Building My Copywriting Dream (Without Quitting My Day Job)
By Elizabeth Tiernan

Let’s be real … Not everyone can (or even wants to) quit their job to become a copywriter. And that’s okay. For many of us, the path to copywriting is a journey of strategic planning, gradual skill building, and patient progression. As a full-time educator with years left before retirement, I knew I wanted to make the career change from teaching to copywriting — but I also knew I needed a smart, sustainable approach to making my copywriting dream a reality.

It was nearing the end of another school year, and I felt “locked in” to my full-time job in the classroom. My marketing communications background was calling to me, though, whispering of opportunities beyond teaching. That’s when I discovered AWAI, and I knew copywriting was the right path forward — one I could pursue alongside my career as an educator.

Stepping Out of My Comfort Zone

I started exploring AWAI’s free resources and signed up for my first course, UX Copywriting. At first, I felt a little overwhelmed. But with each step, I grew more confident. The biggest transformation? Learning to say those powerful words: “I’m a writer.” And I realized I didn’t need to choose between my teaching job and my writing dreams — I could do both.

My moment of truth came unexpectedly during an art show at the school where my son was taking private lessons. While chatting with an acquaintance, I mustered the courage to tell her about my new freelance venture. The art school owner, overhearing our conversation, turned to me. “You’re a writer?” he asked. “I could really use some help with my newsletter.”

And just like that, I had my first client!

AWAI to the Rescue

Suddenly, I was running a real writing business and needed practical tools — fast. AWAI’s Essential Business Templates became my lifeline. I quickly found proposal and invoice templates that were professional and easy to use.

I wrote one article, then another, and my new client was thrilled. When he mentioned he wanted to improve his website, I was prepared. Thanks to AWAI’s Site Content Audits course, I completed a comprehensive audit on his site. I showed him his competitors’ strategies and made specific recommendations to improve readability and user experience. After completing the SEO Copywriting course, I also helped him improve his site’s search ranking.

A Leap Forward

I continued writing for the art school newsletter while diving deeper into AWAI’s courses. Case Study Mastery particularly intrigued me. I loved transforming an interview into a compelling customer success story. Winning the course challenge gave me the confidence to realize, I really am a writer!

I decided to take the leap and join Circle of Success (COS). I knew I needed the resources and mentorship to take my business to the next level. Meeting with a COS mentor helped me clarify where I wanted to go and map out my next steps to find more clients.

Networking and Persistence

I started to become more active on LinkedIn and reached out to friends and acquaintances from college and previous jobs. One of those connections was an old college friend who runs a small advertising agency. She was excited to hear I was a copywriter and said she would keep me in mind for future projects.

There were several almost-projects that never materialized, mostly because of her clients’ limited budgets. Instead of being discouraged, I focused on nurturing the connection and followed up every few months with friendly check-in emails.

Six months later, she contacted me about a nonprofit newsletter project. Consulting AWAI’s Copywriting Pricing Guide, I strategically set my rate to match her budget and get my foot in the door. My approach worked — she loved my article and began sending more work my way.

One of her clients was a builder who was trying to increase his presence with architects. I wrote some emails for him and found I loved learning about his industry. I decided to learn more about writing for B2B clients and once again turned to AWAI for their exceptional training. Taking B2B Copywriting Mastery, Sales Enablement, and White Papers expanded my skills and my confidence with three more writing challenge wins.

My dream of building a solid part-time copywriting business was coming to life. I knew I’d reached my goal when I completed a much-needed renovation project in my home — paid for entirely with my copywriting income!

A New Career Takes Off

That single conversation at an art show launched an exciting new career-in-progress. For those wondering if they can become a copywriter while working full time … you absolutely can. AWAI doesn’t just offer courses — they provide a roadmap for building your skills, gaining confidence, and creating opportunities that fit your life.

Whether you’re looking to supplement your income or prepare for a future career transition, there’s a path forward.

If you’re unsure where to start, my advice is just to start talking to people you know. Share what you’re doing. Look for ways you can help and ask if they know anyone who might need your services. You never know when an opportunity will appear, so tell everyone.

Because your next conversation might just be the beginning of an incredible journey.

DISCLAIMER: Elizabeth’s experience does not claim to represent typical results. Any writer’s success depends on many variables that are unique to each individual, including commitment and effort. Her story and results are meant to demonstrate what the most dedicated students have done and should not be considered average. AWAI.com makes no guarantee of any financial gain from the use of its products.