Comments on: Useful lessons for freelancers – #9: Volunteer Your Services http://www.kendallcopywriting.co.uk/useful-lessons-for-freelancers-9-volunteer-your-services/ Carefully crafted copy Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:12:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Russell http://www.kendallcopywriting.co.uk/useful-lessons-for-freelancers-9-volunteer-your-services/comment-page-1/#comment-2294 Russell Tue, 20 Jan 2009 22:36:00 +0000 http://kendallcopywriting.co.uk/?p=1130#comment-2294 Yup, good advice. It also holds in normal career change ... when you want to change direction, volunteer at something worthwhile as you get to take responsibility for things you could never hope for if you applied for a waged job. Definitely applied to writing work. Mind you, you have to be clear about deciding where freebies end and mortgage payments rule ... All the best. 8-) Yup, good advice. It also holds in normal career change … when you want to change direction, volunteer at something worthwhile as you get to take responsibility for things you could never hope for if you applied for a waged job. Definitely applied to writing work. Mind you, you have to be clear about deciding where freebies end and mortgage payments rule …

All the best.

8-)

]]> By: Leif Kendall http://www.kendallcopywriting.co.uk/useful-lessons-for-freelancers-9-volunteer-your-services/comment-page-1/#comment-2288 Leif Kendall Thu, 15 Jan 2009 07:26:55 +0000 http://kendallcopywriting.co.uk/?p=1130#comment-2288 Hi Natalie - glad you found some useful information here. As for contacting charities, in my experience the bigger ones won't be very responsive (the wheels of admin can turn very slowly) so you may be better off approaching small local charities. And if charities don't appreciate the value of copywriting then offer to help local businesses - or your friends' businesses. Start telling people that you are starting out as a copywriter, and that you're looking for opportunities to practice so will basically work for free. It's probably the best way to build a portfolio when you have no experience. I recommend you check Freelance Advisor (http://www.freelanceadvisor.co.uk/), who I also write for - they have lots of good advice for freelancers and in the next few weeks they're releasing a guide to starting out as a freelancer, which might be perfect for you. Oh, and have you read my post on creating a web presence? Now's a good time to start. And get business cards from http://www.moo.com - and if you're in Brighton pop along to the Brighton Farm (http://www.brightonfarm.com/) to chat to some friendly freelancers. Leif Hi Natalie – glad you found some useful information here.

As for contacting charities, in my experience the bigger ones won’t be very responsive (the wheels of admin can turn very slowly) so you may be better off approaching small local charities. And if charities don’t appreciate the value of copywriting then offer to help local businesses – or your friends’ businesses.

Start telling people that you are starting out as a copywriter, and that you’re looking for opportunities to practice so will basically work for free. It’s probably the best way to build a portfolio when you have no experience.

I recommend you check Freelance Advisor (http://www.freelanceadvisor.co.uk/), who I also write for – they have lots of good advice for freelancers and in the next few weeks they’re releasing a guide to starting out as a freelancer, which might be perfect for you.

Oh, and have you read my post on creating a web presence? Now’s a good time to start. And get business cards from http://www.moo.com – and if you’re in Brighton pop along to the Brighton Farm (http://www.brightonfarm.com/) to chat to some friendly freelancers.

Leif

]]> By: Natalie http://www.kendallcopywriting.co.uk/useful-lessons-for-freelancers-9-volunteer-your-services/comment-page-1/#comment-2286 Natalie Thu, 15 Jan 2009 07:13:26 +0000 http://kendallcopywriting.co.uk/?p=1130#comment-2286 Hi Leif, Great website, blog - everything! I am (quite literally) just starting out in copywriting with limited experience and no certificate saying "I'm a copywriter". My contact book is empty, likewise my bank account. But I really want to do this. I NEED to do this! Any pointers much appreciated. Found this post on working for charities to build experience very interesting. Who (and how!) should one approach? Thanks in advance, Natalie Hi Leif,

Great website, blog – everything! I am (quite literally) just starting out in copywriting with limited experience and no certificate saying “I’m a copywriter”. My contact book is empty, likewise my bank account. But I really want to do this. I NEED to do this! Any pointers much appreciated.

Found this post on working for charities to build experience very interesting. Who (and how!) should one approach?

Thanks in advance,
Natalie

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