17 Websites and Tools Freelance Copywriters Will Absolutely Want To Bookmark
Here are the top 15 copywriting websites our Editor, Sophie Cross, refers to again and again when she’s writing and how she uses them…
1. Otter
A go-to for transcribing interviews and for videos. Say, if a client sends over a video to refer to or you want to copy a video script structure. Simply press record on Otter, play on the vid, put your feet up and feel like a genius.
2. Deck of Brilliance
The only tools you'll ever need to breathe life into your creative processes. It can help you face that blank page and looming deadline with a bit more confidence.
3. Grammarly
For spelling, grammar and sentences that don't make that much sense. You won't agree with all the suggestions but that's part of the "fun".
Premium is definitely worth it but give cancelling your existing subscription a try as you may get a sweet 'please don't go' deal.
4. Power Thesaurus
The best thesaurus, wordbook, synonym dictionary, book that sounds like a dinosaur.
5. The Writer’s Hour
A writing power hour every weekday morning that anyone can join.
6. Google Images
Bookmarked as a reminder to use for inspiration when coming up with ideas around a topic, see what people are searching for and what's trending >> Google IMAGES.
7. Google Trends
And, more obviously (but isn't the obvious always so easy to forget?) >> Google Trends.
8. Free SEO Tools
SEO, baby. Moz have collected the 60 best free SEO tools. Thank you, Moz.
9. Headline Analyser
You've spent ages on an article or blog, it really is worth spending time on the headline to entice people to read it.
10. Portent's Content Idea Generator
More help for when you're drawing a blank with titles, subject lines and headlines.
11. Word Frequency Calculator
A really handy tool for really being able to see how many times you've really used the same word. Like really.
12. Only The Questions
Haven't found a proper useful use for this one yet, but our Editor likes it. Cut and paste text to extract only the questions.
13. Hemingway Editor
Highlights parts of your work to edit or change to increase its quality and readability.
14. Read Aloud Function
Windows logo key + Ctrl + Enter - Start or stop narrator
Press the specified keyboard shortcut (the default key combination is Option-Esc).
15. Words to Time Calculator
Find out how long it will take you to read a script. Converts number of words, lines and pages into how long the audio will last.
16. Naming Something
This guide is an on-going open source attempt to organize the best tools and resources for naming things.
17. Text Sniper
Extract text from images and other digital documents on your screen.
So You Want To Be A Freelance Translator?
Hannah Lawrence is a freelance French to English translator and copywriter. After eight years living in London, she’s now based back home in New Zealand.
We asked Hannah about how she got into being a translator, the best and worst thing about being freelance, and the advice she’d give to someone starting out as a freelance translator.
What does a translator do?
A translator translates texts from one language into another. (Not to be confused with an interpreter, who deals with the spoken word). Rather than simply swapping out one word for another, it’s a case of understanding the message of the French and coming up with a way of getting that across in natural English.
How did you get into being a translator and how long have you been doing it?
Translation seemed like the perfect fit with my skills and interests. And being in the UK, with France just across the ditch, it actually seemed like a genuine career. So I dusted off my French and headed back to uni. I finished my Masters in translation in summer 2019 and launched myself into freelance life right away, combining my marketing knowledge and copywriting skills with translation work.
It’s now been two years. It hasn't been easy but I’ve given it my all. And I even won the Institute of Translation and Interpreting Best Newcomer – Freelancing Award, so I must be doing something right! And I just love that I’m paid to grapple with words and language every day.
Who was your first client and how did you get them?
My first translation client was a UK-based translation agency and I landed them after taking part in a competition they ran on Twitter. That brought me to their attention and that very afternoon they contacted me about a job.
How do you market yourself?
Through social media, my website (including a portfolio and blog), and networking and training events through industry bodies like the Institute of Translation and Interpreting. I also have a profile on various websites such as ProCopywriters.
Several of my direct clients have found me through LinkedIn or Google, or have listed a job on LinkedIn which I’ve applied to. The wonderful community of copywriters and translators I’ve got to know through social media has also proved a great place to find or pass on work or clients.
