Is copywriting an art, a skill or a trade?

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OK guys, time to confess--do you think copywriting is something anyone with average writing ability can learn or do you think it's an art where you must have innate ability going in?
#copywriting #art #copywriting #skill #trade
  • Like anything else, you've got to have some talent going in. I know someone who plays piano. She took lessons for years. But her playing is wooden, hollow and she can't get a tune out unless she has the sheet music sitting in front of her. Then I know people who are natural musicians. They can listen to something and easily play it without music. That's because music is in them.

    The same goes for writing. There are certainly people who can learn copywriting and maybe even write effective copy from time to time. But I think to be really good at it consistently, to instinctively know where the hot buttons are and know how to use them in the most effective way every time, there has to be some intrinsic talent.
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  • It is something that most can learn but many won't take the time to do. Having good copy is very important to any campaign and can mean the difference between 100 dollars and 1000 dollars. For those who don't want to deal with article writing, copy writing or making their own marketing videos there are services like writerswanted.org or you can just bit the bullet and learn the skill!
  • Ya, it's easily a learnable trade...talent helps but any skill can be developed

    You can easily be among the best in the world if you work at it.

    Aaryn
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    • It's a little of all three.

      It's an art because most people who can't write copy just don't get it. Even pure writers have a hard time grasping sales concepts and being able to put it into print without being so much of a grammar freak. You have to know how people think and how to say whatever it is you need to say to trigger emotions and finally getting them to take action and buy.

      It's a skill because you do have to have some writing skills, but more importantly, you need to actually like sitting down and coming up with brilliant play on words, only to give it someone else to make a ton of money with.

      It's a trade because it's something that you can specialize in and virtually everyone in business needs some form of copy to attract customers. It's also a trade because a trade in general is something that's needed and has some sort of financial gain attached to it. Copywriting is no doubt something you can charge money for if you're good.
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  • It's a little of all of them. Some just have talent. For example F. Scott Fitzgerald was a copywriter before he wrote The Great Gatsby. He obviously had talent.

    However, the more you read it and practice it, the better you will be.

    What I think you should consider is that video sales letters are kicking the crap out of traditional sales letters. Plus, the copy does not have to be as good. Nobody wants to read your boring sales letter. Plus, if you're not great and your headline is not spot-on, you're going to lose them.

    However, I've seen the data. People will watch a 7 - 9 minute video.

    Get into doing videos.
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    • Video is still being tested. In the tests I've been a part of video out-performed text in some cases but not in others. I suspect video will eventually be the norm, however, but it will be done better than most people are doing it today.
    • Banned
      That's not true. Some people prefer videos over reading. Young males for the most part. "Video sales letters are kicking the crap out of traditional sales letters"? I don't agree. Out of boring sales letters maybe.

      Some people will watch a 7-9 minute video. Not very many I would hazard to guess. No-one has the time for that. We all want stuff served up in bite-sized chunks. Which you can do in both mediums. Without boring the crap out of people.

      BTW Fitzgerald only worked briefly for a New York agency after his discharge from the army - 6 months or something - and he was crap at it. He was writing short stories in his spare time.
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    • Great thread.

      The OP is a question all writers ask themselves often. The insecurity will never fade completely, Kevin. So, don't mistake it for reality.

      The fact that you're asking these questions shows you CAN be a good copywriter because you care enough to wonder.

      My pal David Garfinkle recommended a book last year called "Talent Is Overrated", and I'd recommend it to you as well.

      In a nutshell, the author, Geoff Colvin, makes the argument that talent has nothing on persistent study and practice.

      The truth is... yes you might study for years and not become John Carlton, but guess what... you don't need to be John Carlton!

      In fact, if you ever have the good fortune to study under Carlton, the very first thing he will beat into your skull is: Never try to write like me!

      Lots of good reasons for that, but the main two are...

      1. He was charged with the task of writing like others early in his career and he knows how tedious it is. (And unless your specific task is to ghost your employer, then it can be a stifling exercise.)

      2. There's already a John Carlton. The real money is not imitation, it's in YOUR distinct personality.

      Keep studying your arse off, get a mentor (Vin, of course, is one of the best you'll find) and -- here's the key: Write more than you study!

      Becoming a walking encyclopedia of direct response is pretty useless unless you find a way to apply it (and turn it into money!).

      All the best,

      Kevin

      P.S. Below is a disturbingly misguided statement about video. Transcribe Kern's videos and what do you have? Really GOOD sales letters.

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  • Banned
    I haven't read the other comments - yet. "Average writing ability"? Nope. You need more than that. And you need more than a "way with words" too. You can be a really clever and entertaining writer but if you're not on target your sales copy aint gonna cut it.

    But having said that I still don't think "average writing ability" is gonna make for great copy. Because average writing ability usually means "boring writing ability" - School of "What I Did on My Holidays". Good writers are good with words. Good copywriters are not only good with words but with using those well-chosen words to hit the target.
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  • I would have to agree with whoever said: Yes.


    Sure, you can do it without having any talent -- but true writing skill will make good copy great copy. Also, going into it with a great deal of writing experience and generally being a confident writer will allow you to churn out writing. For the most part, copywriting is a freelance gig so speed and quality means more $$$.
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  • I agree, I think it's all of the above.

    Of course, I like to think of it like cooking. We can have the same recipe in front of us, but there's no way I'll ever be able to get the same "dish" as someone who knows what they're doing.

    Even with the same info in front of us, I'll manage to make it not so good.

    At the same time, I can learn to play golf for years, study with the best and work harder than most, but I'll never be Tiger Woods (plus, I'm not rich enough for all those roses on V-day. - Sorry, couldn't resist.)

