So, you fancy dipping your toe into the wild waters of copywriting? I don’t blame you; being a full-time copywriter is fantastic.
But can anyone be a copywriter?
As is the case in all creative professions, it certainly helps if you’re creatively minded. There are also a few other attributes, skills and must-dos which might be useful, but I believe anyone can certainly learn the basics of copywriting, even if some find putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and making words jump off the page more difficult than others.
Read on for my suggestions…
Read, Read and Read a Bit More
Your schoolteachers weren’t wrong, you know; reading is beneficial - and not just if you want to polish your vocabulary.
Reading more will set you up for a creative career like copywriting or journalism, as it stands to reason that the more words you know (and the better your grasp of the good ‘ole English language) the easier you’ll find it to write.
So, delve into anything you can find - books, magazines, textbooks, brochures and more. In fact, reading brochures and other promotional content will help you to better understand exactly how marketing content is crafted - and how it entices the reader to part with their cash and buy something.
Be Interested (But Not Nosy!)
As is the case in journalism, it helps in the wonderful world of copywriting if you’re someone who takes an interest in people and what makes them tick.
As a freelance copywriter, it’s my job to talk to business owners and learn more about them, their company and how they like to do things. Now, there’s a fine line between taking an interest (and extracting the right information) and being nosy. Don’t be the latter; no one likes a Nosy Parker.
Instead, be personable, approachable and considerate of the other person and the information they’re about to share (and the information they don’t want to share).
Some people are completely comfortable talking your head off, while others may need a steer. It helps if you can chat to just about anyone and ask the right questions to ensure you gather the information you need.
Become a Grammar Nerd
The English language is constantly evolving - and it’s as important to stay as up-to-date with new and trendy parlance as it is to master the fundamentals of grammar and spelling.
If you don’t know your ‘it’s’ from your ‘its’ or your ‘there’ from your ‘their’ or ‘they’re’, make it your business to learn all of the above and more.
No one will trust you or what you’re trying to flog them (by way of the content you create) if it isn’t grammatically correct or spelled properly.
Learn From Professional Copywriters
The best way to learn more about what it takes to be a copywriter? Keep an eye on people who do it professionally.
Follow copywriters on LinkedIn and Twitter and delve into their online portfolios to see what kind of work makes up the role. If you read a copywriter’s testimonials, too, you’ll see what it is that a copywriter’s clients are saying and how a copywriter has helped propel their business with well-chosen words.
Practise Your Prose
Practise absolutely makes perfect, so make sure you take any opportunity to write creatively.
Set up a blog and create some content; even if you don’t intend to share it anywhere, you’ll have a handy log of your own work and you’ll be able to see if and how it is improving over the weeks and months.
Look at what big-name brands are doing in terms of their marketing - and see if you can come up with, say, a better advert or social media post. Just for fun.
While the above isn’t an exhaustive list of what makes a good copywriter, I hope it has provided some food for thought.
Before I go, I’ll add this: you may have a good command of the English language or you might have aced your English exams at school. Both those things don’t necessarily make a good copywriter, in much the same way that someone with a basic grasp of maths isn’t destined to take Rachel Riley’s role on Countdown.
There is lots more that goes into honing your skills as a copywriter than simply knowing where to place an apostrophe in a passage of text, or gaining multiple A grades for your literature essays at school. If I had a quid for every time I’ve received a message from a well-meaning person on LinkedIn or via email who told me they fancied ‘having a go’ at copywriting because it ‘looks fun’ or they’ve heard it can be well paid, I could switch off my laptop and retire early. Not that I’d want to, you understand.
Sure, copywriting is fun - and, yes, you can make a very decent living from it, but any business owner worth his or her salt will quickly realise if you’re in the profession for the wrong reasons. Plus, you’ll soon tire of the work that goes into crafting that piece of content when you realise it isn’t as simple as you perhaps first thought. So, work on honing your skills and put the effort in - and the time.
Becoming a copywriter takes passion, commitment and skill. So, can anyone become a copywriter? Yes and no - but anyone can put in the legwork.
Until next time…
Psst: are you a business owner who needs help with a project or two? Get in touch with me - a Huddersfield copywriter - and let’s chat.