I made $0 from copywriting

My first 3 months as a copywriter, 

I made exactly zero dollars.

Nada… Zilch…

The kind of numbers that make accountants cry.

My bank account was looking emptier than a gym on Christmas Day.

And you know what I was doing?

Watching YouTube videos about "how to make 6-figures as a copywriter."

Reading every book on copywriting I could find…

Taking notes, Making plans. 

And dreaming big…

Everything except actually writing copy…

I was the equivalent of someone reading about swimming techniques while refusing to get in the pool.

(Spoiler alert: You can't learn to swim from your couch)

Then one day, my mom asked me how the "writing thing" was going…

I launched into my perfectly rehearsed speech about market research, positioning, and building my brand...

She just looked at me and said: 

"So you're not actually writing anything?"

Ouch.

That hit harder than a rejected pitch email.

But she was right…

I had fallen into the trap that kills most copywriting dreams…

The perfect preparation paradox.

You think you need the perfect portfolio…

The perfect pitch…

The perfect process…

The perfect niche…

Even the perfect moment.

But here's what I learned after finally getting my first client (and actually making money):

Perfect is the enemy of paid.

Your first client doesn't care about your perfect portfolio. 

They care if you can solve their problem.

Your first pitch doesn't need to be perfect…

It needs to be sent.

Your first piece doesn't need to be perfect…

It needs to exist.

Month 4? I made $400…

Month 5? $1,200…

Month 6? $3,000.

Not exactly yacht money, but a hell of a lot better than zero.

The difference?

I stopped preparing to be a copywriter and started being one.

I wrote bad copy. 

Then slightly less bad copy. 

Then decent copy. 

Then good copy.

Each word I wrote was a swimming lesson in the deep end.

So if you're sitting there right now, watching another "how to" video, 

Reading another book, 

Taking another course...

Stop.

Write something. 

Pitch someone. 

Get rejected. 

Try again…

Because $0 months only end when you begin.

To imperfect action, 

- Callan