How to pivot into freelance copywriting with no prior experience: A Student POV
Pivoting Your Career
Becoming a freelance copywriter with no experience
An Interview with Olivia Biggar
Creative Copywriter Course Graduate
by ilovecreatives
We often hear our community members share that they want to freelance but don’t know how to start.
If you’re currently navigating the realization that you want to pivot into creative freelancing, you might be asking yourself questions like: How do I land gigs if I don’t have any freelance experience? or Will anyone hire me if I’ve never worked with clients in this expertise before? (Or any clients, period??) When making a big career change, it’s so valid for the nerves to kick in! Throughout our courses, we teach our students not only the technical skills to thrive in their creative career path (ie. graphic design, copywriting, Squarespace design, etc.), but we also set them up for freelancing success. In the Creative Copywriter Course, we dedicate an entire section to Freelancing, which covers transparent conversations about rates, client negotiation tips, cold emailing, and pitching projects. We could go on and on, but why not hear it from our very own student? 😉
Meet Olivia “Liv” Biggar, a recent Creative Copywriter Course graduate (🥳) who has pivoted into a freelance copywriting career after 10+ years in e-commerce operations.
With zero prior experience in freelancing, Olivia has been able to land clients, currently working on projects with View Source and Shopwell Design, and build her copywriting portfolio within 3 months of completing the course!
Read our interview with Liv below, and learn more about her journey to copywriting and how course learnings became a catalyst for her blooming freelancing business.
Getting Creative Through Copywriting
ILC: You mentioned that you always knew you wanted to write professionally in your course testimonial! How did you realize you wanted to pivot into copywriting specifically?
Liv: When I was a teenager, I was pretty chronically online. I love the internet and have always been drawn to working in the digital landscape. I was also weirdly into entrepreneurship around that time. In high school, I took every business course that was offered and I was part of a club that traveled to do role-playing competitions where you would assume the role of someone like a marketing manager and give a presentation on something like a strategy to attract new customers.
Those two worlds collided for me when I started working for an e-commerce platform almost 10 years ago. I was exposed to so many incredible brands and organizations through that career experience. After doing a lot of pretty uninspired work, I came to the realization that I love the space that I was in, but I wanted to be more creatively involved. Copywriting is the perfect intersection between all of these things.
Olivia’s Student Work
ILC: Do you have any favorite written work that makes you excited?
Liv: The spec work I did as part of the course was a lot of fun. I ended up making visuals to accompany my copy, which made the whole thing come alive for me. I’ve reused a lot of what we were taught in the course to design my own mock clients and briefs which has been a powerful exercise to developing my writing.
Creative Affirmations &
Putting Yourself Out There
ILC: Have you ever freelanced before the course?
Liv: Never. I’ve romanticized what it would be like, but it was always easier to rely on my nine-to-five or to convince myself I didn’t have any skills that I could market as a freelancer. I’m happy to have proved myself wrong!
ILC: How has the course shaped your approach to finding clients?
Liv: It’s definitely reminded me that you have to be willing to put yourself out there, especially when you’re just starting out. I’ve relied on cold calling a lot for the connections I’ve made coming out of the course. At first, it felt a little embarrassing. I would compare the initial feeling to approaching people at a bar after coming out of a long-term relationship. Like, am I going to just give this potential client “the ick” by doing this? Mentality is so important with any goal you have. Now I understand that it’s all part of building my confidence and demonstrating genuine interest in working with someone. A little proactiveness goes a long way.
Note: Not only does course instructor Tasha Young teach you freelance essentials such as calculating your rate, negotiating with clients, and pitching to potential clients, but the course also comes with foundational resources, including a copywriter portfolio builder, creative process digital workbook, freelance copywriter starter kit, and project estimator. Plus, students will always have access to these tools and the resource library, which means they get to stay ahead as the copywriting world advances!
ILC: How has the course impacted your growth as a copywriter?
Liv: Feedback was the most significant catalyst for my success. Knowing my strengths and areas for improvement helped define my writing style and also gave me a place to grow. Otherwise, I would keep beating myself up over whether what I’m doing is “good enough.”
ILC: What advice would you give to fellow ilovecreatives students (or to any aspiring creative!) pivoting into a new career path?
Liv: Knowing yourself is half the battle. Consider what you like (and don’t like) spending your time working on, what your dream organization or client looks like, and the trade-offs between freelance and permanent placement… the more you understand yourself relative to the career side of your life, the less anxiety you’ll have throughout the process. And you’ll be happier doing it, too.
If you’re interested in the freelance copywriter life, you can enroll in the Creative Copywriter Course here! You can also find industry insights from real copywriters in our free Copywriter Job Directory resource (don’t miss out on all the deets!).
Freelancing “Post-Grad” 🏆
ILC: How has the job search been for you?
Liv: Right now, I’m focusing mostly on finding freelance work with the hopes of building a strong portfolio that could get me an in-house role with an agency I feel deeply aligned with. It’s been a flywheel effect for me which is to say that each new job or client I get, the more it seems to bolster my ability to find additional work. Overall, I would say it’s been extremely positive!
💭 BTW Liv's inbox is always open! If your food/beverage brand needs a copywriter, she would be excited to connect at hello@callmeliv.ca. You can also check out her portfolio here. And if you’re based in Toronto, she would love to meet you over coffee ☕
Making a career pivot is a huge decision, but you don’t have to feel alone in this new (and very exciting) chapter! We have course offerings beyond creative copywriting: social media management, digital marketing, 3D Blender, Shopify development, personal finance, video creation, and more. Browse our Course Directory to see our full catalog.
Are you also an ilovecreatives course student or alum? If you’re interested in sharing your student story with us, you can do so here! We would love to hear how you crossed paths with us during your own creative journey 🫶🌠
