Digital Nomad: 5 Tips for Copywriters Living the #Vanlife

I am a huge, huge fan of location independence. 

In fact, it’s the core reason why I started my copywriting business in the first place. 

There is SO much world out there, and there’s no reason you need to be locked in an office 40 hours a week away from it all.

If you’re researching how to make a living while on the road, chances are you’ve come across this whole copywriting thing and you’re taking tons of copywriting courses so that you’re ready to make an income while traveling full time. 

Or, maybe you’re a copywriter already, and you’re trying to figure out just exactly what you need to know to keep your copywriting business on the road to success while you’re on the road to wherever you feel like going. 

I’ve been digital nomad-ing off and on for the last thirteen years, and I can tell you, these five things are crucial if you want to be a copywriter on the road. 

1. Set Office Hours

As a digital nomad copywriter, you’re going to be on the road a lot, meaning you won’t always have instant access to your email, Slack, or other messaging apps where your clients communicate with you.

Some days, you might spend hours between destinations, leaving your clients wondering if you’ve just fallen off the face of the Earth.

Setting specific office hours (and then sticking to them) makes it so that your clients know exactly when they can get in touch with you, or when they can expect a response to their emails. 

And, when you know you’re going to be without wifi for an extended period of time, let your clients know, especially if you’ve got projects in the works. 

2. Make Sure You Have Access to Wifi

For the times you’ll be working, it’s massively important (MASSIVELY) to have access to high-speed internet. Whether you’re doing client work or video calling a prospective client, shaky internet will wreck your world. 

Plan where you’re going to access wifi in advance. If you’re traveling to a new city, scope out coffee shops with great WiFi. There are several apps you can use to steer you towards Wifi while you’re on the road. For example, WIFI MAP. 

You can also use your phone as a hotspot, or get a mobile hotspot device. 

Internet is going to be a necessity. Plan in advance.

3. Don’t Over Promise on Deadlines

As a copywriter and digital nomad, you’ll quickly find that the projects you used to be able to turn around at lightning speed may take a little bit longer than they used to. 

Between spotty wifi, getting lost between locations, or even just being super distracted by all of the awesome things you’re seeing, it’s a good idea to tack on a few days to your typical turnaround time.

Don’t promise a client you can get something back to them in a week if you don’t 100% know that you can. The ability to write while on the road is what keeps you on the road–you don’t want to lose clients because you can’t hit deadlines

4. Create a Workstation or Routine

Writing at home at your kitchen table and writing from the back of a van or at a campsite are two very different things. Even if you’re someone who thrives on change and despises routine, making the shift to on-the-road writing can hamper your writing process. 

Create a road-writing process or set up a workstation in your camper, tent, or wherever you’ll be working.  Getting in the copywriting mindset while mobile is super important, especially if you’re grabbing wifi at a local cafe and don’t have the luxury of high-speed internet wherever you’re parked.

5. Adjust Your Calendar to Reflect Your Timezone

This one is a total lifesaver. If you’re using a calendar app to schedule calls with clients, make sure you change your settings so that your timezones match wherever you are. 

Set an alert to remind you to change your timezone every time you know you’ll be landing in a new location.

Trust me on this one.

Yes, You CAN Be a Digital Nomad Copywriter

Location independence, to many freelancers, is true freedom. Copywriting is one of those super unique careers that allows you to make money from home OR from the road, wherever best fuels your creativity and lets you lead the life you want to.

Oh…and bonus tip: be prepared for questions. Some clients may not understand that it’s totally possible to write their web copy from a campsite in the Great Lakes one week and then their sales pages from a bagel shop in New Jersey the next. Some clients just won’t get it. And, some clients will think it’s “flakey” or “weird” and question whether or not it’s a good idea to work with you.

And some clients might think it’s awesome and just want to know what it’s like to be able to work from the road.

Either way, you’ll get questions. 

And that’s ok. 

You’re a freelancer. You can work from wherever you want to, as long as you take the right steps in planning, stay organized, and deliver awesome, A-level work, on time every single time.