#JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE CRITIQUES YOUR WRITING DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW THEIR ADVICE EVEN IF YOU ASKED FOR CONCRIT

[lord-squiggletits]

The thing about writing advice is that generally the people who insist the hardest that "you HAVE to listen to writing advice or else you're just some stupid kid/loser who will never get better and thinks they're better than everyone else" are the ones that are mainly into writing critique to huff their own farts and feel as if they're intellectually superior, or think that babbling out some sort of half-assed vaguely analytical critique actually counts as critique.

In fact, I might even venture to say that writers (particularly ones who are young and/or only doing it for fun) shouldn't worry about asking for criticism at all should simply write as much and as often as possible, because when you're young and passionate and inexperienced the best way to learn is to just keep practicing again and again, not to get your hopes squashed by a bunch of pretentious strangers online giving you "critique" that may or may not be actually good.

And if/when you do decide to take criticism on your writing, please for the love of all that's holy take criticism from people that you know, and those people should be generally intelligent, insightful, creative, and kind. Can't stress enough that getting bad critique from a bunch of strangers who barely know you or your work <<<<<<<<<<< getting critique from one or three trusted people (friends, beta readers, teachers, professors, etc) who actually have your interests at heart and know what kind of writer you want to be.

[blommp717]

I try to follow what you are saying, but I find your content confusing, and based on some of your repeat asks, I’m not the only one. The way you explain ND could use improvement, in my opinion. Maybe it’s because English isn’t your first language or because your understanding of ND is more theoretical than experiential—it seems like both. This is fine, but have you considered improving your English (or teaching in your mother tongue and paying a professional translation service?) and actually living in the ND state of being (not just reading or watching videos about it) before attempting to teach in a language you seem to struggle with? You could be more successful and less misleading.

There’s a lot of misunderstanding and inaccuracies in your writings, and your pinned post gives the impression that you aren’t the type of person to humbly take advice and cultivate self-awareness. Which in and of itself doesn't really reflect what one would expect from a guru or someone who has reached a profoundly deep nondualistic understanding and wishes to guide others. You seem bothered by critique or questions that you haven't already read the answer to. Maybe you could sincerely cultivate Self-awareness of how you are appearing to people who have genuinely experienced the ND state of being, not just an intellectual understanding, and those who have not. Maybe I’m wrong (I very well could be), but it seems like you read about it but haven’t actually had experiences beyond reading and thinking about it. It feels shallow and without real rooting in experience, not just theoretical knowledge. This is just a humble observation from another seeker on the path, so take it with many grains of salt. May you find equanimity and authentic awakening and be of genuine assistance to others. Peace.

I most definitely think you’re coming from a space of aggression instead of actually trying to inquire firstly, moving forward. I don’t really get how people asking questions is an indicator of me not knowing what I’m really talking about as opposed to people learning to accept how easy it is. Allot of these people come from LOA so they think there’s a process, they think there’s work to do, so having such a drastic shift will obviously not feel easy at first 🤭and secondly I’m baffled about the language comment, I have zero clue what makes you think that kind of stuff is okay to say to anyone, regardless of if it’s true or not, please seek some humanity and get it together. You don’t want to be saying all of that b.s to the wrong person. I reallllyy hope you don’t act like this in person with anyone.

Alright so, to what the actual focus of your text should have been.

If you notice, my pinned post was allot more recent than when I started posting, it was more of a response to someone claiming I’m giving false hope and that explaining the idea of “manifestation” alongside non-duality is wrong. Which I’m literally not, im not sure if your truly following up on what I’ve posted because I make it very very clear since the beginning and almost in every post with a long ask that I. Am. Not. Teaching. You. How. To. Manifest. There’s absolutely no such thing, it might look like it and feel like it but it’s not. I even have a post where the entire thing is me talking about why there’s no such thing as manifestation. And I have zero clue where you got any of that information about who I am as a person from that post alone when all I’m stating is how I’m not going to stop helping people? 😭😭

I think another confusion people who “enter” NonDualism have is they think awakening is real. You told me to reach a state of ND being or the State of ND which I’m not really sure what you mean by that because it doesn’t exist. It’s sadly time to burst the bubble. There is no awakening, if you truly understand nonduality, there is no journey, there’s no goal, there nothing that you can do to achieve enlightenment because it doesn’t exist, these are concepts and ideas self realized to give the “self” and “I” a reason to exist. I perfectly well understand what nonduality at its core is and have hundreds of what I’m sure people would call “succes stories” with it. My old posts have plenty of explaining as to what, just, no duality states regardless of getting what you want. How can there be a journey? There is no self thst has a journey, just ideas and thoughts spinning together in a flurry and naming it “self”. You don’t exist.

