Not long ago someone asked me this interesting question:

“I have a full time job, a family I love and a full rotation of adult responsibilities. How do I find time to learn about copywriting?”

This is a great question. A lot of people struggle with this exact same problem.

And the simple (but brutal) answer is:

You’ve got to find time wherever you can.

For example:

Four years ago when I was starting out, I had a full time job and an office cleaning business at night.

I didn’t have a lot of time, either.

What did I do?

For one thing, I left for work at least a half hour early and I wrote ads, read books researched my project notes when I got there.

Later, to seize even more time, I lobbied to work on second shift (when nobody was there). Then every day I would try to get my work done as fast as I could, so I’d have an hour or so to write ads or study something while at work.

Risky?

Yes.

One “surprise visit” from a supervisor or manager and I’d have been canned on the spot.

But I did it anyway because I was in a hurry and I really didn’t have a lot of time at home to do it.

Now, this may sound extreme and I’m not suggesting you do the same thing.

I just want to make the point of finding time wherever you can.

You may have to stay up to the odd hours of the night or get up an hour or two early.

If you have a job, leave an hour early and study or write ads in your car in the parking lot (I did this many times).

When you take your breaks, go out to your car and write or study ads. Even if it’s for only 15 minutes.

When you’re on your lunch break don’t sit around with all the gossipers, whiners and complainers. Write ads or study something.

On the way to and from work turn off the radio and pop in a CD about marketing or copywriting.

I know of one guy who writes books and ads in his car while he’s commuting. He has a little digital recorder and he “writes” by speaking his ideas, thoughts and inspirations into the recorder while driving, then has it transcribed later.

Heck, if you have cable television unplug it for just three months.

Spend the time you’d normally watch TV and read and write ads. Take the money you would’ve spent on cable and buy more books and tapes.

Look, everyone’s situation is different.

And what worked for me or someone else may not work for you. The above are just a few of things that worked for me.

The idea here is to get radical about managing your time and squeezing every possible second you can from your day.

It doesn’t take that long to get good enough to start making money with your copy.

But it does take some time.

And the faster you get through the “learning curves” — by getting merciless with your time — the better.