Global Movement Project | Episode 2
Wandering the journey of becoming a freelance writer as a non-native English speaker is filled with numerous stories of perseverance, creativity, and success. Speaking with Birgit Itse broadens our understanding of the challenges and valuable tips to effective and efficient copywriting.
In Episode 2 of the Global Movement Project, author and writing coach Birgit Itse joins us as a special guest, sharing about her growth, experiences, and strategies as a non-native English-speaking freelance writer.
Want to watch the full episode? Simply click on the thumbnail below and enjoy the uncut video interview with Birgit!
- Non-native English speakers should embrace their unique backgrounds and languages as strengths. Their diverse perspectives can add valuable nuance to their writing and storytelling.
- Establishing credibility through networking, volunteering, guest speaking, participating in competitions, and being active on social media helps gain visibility and trust.
- Strategically finding and building a community, especially among other non-native English speakers or bilingual individuals, helps foster trust and support.
What is the Global Movement Project?
I started the Global Movement Project to shed light on individual experiences, hurdles, and successes of non-native English speakers navigating the business landscape. Through this platform, I aim to uplift business owners, digital service providers, and freelancers who speak English as their second language to put themselves out there and support them in growing their businesses on a global scale.
Birgit Itse: Traversing Lands and Audiences from Estonia to Scotland
Birgit hails from Estonia, a small country with a population of 1.3 million people and fewer than one million native Estonian speakers globally. Four and a half years ago, she moved to Scotland to pursue her writing career.
“…Cities are way larger than the whole population, and there are only less than one million Estonian speakers in the world. So I’m coming from a country with a really tiny language…”
Although she no longer provides copywriting services, she teaches people how to write authentically and unleash their inner creativity. Birgit believes that there is an inner writing genius that could be honed among those interested to explore their skills, irrespective of their command over English or their native language.
Birgit first came to visit Scotland for a study tour she had organized to observe how literature is marketed in the field of tourism, back in 2011. In 2017, she and her son visited the country again. Not long after, they would permanently move to Scotland and live among the locals.
Birgit chose Scotland because of its rich storytelling heritage and the welcoming nature of its people. She was also inspired by Scotland’s cultural pride, especially in incorporating literature into various industries. The country’s respect for writing as a serious profession made Scotland an ideal place for her to grow her career.
The ABCs of Freelance Writing
Birgit believes that given the opportunity, the inner writing genius can be unleashed in an individual. It can be said that the love for writing should be inherent among those aspiring to succeed in freelance writing. During the interview, Birgit shares several habits she incorporated to refine her skills and services to a bigger customer base.
“So what I did as a first step was I paid attention [to] how people speak… And how they write and why they write like that. And if I didn’t understand why some things are said in a way they are, I asked. I read a lot. I read a lot of copy, [and] how other people are writing. I paid attention to things I liked, expressions that I liked, and things I didn’t.”
- Observing: Pay attention to how natives speak and write. Understand the context behind their language usage.
- Reading: Read as much as possible, particularly in the language you aim to write in. This helps pick up subtle nuances and expressions.
- Writing: Start writing without worrying too much about perfection initially. The key is to practice and develop your craft continuously.
- Feedback: Seek feedback from both clients and a trusted circle of peers or mentors. This constructive criticism helps refine your writing.
The Role of AI in Copywriting: Friend, Foe, Ally, or Adversary?
AI tools have been around for decades, but lately, they are taking the world by storm. Tools like ChatGPT are taking over writing tasks and delivering copies in mere seconds.
Birgit shares her personal remarks on the rise of AI and its impact on copywriting, saying,
“It’s really nothing new. What is new now is, is the generative AI that, you know, actually generates the content. But the thing is that if you’re a freelance writer, if you want to be a copywriter, then it’s not so much about how you write, but you need to capture your customer’s voice and you need to give information in a way that the customer’s audience would like to read.”
While Birgit acknowledges the prevalence of AI tools like ChatGPT in modern copywriting, she stresses the irreplaceable value of human creativity. AI’s generative abilities, though advanced, are based on existing content and lack the innovative spark that only human imagination can provide.
“When it comes to research, we still got Google.. We’ve got other search engines… when it comes to using AI for research, they [don’t usually] give you… where the information is from…”, Birgit adds.
Birgit emphasizes that the legal and moral responsibility of using AI-generated information falls on the content creator, marketer, or copywriter, not on the tool.
Exploring and Establishing a Writing Career Abroad
One can only imagine the challenges of moving abroad in hopes of advancing one’s career. Yet, Birgit’s fear of the uncertainty was overcome with Scotland’s appreciation and respect for writing and literature.