And for you, you want to understand no duality? I’m going to try not to be cryptic but here we go. You can’t and neither can I , no one can understand and seek, you’re not a seeker and there is no path, this is the truth. And no one can have a journey because there is no identity in any of this, there is no self as a person, there is no “me” on a “path”, there is no “one” here who understands anything. It’s all self actualizing thoughts making it seem like there is a journey, the “I” or what people call ego, needs purpose to exist. It feels like a threat when everything is dissolved. The idea that there is more to do, will be true for as long as you pretend it is. And without the false idea of a journey this “self”or “me” loses its purpose. It can be “hard” to accept but truly it doesn’t matter because the nature of existence will not change. Think about it why does the idea of something higher, a bigger step, some grand moment seem so enticing? And for who does it seem so enticing for? The false identity, the “me” the “self”. It’s just another story. You might sit and be, it may lead you deeper into sensations in the body and most likely a “profound” sense of understanding, but quite honestly if your looking for a tiny spark of magic to keep you going on and thinking there’s even more and even more to experience, it would be absolutely useless.

You are already all, whats there to find

Understanding nonduslity is realizing, how can any of this be more grand if there is only one, how can more be achieve if there is a constant state of nonduality? How can the illusion reach a higher state… the higher state is also just illusory, the self, body and world is just illusory. You as everything are pretending to be a person pretending a self and pretending that this person is also self and needs to understand and reach more profound states of being.

This is how “manifestation” is possible. There is no one and nothing “happening” all there appears to be is what you appear as, it’s hollow, almost like a projection. This can’t be turned off, you appear as all there is and as long as the body is here thoughts will appear, ideas will appear, visualizations will appear, you take it as just thinking or talking to yourself or daydreaming or predicting what might happen next, but that’s all what “manifesting” is. In every timeless moment (instant is not fast enough so I say timeless) stories are realized, you take it effortlessly as how your life is. Simple things like how you expect your parents to respond to you not picking up their phone, or what kind of day at your gonna have at school to literally everything, it’s constant, it’s everything, it’s always “on”. Your luck, the compliments you receive, how things work or don’t work out for you, all of it. This is not just life as it is but the entire “manifestation” it’s an experience of what “it” (you) appears as. And if all is what you are and the appearance relies on the perception of the appearance, then perceiving any type of story like, having brown eyes but you want blue. Okay, “I have blue eyes” this is not an affirmation, this is a truth, this is what “ “ (you) now appear as, timelessly, and needing proof or evidence is useless as it puts the attention back at “has it changed it”. If you understand its all you, you also know needing evidence or proof is truly completely useless. “But I checked the mirror and my eyes are still brown” with what understanding did you move to the mirror with. An expectancy of brown eyes? Hmm.

Well I think this is getting long winded, I’m not gonna make this even longer than it is, hopefully you find some clarity in this and I strongly urge you, before making random comments or being just rude, ask yourself with what state of mind am I moving forward. Do I really need to say it this way? Because truly, I’ll remain here doing what I do, I’m incredibly grateful that I can be able to help so many people so it brings me a sense of joy (though unreal 🤭). But I hope you understand there is a proper way to question and criticize, and well, your claims feel like they were based off reading 2 posts and calling it a day 😭😭. Anyways I actually will thank you regardless, I’m sure many people can learn from what you’ve initiated me to explain, have a great life, I hope to see you come again in future posts 🫶🫀🪷🪷☀️

[marshmallowprotection]

About your post regarding ocs, you are so right. And to that anon or anyone who reads this, your advice was so top tier and should be followed 100%

I mean that's the beauty of writing, is it not? It doesn't matter how crazy something seems if it brings you joy at the end of the day. Besides, some of the best characters or oc x canon fics I've ever read are ones that are so self indulgent. A lot of people love the same ideas, so to read it in someone else's work is always fun and exciting!

My cmc for example, she's for Saeran too. She's literally a run away princess, and yes it still follows the Canon ish plot of the game. Why? Because why not! It's fun! All of my cmcs are pretty out there tbh...And sure I may post my work, but it doesn't matter If anyone reads it or even if they have critiques on it.

