How do you become a Copywriter?

Question

I love writing, I am sure I would be good at copywriting, I don't have a degree right now and I don't really want one. If I must get a degree what should it be in? Is just an Associates fine? How do you find copywriting jobs and is it good work?
I would imagine networking would be important, but how do you find these people to network with and hire you!?
Thank you!

Answer 1

Hi There,

I applaud your interest in copywriting. Infact that was my first job in the advertising industry. However I got the job after being noticed as a freelance copywriter. I did not get to become a copywriter immediately, nor did i have a degree at that time. I was an associate to do the first cut in my native language and i was sort of like the intern.

All advertising must consist of 3 major items, copy, art and marketing concept. Usually the copy or art takes the lead after digesting the clients brief.

It is fun but hard work and you need a great partners to produce fantastic advertising. It is really a satisfiying job if everything fall in place, however tensions can ride high most times. The pay will be good in due time and only if you are good. It is such in the ad industry, all strating pay suck until you gain more experience and move up. Time however is never fixed for progress. It is how you handle it and how it is perceived.

A note for you, when you write a copy, it is not for you, it is always or the target market, so what can sound witty and interestesting may be deemed as boring by the target audience.

Get some copywriting job freelance first, perhaps registering on guru.com and doing some freelance job there will help you gain some experience and build your portfolio. Do not charge too high for the job until you have some quality work under your belt. With that you can probably apply or even get noticed by the agencies.

Some writers are better at certain product categories then others. While some generalist are better at doing quick passable copies. All of these types are needed in an agency. WHat agecies don't need is the slow ones that takes ages to write a copy. So try and practice writing faster.

Good luck mate and i hope you can realise your dreams.

Answer 2

I've got good news and bad news. The good news is that you don't necessarily need a degree to become a copywriter, though it doesn't hurt. The bad news is that you do need excellent writing samples, aka portfolio, or "book" as we call it in the industry.

Now, there are a few different ways you can enter the advertising field, depending on what career path you want to take. (FYI: If you want to work on Nike vs. doing brochures for the local hotel, Option A will probably be your best bet.)

OPTION A: Go to an AD school, which is what I did after I got by Bachelors in Communications. Schools like Miami Ad School, Portfolio Center, and Creative Circus focus exclusively on creative fields like copywriting and art direction. They aren't cheap, but students graduate in 2 years with great books and are fully trained for positions as copywriters. (Most of the "best" agencies in the country recruit from these schools exclusively.)

OPTION B: Get a job at an advertising agency in whatever capacity you can and "work your way" into a copywriter position. This is often the hardest to do because most agencies don't typically train employees. This is also the longest path to actually becoming a copywriter, unless you have exceptional skills.

Advertising is an extremely competitive field. The best jobs are handled by "headhunters" More often than not, it's all a matter of cold calling and asking the agency if they're hired.

Not knowing what area of the country, or world, you live in, you may be faced with a shortage of good agencies where you can apply. That's why a lot of creatives move from city to city. Still, it's a great career to have and, if you're talent, you can make gobs of money. But, it's not for everyone and not everyone can do it.

I would strongly recommend calling the local Advertising Federation chapter (AdFed) and seeing if they have any student-type resources. At the very least, you'll be making your first contact.

Hope that helps!

Answer 3

There's a good task marketplace for humans with robust writing expertise. Get a institution measure with massive writing and promoting research. Then observe to advert groups. If you wish to paintings for a newpaper as a substitute than do advert copywriting, you would even be excellent off with a measure heavy in writing potential - then observe to newspapers. You'l most commonly must begin with small papers, then paintings your method to greater ones if that is what you wish to do.

Answer 4

A degree in advertising would be a good start. Apply to advertising companies and ask what their requirements are for hiring copywriters.

Answer 5

Without a degree you'll probably need some serious networking to get your first few gigs. If you do a good job get some references and that should make it easier.

Also you could try and make a small portfolio of really good writing to leave with potential employers.

Answer 6

I don't know if this is up your ally, but you could try freelance writing for people blogs or websites, no qualifications needed and you don't even have to use your real name, just test the waters out.

Answer 7

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