Harlan Ellison & the copywriting business of doom
Published: Fri, 01/01/21
Which prompted a reply from the great Bob Bly.
Specifically, he sent me a link to a YouTube video of the late firebrand writer Harlan Ellison raging like an inferno feeding off some kind of mutant rocket fuel cooked up in a secret government lab about the evils of clients and publishers expecting writers to write for free.
Bob then sent me another link after that.
This one, to an interview he did with Harlan back in 2004 for Writers Digest.
And in that interview, Harlan went even more balls-to-the wall on the subject.
And the whole time, I kept thinking to myself, how the whole writers (and when I say “writers”, I am talking about copywriters”) not getting paid what they’re worth, not getting their due credit, not having their copy ran without 19 idiots all trying to edit it until it turns into something that barely even resembles what the copywriter wrote when it goes out into the market place, fails, and the copywriter is summarily blamed… disappears if said copywriters simply did one thing differently.
Just one thing, and it all changes.
Do this one thing — starting today — and the entire thing switches.
What is that one thing?
Don't be the copywriter anymore, and be the client instead.
In this case, be your own client.
i.e., create your own business, cheerfully write all the copy, and greedily keep all the sales.
It’s the single most valuable piece of advice I can impart on you if you’re a newbie, or onto your long term financial piece of mind if you’re a seasoned copywriting pro and are getting a bit nervous about how the freelancing game has completely changed since the 80’s and 90’s.
Or so I hear from folks competing in such an arena, at least.
Enter my 10-Minute Workday program AWAI sells.
I admittedly don’t work a “10-minute” workday anymore.
My ambitions have far exceeded the limitations such a lifestyle imposes.
But, I still use the overall structure of how I built & now run my operation in that program.
No, it ain’t magic.
And yes, it does take loads of grueling work & time to set up.
New product junkies take note...
But once you get it up and going, you can either be your own client full time, or have a sort of “hybrid” business, where you have both client work coming in plus sales from your own offers ala copywriters like the late Gene Schwartz did.
However, it ain’t for sale right now.
But, if you:
1. Go to the URL below
2. Hop on the waiting list
You’ll soon get access to more info on it.
And, if it looks like something you want to do, you’ll be able to buy it.
More:
Just for getting on the waiting list at the URL below, you will immediately get a free copy of a short report I created just for those interested in this topic called:
“The One Sentence Business Plan”
And whether you buy 10-Minute Workday or not, it can get you started off right.
Here is the URL:
https://www.EmailPlayers.com/awai
Ben Settle
P.S. Before you go there, something to think about about from one Wangyal Rigzin, who told me a little while back;
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To keep it short CURRENCY! I don’t think many people living in the western world realize this but when you’re out here in the “jungle” it is very difficult to convert your local currency into US dollars!(legally)
Currently, in my country (Bhutan), the limit is $3000 per year. The blessing your course and other copywriting courses from AWAI gives me is the ability to freelance and create an income cashflow from anywhere in the world in any currency! That is more important than actual quantity of money itself.
hope all is well with you out there Mr. Settle!
—Wangyal
(10 minute workday student)
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To hop on the waiting list, go ye here, and be quick about it:
https://www.EmailPlayers.com/awai