That's honestly what I love about your page, you post a lot of stuff that others probably wouldn't just because you like to write for enjoyment. Your passion truly shows, and you have a great talent for writing. I also love how devoted you are to Saeran, it's nice to see other people who never lost that love for these characters. I grew up with them, I don't think I'll ever stop loving them. My cmc and Saeran story will literally always move forward, and I love seeing yours and reading them.

I do think the best lesson anybody can learn is that when you're creating something, you should be creating it because it's something that's fun and you enjoy doing it. If you're creating things because you want to make others happy and not yourself, that's not going to end well.

It's a good thing to want to make other people smile, but it's more important to make sure that you are taking care of your needs, too. You have to remember it's important to love yourself just as much as it is to love the people around you.

Sometimes, the best characters I've seen somebody create come from a place that people might consider “cringe or embarrassing.” Well, there is no such thing as cringe and people should be having some fun. I don't care how preposterous or ridiculous an idea is for your character, if you like it and you want to have fun with it, go for it! The only thing that matters, in the end, is that you are making things that make you happy.

If you want to know the best way to learn how to enjoy the things you create, art, writing, or whatever you do, then you need to let go of trying to please other people with the things that you create. You need to think with yourself in mind first and foremost. If you are doing that, then the people who are genuinely interested in that will come around eventually.

Sure, it might take some time, I know it's genuinely taken me a long time to get to the point that I'm at! But, because I've spent so much time focusing on writing things that make me happy, I feel a lot better than I did a long time ago when I was only trying to please everybody else. When you are happy with what you are creating, people can see it. People can see your enjoyment in your words and your creations.

I don't know how to describe it because it's just a feeling you get when you see somebody who's putting everything into something.

Creating things that make you happy shouldn't be done because you want to be popular or receive attention, not that there's anything wrong with wanting that because everybody wants and deserves validation in some form! But, if you are making something because you wanted to boom in popularity and you're not deeply invested in that very creation, you're only going to burn yourself out and just feel miserable in the process.

That's why I'm so happy to write stories that make me happy. That means I’ll spend a few weeks working with my CMC! I’ll write her a story where she and Saeran can be happy and unlearn their trauma and it makes me giddy to see their world in print. Or! When I’m really feeling self-indulgent, I’ll go even further and write a self-insert story about myself and Ray.

Bonus points to me for when I write something I know that nobody but me and maybe three other people are going to read, but I'm writing it because I want to see what happens! It's good to want feedback and commentary, but it's just as important that you're having fun in the process of creating.

All of my ramblings aside, I hope that if anybody can take anything away from my rambling, it's that they need to enjoy what they're creating and have fun with it.

[zutaraplatter]

Avatar: The Last Airbender Critique

There are already a million of posts like this one, and I might be saying things that’ve already been said a million times but I’ve recently become reheated about the ATLA ending and wanted to let it out -_- No one asked, this is true, and this may or may not be a way to stall from this final project I still have to complete, but here’s 10 things I didn't like and/or would change about the show that likely shouldn’t need changing because they should have been done in the first place.

1. Katara should have apologized to Sokka after TSR

It should have happened and it didn't. In my canon-avoiding mind, Katara and Sokka have a heartfelt conversation where she apologizes for the awful things she said, Sokka says he forgives her and he's sorry if he wasn't as there for her as much as he should have been, which he follows up with "but I'm happy you listened to Aang and took his advice," leading into my next point

2. Katara should have said that not killing Yon Rha was her choice

And thats why it was the right one. Not because Aang already said it was wrong. No no. It was the right choice because that's what she chose. I love my mom to death and can't imagine losing her in any way, let alone the way Katara did. And I can't say for sure that if I was in her shoes that I know what I would have done f that yes I do I would have killed that motherfucker. But I also know that if Katara decided not to kill him, then that was one of two correct choices because they were Katara's choices to make. Not Aang's or anyone else's and this should have been clarified. I know it's a kids show but I said what I said. Next point.

