Moneywriter: Content, Copy, and Cash

Winning with words.?

The more you write the better you get at writing. The more you read the better you get at writing. The more you travel, the more you study psychology, the more you understand marketing, the more you follow conventional thinking, the more you break with conventional thinking, the more you laugh, cry, study the classics, follow pop culture, speak to customers, partner with sales, analyze metrics, monitor trends, and test, test, test…the better you get at writing.?

But what’s more important to you, being better or being better paid? While the starving artist profile works for some, most people (eventually) put their financial security above their artistic ideals.?

When starting out, the first few years of your creative career are a test of your mental toughness. External stressors, like clients, account folks, and creative directors harden you to feedback. Then, your creative tastes mature and you’ll need to overcome the constant questioning of your own abilities. But it’s the final stage where the pressure is most intense: making the money to support your desired lifestyle.

Where do you, where do you go?

There are several creative career paths, and each offers a different mix of hard and soft skills, growth opportunities, and earning potential.

• If you go the agency route, you’ll get in the door making peanuts, possibly pull 6 figures in your 30s, and be ushered out the door just after 40—unless you’re at the very top of the food chain. Going this route will equip you with a strong understanding of the creative process, as well as campaign and messaging strategy, art direction, critical thinking, and presentation storytelling, not to mention the benefits of working alongside talented people from many departments.?
• For freelancers, experiences vary greatly. Work can range from intense concepting for a pitch to cleaning up projects gone awry. You could be asked to do research, develop content strategies, or interface with irritable clients, but the flexible schedule and highest earning potential for non–management-level creatives make this an attractive route. Two under-considered points include the need to self-check, challenge, and elevate the work, and the need to maintain a pipeline of work (e.g., planning, prospecting, and accounting).?
• Finally, there is the in-house route. It’s an environment that’s changed dramatically with the increased emphasis brands are putting on content. Here, the work can range from fast-paced, agile, and trendy to plodding, iterative, and ‘safe’. Compensation depends on the brand and market, but a steady paycheck and more predictable hours can be quite alluring.?

Where’s the money, Lebowski??

Across each of these avenues shines the need to demonstrate value—the higher the value-add the greater the paycheck. Here are three strategies to help increase the rates you charge or salary you command.?

Master your craft.

You are so much more than words on a page, but the quality and effectiveness of those words do matter. The stronger your chops, the more value you add. And as you may expect, the best of the best will be high earners—but for most people, there are diminishing financial returns after a certain level of competency. Once you’ve reached that threshold, generating higher earnings will require a specialization.?

Find a niche or two.

Before you can write effectively within a focus area, you’ll need to read. A lot. This helps you to learn and wield the language, to understand audience pain points, to keep up with industry trends, and to form your own points of view. It can also help you uncover niche sub-industries within the specialization. At this level, budgets and subject matter complexity tend to be higher while competition and the creative bar remain modest.?

Grow tangential skills.?

Cross-disciplinary development is a straightforward way to elevate value. Fortunately, books, podcasts, online courses, and LinkedIn influencers can help you gain a functional understanding of in-demand subjects, like digital marketing, messaging strategy, SEO, social media, and more. Conversely, creative skills are harder to develop without simply putting in the work. This means that your writing roots—and all the associated skills you’ve learned—will be what sets you apart. Remember, the more boxes you check, the more perspective you add and the higher compensation you can command.?

From small steps to giant leaps.

My career touched each of these channels, opening various doors along the way. Pursuing these opportunities took me across industries, disciplines, and even oceans. In one instance I learned how to focus on the details, while another helped me paint big pictures. Every threshold taught a lesson, added a skill, or revealed a new pathway. By vegetating in a comfortable little corner, you miss out on one of the most important tools of a successful writer—perspective.

As copywriters and content writers, we look at the world through lenses and translate what we see—audiences, their stage of the buyer’s journey, the emotions we’re looking to convey, etc. So, write, read, travel, study, cry, learn, grow…because you’re about to discover that for many, the non-artistic route is the far more lucrative art form.

The final word?

AI is changing the game. Learn it. Live it. Love it... but don't depend on it entirely. The technology is incredible and will revolutionize content creation, but the creative crème de la crème will always rise to the top. It's a tool, not a crutch. You don't have to fear it, but you cannot ignore it.