EDITOR’S NOTE:
Annie Maguire is a talented copywriter.
“What do you know about your work now,” I asked her, “that you wish you’d known when you first started?”
“There’s no magic pill, potion, book, course, conference, or whatever that’s going to give you all of the answers or make you an overnight success,” she said. “So be patient, enjoy the ride, and stop worrying so much.”
Yes.
Copywriting is such a rich, deep discipline, after all. You can study it forever (which, in fact, is what you’re supposed to do). It’s a craft, a process. So don’t fixate on the end, the big payoff, as it were. Don’t obsess over it.
If you do, you might minimize your smaller accomplishments, your daily wins.
And those can be a source of great joy, too.
Yes.
Annie shares other great advice in her 536-word Micro-Interview, including:
The course she used to upgrade her thinking, process, and freelance rates…
2 copywriting books that deepened her understanding of the craft...
When it’s appropriate to be a “selfish” business owner…
And more…
Enjoy!
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Thank you, Annie.
Let’s get started:
1) “What’s your work routine?”
The night before a work day, I create my schedule for the following day. Every hour is accounted for, including client work, breaks, meal times, gym, errands, etc.
When I wake up, I know exactly what to do and when, allowing me to meet client deadlines and accomplish my own goals. Of course, there are days when the schedule doesn’t work out perfectly, but having it in place before starting work is a huge help!
In terms of a standard routine, I usually start the day by taking my dog to the park for about an hour. I come home, make coffee and eat breakfast, then follow the schedule I created the night before. I usually stop work around 4/5PM, go for a run, then cook/chill/read/write for the rest of the night.
2) “What do you know about your work now that you wish you’d known when you first started?”
That there are no shortcuts.
There’s no magic pill, potion, book, course, conference, or whatever that’s going to give you all of the answers or make you an overnight success.
Yes, those things are important, but achieving success is a process that takes time (and it never ends!). So be patient, enjoy the ride, and stop worrying so much. Just keep showing up, keep doing your best, and the rest will work itself out.
3) “What did your biggest professional failure teach you?”
I don’t know if I have a “big professional failure” — there have been ups and downs in my career, and I’ve made mistakes along the way.
But everything I've experienced and learned has helped me become a better writer, freelancer, business-person, etc. I guess the journey has only reinforced my belief that mistakes and failure are just part of business and part of life. So don’t worry when they happen — just reflect, learn, improve, and move on!
4) “What’s the #1 thing that has helped you shorten your craft’s learning curve?”
Because I spent the first 4 years of my career working at agencies (which tend to put more of an emphasis on the “creative” part of copywriting), I was really missing the insights/data-driven part that actually makes copy effective and persuasive.
So several years ago, I took Joanna Wiebe’s course, 10X Landing Pages, which completely upgraded my thinking, my process, and my rates, as a result. Now I can’t imagine doing my job any other way!
5) “What book has helped you the most over your career?”
Breakthrough Advertising by Eugene Schwartz and Ogilvy on Advertising by David Ogilvy.
Both books really helped me get a deeper understanding of my craft, especially when combined with other sources like Joanna’s course mentioned above.
6) “And your parting piece of advice?”
While it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day madness of juggling multiple projects at once, don’t forget to make time for YOU/YOUR BUSINESS!
Try to siphon off time each day that’s dedicated to learning, marketing, building an email list, writing your newsletter, creating products, or whatever it is that’s going to help YOUR business succeed.
You are the only person who is responsible for the rise or demise of your business, so be selfish with your time!