3. Katara should have said more after telling Aang she was unsure at the Ember Island Players

Katara hasn't had any trouble saying how she feels, especially when it comes to helping others and making them feel better, whether she was right or wrong. But she holds back or overly softens blows and seems to even shrivel up at times when it comes to Aang. And me no likey. I had a boyfriend who I adored and admired and just genuinely looked up to. I'm also a shy and anxious person who hates confrontation, but because I loved him, I never refrained from telling him when he was wrong. I might have been a little shaky about it but I did it tho because when you want to be with someone you walk through the grass and stomp through the mud. And I personally feel like either in that moment or later on in an added scene that Katara should have voiced to Aang how unheard and disrespected she felt about his words before TSR and his actions on the balcony. I hate being uncomfortable and my secondhand embarrassment is toxic but I would love to see a scene of this. I always imagined Katara saying stuff like "But I'm not you Aang, and I'm not an Air Nomad," or "Zuko could understand why I needed to go, and I'd hoped you would too," or...I'm out of ideas but you get the idea. And you know what, I know I'm a hard Zutara shipper, but them having this conversation would honestly make me respect their relationship a whole lot more should it be believably written to end on a good note (I don't see how it could be but hey I'm an open minded person and I did think they were cute together once upon a time). Basically, all I'm saying is that Katara is no small voice and she should have been written that way when with Aang. Boyfriends can make you shy but should never make you weak. Period. Next point.

4. No rock! ONLY GROWTH!!!!!!!!!!!

I still squint my eyes whenever I remember that rock that unblocked Aang's chakra. What even was that? The laziest writing possible in my opinion. That's what. And Aang deserved better. What should have happened should have been that Aang started to lose to Ozai. And then as Ozai's about to deliver the finishing blow, Aang has flashbacks of everyone he's trying to save and honor, ending with a very prominent flashback of Katara with the guru's disembodied voice reminding Aang to let go of his attachments to become all he needs to be...then BOOM! Baby boy is back on his feet, chakra unblocked, he kicks Ozai's ass, I'm crying hysterically on the floor, as are the rest of us, and he wins. Then at the end of the series, instead of a kiss, he gives Katara an apology. She accepts, everyone else comes to join them on the balcony, cinematic group hug, camera pan into the sun. I don't know lol. Basically what I'm saying is that Aang did not deserve some deus ex machina. He deserved to grow and become his best self like everyone else got to.

5. Aang should have heard differently in The Storm

Katara is a very fate-minded person and this is when I saw potential for her to become a toxic character in regards to Aang. When he admits that he ran away from home 100 years ago, Katara tells him that that was basically a good thing because he was meant to be here and now. Like...no? What Aang did, though understandable for someone so young, was still wrong. Yes he would have maybe been killed but I'm like 10000000% sure they had a plan to protect and evacuate the literal avatar. And what was technically "meant to be" was a new avatar. But hey, what's done is done and kicking Aang while he's down is a no-no in this household. But that doesn't change the fact that Aang needed and deserved honesty. Maybe the fisherman could have said this, I don't know, but I feel like Aang should have been told by someone that although running away was wrong, it's a blessing he and Appa were able to survive and be able to help save the world now with his amazing friends found-family. Maybe this is too harsh, and maybe even outright wrong, but I felt like Aang deserved a truer answer here to support and comfort him.

6. MAILEE!!!!

Do I even need to go into detail?

7. Spiritual sigh*

Don't make me go into detail -_- I will say though that although Aang and Katara are both amazing individuals capable of earth shattering things, they were not a healthy fit for one another. This is evident in the original series and especially in their children from LOK. They both deserved the best but better than one another.

8. ZUTARAAAAAAA

This is a Zutara blog you KNEW this was coming, as it should. There's just too much. There's too damn much. I would give a real paragraph to this too, but, I mean, there's already so much proving that this was the pair. Fics, metas, rants, this site. Scroll through my blog or any of the ATLA related blogs I follow and...dude. These two were meant to be together and I'll mourn the narrative brilliance WASTED for no good reason every day for the rest of my life. No reason these two shouldn't be married with three kids. sob. I will take this part to say thank you to the amazing fic writers that gave Katara, Zuko, Mai, and Aang what they deserved that the writers didn't have the guts to give them themselves. Next point tho.

