Here are two posts from my blog that are focused more to breaking into online copywriting (probably the easiest copywriting field to break into)...

1. Making money as a new copywriter...
Copywriting: August 2006

2. Getting started making money as a copywriter...
Copywriting: Getting started making money copywriting

3. The biggest reason most copywriters will never make money...
Copywriting: The biggest reason most copywriters will never make money


And then there's Clayton's Total Package piece where he tells you step-by-step exactly how he captured direct mail clients.

He should be charging for this information but you can read it here free...
Clayton Makepeace Presents The Total Package - How to Attract Killer Clients Who Will Pay You The Money You Deserve


I will go against my contemporaries here and say SCREW getting a job to pay the bills.

Put yourself on the line to get yourself some copywriting work.

No true entrepreneur worth his/her salt ever made it by selling out and working at Walmart to pay the bills.

One of my favorite stories is the late great Gary Halbert writing the fantastically successful "coat of arms" copy to candlelight on packing crates because he'd spent his money on copywriting tapes...

His furniture was repossessed and he had no money to pay the electric bills.

But he got that letter out and within a short time he needed 40 full time employees to bank the checks coming in from the mailings.

You don't have to explore the financial edge to make it as a copywriter but you know it really does help to be genuinely 100% committed!

Kindest regards,
Andrew Cavanagh