What are the best things about freelancing?
Being able to choose which projects I work on, and which clients I work with. Being able to choose my own hours. Oh, and being able to just go ahead and create and publish my own content without it needing to go through various rounds of approval.
What are the worst things about freelancing?
Not being able to switch off. Feeling the need to be at the top of your game all the time.
How do you keep the love for what you do?
Sometimes, like when I’m trying to get to the bottom of what an especially vague French text is actually saying, I do have to remind myself that I chose this career! In those times, I guess I try to remember the fun projects I’ve worked on. Or how great that eureka moment feels, when I’ve come up with the perfect way of putting something in English. Along with any opportunity to use puns.
What advice would you give to someone thinking of starting out as a translator?
Do it. It’s not easy. But if you love working with words and across cultures, it’s incredibly rewarding. Don’t be put off by the doomsayers who say machine translation, AI, or Brexit mean there will be less need for human translation.
There is work out there and with the amount of content being published continuing to rise, it’s not going anywhere. The key is positioning yourself in areas that will see increased demand. For me, this means SEO translation, transcreation, and marketing translation.
Find Hannah at hannahtranslates.com.
So You Want To Be A Freelance Graphic Designer?
Angela Lyons has been freelancing in graphic design for over 10 years and is Freelancer Magazine’s very own Creative Lead.
We asked Angela about how she got into graphic design, the best and worst thing about being freelance, and the advice she’d give to someone starting out as a freelance graphic designer.
What started your interest in graphic design?
I trained in Product Design at Central St Martin’s, and every time I had to show my work, I got positive feedback about my graphics and visual presentation. When I left, I started an internship in Habitat’s merchandising department, thinking that I would be a product designer, but again I started leaning towards graphics.
A guy who worked there in packaging designs used to let me play around on his Mac and said I should do a graphic design course, so I did.
What was your first job in graphic design?
A local company came looking for an intern while I was taking my evening graphic design course at a local college. This was my first ever magazine design work: the publication was Tractor Resale! It might not have been a glamourous title, but I learnt all about the print process, including plates and inks. They only paid for my lunch and bus pass, but luckily I was still living at home.
How did you make the move to freelance?
From Wardour, I moved to a software company. I got more money, had less responsibility, and worked just three days a week, but I hated it. There was no creativity and they had very strict corporate guidelines. It made me miserable, so I left after five months.
It was at this point I decided to go freelance. My husband encouraged me to do it, and so did my friends. I had my two children by this point too, which meant I wanted a bit more flexibility with my working hours.
How did you get your first clients?
I got one job through a recruitment agency, but apart from that, every client has come from people I’ve worked with within the past or by word of mouth.
What’s the best and worst thing about being freelance?
The best is when you feel like part of a team and are given recognition. And of course, the flexibility with work and time.
The worst thing is when clients ask, “Can you just photoshop this quickly?” “Can you just fit this in? It’ll only take a minute.” It never takes a minute…
What advice would you give to someone thinking of starting as a graphic designer?
Keep your eye on the world of design, follow inspirational people and progressive companies on Instagram/online. I look at lots of magazines to keep up to date with design.
Build your portfolio. College can only teach you so much, and people want to see your creativity.
Find Angela at angelalyons.com.
The 17 Best Coworking Spaces For Freelancers In London
Probably the best thing about coworking as a freelancer is creating that separation between work and home life. We asked our readers where their favourite spaces to cowork are in London, here’s what they told us…
Notable for: Fitness studio.
Notable for: Podcasting studio.
Neighbourhood Works - London Fields
Notable for: The living room style meeting room.
Notable for: It’s the V&A!
British Library & The Alan Turing Institute - King’s Cross
Notable for: The mintiest tea in the members room.
Notable for: A Gothic church serving soup, cake and coffee.
Notable for: An environment for scaling up your tech business.
Notable for: Boutique hot-desking.
The Sandbox - Liverpool Street and Waterloo
Notable for: Outside spaces too.
Plexal - Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
Notable for: VR and cool gadgets.