9. AANG AND ONJI

Good God almighty. Why not this? WHY NOT THIS? I'm putting on my bullet proof vest and I'm going to say this; Aanji is cuter than Zutara. Now before you scorn me or whatever, let me explain. Zutara for me is like steak. No. Chicken parmesan. I like chicken parmesan better. The point though is that Zutara is savory. You know? I don't see them as cute, I see them as Obviously. Aanji on the other hand is like a bag of my favorite candy. They are like a brownie. A cookie. Girl Scout Samoas!...I don't know what words are anymore. This post got way out of hand. I guess what I'm saying is that for Zutara, I scream, but for Aanji, I squeal. I hope that makes sense. But here's the main point I want to make. Onji never knew who Aang really was. And Aang was always, at his core, himself. She very obviously had a crush on Aang for his personality and that was crazy cute and frankly preferable to Katara's "I...guess he is." (you know exactly what I'm talking about) Anyway, I kept wanting more of them together. I wish all the time that we'd gotten to see her again, with a more fleshed out character and all. And in the way that I imagine the show should have gone, she could have been the perfect love interest for Aang, during this episode or way later, even in the comics! Another WASTED opportunity for greatness and I will, again, never recover T-T

10. Iroh get your ass back here

Maybe this is a misguided critique but I hated that Iroh just left Zuko alone in the fire nation at the end of the series. Baby was in trouble in every sense of the word and Iroh was just like "See ya! You got this nephew." I'm expected to believe that? I'm expected to accept that? No no no. He should have at least stayed for a few years to help Zuko stay upright and, you know, alive. And by "upright" I don't mean "good." I just mean been there to support him because Lord knows he needed it, at least in the beginning of his reign. It was cute that Iroh was able to settle down with his own teashop after all those years of violence and mourning and running and this and that. I was more than happy for him for being able to have that peace finally. But I still think it could have waited a little while longer so he could support Zuko.

That's it I guess. I know not everything I've said makes the most sense in one way or another, but I enjoyed putting it together all the same. Thank you for reading and have a great day. I'll go finish my final now.

(Edited for a typo)

[barefoothooves]

i don't follow specific hoof care method pages mostly bc i found after a lot of time spent in them that 1) they give me severe anxiety and 2) the online community surrounding specific hoof care methods has really gone downhill and is filled with mostly amateurs that think they are qualified to give advice. and it's scary because they know just enough to really fuck up.

i've also moved away from giving critiques bc while i am perfectly qualified to give advice since i am a Real Professional Farrier, i don't know the whole story from a picture, and for all i know the pictures im being shown are the best the feet have looked in a long time, the product of unfortunate weather, or at the end of trim cycle that was longer than it should have been. i have horses that i trim whose owners don't follow my recommendations on care or trim schedule, and i would be upset to find out someone was judging my work based on those images. that wouldn't be my best work, because in those cases im not being *permitted* to do my best work. wouldn't every farrier be thrilled if their clients just did as they asked and let them trim as often as the horse truly needed it, but that's not how this business works.

there's also the whole matter of movement vs form and how many horses with absolutely horrific looking feet move fine. is it worth it to have perfect form if you are sacrificing soundness temporarily? depends on the situation honestly. there are some times that i would say a little body soreness is worth it when you're making changes on a really neglected foot, but for the average horse with sort of average-bad feet? probably not. not only does bad movement lead directly to bad hoof form and additional soreness without extra protection, but it also means the farrier can lose their job and the opportunity to actually help a horse in the long run. but knowing exactly how much to remove and how often that will need to be repeated to improve form over a period of time is tricky and not an exact science. there isn't a nifty formula to plug the numbers into. i find most methods to be on either extreme of this debate, and i think both extremes are wrong when applied to every horse. each horse is an individual case with many factors, and every hoof is its own case as well. the art and the science of hoof care is finding the balance of "everything is as short as it needs to be" but also "everything is as comfortable as it can be." that's not easy sometimes, and it requires constant judgement calls based on book knowledge, but also on the known history of the horse and how they have reacted to everything you've ever done for them.

this goes for environment too. the popular trim methods are developed based on horses living on terrains far different from the average domestic horse. we can learn a lot from feral and wild equine hooves, but i do not agree that they are the epitome of form or soundness in every case. trimming a foot not living in the desert as though it has lived in the desert its whole life is often going to give you a lame horse. climates like my own, that fluctuate constantly between bone dry, hot and humid, and sopping wet are particularly difficult. the hoof doesn't get a chance to become acclimatized to one environmental factor before the variables change again. you sometimes have to change how much foot you are taking or leaving every time you see a horse. you have to know what kind of weather is coming. you have to know what sort of ground the horse lives on and compare it to the ground the horse is expected to work on, while also balancing specific issues with each foot AND the likelihood of the owner actually following your recommendations.

