Hello,
I'll be going to college next fall and I plan on becoming a copywriter for my career. I was wondering if someone here could possibly help me out with some questions I have about technical writing, so I can better plan my future. I would really appreciate it.


Here are the questions:

1. What type of education background do I need for this job?

2. What type of extra degrees or education would make me look good to employers?

3. What do you do in an average day?

4. What are the benefits and vacation time like?

5. How much of this work could I do at home?

6. What is an average salary? A beginning salary? A top salary?

7. What is the competition for these jobs like?

8. What are the related occupations?

9. How secure are these jobs? In the future?

10. What type of prior work experience would make me look good to employers?


Thank you.
You can post answers to the questions here, or email me at jarediscool2@hotmail.com if you were kind enough to answer them

Hey,

Big question, big answer but no answers either.

Its a personal thing and I have never yet met a copywriter from the same background. Myself I was a hairdressers for around 20 years. I have met builders that are now copywriters and all sorts of eccentrics.

Anyway, benefits to you CAN be monsterous long term but you have to go where the big fish swim.

Maybe thats later. Read stuff like this board. Buy books by the old guys like John Caples ,David Ogilvy, Bruce BartonClaude hopkins and many more.

But ... don't believe its over complicated and you need to have a masters to do it, you dont!

You have to be a great salesperson, love helping people solve problems and be able to communicate through words in a complelling manner that your targets will love to read.

Big tip: Write, Write, Write and finally, keep on writing. PLus ignore most advice most give you. There are only a tiny minority worth listening to. The rest will hold you back.

Just my opinion.

Dear unnamed person,

I always get concerned when I hear about someone deciding to specialize at your stage of life. It is premature. You'll be a better copywriter or any kind of writer if you soak up every other subject you are interested in, first. The more you understand of history, philosophy, literature, psychology, art, etc., even mathematics and biology, the more resources you will have to draw on in your work. Also, critical thinking is key, and you learn that through a liberal arts education.

Second, if you want the security of an employer, I think you are choosing the wrong field to enter. I don't know of any high-earning copywriters who ply their trade on staff. I'm sure they exist, but they certainly are not the majority. Most of those you'll find on the Internet are unemployable - they're too independent. They have the discipline and self-reliance that comes from being on one's own, and it shows up in their writing.

Finally, if you are going around asking people for advice, you should tell your name. It's common courtesy.

Good luck!
Marcia Yudkin

Marcia,

Yes and No to this for me. Yes some are very unemployable and as much as I love the likes of John Carlton there are far too many "copycats" coming through trying to base themselves virtually word for word on his and other well known copywriters works.

Not sure about your other comment Marcia. Independance is a good thing but I agree it has to have a strong foundation. This can be gained through education but more so through life itself.

I like your comment on being too young though. Maybe a younger person getting into this trade should do some footwork in other industries. After all its about understanding people and how they think, what makes them tick, what makes them buy.

Not many youngsters have that skill early on.

My world has been looking strangely square and round lately due to an absence of 3 sided things - now I know why!!

What are the qualifications required to become a writer? Does anyone even know of any qualifications or industry standards? I haven't found any, except those from private companies charging a small fortune for qualifications of dubious value to an employer or client.

Also, I think we should make a distinction between copywriting and technical writing. Technical writing to me means writing manuals, helpfiles etc. such as what you would get with a piece of software or a new washing machine. Copywriting requires an entirely different mindset and is about selling. I believe they are fairly different disciplines.

People seem to "fall into" copywriting from 3 perspectives. Either they are a successful sales person looking to do something new leveraging their sales skills. Or they are a writer looking to diversify into other markets. Or they are a marketing consultant who decides to do their clients' copy as part of the package. Or as Alan said, they could be from any background.

Whether this means that one needs loads of life experience to be a copywriter, I don't know. It certainly won't harm. Given that the purpose of copy is to sell, then knowing the psychology of buying and why people typically respond in particular ways to certain types of stimuli is definitely worth knowing. But only theoretical knowledge will not get you far. Some academic study is bound to be useful, but being at the coal face of some business must be the best teacher.

Also, in addition to what Marcia says, some kind of degree where you must write essays and papers to argue a point and provide evidence will help to train your mind for any future writing challenges. I was not naturally drawn to writing essays, but I chose Business Studies as my degree, so I had to write papers. I wrote one in my finals that I knew was risky because it contradicted the opinions of the lecturer, but he gave me an A - presumably because I wrote a persuasive case. So, I was learning the skill of persuasive writing without even knowing it!

I feel copywriting is an industry where people are judged on their portfolio and results rather than training and qualifications. Certainly no one has asked me for any qualifications, and even if they wanted to, what qualifications would they ask me about? I haven't got a clue!

I would suggest availing yourself of all the writing opportunities whilst at college e.g. some journalism for any college/campus mags, write the copy for ads in the magazines. Maybe also take a part-time sales job and perfect your art of selling.

Jane

Interesting to hear the divergent points... since copywriting is "salesmanship in print", it would behoove one to start their career in sales, then sales training (how to articulate to other, and demonstrate, how to sell), and read every good book on sales, get familiar w/gitomer (sales caffeine) and all the sales training out there, as a precursor to copywriting.

The journalism is best obtained by practice, eg submitting articles to (campus, and later, trade) publications, honing one's craft at creating interesting, lively prose.

Marcia's a superb, engaging writer and I really like her prose, you'd do well to pick up a couple of her books. I remember the writing was well above average for professional writers. And having read thousands and thousands of books, that's saying something :P

Also, reviewing Mike's portfolio on this site, and printing out every single salesletter and then studying the what makes them tick, is helpful.

Learning how people work, what motivates them, and how to hit their "Triggers" (see sugarman) with powerful words that engage, and learning sales and psychology, along with the written skills, is helpful...

(gotta run, dentist is waiting - ouch -! see I can visualize the drill as I sit here)

ken

I believe that the greatest preparation for being an excellent copywriter is to be an avid reader. There's nothing like being a true bookworm to help one with vocabulary, grammar, and the lost art of spelling...

Technical writing comes with certain expectations. For instance, I have done medical writing, a subspecialty of technical writing, for several years (even won an award recently for a magazine cover article I wrote for a health industry magazine). I came into this field logically: I was a registered nurse for 19 years before I ever wrote a word.

That's why I suggest pursuing the topics and subjects that interest you most when starting out, in addition to the usual English/journalism/marketing courses that many aspiring copywriters take.

Earnings...hmmmm....this varies a lot, dependent on your skill level and work ethic. I started out three years ago writing for a mere $10,000 a year (trust me, I didn't quit my day job at that time!) I also read a discouraging fact: most writers earn $5,000 or less a year...but I decided to be one of the minority. I now earn 72,000 a year from writing, and did quit my day job. But others here earn much more.
It all depends on how much work you want to do, and how well your writing pulls for clients. Your drive and ability will determine your final salary.

I wish there was a "cookie-cutter" approach to copywriting, but most in this field come to it from different backgrounds, with different expectations. The only common denominator that I have seen is a lifelong enthusiasm for learning, research, and creating the written word.

Best wishes,
Sheri