Notable for: Vegan friendly.
Notable for: Hybrid workspace and nursery.
Uncommon - Highbury & Islington
Notable for: Biophilia philosophy.
Notable for: Free.
Notable for: Outside and open spaces.
Notable for: For local start-ups, creatives and street food traders.
Notable for: Wellbeing focus.
The 18 Best Coworking Spaces For Freelancers In The Midlands & The South
Probably the best thing about coworking is creating that separation between work and home life. We asked our readers where their favourite spaces to cowork are in the Midlands and the South, here’s what they told us…
Community Waffle House - Axminster
Notable for: Amazing waffles.
Cassia Coworking Community - Bath
Notable for: Riverside space with a cafe and cocktails.
Notable for: Music, ideas, art, good vibes and sea views.
Notable for: Boutique style coworking for ambitious women.
Ziferblat: the Anti Cafe - Coventry
Notable for: Child-friendly, quirky coffee house and cowork space.
Notable for: A tranquil space for female entrepreneurs, a hidden coworking gem near Totnes.
Notable for: Monthly events and an on tap brewery.
Notable for: A riverside bar and arts venue based at the Cambridge Museum of Technology.
The Old School House - Bournemouth
Notable for: Good vibes and a short hop to the beach.
Notable for: Located within the recently-refurbished Grade II Listed Bognor Regis Railway Station.
Notable for: High-end meeting rooms.
Notable for: A collaborative space for creative industries.
Notable for: Beautifully furnished.
Notable for: Canterbury's only coworking space.
Notable for: Beautiful, ergonomically designed space.
Notable for: Child-friendly.
Notable for: Flexi and full-time space in a comfy setting.
Notable for: Fun, quirky spaces.
The 13 Best Coworking Spaces For Freelancers In The North
Probably the best thing about coworking is creating that separation between work and home life. We asked our readers where their favourite spaces to cowork are in the North and here’s what they told us…
Notable for: Over 100 businesses in their community.
Notable for: An incubator that helps tech companies grow.
Notable for: Meeting rooms, a business lounge and a virtual address.
Notable for: A multi-purpose art space for Nottingham’s creative community.
Notable for: Coworking, creative community and event space.
Notable for: Courtyard of independent shops and a cafe in converted farm buildings.
Notable for: Private offices, desks, meeting rooms and breakout spaces.
Notable for: Business Centre with a sandwich and espresso bar.
Coworking Corner - Matlock, Derbyshire
Notable for: Dog friendly and Cookie the rescue dog is available for snuggles when needed.
The Elsie Whiteley Innovation Centre - Halifax, Yorkshire
Notable for: Cafe No.5 and an atrium filled with plants.
Notable for: 24/7 private access, masterclasses and workshops.
Notable for: Digital facility offering 3D character, motion and audio capture.
Notable for: Space, meeting rooms, incubator and workshops.
Everything You Need To Know About Freelance Accountancy
It’s hard to know where to start when understanding your accounts as a freelancer, whether you’re just starting out or have been going for a while. We asked Martin Brooks, Director of Gold Stag Accounts, all about freelance accountancy.
Martin set up Gold Stag Accounts in 2017 when he leapt from industry to self-employment.
After dabbling with various types of clients, he decided that working with freelancers and small businesses were the most enjoyable. Gold Stag Accounts now looks after nearly 300 micro clients.
What are the main things freelancers should be considering with regards to their accounts?
It’s all about getting into good habits. For example, using a separate bank account for the business, using software instead of (or as well as) spreadsheets and putting your tax money aside.
Do you see any recurring mistakes?
We see fines for not filing tax returns. We try to step in and help and get them up to date.
Initially, some people aren’t very organised, they’re used to winging it, but with a bit of help they can’t believe how easy it is and most are good at becoming organised.
They are specialists in their area and don’t know what they don’t know, but just need to be shown the way.
What are the key things to think about when you’re starting out?
Treat yourself as separate from the business. This is even more important as a sole trader.
Have a different bank account, put tax money aside and start creating a financial buffer as soon as you can.
