What it takes to become a copywriter.
First things first. It takes a lot to become a writer.
A writer is first a thinker, a thinker is first a seeker, and a seeker is always a student. In short, a writer is a perpetual student of life, its reasons, turns, curves, ups and downs. The process is an exacting one, and its duration long, but it offers great rewards. For one, it helps you see the world through eyes that are guided by knowledge. You begin to see things as they are, and when you apply such principles and insights into your writing, personal or professional, you will create work that will awaken the mind.
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Like all work, writing too requires self-discipline, self-awareness, and consistency in keeping yourself inspired. Once you have turned your desire into determination, here are a few ‘tips’ that can come in handy on your path to becoming a professional copywriter.
Learn to judge objectively
When you enter the world of copywriting, you will be bombarded by names, young and old, who have carved a niche for themselves in the art of persuasion. Don’t get intimidated; instead, intimate yourself with their writing. Find a small notebook and take note of how each celebrated writer writes. Soon, you will realize that not all famous and celebrated copywriters are good. Many are either given over to shock-and-awe, or are simply clever at imitating the styles of earlier writers. Your estimation will give you an idea of your judgement, and your judgement is the most crucial thing you’ll have to create good copy.
Find a mentor
As long as you keep your judgement of good and bad to yourself, all is well. But the moment you let it out in the open to breathe in the toxic breath of conformity and compliance, you will be labeled a heretic, or a highly opinionated person – an outcast. That’s the modern day Inquisition, stomping on freedom of thought by holding culpable an individual showing any sign of possessing individuality.
The best way forward in this course is to keep an eye and ear out for a mentor in your agency, among friends, or anywhere out in the world. Once you find someone who is willing to be objective rather than just swimming with the tide, grab and hold onto them. Share your list, concerns, and thoughts with them. Let them guide you by telling you where you failed and where you were right. Such guidance is of extreme importance in today’s time, when everyone’s lost and all landmarks are discredited.
Prepare to fail
According to Han-Gwon Lung, award-winning CEO and co-founder of Tailored Ink, “This is the make-or-break point for all professional dreams. How well do you respond to failure and your biggest fears? Can you live with scars? Or do you expect the world to hand you trophies?”
There is a purpose to everything. There’s a reason for success and there’s a reason for failure. As a young professional, it’s alright for you to not be aware of many specifics of your profession as a copywriter – how an agency functions, what constitutes an internship, the internal workings of an office, and more. As your days progress at your first job, you will find yourself becoming more and more aware of people, positions, and other equally important details, and depending on the kind of work you have done on building your character and your writing, you’ll be able to maneuver yourself through this endless maze. You should also be prepared to make mistakes where writing itself is concerned. The key element is not to beat yourself up too much over it.
Read Also: 4 ways to improve your copywriting skills
