What I Learned While Copywriting On-Site

The past six weeks of juggling on-site copywriting and freelance assignments have been a little crazy. Fortunately for my sanity, that project has ended (despite their attempts to bribe me with ice cream and cocktails). But I think it taught me about the dynamics of being a contractor and the craft of copywriting. Here are few pointers I picked up.

Don't get too attached to your copy. That brilliant turn of phrase you came up with could get cut for any number of reasons: it doesn't fit the design concept, it's too similar to another campaign, or it has too many characters. Working on-site tends to be more collaborative than working remotely, so it's easy to get defensive as you see your copy getting lopped off. But remember, you're paid hourly and ultimately, it's up to the client to do what they wish with your copy. You're not getting a byline, so let it go.

Don't get too attached to your computer. Oftentimes contractors are expected to play musical cubes and work wherever there's an open computer. It's a bad idea to save things to your desktop, because you might be across the office the next day and not have access to those files. Keep as much of your work as possible web-based so you can jump around (maybe even work from home once you've proven yourself). I witnessed a little show-down between a contractor who had staked a claim to her computer and another contractor who had gotten there first and logged onto said computer. It wasn't pretty. I actually got shifted around at the end of my first week, because a full timer left and they needed me to fill her shoes instead of doing my original project. For me, being flexible literally paid off.

One thing at a time. When I'm working at home, I tend to jump around a lot. I'll have a tab open with my Gmail account and one with Google reader. I might spend half an hour on a query, then read over the draft of an article before I send it in. But when I'm on the clock for one client all day, it forces me to be accountable and stay focused on their needs. I didn't stress out about the millions of other things I had to do, because I wanted to give that project my full attention when I was in the office. As it turns out, I didn't miss much by not checking Gmail compulsively every few minutes (though having a BlackBerry made it easier to keep up with email on my commute or during breaks). Now that I'm working at home again, I hope to continue some of that laser-sharp focus but still allow myself a little flexibility, too.

Remember, you have X days left. I actually loved the friendly, creative work environment and the people I was working with. Still, after six weeks it became even more apparent to me that I'm just not meant to work in an office. My insomnia returned with a vengeance. Commuting became a chore. I missed spending an afternoon at the library reading magazines for research or taking my laptop to a coffeeshop for a change of scenery. It truly reaffirmed my desire to stay freelance. If you're on an assignment that isn't quite what you expected, reminding yourself of your end date will help you keep perspective and keep free of office politics, too.

Earlier this summer, Jennifer at CataylstBlogger weighed on-site writing versus freelancing, so you might check out her post, too. Have you ever worked on-site? How do you feel about it?