and i know we all like to pretend that money isn't a factor in how hooves are cared for and that farriers (and vets) do this ~because they love it~ , but farriery is actually my job. as in i can't pay the bills if i don't do it, my animals don't eat if i don't do it. my level of employment depends on my quality of work, but even THAT is dependent upon more than my own standards. the client also has ideas about what they think hooves should look like, how much hoof i should take off to earn my money, how much they are willing to do to promote healthy hooves, and so much more. would i ever do something i am patently against just to get the money? no. would i compromise with owners, bend my plans slightly, and work toward a long term goal of better form and soundness instead of my preferred goals because it means i get to eventually see the job done but also because i won't get fired and lose money? you betcha. that means what i want to do and what i actually do aren't always the same, but i make sure neither are harmful to the best of my ability.

i don't really know why im writing this, other than im often asked what method i subscribe to and what books i recommend. seeking out things like that is not a bad way to start learning, but i don't think you can trim every horse with one method. i've tried to do so with several methods over the years, and it didn't work. the best thing you can do is know your anatomy, perfect your tool handling, and trim/shoe to the anatomical structures as best as you can in that particular situation given all the factors above. that's all any farrier can do. and it looks a little different every time.

[ontheoddoccasioniwritestuff]

have you got any tips for upcoming writers to being noticed? the amount of followers I have doesn't largely affect me, but i was just wondering because I do want people to enjoy my content. Is it bad that my blog is a side blog?

Wow, that’s actually very sweet to ask me for advice. I’ll do my best!

- Most people find fics through searching for the tags (not following a blog) so tag the shit out of your writing, tags relating to the characters, the actors and franchise they come from. 

- Frequently posting often gains attention. When I started, I posted one fic everyday then progressed to two before going back to one. That and the recency/popularity of Dunkirk and its cast helped out with boosting it.

- Taking requests helps too because you’re listening to other people and adapting their daydreams onto page for them. 

- Finding a good time to post is key for your followers seeing your stuff. When a lot of people are online, usually in the evening, that’s when you should post.

- Don’t be afraid to reblog your work multiple times so that people in other time zones get to see it.

- Make your work accessible to as many people as possible when writing the reader or Y/N. Gender neutral pronouns includes all genders and having a WOC instead of a white woman can mean a lot to someone. Remember that not everyone is a skinny white girl (not bashing skinny white girls but lord know there’s gotta be more representation in our fics).

- Try different formats: oneshots, blurbs, drabbles, simple gif requests, preferences, a series, whatever floats your boat. 

- Get to know other writers! Seriously, the people whose writing I’ve read are my friends now because we got talking about our love for characters, shows, films, the stuff we write our fics about. I trust my friends to proof-read my stuff and critique it for me, to help me brainstorm and do the same if they need ideas to be checked. I would love to meet so many people on here, they’re all such amazing people as well as writers. 

Just some bland advice: If you don’t feel comfortable with a request, don’t write it and respond to the request saying you won’t be writing it because of that (people will understand). Tag triggering content. Read other’s fics and leave likes, reblogs, comments, stuff that you would want. Be kind to your readers and yourself.

If you have a fic you think I’d like, tag me in it or send it to me! I love reading and (once I have read it) I’ll always leave a comment telling you my thoughts.

It isn’t bad at all that your blog is a side blog; it doesn’t affect your writing ability in any way and it means you can use your main blog to promote your work to people who follow your main but not your side. My friends @lowdenlowden and @deathbylowden are side blogs and both are great friends of mine who write incredible content.

I hope this was helpful! Thank you for asking and I hope you get 

[topicprinter]

