How I learned writing the hard way

Newsletter Overview

• My Story

• Why Writing

• How I'd learn writing again. [step-by-step]

• Avoid these mistakes

• Something free for you!

In 2024, I worked as a copywriter in a content agency from July to December.

I was the ghostwriter behind the founder of a multimillion-dollar startup [Can't take his name here but you might have seen him].

Apart from writing for around 2 hours daily, I also managed a team of 3 copywriters. I used to review their reel scripts and help them write better.

This might sound great, but there's more to it

The first thing I realized after getting into the job was

I don't even know a thing about copywriting and I was like -

What the hell! how am I gonna write well?

How am I gonna deliver scripts that'll work?

I started writing content anyway and soon I started doubting myself

[serious level of self-doubt] because we're not getting any results…

I stopped posting content on my page, got stuck into a creative block, overanalyzed everything, and ended up exhausted with no progress.

I decided to leave the job because the job used to push me into a dark place,Also, exams were coming, and I needed to focus on my content

Overall, if I want to rate my journey from July to December I'd give it 6/10.

If I look back there are a few things that I would've done differently if I had the knowledge that I do now

I will cover everything in the letter step by step

• Why Writing

• How I'd learn writing again. [step-by-step]

• Avoid these mistakes

• Something free for you!

Why Writing?

We can argue all night about how AI will take the job of writers but…

I don't think it can replace writers anytime soon

That being said, why should you even care about writing?There are many answers to this question but let me ask you a simple one…

Have you ever noticed YouTube videos, Ads, Emails, Reels, Websites, short-form content, and newsletters have something in common?

Writing.

Everything that you consume online is made by writing at some level.

So, If you want to create good content, learn how to write well.

Here's the exact step-by-step roadmap I would follow if I start over

[In fact, I am still following this]

But you gotta put in the work, I promise you, there's no other way

If you're ready to do that, this roadmap is for you.

How I would learn to write from scratch [5-step process]

1. Write something

Most people consume content but never pick up a pen and paper to start.

They're afraid of what others will think (when they have only 10 views).

They think they're not good at writing (but how will you get good if you don't start?).

So start writing something first - it could be your journal or an idea you want to write about.

2. Write 2-3 content pieces every day

Now that you've started writing, I want you to create consistently 2-3 times/day.

It could be an X post/thread, a LinkedIn post, or just a thought.

But hold on—this is not your final post or piece of writing. We need to refine it.

So, think about how you can refine it.

Can you rewrite it so that a 4th grader can understand?

Can you rewrite it in Jordan Peterson's style?

Can you make it more concise or descriptive?

These are the types of questions you need to ask yourself after you're done with the 1st draft.

3. Read books and watch good content

Read books on copywriting and consume podcasts or videos about writing.

Execution is the most important thing but nothing without education.

So educate yourself on the skill [any skill by the way]

Aim to read 1–2 books every week, constantly apply what you learn in your writing

This will teach you more than any course.

4. Breakdown 2-3 content pieces every day

Good content comes from good consumption.

Similarly, to write good copy we need to see how good copies are written

and since there is no "one right" way to do this, we're gonna look at things that are working.

Breakdown sales pages, content, tweets, articles, etc

But Samarth, from where do we get these to break down?

It's pretty simple - Start with the people who you watch the most!

5. Post it online

If you want more opportunities and impact. Please post it online!

Avoid these mistakes

• Writer's block

Writer's block is when you're trying to write something, and it just doesn't make sense or doesn't feel right or what people might think about it and the biggest of all — will this even perform?

It's very easy to get into this trap of making things perfect. You just need to be clear, not clever while writing

Forget how good will it perform or not. Just focus on the topic you're talking about!

• Getting paid low

If you learn this skill and plan to monetize it through a job or freelance gig, always charge what you're worth.

One of my biggest mistakes this year was not figuring out the true value of the work I was doing. It was only after I left that I found out an intern was getting the same salary as me, which was disheartening.

So, if you're just a fresh beginner — do it for free

And if you're doing this for a while now — charge your worth.

• Ego

Believing you’ve mastered a skill can pull you down like an anchor.

When I joined the team for the first time I thought I knew everything but soon I realized I didn't. Now, the more I learn, I feel the less I've learned till now. So, don’t think like you know everything because you don’t — copywriting is huge and there are so many things that we don’t even know yet.

Remember, there's always room for improvement!

I will cover a lot of things related to content creation, self-improvement, and, my journey in the upcoming newsletters.

Speaking of improvement, I’ve started a free community for like-minded individuals to come together, share, learn, and grow with each other.

If this is something you’ve been looking for, simply reply to this email with the word "community".

I hope this was helpful, I will be releasing more such newsletters on other topics as well, so don’t forget to sign up if you haven’t.

Thanks for reading till the end!

Best,

Samarth