Good Copywriters keep good company

Here I am again, adding more meat to the bones of ‘40 freelance copywriting survival skills‘.

If you haven’t read it, it’s full of common sense; most of it learned the hard way over three-and-a-bit decades of copywriting – and a big chunk of that freelancing.

Point 29 says, ‘Whether virtual or physical, keep good company – learn from the best and ignore the naysayers.’

Here’s the thing:

1) Your clients pay you for your expertise.
2) They need to believe in you.
3) This means you need to believe in yourself.
4) Everyone has an opinion, especially on social media.
5) Unfortunately, much of it is negative.
6) Negativity undermines self-belief.
7) Constructive, thoughtful criticism bolsters self-belief.
8) So it’s important who you hang out with.
9) Because good company leads to good habits.
10) And habits are the foundations of your life.

If you work in the creative industry, it’s easy to slip into a downward spiral of imposter syndrome. There are hundreds of other creatives who have more experience, shinier portfolios and heavier trophy cabinets.

Don’t compare yourself to them, but listen and learn from them.

You are where you are now because of where you came from. Where you’re heading is determined by the course you decide to take now.

So, march forward, chin up. Fill your noddle with the wit and wisdom of those you admire. Believe in yourself. Ignore anyone who tries to drag you down (while listening closely to how you can make improvements) and as Frank Sinatra said, do it your way.

And don’t forget to enjoy the ride.

Jonathan Wilcock (that’s me) is a Senior Freelance Copywriter.
You can drop me a line here, or email jonathan@sowhatif.co.uk