Quick about me: I make a living as a copywriter. I do pretty well. I set my own schedule and make plenty for my family and I to live comfortably (wife and 1 year old daughter). My whole schtick is targeting rational audiences with copy that is logically compelling. I want people to act in their best interest. No manipulative bullshit. I've been able to generate fantastic results for my clients, so this somewhat contrarian approach seems to be working.Yesterday I replied to the thread asking what everyone does and mentioned that I was a copywriter. I got a ton of DMs asking for information about learning how to do this.When the first one came in, I was about to start writing an article for a site I'm working on where I hope to help people write better copy. In my head I've always been more focused on helping other entrepreneurs, but there is no reason the advice couldn't help people become copywriters.Since I needed inspiration for the article anyway, I went ahead and wrote one answering that first person's question. By the time I logged on reddit last night, there were a bunch more people asking the same thing.And today I had great feedback, including someone telling me to post it here. So here goes...How To Become a Copywriter, Even If You Are Starting With No ExperienceCopywriting can be an incredibly rewarding career.I mean, the list of pros are pretty damn great:You set your own scheduleYou can work from anywhere that you wantThe upside earnings potential is in the millions (for truly top-level talent)Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows.You’ll have to put in a lot of work before you earn a decent income. In the absence of a boss telling you what to do, basic tasks can feel overwhelming and hard to get done.And setting your own schedule isn’t the same as working 4 hours a week and still making a living.But again, the long-term upsides are fantastic if you can get past the initial hurdles.I’m assuming that’s why ‘how can I do that too?’ is the most common response when I tell people what I do.So here’s the deal…If you’re going to do this, I want you to do it well. The world doesn’t need any more half-assed writers churning out content because they think it’s their ticket to working by the beach in Thailand while sipping frozen drinks and lounging in a hammock.There are dozens of other guides out there that will teach you how to get low-paying writing jobs with no experience at all. They’ll make it abundantly clear that you can start with absolutely no writing skills, and then remind you of the future riches you may earn.You can follow their advice, but you’ll get stuck in the rat race. Thousands of other people are reading those same articles that all rehash the same tips and tricks. They then flood ‘freelancer sites’ like Upwork and Guru and Fiver, wondering why they’re stuck toiling away with extremely low-paying jobs.So instead of teaching you the quickest way to make money by telling people you are a copywriter, I want to show you how to actually become a good copywriter.There’s a big difference.First things first…What the hell is a copywriter, anyway?I suppose the simplest answer is just someone who writes copy.But that begs the question, what exactly is copy?If you look around the internet, almost everyone defines sales copy as the writing used to influence someone to make a sale. They’ll then dish out overused tips to write ‘ridiculously persuasive’ copy.This view is too narrow. Writing great copy is more than just knowing how to write a persuasive sales page. It’s more than creating a compelling VSL. I’ve given this a lot of thought, and here’s a definition I’m comfortable with:Good copy is the written implementation of a business’s marketing and branding strategy.But what’s the difference between good and bad copy?Here’s another area where I disagree with the definitions used by many people.Most people care about ONE thing: did it convert? Are my sales higher, now?I personally think there are THREE important components of good copy. It should be:ProfitableHonestSustainableYes, it does need to convert. That’s why I listed profitable up top. But I also think it should be honest and sustainable. Honesty is something you won’t find mentioned much when discussing copywriting, but I consider it a cornerstone of what I offer.There’s just way too much bullshit in the world. You can lie, trick, and deceive people to make money if you want. You can even generate massive returns in the process.But I’d personally feel like shit doing it.AND you can make just as much money, if not more, by being honest.This leads directly into the third criteria, sustainability.Your typical copywriter is entirely focused on making money in the present.They rely on what people call a ‘salesy‘ approach. It works for their goal of short-term cashflow, but it’s also unappealing to the majority of people who read it.The result is that you slowly lose (or simply don’t gain) authority and trust.While these approaches may generate great returns at the beginning, they also ‘cool’ the majority of your market. You may quickly capture a few percent of your potential customers, but you also lose the other 98% in the process. Call me crazy, but I think copy should both sell now and set the business up for future success.This isn’t too much to ask. It takes more work. It takes more time. But it’s doable, and the result is a sustainable business with fans, not just customers.Now that all this is out of the way, let’s get back to the question that started this section. But let’s add a small but important word…What the hell is a good copywriter, anyway?A good copywriter is one part writer and one part marketer.You’ll need to develop the skills of both if you want to be effective. You’ve probably seen people say that you don’t need writing skills to be a copywriter.Or you may feel that you are destined to be a great copywriter because you are a good writer.Neither one of these views is correct.While you don’t need the best technical skills (grammar, punctuation, etc..), you still need to be good at capturing an idea with words.The better you can do this, the more successful you will be. But being a great writer doesn’t mean you’ll be a great copywriter either.You need to back those skills up with an equally impressive set of