What are the key things to think about when you’ve been going a while?
Review your accounts every 6 to 12 months and look at costs like subscriptions. Do you still need the Zoom account you got in lockdown?
Review your processes and start using accountancy software if you don’t already; it will save you a lot of time and hassle in the long run. When you’re more established, consider paying into a pension.
Also, think about whether your business structure is still right for you.
Sole trader or Ltd?
For some people, becoming limited can change their mindset to see it as a business, not a hobby or side hustle. Being limited means you have limited liability, but insurance will also cover you if you’ve got it.
Once your profit is over £30k, it’s tax-efficient to go limited, and most people switch because they want to save money.
What’s your advice for making more money and growing?
The main advice would be to see it and treat it as a business. Freelancers tend to outsource and subcontract to grow. Most know other people who do the same thing, and it can be an excellent way to scale without employing people.
What if I’m thinking of getting a mortgage?
If you’re thinking of becoming limited or changing your business structure, make sure you time it right. You’ll need a couple of years of books verifying your income. It’s always a good idea to get a mortgage advisor who specialises in self-employment.
Read our blog on Getting a Mortgage As a Freelancer for more information.
Do I need to register for VAT?
You don’t need to register until your turnover is over £85k. It’s always good to know where you’re at to see if you’re close to the threshold. Different schemes might benefit you depending on your circumstances, and an accountant can advise you on that.
Everything You Need To Know About Getting A Mortgage As A Freelancer
It’s easy to assume it’s near impossible to get a mortgage as a freelancer. However, it can be done.
Andrew Montlake has been in the mortgage industry for 26 years and is the Managing Director of Coreco Mortgages.
We asked Andrew the burning questions about getting a mortgage as a freelancer to put your mind at ease.
What are the main things for freelancers to consider with regards to getting a mortgage in the future?
Have your accounts in order and start talking to your accountant and mortgage advisor as early as possible to work out what you’re going to need to show income-wise to get the mortgage you want.
Lenders typically like to see two to three years. Make sure you’re on the voters roll and that your bank statements and credit score are in order.
What are the key things to think about if you want to get a mortgage soon?
Different lenders look at different things so getting advice is essential. Talk to an advisor about what your situation is and what is out there for you. The sooner you can think about it, the better.
What income can you show that a lender can use?
Do you see any recurring problems?
Not being up to date with your books and not having a properly qualified accountant. Make sure you’re on top of everything, that your bank statements and bank account are in order.
Make sure all your bills are always paid on time.
Is it going to be impossible for me to get a mortgage as a freelancer?
It’s a bit trickier now than it was due to the pandemic and IR35. They’ve massively changed the way lenders look at freelancers and contractors. You might want to consider your future roles and looking at getting six or 12-month fixed-term contracts. They might also look at what sector you work in. If you work with industries like travel and entertainment, you might need to answer more questions.
It’s not true that you have no chance as a freelancer. You might be able to get by with one year’s worth of accounts; some lenders might discount a poor Covid period or say you don’t need to declare government grants.
What if I get turned down?
There are over 100 different lenders. The mainstream high street banks are more likely to go off a tick box list, but specialist or broker-only lenders exist for helping the self-employed. You might have to pay slightly higher rates, but they are still competitive.
If you go to one and get knocked back, don’t be disheartened. You can try another or might be able to get on track for six to 12 months time.
Will it make a difference if you’re Ltd or a sole trader?
It doesn’t make a difference. It’s how your business is going and what income can you show. Talk to your accountant about showing more income in the year you want to take a mortgage.
How many years of accounts will you need?
One minimum, preferably two or three.
What if you pay yourself minimum wage? Do dividends count towards your ‘salary’?
Lenders will take your basic wage and dividends into account. Some might average them over two or three years. Some will look at operating profit, net profit or retained profit.
What are the best banks/deals for the self-employed?
All banks are working towards better products for the self-employed, but most are playing catch up. Interesting lenders like Accord and Clydesdale have always been good for freelancers, and Halifax is good for IT contractors.
