The Glamourous Life of a Copywriter - Freelancer's Lifestyle

In the fast-paced Madison Avenue world of the fictional ad agency Sterling Cooper on Mad Men, advertising is a man's world. It was a man's world where men were men, and they were in charge of everything. The woman who worked in the office could only aspire to being a secretary, at least until she finds a husband.

But, 'the times they are a-changin' for young Peggy Olsen, a recent graduate from secretarial school and Don Draper's new secretary. One day, during a product testing session, Don notices 'a certain something' in Peggy (no, not that!) and promotes her to a Junior Copywriter.

Peggy offers impressive suggestions during a focus-group session, and her ideas are so good that her future at the agency looks much brighter!

Peggy is fortunate enough to be mentored by a brilliant and charming adman like Don Draper, coming up with fantastic taglines and marketing ideas while casually sitting on a mid-century modern sofa, sipping whiskey, and smoking a cigarette.

But then the real work begins, and Peggy goes back to her office, closes the door, and gets down to the real work, the hard work of writing copy.

The fictional character Peggy Olson on AMC's Mad Men was not completely made up. Even though Madison Avenue was a "man's world," in the mid-1960s, women stepped out of their traditional roles, and women like Mary Wells-Lawrence, Phyliss Robinson, and Barbara Gardner Proctor became copywriters.

Mary Wells Lawrence was a trailblazing figure in the advertising industry. She was the co-founder of the Wells, Rich, Greene ad agency, which became one of the largest and most successful agencies on Madison Avenue. Mary was not only a talented copywriter but also a pretty savvy businesswoman.

Mary Wells Lawrence was the copywriter known for popular ad campaigns like Alka Seltzer's "Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz," the Ford Motor Company's "Quality Is Job One," and the "I Love LOVE New York" campaign. In addition to her iconic ad campaigns, she was known for her innovative approaches to advertising and her ability to connect with consumers on a personal level. Mary was a pioneer in the Mad Men's World of advertising, in the era of David Ogilvy, Leo Burnett, and Julian Koenig, where she helped open the door for other women to join the advertising world.

Times have changed quite a bit for women copywriters, and according to Zippia.com: 'amongFreelance Copywriters, 50.5% of them are women compared to 45.5% which are men.

Friends and family members may not understand this weird job you do. But working from home, being a freelancer, and being a solopreneur aren’t the unusual career choices they used to be.

For some people, living the freelancer's lifestyle means being a creative professional (copywriter, photographer, etc), traveling the world, or sitting with their laptop at a quaint cafe on the Amalfi coast. For others, it might mean being able to take your kids to school in the morning or work in your comfy slippers while avoiding office politics and endless meetings.

But most freelance copywriters do not have a team of other creatives or even a charming mentor like Don Draper to rely on. After you book the client, get the brief, scope of work, a signed contract, and an upfront payment…you are pretty much on your own.

Being a freelance copywriter can be a solitary activity, with many spending long hours alone in their home office turning out copy. The challenges of this lifestyle, from managing your own time to dealing with the uncertainty of client work, can be daunting. But it's a journey that requires resilience and determination. But as I said, the freedom to work whenever and wherever you want—it's worth it!

The role of freelance copywriters has really changed since the Mad Men days, especially for women.

In the past, the advertising industry was primarily male-dominated, and women were relegated to the secretarial pool. The challenges in breaking into this and other creative professions, let alone gaining any recognition for their talents, were a long time coming. However, the landscape has shifted, and today, there is a much more balanced representation of women in freelance copywriting.

With the advent of digital technology and the rising popularity of remote work, freelance copywriting has become a more accessible career option for women who may have faced barriers to entry in traditional office settings.

Fortunately, this shift has allowed us to pursue our passions for writing, marketing, and other creative professions while maintaining flexibility in our schedules, allowing us to have a better work-life balance.

Not to mention the fact that the freelancer community is an incredibly supportive place. You can find networking opportunities and share resources. Thankfully, women like me and others who have chosen (accidentally or by choice) freelance copywriting have been able to create successful careers on their own terms, breaking free from the shackles of a traditional office job.

Are you ready to step into the world of Peggy Olsen, where determination and talent shattered the glass ceiling of the 1960s ad industry? Discover the freedom and challenges of the freelance copywriter lifestyle. Are you ready to embrace the art of wordsmithing?