I recently attended the inaugural Copycon conference in Sydney run by and for copywriters and creatives. I’ve always walked between the worlds, so to speak – that would be the commercial and creative worlds – but found it difficult to be wholly focused on the business (read: invoicing/accounts) side of writing.

I earn my living working in corporate communications but spend my down time living the creative life, so I was curious about how people are blending the two, and earning a living.

There was a great line-up of speakers starting with the effervescent Kate Toon, event founder and chief cat wrangler (she said many wise things, so she’s getting her own post…Kate’s also got a new book out here – compulsory reading for copywriters). I particularly loved the sessions on Facebook Ads and SEO, so I may talk about them elsewhere.

My takeaways from the day (quite a few of which I tweeted here) were many, but I’ve decided to focus on five (because it’s much easier to remember five than 10, and actually commit to doing *or in the case of #5, thinking* them!). In no particular order…

1. Embrace the constraints on your time. Seriously. You know that old saying, give a busy person something to do and it will get done? Even though I’ve always found this to be true – after all, I’m never more productive than when I’m already busy – I often use busyness as an excuse not to do other things I need and want to do. Writer, editor, graphic designer, triathlete (?!?) Kelly Exeter believes (and knows) we all have spare slots in our diaries…so make that limited time work for you! If Kelly can fit in daily triathlon training, I’m sure I can write a novel chapter a week! (Oh, and sorry for stepping on your foot Kelly!)

2. Collaborate! The brains behind the Awards Agency, Melinda Leyshon, urged us to team up and work with big agencies (and each other), and to share in client success. Melinda has an amazing personal story of her transition into freelancing on the back of winning several business awards for her husband’s mechanics business. From there she has successfully carved out a niche helping companies write winning award entries.

3. Keep a tax savings account. And a log book. Think about GST. Sort your Super out. Karen Goad of Goad Accountants is a very sensible woman. While this advice may seem a bit ‘Freelancing 101’, it’s so obvious (and rarely practiced)! I certainly never kept a tax savings account when I was freelancing, it might have saved a few unnecessary heart palpitations around tax time every year. Oh, and don’t forget to pay yourself Superannuation. I know, so much adulting – why can’t we just create, create, create? I guess having a roof overhead and a crust of bread to gnaw on is important.

4. Find your niche – know what you want to write about (and what you don’t want to write about, the infamous ‘anti-niche’). True North Content’s Matt Fenwick advised us to combine personal likes and interests with your client base. Love property? Focus on real estate. Live for the latest lotions, potions or pots of age-defying remedies? Then health and beauty might be a good fit for you. Loathe finance? Avoid it like the plague. Etc. You get the idea…

5. No matter what you do…it will still be better than your client’s effort. That’s why they come to you. Sage words, those, echoed by Kate Toon AND Divine Write’s Glenn Murray. People will pay for expertise and experience. Professional writers experience the jitters too – this was quite validating to hear.

I’m pleased to say Copycon was such a rip-roaring success it’s going to be held again in 2018, so keep tabs on when and where over at Kate Toon’s website.