If you're thinking about using a copywriter (or becoming one), it is critical to realise that there is more than one type of copywriting and more than one type of copywriter.
Different writing projects require different skills, and writers evolve different skillsets, whether deliberately or simply as the natural result of their working experience. So the conditions 'copywriting' and 'copywriter', although simple-sounding, in fact encompass a variety of specialisations and features. This post lists a few of the most typical types of copywriting and copywriters.copy
Note that some of these copywriting disciplines have parallel job titles/descriptions, and others don't. For example, while 'SEO copywriter' is now a recognised work title, I've by no means noticed anyone describe themselves as a 'long-duplicate copywriter'. Also, be aware that some of these labels are flexible - while there will vary strands within copywriting, the distinctions between them aren't always so clear-cut as my headings imply, and folks might use these conditions in various ways.
The freelance copywriter
The freelance copywriter writes in any medium directly for clients, usually operating as a sole trader or one-person company.
Businesses and organisations need a broad range of things written: websites, brochures, case studies, item descriptions, consumer manuals, pr announcements, presentations, internal files and more. While many will simply use internal useful resource to have the writing performed, many switch to a freelance copywriter to greatly help them out.
Freelance copywriting is generally managed on an ad hoc, job-by-job basis, even though some clients perform strike retainer arrangements or set up longer contracts with freelances. Typically, the freelancer offers a cost or proposal, will the work, revises the duplicate in response to opinions, and submits their invoice on authorization.
Freelance copywriting typically requires 'broad but shallow' copywriting skills. For example, throughout writing a business site, the copywriter might find themselves writing long copy for details webpages, snappy selling copy for high-profile web pages and journalistic duplicate for news webpages. At the same time, they might toss in a business tagline and perhaps name a product range or two - in some instances, without actually being asked, since the client might not possess realised that they even need these things.
Because of working for many different clients, the freelance copywriter also will develop wide but shallow knowledge of different business sectors, permitting them to control new clients' requirements rapidly. That is one area where old freelancers can regularly outdo their more youthful counterparts - experience cannot be faked, nor bought.
Conversely, several freelances specialise in writing for a particular sector or sector - pharmaceuticals, charity and so on. This can be because they previously kept a salaried position for the reason that sector. It might be a deliberate choice, or it may just emerge because of this of the jobs and referrals that come along.