“Back in Estonia, sometimes… there was that fear of commercializing things. Here, it doesn’t feel commercialized. It’s just, they’re very proud of their writers… their heritage. And I found it really, really inspiring,” she recounts.
Scotland’s writing industry has an established range of niches that allows writers to focus on growing and developing their skills in their chosen fields of expertise. For Birgit, this is an excellent avenue for both business and personal growth.
The Fragile Balance Between Work and Personal Growth
While a thriving career as a freelance writer can be exciting and liberating, Birgit explains it is easy to fall into the trap of working tirelessly 24/7. Beginners are especially susceptible to accepting clients whose budgets are not reasonable for the amount of work required.
Birgit recommends time-tracking to determine service rates. She notes, “…it’s a very common mistake at first[,] charging not enough, and it’s not covering your time and then you’re taking [on] more projects that you can actually do because you’re not calculating your time.”
She goes on to share that she plans her week ahead, listing down important tasks on a to-do list. She blocks out enough time to manage customer work, professional growth, and personal development without risking burnout or the quality of her output.
Nurturing Brand Visibility
Success doesn’t happen overnight. Birgit claims that writing isn’t the difficult part when working as a writer; it is in raising awareness about your brand and the skills and services you have to offer.
“And just building up that credibility, building up that trust, because for people to buy from you, they need to like you, they need to trust you. And for them to trust you, you need to have, you know, something to show. And for me, sending out my work, also participating in those courses and workshops and sharing… this is how you build up your credibility,” Birgit remarks.
She recommends utilizing social media to put one’s self out there and build brand visibility. Talking about accomplishments, participating in workshops, networking events, and even offering voluntary services can build a portfolio and establish credibility.
Overcoming Challenges and Embracing Bilingualism as a Non-Native English Speaker
Despite governments and economies pushing for globalization, the international community still sports the occasional bias against non-native English speakers. For writers in the freelance industry, such remarks bury seeds of doubt in their minds.
Instead of convincing clients who seek for “native English speakers only” to reconsider their choices, Birgit chooses to walk away.
“If you’re looking for a native speaker, then you’re not looking for me,” she explains.
Rather than a weak point, Birgit encourages to see bilingualism as a strength. It comes in especially handy when collaborating with non-native English speakers who wish to produce content in English.
“Being a non-native speaker has turned [out] to be an advantage when I’m speaking to people who also [don’t] have English as their first language. They hear me speaking, they read my writing, and they trust me because they feel I can understand the struggles of being multilingual,” she remarks.
Besides understanding the language, Birgit also mentions that cultural nuances affect the language differently than it would if it were to be spoken in England.
“…if you offer your services… and you’re communicating with your customers, don’t assume they understand things or words the same way, because the same word might have a completely different meaning in another language,” she adds.
Advce to Aspiring Non-Native English-Speaking Freelance Creatives
Oftentimes, freelancers get caught up in trying to generate more income rather than improving the quality of their services. Birgit gives sound advice to anyone interested in becoming a freelance creative someday:
“The question I keep asking myself constantly is what can I do to serve my audience better? I don’t know why so many entrepreneurs talk about this, like how you can serve it rather than… what can I do?” she begins.
She explains that by determining what can be done first, freelancers are more inclined to appeal to the audience and upsell services. Boost brand visibility by engaging in groups, sharing personal insights with your community, and participating in events and projects.
Finally, by understanding yourself and your values, you can produce work that is not only creative and enthralling, but also meaningful and impactful.
- We, Me, Them, & It: How to Write Powerfully for Business (by John Simmons)
- Room 121: A Masterclass in Writing and Communication in Business (by John Simmons and Jamie Jauncey)
- The Alphabet of Life: Explore Your Life Through Words (by Birgit Itse)
Birgit’s journey from Estonia to Scotland underscores the importance of resilience, continuous learning, and self-awareness. Through this interview, we hope to inspire and guide non-native English speakers aiming to make their mark in the freelance writing industry. Birgit’s story is a testament to the power of passion, persistence, and the belief that an inner writing genius waits to be unveiled among those brave enough to explore and hone their skills.
Did you find this episode insightful? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
UP NEXT: More to come as we unveil compelling stories of non-native English speakers thriving in the global professional realm in our future Global Movement Project episodes!
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Hyein
I’m an award-winning global marketing expert running HY Marketing in South Korea. We help businesses succeed in South Korea, Japan, and English-speaking markets through social media and Facebook ads.
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