Rewriting Your Career Story: How I Pivoted to Copywriting in My 30s (and You Can Too)
If you’d told me a year ago I’d be typing away about website copywriting and brand messaging for a living, I would’ve laughed you out of the room. At the time, I was juggling spreadsheets (badly, I might add) and daydreaming about an alternate universe where I woke up excited to work every morning. Spoiler alert: That universe turned out to be my real life after I made a bold mid-career pivot to freelance copywriting.
The Quarter-Life Wake-Up Call (At 30-Something)
I always thought the “quarter-life crisis” was something you dealt with in your mid-20s—until I hit 30 and realized I was stuck in a job that paid the bills but left my creative brain feeling like a stale cracker. Don’t get me wrong; I was grateful for steady income (who isn’t?). But every day felt like a never-ending cycle: wake up, stare at my laptop, punch numbers into a spreadsheet, drink too much coffee, and count down the minutes till 5:00 p.m.
I’d catch myself thinking, “Is this really how I want to spend my next 30 years?” Let’s just say the answer was a big, loud NOPE.
When “Mundane” Met “Motivation”
Oddly enough, the turning point wasn’t some grand epiphany or lightning-bolt moment. It was a simple realization: I missed writing. When I was a kid, I used to fill notebooks with stories (my go-to stories were my very own ‘Mr Bean’ episodes), and (extremely) short novels. It occurred to me that maybe—just maybe—people actually get paid to do that professionally. Enter: copywriting.
The more I read about copywriting, the more it felt like someone had made a career specifically for me. Persuasion? Creativity? Storytelling? Yes, yes, and yes. It was a bit like discovering a secret room in your house that you never knew existed. I couldn’t resist peeking inside.
The “Oh Crap, I’m New” Phase
I’d like to say I handed in my two weeks’ notice and never looked back. In reality, I tiptoed around the idea of a career change for months. I’d question if I was too old to start over, or little miss self-doubt would creep in and tell me I’m not good enough and that w0uld play on repeat in my brain, making me second-guess every step. Eventually, though, I realized that no one else was going to rewrite my story for me—I had to pick up the pen (or keyboard) and do it myself.
There are a few ways you can immerse yourself into the world of copywriting. And before you ask, you do not need a degree in copywriting to become a copywriter!! There are tons and tons of free resources out there for you to teach yourself the skills it takes to become a copywriter. Think YouTube and blog posts! And just become part of the copywriting community, follow copywriters on social media and listen to what they have to say.
I am still fairly new to the copywriting community and I am still learning every day but I already know that this is the career for me and I am so proud of myself for taking that leap, even if I can’t say yet that I MADE IT, I know that this time next year, I will be saying that. Rule number 1 of copywriting, believe that you can and you will. (Okay…that isn’t rule number one to copywriting, but it should be)!
Building on Old Skills (Surprise, You Already Have Some!)
Turns out, the “boring” job experiences I had actually gave me a handful of transferable skills. Who knew balancing budgets and handling office politics would prep me for tackling client invoices and navigating tricky copy briefs?
Time Management: Scheduling my own projects felt like a breeze compared to office deadlines.
Communication: Years of writing dry reports made me realize I could actually shape text to be engaging (also: bullet points are your best friends).
People Skills: My old job taught me the art of reading between the lines—crucial for understanding what clients really mean when they say, “We want something fresh.”.
Lessons for Your Own Career Pivot
Start before you’re “ready”: Waiting for perfect conditions is like waiting for a unicorn to deliver your dream job—chances are, it won’t happen. Get your feet wet now.
Celebrate the small wins: Landed a tiny gig? Did a freebie for your neighbor’s bakery? Celebrate! Every success builds momentum.
Leverage your past: Don’t ditch all your previous experience—figure out how it can make you an even better copywriter (or whatever new career you’re chasing).
Find your people: Join communities or groups of fellow career-changers and writers. You’ll feel less alone and pick up valuable tips.
Write Your Own Next Chapter
I’m not saying switching careers in your 30’s (or any time in your life for that matter) is all cupcakes and rainbows. Freelancing has its fair share of hustle, and there’s a constant learning curve. But the thrill of waking up to a blank page (or a looming deadline!) feels like the perfect mix of challenge and adventure.
If you’re somewhere between feeling “meh” about your current job and Googling “How to become a [insert dream job here],” take this as your sign. You’re not too old, too late, or too anything to make a change. Your 30s are actually a great time to pivot because you’ve got the life experience, the resilience, and maybe even a spare savings account to cushion the blow. Oh, and one last thing - copywriting is not a “side hustle” or a “get rich quick” passive thang. It takes a lot of hard work and patience to become a GOOD copywriter.
So here’s to rewriting your own career story—one word, one call to action, one new brand voice at a time.