marketing abilities.Even though I’m technically a copywriter, I have helped many businesses formulate their entire marketing strategy.But I don’t have these skills. How do I get them?If you don’t have these skills yet, I wouldn’t be worried at all. Most people who are practicing copywriters don’t even have these skills!I recommend that you begin by devouring information relating to these topics.There are a handful of books dedicated to copywriting that are a good place to start.Keep in mind, you don’t have to agree with someone to learn from them. Many of the books that I have read on these topics have information that I disagree with, but it’s still useful for understanding what other people are doing.Some good general copywriting books are:The Boron Letters by Gary HalbertThe Copywriter’s Handbook by Bob BlyThe Adweek Copywriting Handbook by Joseph SugarmanSome good marketing and ad books include:Scientific AdvertisingOgilvy on Advertising by David OgilvyInfluence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert CialdiniOn top of this, I also recommend that you start reading philosophy.I majored in philosophy in college, and it has honestly contributed more to my success as a copywriter than anything else that I’ve done.I developed a keen understanding of the power of words and the importance of word choice, but I also learned how to structure arguments in a logical and rationally compelling way. This has been invaluable. Finally, you can also read all the articles I post here on this site. I’ll be working hard to publish new content weekly, and it will all be geared towards teaching people how to write better copy and market more strategically.If you agree with my anti-bullshit stance, you may find what I have to say worth reading.As you consume all this information, take notes and put what you learn into practice.I practice by critiquing almost every ad and piece of copy that I see, much to the dismay of some of my family members.When you begin to pay attention, you will find that we are literally bombarded with advertisements. The opportunities to practice are endless.When an ad captures your attention, think about what strategy being used to sell the product or service. How could this have been done better?When you read a webpage, pay attention to the feelings and desires that it evokes. Look at the copy and try to find the strategy behind their words. Do you think they have been effective? Would you have done things differently?And when you find great copy, capture it and keep it in a ‘swipe file’ to return to later. Take pictures, screen shots… whatever you need to do.Getting ClientsI think the biggest problem with most ‘how to become a copywriter’ guides is that they simply tell you how to get your first client.If you take anything away from this, let it be this:If you want to be successful, you need to treat copywriting as a business.In other words, you need a plan that covers the following:What is your value proposition?Are you going to target a specific niche? What about a specific type of copy?How will you get the attention of potential clients?How will you make them aware of the value that you provide?What can you show them to make them trust your claims?How will you complete the sale?How will you grow?This doesn’t have to be sophisticated.Before launching this website, I ran the majority of my business through email.I don’t even have any personal social media accounts.I simply send emails to businesses with bad copy. I provide outstanding service, then ask for referrals after a job well done. I use samples and social proof to gain their initial trust, and all invoicing is done through Paypal.I’m still using this system, with an added layer of the website on top.And right now you’re probably thinking, Yea, but what about Client 0!?I get it.Getting your first client sounds daunting. But you can literally do this through cold emails.Your odds of success are dramatically increased if you can prove your abilities though.It’s this catch-22 that trips so many people up. You need experience to get jobs, but you need jobs to get experience.Businesses don’t want to hire people who don’t have any experience. There is too much risk.But you know what there are a lot of in this world: businesses that are starting with ‘bootstrapped’ budgets. People who have great ideas, but no money to launch big.If I were starting out all over again, these are the people I would target.And I’d work for free.I can feel the future shudder of the people who read that last line. It goes against almost all the business advice you’ve probably heard.Never work for free.People will only respect you if you charge them money.And on and on and on.Here’s the deal.You can go ahead and waste hours and hours on Upwork. Apply to low-paying jobs for businesses that are trying to pay as little as possible. The vast majority of your proposals will be rejected. Worst of all, your reputation is publically on the line and you have to deliver, no matter how difficult the clients you get are.But if you’re smart, you’d be spending that time sending emails instead of proposals. Most people starting businesses are desperate for help. They just don’t have the money to hire people. Be friendly. Explain your situation. Offer to write their copy if you can use it as a portfolio piece.There are plenty of forums online dedicated to startups and entrepreneurs. Go there.Look for people starting businesses that sound like a good idea. Tell them what you like about what they are doing and why you are willing to help for free.You may even be getting in on the ground floor of a successful future business. And odds are, these clients will come back to you with paid work once they are making money.And if they turn out to be assholes, you can just quit working for them.So let’s recap. The competition is lower. The people are more grateful. They can relate to your position because they are also struggling for recognition (which you will help them with). You’ll get portfolio pieces AND future clients.Doesn’t this sound better than spending all day writing proposals to job posts that probably won’t be answered?That's the majority of the article. You can also find it here: http://ift.tt/2lzCwkS is the first time I'm linking to my site publically, so go easy on me!