Long Live the Copywriter

I don't read things I see.

As a budding writer, I was mortified.

Later, I was thrown into the industry and told, "No one reads long copy" and more recently, have read articles about "copywriters who can't write" or that the job of the traditional copywriter should become obsolete and replaced with a title that's more vague like, "creative person with big ideas who can spell gooder than most."

Okay, I'm being facetious. But it got me thinking, are writers being thrown out along with print media?

First, I'll say that the writer's mind is perfect for advertising, and I think that they will always find each other. The writer is part psychologist by nature, is curious about everything and will constantly find inspiration.

Second, go to your bookshelf and look through your old award annuals. You'll start to pick up on trends over the years, from copy heavy to visual puns to whatever comes next. But that's all they are, trends. It's good to be open to new ideas, to be well rounded, to reinvent the wheel, but it's more important to be a master of your craft. Writing is the only art form that can express human consciousness.

To stay relevant the copywriter needs to write. Constantly. Fill your book with killer headlines and include long copy. Prove you can think in all media, but sell why your craft is necessary.

To all the critics, here's what will save the copywriter: the Internet.

I know what you're thinking. The Internet is a horrifying place for a writer. It has too many acronyms, typos, smiley faces, and- the one that vexes me the most- an obscene amount of exclamation marks. In short, it's illiterate.

But here's how it saves the writer: it's a place of brevity and self-indulgence, it's everything a writer needs to become a better writer.

Twitter only allows you to post thoughts under 140 characters, therefore the copywriter should tweet all the time; it's headline practice.

The copywriter should also start a blog and update it on a regular basis. When you write a blog it's conversational and without pretense. It will help develop your voice and improve long copy skills.

A blog is also a relief, it lets you organize your thoughts, understand yourself, and enjoy the raw act of writing without having to worry about revisions or editing. Hemingway said, "I write 99 pages of crap for every one page of masterpiece." I sort of think a personal blog is that 99 pages of crap. Take this blog entry for example. It's pretty long and I should probably cut it in a few places. But now, I don't think I will.

My Art Director says it's a disease. I think it's more like masturbation. Either way, keep writing. It will turn a profit.