    I think we can all be "good" to some extent given enought time and purposeful study, but there will also be some who excel beyond what most of us can do because they have the intrinsic ability that travlinguy spoke of.

    And yet, here I go and start up the Tator-tot hot dish I'm making for tonight proving once again I excel at...not cooking. (But ahh, I do love Minnesota dinners.)
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  • All of the above. When creativity and your experience writing killer copy increase, you've got something that other people don't.

    Simply put, great copy converts offers to sales. It's sometimes very underrated.
  • i'd say it is a trade
  • This thread is very interesting to me conceptually.

    I'm a writer, who was taught to become a copy writer. I should say is being taught--- its definitely continual.

    There was recently another post and I'll try to locate it if I can, from the perspective of an Non Native English speaker, I can't think of his SN but he's frequently on WF.

    He asked the group as a whole, whether or not it was feasible for him to become an English Copywriter. Many wrote back to say no, it just wasn't going to happen.

    Here's the point I'm going to make (and I'm sure its going to go over like a lead balloon). Has anyone ever heard of Ayn Rand? The objectivist philospher?

    She was originally from Russia. She came here, learned English and wrote several novels, plays, works on nonfiction. Her books are literally 800 and 1,000 pages long (the longest works anyway).

    While she isn't always popular and receives flak for the length of her books, they are still printed, reproduced and sold worldwide to this day. I was introduced to her work some 30 years after her death.

    Does everyone agree with her style or work? No. Does it prevent her from continually attracting new followers? No.

    All writing, including Copy are crafts. They need to be studied relentlessly and analyzed and then relearnt again when things change. I personally don't think anyone should ever give up on something they feel they can achieve.
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    • This gives me a great idea for my next copywriting book: Halbert Shrugged
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  • Haha, Its going to need to be at least 1013 pages long to compete.
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  • Dear Kevin-VirtualProfitCenter,

    Art? Skill? Trade? All of those although mostly, one other thing: a craft.

    Kind regards, --Gary B.
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    • I think it was John Carlton who said that

      "great copy is not written, it is assembled."

      Theoretically it would seem that all you need to do is test sections of copy and assemble them all into a killer sales/squeeze page.

      I think it can be considered an art, a skill and a trade.

      Hard work and testing seem to be all you need.
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  • All of the above.
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    • All of the above.

      The people who are considered the best in any field never sit on their laurels. They're always honing their skills and working at getting better.
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  • You asked: "Is copywriting an art, a skill, or a trade?"

    I say copywriting is a skill learned, practiced in trade, and then perfected into art.

    My $.02
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    • Nicely said, Tina.

      +1 (and swiped)
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    • My thought exactly. Well said...
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  • I agree with Tinkerbell and Loud Mac. I think that one sentance sums it up nicely.

    I also believe though; part of it, is just that born knack for the written word. If you don't have the heart of a writer, any written word, no matter how hard you learn, train etc just won't have the same flow and power as those written by someone who loves the craft.

    Just my 2 cents.

    Sylvia
  • anyone can learn the skill.... doesn't mean they have the natural ability....

    its like teaching 2 people to play a musical instrument... one is musically gifted... the other isn't.

    They both learn from the same teacher... both take the same classes... both playing the same instrument...

    One can only play in a cover band... the other creates music you remember for years.

    The difference?

    Natural ability.

    Take design for example. You can teach the same 2 people how to use photoshop, one has the natural eye for design and can make mouth watering designs... the other can just get stuff done... looks ok.... nothing great.

    Copy, i think is the same...

    But, you can cheat.... swipe stuff, model winning sales letters etc.
  • Banned
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    • WELL ANYTHING CAN BE LEARNT IF THERE IS A WILLINGNESS, IN MY CASE I WAS TRAINED AT A TENDER AGE TO BE A GOOD ESSAYIST, WITH A GOOD COMMAND OF LANGUAGE I CAN WRITE ANYTHING I WANT TO WRITE SO LONG I HAVE AN OUTLINE.
      HERE IN THIS CASE, YOU HAVE AN OUTLINE OF WHAT TO WRITE THE REST IS STORY.
      TAKE A LOOK AT EZINE, HOW ARTICLES ARE BEEN WRITTEN - SOME STORIES, ILLUSTRATION, A GUIDE,ETC
      BUT BASICALLY YOU HAVE TO KNOW THE FUNDAMENTALS IF YOU WILL DO WELL IN COPY WRITING, WRITE LET AN EXPERIENCED EDIT OR YOU WILL LOSE MONEY.
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  • Kevin,

    Copywriting is part art; part science. But, in reality, it's just "salesmanship in print"... literally.

    You've probably heard that said many times -- but it's true. If you understand selling -- and basic spelling, grammar, and punctuation -- then you, too, have the potential to be a decent copywriter.

    Regards,

    Johnny
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  • Writing is a form of expression so that's where the artistic side comes. Proven copy follows powerful copywriting formulas and techniques so that's where the scientific side comes from.

    But like stated before me, copywriting is about selling. And selling is a skill. A skill that can be honed.

    Therefore I'd say copywriting is a skill. One of the most profitable skills in the world, if not the most.

    - Sam
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  • NO....everyone can't do copywriting. You definitely need some good skills to get into this work.
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  • wow. this is a great thread. thanks for the info warriors !

    Jeff
  • I'm going to go with a skill and an art.

    Skill because there are certain rules that you really need to follow.

    Art because some of these rules can be broken. But you'll only know when to break them with practice/feedback.

    I also feel that it's a psychological subject.

    Joseph
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