Arianna Pittman is an advocate, environmentalist, and a freelance copywriter who has produced a remarkable body of work, over 700 pages of compelling, persuasive copy for clients around the world. 

Huge thanks to Arianna for giving her time and talent to create this Micro-Interview!

In only 386 words, you’ll learn:

• The secret to productivity...

• A different, better way to handle failure…

• The benefit of blogs and podcasts over books…

And more...

Thank you, Arianna.

Let’s get started:

1) “What’s your work routine?”

I spend the first 30 minutes or so enjoying a cup of life fuel (coffee), reading through emails, and planning out my day. Then I work on larger or more difficult from 8:30 a.m. until about noon, which is when I break for lunch and take my dogs on a short walk. 

My creativity starts to dwindle in the afternoon, so I use that time to work on smaller projects. By around 4:30 p.m. I'm pretty spent, so I wrap up the day watching training videos. 

2) “What do you know about your work now that you wish you’d known when you first started?”

Oh man, where do I start? Haha! I learn something new every day, to be honest. And every time I think I "get it," I realize that I still have a lot to learn. 

But I do wish I would have done a bit more networking early in my career. 

3) “What did your biggest professional failure teach you?”

Don't let failure discourage you. 

Yeah, I know...easier said than done, right?! Writers pour everything into their work, so when a client says they don't like what you wrote, it's hard not to take it personally. 

Instead of looking at it as a failure, think of it as an opportunity to learn. 

4) “What’s the #1 thing that has helped you shorten your craft’s learning curve?”

Probably my writing mentors. 

I had a pretty awesome professor that stayed connected with me long after graduation and gave me tons of great career advice. My other mentor, a former creative director, is still my go-to person when I need advice on how to tackle a freelance project. 

5) “What book has helped you the most over your career?”

I'm more of a podcast and blog type of person. Books are great, of course, but I love being able to digest small nuggets of information throughout the day. 

It's crazy how a single blog post or tip can completely change the way you think about writing. 

6) “And your parting piece of advice?”

Keep it balanced. 

I find that I'm way more productive when I give my brain time to reset throughout the day. Take a short walk, chat with someone for a few minutes about non-work stuff, whatever works for you!