How I Broke Into Copywriting (Without Connections or a Safety Net)

I’ve always known I wanted to become a writer. What I didn’t know at the time was what that would actually look like — or how I would get there.

Breaking into copywriting didn’t happen all at once for me. It came from taking small steps consistently, long before I felt ready. If you’re trying to figure out how to get started without experience or connections, here’s what that process actually looked like for me and what helped along the way.

Discovering Copywriting in College

I attended Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) online and earned my bachelor’s degree in marketing with a concentration in social media. I chose marketing because it felt broad and flexible. You can go into advertising, SEO, campaign strategy — or my favorite — content and copywriting.

Somewhere during school, I discovered what copywriting actually was. The idea that you could write for brands, businesses, and publications immediately clicked for me, and I started to see it as a real direction instead of just an interest.

The only problem was that I still didn’t know what the first step looked like — and that’s the part most people don’t talk about when you’re just starting out.

Starting a Blog to Build Experience

The first real step I took was starting my own blog on WordPress. It was small, free, and honestly a little messy. I wrote about motherhood, mental health, DIY crafts, thrifting, home decor — a little bit of everything.

But it was mine.

At the time, I was also pregnant, and that season changed how I thought about work. I wanted a career that would let me stay home and still be present with my daughter. Copywriting started to feel like a path that could give me that kind of flexibility and independence.

I didn’t know much about building a website, and it took me almost a year to fully create and launch it. But I kept learning as I went, one step at a time.

That blog became my first real proof that I could write consistently and publish my work — even before I had clients.

Moving Into Freelance Copywriting

After graduation, I was a stay-at-home mom. At first, writing was mostly a creative outlet, but eventually I realized I needed it to become a source of income too.

That’s when I started freelancing.

If you’re wondering how to become a freelance copywriter, my advice is simple: start small and focus on building experience first.

I joined platforms like Upwork and applied for beginner-friendly jobs — social media captions, email newsletters, and short blog posts. They weren’t glamorous, and they didn’t pay much, but they gave me something I didn’t have before: real client work.

Later, I moved to Fiverr, and that’s where things started to pick up. I began getting consistent orders for blog posts, product descriptions, listing copy, and captions. I was writing constantly, and for the first time, it felt like this could actually become a path forward.

I was making money.

But I was also starting to burn out.

The Burnout Phase (No One Talks About This)

Freelance copywriting can look exciting from the outside. From the inside, it can feel overwhelming.

On Fiverr, clients could place orders instantly, and turnaround times were often just one to two days. I was producing a high volume of content for low rates, and when I tried raising my prices, orders slowed down. That scared me because it felt like my only income stream was suddenly uncertain.

I started trying everything I could think of. I worked with a business coach. I tried finding clients through Instagram and LinkedIn. But every strategy I was following came from urgency instead of clarity.

That’s when I realized something important:

I loved writing.

I didn’t love chasing clients.

At least not at that stage of my life.

How LinkedIn Changed Everything

When I felt the most directionless, something unexpected happened.

A company reached out to me on LinkedIn after seeing the work I had been sharing there. They were hiring copywriters for their publication group to write articles for clients across different industries, and they thought I might be a good fit.

I interviewed with the recruiter and hiring manager — and I got the job.

For the first time, I had stability. A steady paycheck, benefits, and a team to be part of.

And I was still writing.

What I’d Tell You If You’re Trying to Break Into Copywriting

If you’re wondering how to break into copywriting today, here’s what I believe matters most:

• Experience matters more than perfection

• Small projects still count

• Platforms like Upwork and Fiverr can help you build early portfolio pieces

• Sharing your work publicly (especially on LinkedIn) creates opportunities over time

• You don’t need a huge plan to get started

  
  

It also won’t always feel glamorous. There may be seasons where you feel burned out or unsure if you’re moving in the right direction. But if you keep building proof of what you can do, opportunities have a way of finding you.

I’ve now been with the same company for five years. It’s not perfect. It’s fast-paced, and deadlines can be intense. But I’m doing work I care about — and I built the foundation for it myself.

If you’re in the messy beginning right now, you’re not behind.

You’re building.

And that’s exactly where I started.