How to Work When You Want,
From Where Ever You Want and Make
Excellent Money as a Freelance Copywriter 

This course review originally appeared in The Changing Course Newsletter.  

I'm pretty picky about what resources I recommend to my readers. I won't endorse anything that promises you can "get rich quick" or that professes to know the "secret" of "fast, easy success." Hey, if you could really earn $1,000 a week stuffing envelopes at home, the American workplace would have emptied out long ago.

As much as we may wish for some magic answer, the fact of the matter is this: Changing course to create the kind of work and life you really want takes time, effort and commitment. Period.

Naturally then I was somewhat skeptical when the American Writers & Artists Institute (AWAI) contacted me about their course "Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting." Before I recommend anything to my readers I like to see it for myself. The AWAI was more than happy to oblige. In a matter of days, I received the entire course – almost 700 pages of material!

Before I launched Changing Course, I worked in marketing. So, I like to think I know a little about the direct mail and copywriting world. To say that I was impressed with the course content would be an understatement. It is highly readable, thorough, and on-target. In short, these instructors know their stuff!

The corporation I used to work for paid to send me to a 2-day direct mail course put on by the Direct Marketing Institute in New York City. The tuition was over $1500 and that didn't include travel, lodging and food. It was a good course but we mostly sat and listened.

Not everyone has an employer to foot the bill for a copywriting course. So I particularly liked the fact that the AWAI made their copywriting course affordable to those trying to change careers on a budget. I also like that the course is not all theory. You get lots of chances to practice your new craft.

I discovered from the course materials that you don't have to be a professional writer – or a writer at all – to learn how to be a top notch copywriter. In fact, if you can write a simple letter, you can learn to be a well-paid copywriter, earning your living from anywhere in the world you choose to be – a log cabin in the mountains, a London flat, a tropical island or the comfort and convenience of your own home office.

According to AWAI, top copywriters earn up to $200,000 a year. Of course, most make considerably less. Still, according to the AWAI it is not atypical for a good copywriter to earn $60,000-$80,000 a year.

Here is how the course is broken down:

Part I gives you a solid background into what it takes (and doesn't take) to be a successful copywriter.

Part II and III are your copywriting "primer." This is where you learn how to get going on your new copywriting career, as well as the important secrets you need to know before you sit down to write your first letter.

Part IV is what the course instructors call "The Money Run." Here you learn everything from A-Z about copywriting. You'll even write your first direct mail piece letter (with the entire American Writers and Institute Board by your side to review your work) – which could even
lead to your first paid assignment.

Part V is an in-depth look at the business of copywriting. This is where you learn to sell yourself to your clients and find out how to get access to the major players in the direct mail industry.

Part VI is where the masters of copywriting reveal what made them so successful.

You also get a separate book called Direct Mail Hall of Fame with samples of the most successful direct mail promotions ever. This is no flimsy add-on. This book alone is 178 pages long!

There aren't many people out there who can afford to just quit their job to learn a new skill. That's why I like the practical step-by-step approach this course takes. Since the course is broken up into 13 installments it can be fit into anyone's schedule. This 10 month course allows you to learn at your own pace without getting overwhelmed.

Finally, as I said earlier, I especially like that the course doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Not only is your investment a modest one, but the option to break the payments up makes it even more affordable. The first installment is $79. After that the course costs only $39 a month. That's less than a lot of people pay for cable television! And wouldn't it make a lot more sense to spend time doing something that can free you from "job jail" than watching other people trying to get rich quick on Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

Whether you're curious to learn more about launching a career as a professional copywriter or want to improve your writing skills to promote your own business, I encourage you to take a few moments to check out the American Writers & Artists Institute's Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting course.

If after seeing what the Institute has to offer you decide to take the course, I would love to hear what you think! And if you want to practice by writing some great copy to help promote Changing Course – I'd love to see it. Who knows, maybe I will be your first customer!

More Information

• American Writers & Artists Institute's Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting course

• Why I Like the American Writers and Artists Institute Courses

• Listen to my interviews with AWAI staff and students

Other American Writers and Artists Institute Reviews