Are you tired of running yourself ragged for a job you hate?
Dear Fellow Lawyer:
It happens to a lot of us.
You decide at an early age that you want to be a lawyer. You work your tail off through four years of college and three years of law school. Despite the horror stories, you may even find, much to your surprise, that you enjoy being a law student.
But by the time you're finished with all that education, you're more than ready to start your career. You eagerly join a firm or hang out a shingle.
And then...
The worst professional misery you've ever known. You knew being a lawyer wouldn't be like Perry Mason - you're not completely
naive - but you didn't expect the endless hours and stress. The drudgery. The complete lack of creativity and fun in your day-to-day work life.
You hate it, and you want out.
The worst part is that you've got all these loans to pay off now, and you're making a pretty decent living (sometimes people even tell you how lucky you are to be a lawyer, which feels like the worst kind of cruel joke). It's hard to imagine walking away from all that money, but it's even harder to imagine that this will be your life for the next 10...20...or even 30 years.
I know how you're feeling because I've been there. And I got out.
Back in 1999, I arrived bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at the Chicago office of one of the world's largest law firms. The firm was in the throes of getting sued by a class of older partners it had just terminated. My mentor was absent (and, indeed, had completely forgotten he was assigned to be my mentor at all). I was shipped off to Connecticut for 3 months of mind-numbing document review.
I was not a very good lawyer, to say the least, or a happy one. The firm and I parted ways. My entire legal career had lasted barely 11 months.
Over the next decade, I parlayed my law degree into an editorial career I can't wait to wake up to every day. I've written two published books and numerous articles. My essays have appeared in a couple of anthologies. I make good money as a freelance copywriter, and my agent is currently shopping my memoir to publishers.
Best of all, I work from home. I set my own hours, and I never have to worry about setting an alarm clock, slogging through a commute, or wrangling my way into a suit I don't want to wear.
There were some false starts along the way.
While I knew a lot about being a miserable lawyer, there was a whole lot I didn't know about starting a freelance writing career - 19 years of school didn't prepare me for questions like:
How do I find clients to write for?
How much do I charge?
How do I market myself?
How do I make enough to live on?
I figured it out, slowly but surely, but it took me longer than it should have. There were a lot of missteps along the way, and a lot of wasted time, effort, and money. It would have helped a lot to talk to someone else who'd already successfully made the leap from lawyer to writer.
Insider information from someone who's been there.
Life's too short for work you hate - I firmly believe that. I'm eager to share what I've learned over the past decade so that you, too, can someday refer to yourself as a professional writer and "recovering lawyer."
That's why I've created the "From Lawyer To Writer" Coaching Club. As far as I know, it's the only resource of its kind - specifically designed for lawyers who want to become writers. Club membership includes:
Exclusive access to a continually expanding library of frequently asked questions & answers about making a living as a writer
Unlimited email access to me - ask me anything you want, as often as you want
Practical, in-depth report on a different aspect of making the leap delivered right to your email inbox each month. Upcoming topics include:
- Finding an agent for your book
- Crafting a solid query letter
- Transitioning from law
- Carving out the time to write
- Publishers that hire lawyers as writers
- And more
Steep discounts on one-on-one coaching with me (a full 40% off my regular rates), if you desire more concentrated attention
Advance notice of new information products and special offers
Access to a members-only online discussion group where you can connect with other like-minded lawyers
You'll learn everything you need to know about launching your new life as a writer in an efficient, cost-effective way. Don't flounder around like I did - take advantage of the opportunity to learn directly from someone who's already done it and learned the tricks of the trade.
Information on all aspects of the writing life.
Whether you're looking to become a full-time writer, or you just want to find the motivation to accomplish a long-held writing goal, club membership will help you:
Find the best-paying markets for your work
Avoid common rookie mistakes that can slow you down and waste your time
Write effective queries that will leave editors wanting more
Manage your time effectively so that you can create time for writing in your life
Land an agent who will champion your novel or non-fiction book and work tirelessly to get it published
Reevaluate your relationship with money and break free of your "golden handcuffs"
Prevent sabotage by well-meaning but less-than-supportive friends and family who are happy with your current status quo
We'll give you real information you can put to use right away - nothing abstract, theoretical, or interesting-but-useless. Step by step, we'll show you how to move from where you are to where you want to be.
It's not an easy process - you'll be spending quite a bit of time outside your comfort zone - but it will be one of the best things you've ever done. The only thing you'll regret is having waited so long to make a change.
What will it cost me?
I currently charge $597 a month for one-on-one coaching, and my clients tell me it's a bargain at that price. But it's still a substantial investment.
One of my goals in creating this coaching club was to make it available to as many creatively stifled lawyers as possible, which is why I'm offering it at a fraction of the price of individual coaching: just $107 per month - less than many of us spend at Starbucks, or on carryout lunches during the week. There's no minimum time commitment, and you can cancel at any time.
Even better, book a year at a time and save - you'll get two full months free! That's a $214 savings you can reinvest elsewhere in your writing career, or put towards a fun activity you'll actually have time to enjoy after you quit your all-consuming legal job.
The real question is what it will cost you not to take action now, and to stay on the path you're currently on. Do you really want to still be feeling this way about your work, and your life, this time next year? Five years from now? As the old saying goes, if you do what you always did, you'll get what you always got.
Don't waste another minute - sign up now and start 2010 with a solid plan for creating a life that thrills you.
Sign me up!
Option 1: Yes! Please sign me up for the "From Lawyer To Writer" coaching club at the "pay-as-you-go" rate of $107 per month. I understand that there is no minimum time commitment, and that I may cancel my subscription at any time.
Option 2 (Best Deal):
Yes! Please give me 12 months of the "From Lawyer To Writer" coaching club for the price of 10 with one single payment of $1070. I understand that I will be charged this amount annually, and that I may cancel my subscription at any time.
Questions?
Got a question about the coaching club or private coaching? Anything else on your mind? Email me anytime.
Jennifer Carsen is a "recovering lawyer" and
the founder of Big Juicy Life. After running - screaming - from the law
after only 11 months of practice,
she turned to a far more enjoyable career of writing, editing, and coaching other like-minded lawyers. Her humor
essays have appeared in two recent Seal Press anthologies, Tied in
Knots: Funny Stories From the Wedding Day and The Bigger the Better the
Tighter the Sweater. She is also the author of HR How-to: Employee
Retention and the Divorce Guide for Illinois.
Big Juicy Life * Portsmouth, NH 03801 * (603) 340-1854 * Email
