Best products from r/copywriting

Sorry I'm a little late to the party, but I thought I'd add my two cents.

The great thing about copywriting is that anyone can do it, no matter their background. So don't stress about having the "schooling" needed for the job. All you need is a good work ethic and clever skills.

First — Definitely read up on all the books listed in other comments.

I'd also look into [Hey Whipple Squeeze This] (http://www.amazon.com/Hey-Whipple-Squeeze-This-Creating/dp/1118101332) by Luke Sullivan, [Pick Me] (http://www.amazon.com/Pick-Me-Breaking-Advertising-Staying/dp/0471715573) by Nancy Vonk & Janet Kestin, and any and all advertising annuals you can get your hands on. Annuals are a great way to learn what works and see it in action. You can find some [recent award show annuals here] (http://www.welovead.com/en/bookshelf).


Second — Build your book.

Free time is a great asset. Use it. In order to really break in, you'll need a portfolio or spec book. This is a book of ads you've created that prove you can solve problems and write. Pick some products and make a campaign for them. The rule of thumb is 3 products with 3 ads each to show you can expand the idea beyond just one print or digital execution.

Many people go to portfolio school to build their book, but it's not necessary for everyone. I didn't do it and many copywriters I know didn't either.


Third — Network.

Although all of the above are important, they won't mean squat if you're not in the right place to talk to the right people. Try joining your local advertising club and go to their events. I'd also strongly suggest looking into [Portfolio Night] (http://www.portfolionight.com/12/). This is a global event held throughout the year that brings young creatives face-to-face with advertising professionals. Not only is it a great way to get some feedback on your book, but an outstanding way to network. You'll meet others like you and start conversations with the very people who could land you your next job.

Hope that wall of text helps. Good luck, man.

Cool - you had an idea in about 30 seconds of reading/thinking. Awesome start. Now throw more time at it and come up with more ideas. Like 50-100 ideas. And not just rewrites of the same thought, but as much variety as you can muster. The saying that 'the best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas' is absolutely true.

Once you've got your 50-100 ideas on a page, figure out which 2 or 3 are the strongest, most interesting ideas. Everything else goes in the bin (I've literally thrown out about 80% of the work I've produced over the last 22 years) and you start tweaking the way those lines are written, or throwing an image in with them and see if that makes it stronger. Just keep pulling things apart and rejoining them in new ways. It's really like playing with a bunch of Lego (which is fun!).

You don't know how this thing is going to look in the end. But you keep trying stuff until you feel like it's right.

Buy, beg, borrow or steal a copy of 'Hey Whipple, Squeeze This'. It's got an awesome chapter on finding new ways into a brief and new angles on a headline.

Good luck. :)

Ooh, I know this! So, first read everyone else's responses. They're probably smarter than I. I was in your shoes about 10 years ago. I was working for a small film company and taking on any job that had any element of copywriting in it. (If I got my boss coffee, I'd write a story about it and send to all my friends.) Then, I got a call from a CD I'd met at a party that I have an interview "later this week." I called all my advertising friends. This is a compilation of the advice that I think helped me land the job:

• Bring examples of your writing. 5-10 things that show you can do the work. Be prepared to discuss them, what you learned while writing them, and how you'd improve them.
  
  
• Update your resume to focus on the writing aspects of your work history.
  
  
• Research the people interviewing. Find some shared interests and the value you'll bring to the team.
  
  
• During the interview, they told me I wasn't ready for the position. I asked for the opportunity to prove that I was. I think they appreciated the pushback. I wrote a pro-bono Point-of-sale, which they paid me for so they could sell it to the client.
  
  
• The only time I ever used an AP stylebook was to win an argument with my CD. Everything is subjective in advertising.
  
  
• If you have basic competency, copywriters differentiate based on relationships, ability to execute, and life experience. Focus on these for your interview.
  
  
• Some books that changed how I see my job as a copywriter:
  
  Ogilvy on Advertising
  
  It's not how good you are...
  Selling the invisible
  
  Keep in mind, I focused on the creative side bc the agency I worked for put ZERO value on research. They (wrongly) thought it was a waste of money, and I wasn't going to convince them otherwise. They also didn't care much for conversions. They simply wanted clever writing. Your situation may be different. Research first, and focus on the important bits. Good luck, and feel free to PM me if you want to discuss.
  
  As for your lowball salary, everything is negotiable. Be honest. Tell them you realize they're taking a risk by interviewing fresh talent, and you'd like to revisit it after 6 months or so.

