60 min)

I read through every single entry and highlight 5 things:

Pain language, how they describe the problem BEFORE finding a solution. Not the clinical version. The emotional, specific, real version. "I was afraid to pick up my grandkids" hits different than "joint discomfort."

Purchase triggers, what specific incident pushed them to finally buy. After months or years of dealing with the problem, what was the tipping point? Usually it's a specific moment, not a general desire. "My daughter's wedding was 3 months away and I couldn't walk without limping."

Skepticism patterns, what almost stopped them from buying. "I've been burned by supplements before." "I didn't trust the marketing." "The price seemed too high for something that probably won't work." These become objections the copy needs to address.

Outcome moments, not "it works great." The specific, tangible moment they realized it was working. "I woke up and my hands didn't ache for the first time in years." "I made it through a whole yoga class without having to stop." These become the proof elements.

Language patterns, specific phrases that show up repeatedly. If 30 people use the word "exhausted" but zero people use the word "fatigue," the copy should say "exhausted." Your customer's vocabulary is more persuasive than your copywriter's vocabulary.

Phase 3: Build the theme map (45 min)

I organize the highlights into 6-10 distinct themes, ranked by:

• Frequency (how often it appears)
• Emotional intensity (how strongly people feel about it)
• Uniqueness (is this specific to this product category or generic?)

The top 2-3 themes become the foundation for everything, the headline, the opening hook, the mechanism angle, the proof structure, and the CTA.

Phase 4: Match themes to funnel stages (30 min)

• Theme #1 (highest frequency + intensity) → drives the headline and opening of the presell/landing page
• Themes #2-3 → drive the mechanism section and proof stack
• Skepticism patterns → drive the objection handling and guarantee language
• Outcome moments → drive the testimonials and CTA language

The entire piece of copy is built on what the customer already told you they care about. Not what the brand wants to say. Not what the copywriter thinks sounds good. What the customer actually said, in their own words.

Why this works better than brainstorming:

I've done this process on 20+ brands now. The winning headline has come from the VoC data every single time. Not once has the brand founder's preferred angle matched the top VoC theme. Not once.

Founders think about their product the way they built it, ingredients, formulation, quality. Customers think about the product the way they experience it, through the lens of their pain, their fear, their specific Tuesday morning when everything hurt.

The gap between those two perspectives is where great copy lives.

This isn't my proprietary invention or anything, VoC research has been used in direct response copywriting for decades. The great DR writers all did some version of it. I just systematized it for the health and wellness niche because that's where I work.

If you write copy for any health or DTC brand, try this once. Even a shorter version, just go read 100 Amazon reviews for a product in your category and highlight the language that jumps out. You'll find angles you never would have brainstormed.

What would be your approach to writing a cold email for a very high ticket offer? These are often made out to a single person. Like for an example you are reaching out to retail brokers in an area individually for your service. What would your approach be?

1. Would you let the first email be just an introduction and greeting?
2. Or would you also put the offer in the first email itself?

been working on copy for a mental health therapy practice lately and it's a weird brief to navigate. you want the page to feel warm and human, like someone's actually going to understand you, but you also need it to do the usual conversion stuff. too clinical and it feels cold. too soft and it starts reading like a motivational poster. the approach that seems to work best is leading with the client's experience rather than the therapist's credentials. something like "you've been putting this off for months" hits differently than "we offer individual therapy sessions", - it meets people where they actually are emotionally instead of just listing what's on the menu. first-person intros from the therapist also seem to help a lot with trust. just a quick "hi, I'm [name]" moment on the homepage before anything else. keeps it conversational and mirrors how a therapist would actually talk in a session, which matters when someone's already a little guarded about the whole thing. there's also something to the pain-agitate-solution structure that works surprisingly well here if you're careful with it. it sounds manipulative on paper but when you're writing for therapy it's less about agitating and more, about validating - showing the reader you actually get what they're going through before you pitch anything. curious if anyone here has worked on this kind of copy and found a way to keep it feeling genuine without it getting too vague or wishy-washy. does leaning into specificity actually help in a space where people are already pretty guarded?

