You've probably seen a typo in one of our posts or one of our emails. I'm human; I'll admit it. (Though the woman who sent: "No offense, but do you actually even read your emails?" got herself promptly deleted from our newsletter list. Again: Only human.) And though my staff can proofread, the timing of posts or emails doesn't always allow for it. So, what do we do instead … [Read more...]
5 Things Creative Directors Wish You Knew
Creative directors will be some of the most important people you’ll work with in your life. (Copywriting mentors are important, too; read more about them here.) They have the power to make you into the best copywriter you can be. But how can you maximize any relationship with a creative director? A great creative director will do their best to build your skills as a copywriter … [Read more...]
Habits of Wildly Successful Copywriters
What they say is true: Cultivating the right habits can have a major impact on your success. After all, what we do every day determines what we become. So, what are the habits of wildly successful copywriters? As many business and success gurus will tell you, the fastest way to succeed is to study the things successful people do, and then do those same things. So, in the … [Read more...]
Problems Between Copywriters and Design Partners
A copywriter's design partner will often be their work best friend. They'll work closely and create amazing pieces. But what happens when this crucial relationship hits a rift? How do you keep creating work when there are problems? When things aren’t going well with your design partner it’s both frustrating and disheartening. It feels like they don’t respect you and they … [Read more...]
How Do You Write for Translations?
In today’s global economy, there’s a good chance that your copy may not just remain in its language of origin. You won't be the translator (thankfully), but you will need to write your copy so it can be translated. How? Here's what you should know about writing copy that will be translated. First, one caveat: I’m talking mostly in the “translating English to another … [Read more...]
3 Marks of “Lazy Copywriting”
I'm always telling you to really read the copy that comes at you every day. And then, I'm also telling you to analyze it. Well, here we look at three points you might be missing in that analysis—three tell-tale marks of lazy writing. Intrigued? Lazy copywriting is when the copywriter doesn't take the time to be original, to carefully look through their copy, and to analyze … [Read more...]
What’s a CMS?
Often, writing involves creating your copy deck, sending it to your designer, and then working together to make tweaks. But what happens when, instead, it involves inputting your copy directly into a computer system? You'll likely be interacting with a CMS, or content management system. Here's what it is and how it comes into play in your copywriting. What Does CMS … [Read more...]
Why “Practice Makes Perfect” When It Comes to Copywriting Is Wrong
If the way to get to Carnegie Hall is practice, that must be true for copywriters too, right? Not quite. Instead of focusing on writing, writing, writing, and churning out ads every hour of every day, copywriters should adopt a different technique instead. Why "More" Doesn't Mean "Better" They (whoever "they" is) say that for writers to improve, they need to write. … [Read more...]
5 Easy Tips for Maximizing Your Time
Twenty-four hours often doesn't feel like enough time to do everything you need to do—especially when you're building up your new copywriting career. So, short of bending the rules of time, what's a person to do? While I can't add extra time into the day (yet...I'm working on it), I can offer you some suggestions for maximizing the time you've got. A lot of time management … [Read more...]
Getting Faster Isn’t Always Getting Better
When most new copywriters think about improving their skills, they think about learning to write faster. In reality, this isn't the key to getting better. So, what is? I definitely understand the desire to speed up. When you're sitting there, staring at your screen and waiting for ideas to come to you, the minutes can feel like hours. And when you have deadlines … [Read more...]