Start & Run a Copywriting Business (Paperback)

by Steve Slaunwhite (Author) "Being a self-employed copywriter can be a lot of things..." (more)
Key Phrases: copywriting tasks, copywriting business, seg funds, Steve Slaunwhite, Bob Bly, Alan Sharpe (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
There are many sources that can help you get started. Steve Slaunwhite's book...is particularly helpful. -- Wall Street Journal, April 26, 2002 --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description
* Learn the secrets of freelance copywriting * Earn top income working from home * Put your creativity to use

Corporations and agencies outsource most of their copywriting and need copywriters more than ever today—including for Internet marketing. Most copywriters cannot keep up with the demand for their services, and many make between $50,000 and $150,000. Start & Run a Copywriting Business is your essential guide to getting started and prospering in an industry that offers substantial income, flexible hours, and stimulating work.

This book will provide new copywriters and old pros alike with proven, step-by-step strategies on how to find and keep clients, complete common copywriting tasks, set up an effective office, and overcome the unique challenges inherent in this business.

Topics covered include: * Deciding if copywriting is for you * Mastering basic copywriting techniques * Getting started in the business * Setting rates and quoting on assignments * Tapping into top markets * Effectively marketing your services * Managing your work, time, and money * Troubleshooting and getting help

Turn your talent into dollars by learning to write ads, brochures, direct mail, websites, and business-to-business and e-mail marketing materials. Start & Run a Copywriting Business will show you how to write copy your clients will love.

The worksheets and checklists on the CD-Rom are included in MS Word and PDF formats for use on your Windows-based PC.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 231 pages
• Publisher: Self-Counsel Press; 2nd edition (June 30, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1551806339
• ISBN-13: 978-1551806334
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 8.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #247,202 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid Advice and Instruction for Aspirants and Pros, March 16, 2004

By	James Sadler (Plano, TX United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Start and Run a Copywriting Business (Start & Run a) (Paperback)

Give Steve Slaunwhite credit, while his writing style is not quite as entertaining as that of Peter Bowerman (author of "The Well Fed Writer"), he most definitely writes an informative and comprehensive book on the subject of freelance copywriting.

The book capably outlines the nuts-and-bolts of the business for both aspiring freelancers and established pros. Slaunwhite discusses everything from the equipment one needs (although the prices he lists are probably actually higher than what one will end up paying today) to finding clients and marketing your services.

Slaunwhite ably anticipates and covers many of the questions one who is considering the business might have. He includes a section with interviews of three other copywriters, notably Bob Bly (the inspiration for so-many other freelance copywriters), discussing the business and how they started and succeeded. He also goes one step further than many of the other books on this subject but providing a detailed discussion of the craft of copywriting, a subject frequently glossed over in other books.

My only real complaint with the book? The CD-Rom that is included is not what one would expect with the book. I had thought it would be packed with forms that were directly tied to the book. Instead it is a collection of helpful, but generic, general business forms. I suspect that this is something the publisher attaches to all their "start and run" series of books. I just wish they had been clearer about what the CD-Rom actually was.

I also wish Slaunwhite had collected all of his forms that he does reference in an appendix. Instead, they are scattered throughout the book in the chapters to which they are pertinent. But this is a relatively minor complaint.

All-in-all, Slaunwhite does an excellent job of explaining how to start and run a freelance copywriting business. His book ranks right up there with Bowerman's. I would recommend both to aspirants and pros alike.

39 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From soup to nuts - it's in here!, August 5, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Start and Run a Copywriting Business (Start & Run a) (Paperback)

This is an excellent book for those just getting started in the field or considering a move into professional copywriting. The author provides plenty of encouragement, including details of his own journey starting a copywriting business. At the same time, he doesn't gloss over the challenges of the profession. What emerges is an effective, realistic portrayal from a true insider.

As important as this information is, the book is at its best when the author dives into the nitty-gritty details of starting and running a copywriting business. He covers everything from getting that all-important first client, to pricing, to dealing with challenging customers, and much more. The book even includes many of the forms the author himself uses to organize and conduct business. This addition alone is worth the price of admission!

If you have any interest at all in this field, make buying this book your very next move!

37 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Takes up where Bly & Bowerman leave off..., May 13, 2001

By	G. Maxwell (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Start and Run a Copywriting Business (Start & Run a) (Paperback)

Slaunwhite has done an excellent job of capturing the basics of starting and running a successful copywriting practice. As with other books in this genre, the writer starts at the beginning talking about the ins and outs of the business and then works through to running a copywriting business of your own. Definitely a must for anyone interested in pursuing this lucrative field and a definite "keeper" for your freelance writing bookshelf.