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.
So You Want To Be A Freelance Photographer?
Andy Smith has been a freelance photographer for 14 years and travels all over the world for his clients.
We asked Andy how he got his first client, how he finds inspiration and he shared the advice he’d give to someone starting out as a freelance photographer.
Who was your first client and how did you get them?
It was a chain of Indian and Pakistani restaurants in Yorkshire, where I’m from. It was one of my favourite places to eat, and I contacted the owners and asked if I could photograph one of the restaurant interiors and staff while they were working.
I said I’d do it for nothing, but if they liked the images and decided to use them, would they consider paying me to do the same at the other restaurants. They agreed, and it went from there.
I photographed all 12 of their restaurants as well as staff at work and portraits. I planned each visit so that I arrived a few hours before evening service. This meant the light outside was really nice, so I could photograph the restaurant exterior looking its best. A great client, and to be honest, I’d have just done it for the curry.
How do you market yourself?
I have a website portfolio with my work on it, and I try to keep in front of relevant people without being too annoying. It’s a combination of different methods, including email marketing, social channels, print mailers and word of mouth.
With a name like mine, you really need a logo, so I use that to help people recognise me and my work. It’s not one thing that works, and it takes time, so all of these tactics combined and a lot of patience.
Contacting people directly works well on some channels and not so well on others, so choosing how to reach people and where can make a difference.
What’s the best and worst thing about freelancing?
The best thing is lots of cycling in my spare time. Monday mornings are not so bad, and it doesn’t always feel like work.
The worst thing I’ve found is planning life around work. Over the years, I’ve missed Christmas, weddings, birthdays and family visits. The other thing is feeling isolated at times, and it’s easy to doubt yourself when you’re working alone, and things are quiet. I’m not sure I’ve ever learnt how to deal with that, to be honest.
How do you get inspiration/keep the love for what you do?
I love looking at old documentary photography and films. Travel keeps me interested as well. And 40-50% of my portfolio is stuff I’ve shot for pleasure. I’m doing a personal project with a boxer at the moment and trying out equipment that I haven’t used before, which I would never do on a client project.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Remember that photography is a business, and not everyone is as invested in your business as you are.
Try not to take it personally.
What advice would you give to someone thinking of starting as a photographer?
I’m going to borrow some lyrics from Baz Luhrmann’s Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen) - ‘the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself.’
Or in other words, it’s a long game, so plan, be patient and don’t get distracted by what other people are doing.
Find Andy at andysmithphoto.com.
The 9 Best Coworking Spaces For Freelancers In Wales
One of the best things 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 across Wales, here’s what they told us…
Notable for: Help to launch your business.
Gladstone’s Library - Hawarden
Notable for: Lively events programme.
Notable for: Part of the Coworking Visa Scheme allowing you to work in spaces around the world.
Notable for: Fun and friendly with great coffee.
Notable for: Based in an old Victorian building with regular workshops and socials.
Notable for: The home of startups in Wales. Specialises in supporting tech, digital and creative industries
Notable for: Just £12 a day.
Notable for: For tech entrepreneurs & startups.
Work Play Wales - Pontarddulais
Notable for: Free unlimited tea & coffee and access to childcare provision on-site.
The 4 Best Coworking Spaces For Freelancers In Scotland
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 Scotland, here’s what they told us…
Notable for: A converted brewery.
Notable for: One of the oldest coworking communities in the world.
Notable for: Calm and professional atmosphere.
Notable for: A vibrant space for startups.
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.
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.
Press Release: You Ain’t Zine Nothing Yet
The first issue of Freelancer Magazine, an independent business and lifestyle title, is now in production following a swift and successful Kickstarter campaign.
Freelancer Magazine is a quick starter -
Independent magazine fully crowdfunded in just two weeks
The first issue of Freelancer Magazine, an independent business and lifestyle title, is now in production following a swift and successful Kickstarter campaign.
With an estimated 2.2 million freelancers in the UK and over a billion worldwide, high demand saw the magazine reach its target just two weeks into a five-week crowdfunding campaign.
Created by freelance marketer Sophie Cross and designed by Angela Lyons, Freelancer Magazine is a quarterly printed magazine brimming with feature stories, interviews, freelancer-specific business advice, news and events ‘for a freelance life less ordinary’.
Sophie says: “Although we will make sure it’s available in a digital format, it was important to us that Freelancer Magazine was - first and foremost - a printed item. We’re all on our screens more than ever and, if you’re anything like me, there are about 2000 tabs open and an ever-growing list of bookmarked yet unread articles.
“We want Freelancer Magazine to be ‘pore-worthy’ enough that when you get your hands on it, it prompts you to have a proper break, put the kettle on and soak up what our fantastic contributors have helped pull together. We’ll be featuring a huge mix of the most talented freelancers and small businesses out there. Sharing stories and information to help anyone on their freelance journey and proving that this isn’t a ‘stop-gap’ career.”
The 80+ page, full colour 21cm square mag would be at home on any bookshelf and means you can fold the corners of your favourite pages over to refer back to again and again.
Sophie adds: “We’ve got more than 100 contributors lined up, which means every beautifully designed issue is varied, fresh, fun and informative. It’s crammed with content that is both inspirational and attainable. And because there’s such a diverse range of voices in its make up, there should be something to resonate with every reader.”
With an overwhelmingly positive response from freelancers so far, Sophie says she’s been ‘blown away’ by the success of the crowdfunding campaign: “We knew there was a gap in the market for a magazine by freelancers for freelancers, but this really proved how strong that demand actually is.
“Apparently less than half of Kickstarter campaigns are successfully funded, and the majority of those are for less than £7500, yet we successfully reached our target of £12,750 in just two weeks. Freelancer really beat the odds and proved that there’s a strong market out there for a magazine like this.
“The reaction so far has been amazing; Lauren Laverne featured the mag on BBC Radio 6 Music, it was chosen as a Kickstarter 'Project We Love', and the pledges are still coming in thick and fast, along with some great advertisers like Brompton Bike Hire and Motion Nutrition.
“We started as we meant to go on, with an epic live-streamed launch party on Twitch hosted by issue 1’s cover stars; DJs Dom C and Mary Rose, which got lots of people involved and excited about the mag.
“Now we can’t wait to hear what everyone thinks of the first issue. From Clubhouse and creative burnout to business insurance and biscuit advice – we’ve got it covered.”
The first issue of Freelancer Magazine will be printed and delivered to subscribers from April 27th 2021 and also stocked at magCulture London and Magazine Brighton.
Find out more at freelancermagazine.co.uk.
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Media Contact Info:
Sophie Cross, Editor of Freelancer Magazine
Email: editor@freelancermagazine.co.uk
Twitter: @FullyThoughtOut
About Freelancer Magazine:
A quarterly business and lifestyle print magazine for a freelance life less ordinary.
Instagram: @FreelancerMag
High res images: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1jt231SFP85-3BJ1pR_JZQ8Ex0vwfMy6i