And I have these in my list on amazon. Would love to get some opinions on them:

 

How to Win Friends and Influence People

by Dale Carnegie

 

Secrets of a Freelance Writer: How to Make $100,000 a Year or More

by Robert Bly

 

Words that Sell

by Richard Bayan

 

Tested Advertising Methods

by Caples and Hahn

 

Writing That Works

by Kenneth Roman and Joel Raphaelson

 

Confessions of an Advertising Man

by David Ogilvy

 

The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing

by Al Ries and Jack Trout

 

The Robert Collier Letter Book

by Robert Collier

 

Nicely Said: Writing for the Web with Style and Purpose

by Nicole Fenton and Kate Kiefer Lee

 

Letting Go of the Words

by Janice (Ginny) Redish

 

Essential English for Journalists, Editors and Writers

by Harold Evans

 

Can I Change Your Mind?: The Craft and Art of Persuasive Writing

by Lindsay Camp

 

Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer

by Roy Peter Clark

 

Read Me: 10 Lessons for Writing Great Copy

by Roger Horberry and Gyles Lingwood

 

Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This: The Classic Guide to Creating Great Ads

by Luke Sullivan

 

WRITE IN STEPS: The super simple book writing method

by Ian Stables

 

On Writing Well

by William Zinsser

 

The Wealthy Freelancer

by Steve Slaunwhite, Pete Savage and Ed Gandia

 

Write Everything Right!

by Denny Hatch

 

The Secret of Selling Anything

by Harry Browne

 

The Marketing Gurus: Lessons from the Best Marketing Books of All Time

by Chris Murray

 

On Writing

by Stephen King

 

Writing for the Web

by Lynda Felder

 

Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content

by Ann Handley

 

This book will teach you how to write better

by Neville Medhora

Read

Here are three books to get you started:

• Predatory Thinking
  
• Creative Mischief
  
• Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This
  
  Get noticed
  
  Advertising is mostly about making sure that people see your product in the mess of crap that people have to deal with. If you want to break into advertising, it's the same principle.
  
  The trick is to treat your submission like a brief. How can I grab their attention? How can I prove myself quickly?
  
  Alec Brownstein is a good example. As The Guardian says:
  >He bought Google Adwords spots next to the names of six ad executives he wanted to work with, and waited for the job offers to come in.
  
  >And they did.
  
  Build your portfolio
  
  Find your best stuff. Make some new stuff (just make sure you put that it was for your own pleasure, and wasn't used).
  
  Make your portfolio an example in itself.
  
  Make a kickass covering letter
  
  Letters of note has a great one for inspiration. It starts off:
  >I like words.
  
  Don't confuse the kinds of copywriting
  
  Not all kinds of writing are advertising. Copywriters will also do business letters. They'll help clients with their brand's tone. They'll write copy for webpages.
  
  Ad agencies might be interested in that. But they're going to be more interested in your headlines. That you can grab someone's attention and make them cry and laugh.
  
  Don't fucking give up
  
  It's going to be tough. But you can do it.

First off, read this a few times if you haven't yet. Like right away. Multiple times.

Second, your portfolio is garbage (that's okay, mine is too and I've been doing this for 10 years). In my opinion, it doesn't show enough thinking--it's a collection of executions, most of which are kind of generic. The best thinking on there is the #antiselfie concept for Canon. That could be a great campaign, but you can't just one-and-done it. Show it in multiple executions, more headlines, maybe write a short Anti-Selfie manifesto. Show thinking that goes beyond ads or Facebook posts. Like, what if Canon bought outdoor space in front of classic selfie backdrops that told people to turn their cameras around, get a life, etc.?

Then do more campaigns like that. If you can, find an art director who will do the comps for you. I know it feels like the writing and thinking should stand on its own, but having a pro-quality comp makes the ideas look more pro.

Keep at it!

One of the current best copywriters in the world started as a non-native speaker.

Some people think this is directly responsible for his success. Needing to translate everything in his head forces him to use the clearest language possible.

We haven't read his book, but if it's even a fraction as good as his sales letters, it will be a worthwhile pickup:

https://www.amazon.com/16-Word-Sales-LetterTM-multi-million-dollar-possible-ebook/dp/B07WBW4DGM/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=evaldo+albuquerque&qid=1569846326&sr=8-1

It's more of a strategy book but I find a good strategic basis is ideal for any copywriter, especially as they grow in their career.

How Brands Become Icons: The Principles of Cultural Branding by Douglas B Holt

http://www.amazon.com/How-Brands-Become-Icons-Principles/dp/1578517745

Just published Double Your Website Traffic: A Complete Guide Using Content, SEO, PPC, and Social Media and I think it's right up your alley. Plus, it's just $.99 on Kindle today: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YF3V2J1

If you are interested in writing well with SEO in mind, there's a ton of great information about how to do the SEO research to write well-optimized, yet still human-centric copy.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1088742785/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_IzjPDbGGC36K8

This book is written by a guy who is not even a native English speaker. However, he is literally Agora's BEST copywriter. He made them so much much money that they required ALL new hires to read his book.

Have you read Everybody Writes by Ann Handley? That might be a good book to read before you make any further decisions.

NOT affiliate link (LOL)

https://www.amazon.com/Everybody-Writes-Go-Creating-Ridiculously/dp/1118905555

https://www.amazon.com/Hey-Whipple-Squeeze-This-Creating/dp/1118101332

Luke Sullivan.
"Hey Whipple, Squeeze This!"

If you haven't read this yet, start there.