Copywriting for Creative Writers

Did you know there’s no specific training requirements for copywriting? That’s right! Anyone can wake up one day and hang a shingle saying "copywriter for hire."

Maybe that's okay. I mean, after all, good copywriting is not necessarily something that requires a specific degree program. But good quality copywriters are few and far between. Even many of the best ones have expertise in what’s already been done before in advertising and publicity materials.

Copywriting is narrowly and exclusively marketing focused. It's based on formulas and templates and fill in the blanks, all of which has been done before and will go out of favor, and little of which is individualized. Wanna take a guess as to why people use ChatGPT to generate copy, even when they wouldn't touch AI for their creative writing?

But writers who want to have an audience — and if you're here, that's you — need to get good at writing the copy that only you can write.

Your expertise with language will go far beyond copy, because you've taken the time to understand language on a granular, word-by-word, sound and sense level. And no one knows your entire content strategy, across suites and platforms, like you do.

The word authenticity contains real meaning.

Yes, your copy has to sell. But it doesn't have to be salesy. Fad-driven, just-like-everyone-else, marketing sizzle with no substance, doing only what has been done before or glomming onto a trend because “everyone else is doing it” marketing copy can never convey what makes your creative writing special and why someone should read your work.

When you're working on your marketing material, whether that's a query, a pitch, or a social post, pretend you're telling a friend about something you really, really, really, REALLY want them to read. What do you say?

Tips Galore