Where did YOU learn copywriting?

Isn't self-taught and bought courses essentially one and the same?

multiple methods.

I read many sales letter, and read and bought stuff from Yanik Silver, Gary Halbert, Michel Fortin, Stepehen Dean and other copywriters.

Franck

Started out with a single Dan Kennedy book many years ago.

Then read Bob Bly, and started looking for clients and practicing copy all the time.

Then got audio tapes by Joe Sugarman and his first book. Then read Ted Nicholas, Jay Abraham, and invested in John Carleton course, Scott Haines material, ADMAGIC by Brian Keith Voiles, Jeffrey Lants books, Maximum Money By Halbert and many, many more. (did I say LOTS more?)

Then started going to seminars by Gary Halbert and Dan Kennedy. ...and so it goes. I read top ads practically everyday and write every day.

BTW, The last year or so, I've found another great copywriting resource to be Clayton Makepeace.
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Bruce

I learned how to write copy by doing what few other copywriters ever have... I started my career in retail sales, then moved to B2B sales. Face to face... Cold calling... Generating leads and closing sales... Doorknocking, pounding the pavement, learning what works in the real world.

Personally, I don't believe you can get a better education.

- Cherilyn

By writing - thousands of pages of content Started off with keyword-stuffed content, back when that was OK, pre Web 2.0, when dinosaurs walked the earth. Now, thankfully, writing can be more information-based, but I think I learned a lot about keyword writing from that initial experience.

Reading a ton of ads in biz opp magazines when I was a teen. At the time I was looking to get rich quick, but I think the ads sunk in and effected my writing style.

Started writing copy for myself using what I had absorbed by reading all thsoe ads.

Then started writing for others after people noticed my work. Started real cheap, $97-$197 per letter which was unheard of at the time. Then slowly raised my rates as I continued to learn.

During this time I read all the greats... How to Write A Good Advertisement, Tested Advertising Methods, The Robert Collier Letter Book, Breakthrough Advertising, etc. (How to write a good advertisement is my favorite for beginners, Breakthrough advertising is my favorite for experienced).

After I was established and making a few thousand per letter, I hired Michel Fortin to be my coach for close to 2 years I think. That helped a lot as you can imagine.

Through Michel's blog and coaching, he's probably taught me more about copy than anyone dead or alive.

Another great online resource is The Total Package

Stephen

I've always been a writer one way or another. But for copywriting, I had to develop a salesman or marketing mindset, so I watched a lot of infomercials, read the direct mail that companies send, and read sales letters on the Web---that's basically all I did and still do now.

You guys may laugh but the first guide on copywriting I read was actually from a book called Speed Seduction by Ross Jeffries. He teaches dating skills by the use of nlp.

I hate to sound old, but my first experience with copywriting was back in the 1980s. I was ghost writing natural health books for a client. He wanted to know if I could write a few letters as well.

The next thing I know I'm on his staff, learning the secrets of copywriting. After several months, he hires a nationally known copywriter, Shell Alpert (he's dead now), and I'm on the telephone with him for hours at a time as he tells me about the anatomy of a sales letter.

As it turned out, the campaign he developed -- and I'm still proud to say I wrote -- worked out very well.

Self taught/reports

Buying a ton of courses. Cramming them at 2x speed while taking notes.

I also heard Dan Kennedy one time that the way he learned to write copy was by getting 100 of the best salesletters of all time and rewriting them by hand.

I'm currently on number 37.

He got that from Halbert.

I read a lot of Dan Kennedy, Joe Vitale, Jay Abraham, Zig Ziegler, etc. Although, Zig is more living the golden rule principals. His famous line is "if you'll just help enough other people get what they want, then you'll get what you want". I also like the Earl Nightingale series. One of my favorites is "Lead The Field". Again not so much about copywriting per se, but, still food for thought!

Self-taught + Articles & books, for the most part

That's how I'd recommend most people start. Then, you should go freelancing a bit, for cheap rates - and work your way up!

Adi Friedman
Two Believers.

Ebooks, Reports, Articles, Blogs, Books

I had a mentor too.

I'm hooked on Clayton Makepeace's
stuff. He's pretty good...pricey,
but I learn a lot from the free
stuff he has on his site.

His newsletters are phenomenal!

Peace and Love

Jacqueline

Above all, it would have to be through a coach. (Thank you Stephen!) With his guidance I am reading and learning more than I thought possible on the subject of copywriting. I am also a follower of some big-timers, like Michel Fortin, and continually read their blogs for very useful and pertinent information.

~Mrs. Johnson

I learn from newspapaers, magazines and online media, these things helped me lots...

If you want to know how to copywrite go to amazon and buy some copywriting books, hypnosis in writing books and call to action books.

You should spend at least $200.

In the end this small investment will make you so much money.

This is the best advice I can give anybody out there.

Study and don't be lazy!