There are a whole host of specialist banks that purely get their business through brokers who are better at looking with a blank sheet approach, not just using tick boxes.
At Coreco, we’re very noisy in the industry about getting better products for the self-employed. Freelancers and small businesses are going to be vital to getting the economy back on track.
Freelancers have a better understanding of money, taxes and they have the potential to earn more - we need to support them and lenders need to do more.
Understanding Freelance Pensions
As a freelancer, you never really know where you stand when it comes to pensions. Do you get a State Pension as a freelancer? What is the best pension for the self-employed? How much should you put aside? It can be a minefield.
To answer these questions and more, we interviewed Chris Eastwood, co-founder of Penfold, who offers pensions for the self-employed.
Can you explain, in a simple way, what a pension is?
Put simply, a pension is a tax-efficient way to save for life after work. Think of it like a savings pot built for your retirement.
Over your career, you can add to this savings pot by contributing from your income, whether that's a salary from an employer or profits from a business. Little by little, your pot grows until you're ready to stop working.
The government encourages people to plan for their futures by offering tax relief on pension contributions, making your money work more efficiently.
This means by contributing to your pension, you end up paying less tax, keeping more of your hard-earned money. You can withdraw your pension from age 55 (rising to 57 in 2028) and use it as an income in retirement.
What are the basic options available and what questions should I ask providers?
There are three main pension types - the State pension which offers a small weekly amount based on National Insurance contributions over your life, workplace pensions are those set up by employers with contributions coming directly from your salary and private pensions which you set up and contribute to on your own behalf.
If you’re looking to set up a private pension make sure the provider has the ability to make flexible contributions rather than a set monthly amount, offers automatic tax relief, has a choice of investment options and has a high review score so that you can be sure they offer a great service.
Do I get a State Pension as a freelancer?
If you're self-employed you're entitled to the State Pension in the same way as anyone else. The new flat-rate State Pension was introduced in 2016 and is based entirely on your National Insurance record.
To be eligible to claim, you must have at least 10 'qualifying years', which essentially means years you were working or claiming benefits that qualified for National Insurance contributions. To get the full State Pension amount you'll need to have 35 qualifying years.
To find out how many qualifying years you've earned and when you'll be able to claim, head to the government's website. You can also get more information on how to increase your qualifying years if they need a boost.
For many, living on a weekly income of £175.20 won't be enough to support a comfortable standard of living in later life. This is why it may be a good idea for you to make other arrangements, such as taking out your own private pension, to fund your retirement.
How much should I be putting aside?
If you sign up for Penfold, we’ll help you figure this out by applying some helpful rules of thumb and making some assumptions about what sort of life you want to live when you’re a bit older. Have a play with our pension calculator to find out more.
How easy is it to merge old pensions and should I?
Recently, combining pensions online has become increasingly popular - helped in part by new, faster electronic pension transfers. Pension providers like Penfold also work as a pension consolidation app - letting you easily bring all your pots from previous jobs together in one place.
However, it's not always a good idea to combine. You could end up paying more or losing out on some extremely valuable benefits in retirement. Before you dive in and consolidate all your pensions, you'll want to carefully consider if you're making the right decision.
The benefits are less admin, it’s often cheaper as you’ll only have one management fee and it’s likely you’ll get more choice in where your pensions are invested such as sustainable funds.
It’s worth watching out for potential exit fees, although the savings in management fees may outweigh this. Some pensions also offer special benefits or guarantees, defined benefit pensions for example are a little more complicated to transfer and you'll need to chat with an independent financial advisor before making a decision.
Any things to look out for when setting up and choosing a pension?
If you’re self-employed we recommend making sure your provider offers flexibility when it comes to how much you pay each month rather than forcing a set amount.
Make sure the providers you’re looking at automatically apply the government’s 25% tax relief top-up otherwise you’ll miss out on this great benefit.
It’s also good to have options for where your savings are invested, great customer service verified by independent reviews and ensure any providers are regulated by the FCA and have FSCS protection.
