When I first discovered copywriting in March 2020, I was a homeschooler who was just about to graduate high school (and move forward with college).
Being homeschooled gave me an unexpected edge with online university — because it trained me to manage my time well, set healthy boundaries, and prioritize what’s truly important.
Then, when I decided to put my college education on hold to pursue copywriting full-time, my homeschool experience continued to serve me. It provided me with the knowledge of how to purposefully design a custom copywriting curriculum — so I could create a clear career roadmap, stay focused, and keep shiny objects at bay.
There are so many copywriting courses out there. Some focus on persuasive writing, some on email marketing, some on crafting outstanding content…
And, when you’re serious about your writing career, it’s only natural to want to invest time and money in everything you can. But too many courses can spread you too thin. You might struggle with completing those courses or applying them to build our business.
By creating a career roadmap, I gave myself a clear path. I knew which courses to focus on, the order I wanted to pursue them in, and how I would use them to build my writing business.
And today, I’ll share with you the four simple steps I used to design a custom copywriting curriculum that was perfect for me. You can easily adjust this plan to create your own custom roadmap.
Step 1: Identify the kind of writer you want to be.
Don’t overthink this step, because it can change over time.
For example… at first, I was a generalist. I wanted to do a little bit of everything. Then, I specialized in writing emails. And now, I’m working on shifting my specialization to writing long-form sales letters.
But, as my goals changed, my curriculum has also evolved.
Knowing the answers might change in the future, consider these questions for where you are right now:
- What projects excite you the most?
- What do you enjoy writing about the most?
- What kind of writing do you love doing for hours and hours?
The kind of writer you want to be is like your personal North Star. It will act as your guide while building the copywriting curriculum you’ll need to create the career you want.
Once you complete this step, proceed to the next one…
Step 2: List the relevant courses that will help you become that writer.
I suggest listing at least one, and as many as five, relevant courses. These can be courses you already have or ones you plan to take.
And, I’m not saying you need to take one course right after the next. Often, it’s good to spend some time applying what you’ve learned before you dive into the next course on your list.
For example, when I decided to specialize in emails, my list looked like this:
- Copy Cure Customer Onboarding Emails
- Copy Cure Email Marketing Masterclass
- Copycademy Email Copywriting
- AWAI Email Copy Made Easy
- AWAI High Impact Emails
I had five courses I wanted to complete, but I made it a point to finish one of them before moving forward to the next course. That way, I was able make real, steady progress.
The question is… how do you stay focused on just one?
For me, I created a progress tracker using Google Sheets. Let’s look at that more closely…
Step 3: Create a curriculum progress tracker — and use it!
If you’re a visual person like me, it’s very satisfying and motivating to see your progress with what you’re currently working on.
And, I think the best way to help you create a progress tracker is to share mine as a template.
Sounds good?
Go ahead and click below to access the template:
Copywriting Curriculum / Career Roadmap Template
You can’t edit the template directly, but you’re free to create a copy and use it for yourself. Just follow the simple instructions I included in the document. It’s really easy — so, no worries, if you’re not techy!
Things to notice…
I have business-building and skill-building courses listed. And, I have them in the order I want to finish them in.
When you click on the tab for “Your Progress Tracker,” you can see I purposefully added two checkboxes for each of my course modules, because I usually go through the courses for another round to review and recap what I’ve learned.
Doing that really helps me internalize what I’ve learned, so I suggest you do the same.
And, by looking at this document often, I can see where I am in my curriculum, and I know what’s coming. It’s very helpful in keeping me motivated and on track.
Step 4: Set up your timeline.
I challenge you to complete going through the curriculum you’ve designed in a three- to six-month timeframe — depending on your schedule and your preferences. That turns it into a fun quarter or a semester… just like if you were at university!
If you already made a copy of the template I shared in step 3, you’ll see there’s a space near the top to add your timeline in your progress tracker sheet.
Then, to help you stick with your timeline… dedicate time each day or week for going through your courses. Put that time in your calendar — as if it’s a real class you need to attend live.
You’re all set!
Whether you’re already a working writer who’s looking to up level your skills, or you’re an aspiring writer who wants to make money writing either part-time or full-time, designing a custom curriculum will help you achieve your writing career goals. It gives you a clear direction and a structure to follow, so you won’t get lost in the wide ocean of opportunities.
I truly hope you found this helpful and valuable, my fellow digital copywriter!
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them in the comments.
I’ll be happy to answer them!
