I'm in the middle of pulling together my copywriting portfolio in order to create something spangling and attractive online for prospective clients, so I can dip my toe in the freelancing pond. Having taken a Marketing diploma, I'm procrastinating with thoughts about my target audience, market positioning, competitive enviroment and unique selling points. It's supposed to help the process of refining who I'd like to work with and what I'd like to do (or rather write about), but really it's an excuse to hold off just a little longer before taking the plunge. I'm unsure what's holding me back, the fear of the unknown; will I be out of my depth?
I don't know where the niggling worries of failure come from; I am experienced enough to know my own capabilities, but I am unaware of my limits. I have not come across anything yet that I've been unable to turn my hand to, but with the safety net of working within an established agency comes complacency. My portfolio highlights experience mainly in working within the cultural sector - copy for arts organisations and tourism marketing, writing what's on guides, event brochures and websites. But outside of the bosom of employment, is there enough work in this particular 'niche' of mine? Having started out in new business, (and again, studied Marketing), I am aware of the difficulties of breaking into new industries - will my particular portfolio work with me as a strong presentation of expertise in an area, or against me to suggest I am lacking in abilities to branch out?
I feel a few weeks of work ahead; finding different publications from various industries, rewriting and creating new copy for them, in order to present some versatility. A 'fake' portfolio, if you like. At the end of the day, real client or no, how else am I to prove my abilities. And who knows, maybe I'll discover a new niche for my writing style, or a gap in the copywriting market. I've just got to forget the fear, and dive straight in.
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