Can we look at a pension as a tax-free investment account that has a time-lock on it?
Yes, to a certain extent, without going into the specifics of other account types a pension allows you to choose where your money is invested and you get tax relief on up to £40,000 of contributions each year.
Can you make payments to reduce your corporation tax bill?
Yes! If you’re set up as a director of your company there are many tax advantages that come from paying into your pension.
If you pay into your pension through your limited company you can contribute up to £40,000 each year and claim the 19% reduction on your corporation tax bill. Any amount paid into a pension by a business also won’t be liable for National Insurance so by paying directly into your pension rather than paying out as salary, you’ll also save by avoiding National Insurance contributions.
Making a payment into your pension through your business may be more efficient than making a personal contribution but will depend on your circumstances.
It’s worth seeking advice from a financial advisor if you’re not sure about the best option for you.
Do I Need Insurance For My Freelance Business?
To learn all about business insurance for freelancers, we interviewed Ashley Baxter who runs With Jack. They provide business insurance, especially for freelancers, supporting them financially and legally.
Ashley explained the ins and outs of being insured, and why having insurance frees up your biggest asset - your creativity.
What are the most common types of claims you see?
We see the same problems over and over again. Most of them are to do with poor project management, which could be the fault of the freelancer or the client.
The work isn’t delivered on time or to a standard the client isn’t happy with. This could be down to the freelancer or because the client hasn’t signed it off on time or they’ve changed their mind halfway through the project.
The client then makes a claim to recover the costs of not being able to launch on time or having to hire other freelancers to get the project up to speed or standard.
How do most problems start, and how could they be avoided?
You might never altogether avoid a problem, but there are things that you can do to reduce the risk of the issues happening. And then if they do happen, managing them better.
Firstly, make sure you have a contract in place because a lot of the time when problems do occur the contracts can just be referred back to.
Having a project scope, that’s a huge one, making sure that the client knows exactly what they’re getting, what’s included in the scope and what isn’t, what’s budgeted and accounted for in the timescale.
Also, having the confidence and conviction to handle clients who are starting to show some red flags.
You talk about being a confident freelancer. What does this mean practically speaking?
I think it means having these processes in place and then having the conviction to stand by them. Understandably freelancers want to keep the client happy but you shouldn’t do that at the expense of yourself.
You have to go into projects knowing what you’re worth. You have to go into projects with competence so that if clients start trying to take advantage of you, you can instantly put them in their place and being insured helps you do that.
Having insurance can give you the confidence to stand up to your clients and say, ‘no, hold on a second, I’ve done the work that you’ve asked me to do, and I’ve done it to an excellent standard. You’re not entitled to any funds back.’ And you’ll know that if they do push things that little bit further, you have insurance to step in and handle it all for you.
So… do I need business insurance?
None of us should be accepting projects or working with clients expecting things to go wrong. But if they do, your insurance will work much the same way as a seat belt. And you might be the best driver in the world, but you can’t control how others behave. My advice is to not procrastinate on it and get insurance set up as soon as you start trading. It’s tax-deductible too.
Only a small percentage of freelancers will have to use the practical element of it. Still, you will benefit from it on an aspirational level every day because it helps you go into projects feeling confident and that will also free up your ability to be creative and do your best work.
Could you briefly explain the different types of cover With Jack offer and approximately how much they cost?
At With Jack, we offer four products through our website. Professional indemnity which is insurance for mistakes you might make in your work or problem clients. It gives you access to legal experts who step in and handle things, and it covers any compensation agreed with the client. It costs around £14 a month.
Public liability covers you if somebody sustained an accident or had an injury due to your work activities. This isn’t at all common with freelancers, but it only costs about £2 a month.
We also provide contents insurance. The price varies a lot depending on your equipment, but for example, it might cost about £40 a year to insure a £2000 laptop. And we have a legal expenses product where you can pick up the phone and speak to a legal expert and ask them questions to do with client conflicts or contract disputes. It also provides a late payment service with a solicitor who will chase overdue invoices on your behalf, and this costs about £5.50 a month.