I recently quit freelancing and got a full-time job at a communications firm. I'm 3 weeks in and have 6 clients projects I've been onboarded to/I'm already working on.

The firm is very vocal about its use of AI and embraces it. I'm expected to churn out high-quality strategy and messaging documents in addition to copies fairly quickly.

When I was freelancing, the vast majority of my clients did not prefer that I use AI, so I've always limited my use.

I know how to use AI, and I'm still learning to use it more efficiently.

But how do I ethically leverage it? Any advice?

So what should I do what shouod I start learning and in general what are the steps for gaining copywriting skills

I've had to rework our cold outreach this year because response rates on things that worked 12 months ago are basically zero. The big ones I've dropped: the "quick question" subject line, and the two-sentence opener referencing something from the company's LinkedIn. Both used to land, both feel completely dead now.

Curious what other people have dropped this year that used to work. Not what you added, specifically what you stopped doing because it's not pulling anymore.

So yeh, i have been marketing a platform of mine and so far it did good with reddit posting

but lately i have noticed that i'm not getting a lot of ideas on what to write about next. I know, I know, this is a strategy problem, and i fairly admit that i'm not as good at content strategy as I am at writing or cro which is something that i'm working on right now.

but how do you handle that silence and lack of inspiration? Like, no matter how much you try to find ideas, they just seem gone

I know I can go to AI, but AI with reddit posting has never been good friends, so i try my best to avoid AI in anything in regard to Reddit.

i don't want to keep writing about the same "build in public" style posts because I noticed they started to get under the skin of some people

they did good, drove engagement and signups but i feel like if i continue this route it would just get more people hating us and that would tank our reputation since we are just starting out

there are some platforms this day who are still labeled as "spammers" even that they joined YC as well

so, i'm curious to know how you guys handle this

I’ve noticed I keep circling the same 3 places when I’m looking for writing work and I’m wondering if I’m missing anything.

Freedom With Writing is usually where I start. I mostly go through the weekly roundups and save anything that looks even remotely viable. A lot of it doesn’t pan out but enough does that I keep checking. It’s slow but it’s consistent and occasionally something real comes out of it.

Remote Writing Jobs is what I check when I don’t feel like sorting through vague or unpaid posts. Everything has a rate listed which honestly changes how I approach pitching. I’m more decisive because I already know if it’s worth my time.

LinkedIn is the most unpredictable. I’ve applied to things there and heard nothing but I’ve also had random posts or comments turn into work weeks later. It feels less like a job board and more like being in the right place at the right time.

That’s basically my loop right now. Not super strategic just what I keep coming back to.

Would love to know where people are actually finding paid writing work lately.

Posted them to my profile. Warning: I am not a graphic designer. But the taglines and concept are mine. Thinking about how to market Reddit, a few things seemed best emphasized. There's a lot of content, much of it's incredibly niche, and overall the community (mostly) doesn't take itself too seriously. So I decided to highlight actual Reddit content on various subreddits with some playful and self-deprecating copy. Let me know how I did. Thanks.

So many agency jobs have been slashed over the past 12-24 months that it’s creating a huge community of unemployed yet highly skilled and experienced agency professionals. And it feels like nothing is being done to help them or support them.

As an agency owner, I’m genuinely keen to help the talented people who have been laid off or made redundant lately. The best way I can think of doing that at scale is to create a community of available talent that helps to showcase their experience, skills and portfolios or showreels and connects them to brands, agencies and other talent who are looking for freelancers, partners or project support.

I’m not talking about building another LinkedIn 🤮, this would be a creative hub for agency people offering really useful resources and gateways to work.

I have a few ideas on how to build this community but I’d love to hear from you what features, content or tools would be most useful for you right now? What would make you want to join this community and how can it help you?

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Btw this is my first copy. I am 6 hours into the course and also done finishing this:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NaMKaQZC6OChFXu4ucnLbQxyEJRdavXg955EMsEqus8/edit?usp=drivesdk

Also guys, I know some lines are clunky. But I don't know how to fix them. What ro u guys do to fix it?