Work Experience, Copywriting and Journalism

By India Wentworth

It all goes back to A-Levels. I knew I wanted to go into journalism but also wanted the option to teach at some point in the future too. English was always my favourite subject, and kept things broad, so it seemed like the best option as my undergrad. 

Now that I’ve graduated, I’m about to complete my journalism diploma with the National Council of Training Journalists (NCTJ). This is an accredited qualification that allows me to eventually secure a trainee journalist position (fingers crossed). I decided to do this as a distance learning course, and gain work experience by taking advantage of the flexibility this route offers. I was advised on Linkedin that the NCTJ accreditation with lots of work experience was what employers would want. As a side note, I’d definitely recommend using LinkedIn as a way to ask questions, because although a lot of people will never reply, some will, and as a result you gain valuable advice around the industry you’re interested in.

My experience with DeltaNet International came up with an email from the university careers team that went out to all students. They were looking for a copywriter, and I figured that any experience in writing was worth having. The role wasn’t limited to writing for the website; I was working on a large-scale digital PR project, as well as getting involved with other ad-hoc marketing duties, such as creating a marketing hand-out for exhibitions and conferences. 

I was in charge of creating databases to work out what questions people were asking on Google around the topics DeltaNet dealt with as a company. From these databases I then went on to write the articles – they were like an extended FAQs section to the website. These pieces explained things that might seem quite dry and confusing (like cyber security) and turned them into an approachable, easy-to-understand articles for people to read. The result of these articles have been an increase in business for DeltaNet because more people are coming to the website, and consequently their numbers of customers have shot up too.

I may not be aiming for a career in Marketing, but the skills I gained from my two summers with DeltaNet have enriched my CV massively, as well as getting my work read by hundreds of people - some of the articles have more than a thousand views! 

Experience is everything nowadays. The extra things you can get on your CV, in addition to your degree, will make you stand out, especially in the creative industries. 

About the author

India Wentworth has recently graduated from the University of Leicester in English. Her aims are to go into broadcast journalism after completing the NCTJ diploma over the next year. As a northern girl from York, she is looking to take advantage of the ever-growing media in the northern cities such as Leeds and Manchester. 

How Creative Writing Skills Can Make You a Better Copywriter

By Kristina Adams

What do Allen Ginsberg, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Dorothy L. Sayers have in common? They all worked as copywriters. Many published creative writers have worked in copywriting at some point. Why? Because copywriting and creative writing aren’t all that different.

People often put poetry on a pedestal, assume nonfiction is boring, and believe the only thing worthwhile is novel writing. And oh, how wrong those people are. (And how much fun they’re missing out on!)

I write this as an MA Creative Writing graduate, a content marketer, a novelist, a poet, and of course, a copywriter. If you remember this one thing, you’ll be able to write anything and everything: the execution may change, but the basics never do. Creative Writing is a versatile degree. I like to think of it as a degree in communication, because that’s what it is: it teaches you how to better communicate with those around you, both in written and spoken forms. How can that not help with copywriting?

Let’s take a look at the skills you learn as a creative writer, and how they translate to copywriting.

How to create an emotional connection with your reader

This is the most important part of any writing. You need to be able to create an emotional connection with your reader or they just won’t listen to (or read) what you have to say. When it comes to copywriting, that emotional connection can be the difference between someone buying your product or going to your competitor. 

We make decisions based on our emotions. Your product may technically be the best, but if your reader doesn’t care about you, they’re not going to want to buy from you. It’s the same reason certain politicians get more press coverage than others – it has nothing to do with their policies and everything to do with how much of an emotional reaction they trigger in people. The stronger the emotional reaction, the more attention the news outlet covering them gets, and the more money they’ll make.

Style vs substance

Style is just as important as substance in writing. If people don’t like your writing style, the substance won’t mean anything to them. You want to get the message across, of course. If your copy doesn’t say anything, what’s the point in it existing? Your copy should be clear and concise. There’s no room for purple prose here. If you don’t get to the point and stat, you’ll lose readers.

I like to compare copywriting to writing for children or teenagers. Children’s and YA fiction doesn’t have the space to spend two pages describing the history of a sword (I’m looking at you, George R. R. Martin). It needs to keep moving. If it stops or slows down too much or for too long, readers may well put it down, never to return.

If that happens in the world of business, you can say goodbye to those sales you wanted. If people don’t read what you have to say, they won’t know enough about your product to spend money on it.

How to use literary techniques

People assume that copywriting is bland and boring. But the best copywriting isn’t. It’s shiny and sparkly and it’s memorable. You already know how to make your writing sparkle thanks to your amazing creative writing skills. Now you just need to translate that into copywriting.

You can use techniques like rhyme, iambic pentameter, alliteration and more to make your copy more interesting. Most copywriters don’t use these – or don’t use them effectively – which automatically gives you an advantage. Don’t be afraid to use techniques you’ve been taught for poetry, fiction, or even script writing when crafting copy. These all help to make your writing memorable, meaning that even if someone doesn’t buy today, when they are ready to buy, they’ll remember you.

People’s eyes gloss over when they read lazy copy. It’s no different than when they read anything else. Cliches, overused words or phrases, and bland language all turn your reader off. Colourful language that experiments with punctuation and brings scenarios to life draws readers in and holds their attention. Changing one word can change your conversion rate. Creative copy is that powerful.

The importance of audience

Don’t worry about people not liking your writing style – you want to isolate people. That’s right. I said it.

You shouldn’t write for everyone. You should write for one person. That allows you to get super specific with your writing style, right down to the one shot decaf soya vanilla latte they drink every morning. (Yes, that is my obnoxious coffee order.)

If you try to cater to everyone, you end up being vague. Vagueness is boring. It doesn’t sell, either.

Audience is everything. Your audience dictates what you write about and how you write about it. When your audience changes so, too, should your writing style.

You can tell a story

The most effective copy tells a story. No exceptions.

You know what the most boring copy does? That’s right. Nothing. No story. No colour. No personality.

So, instead of writing something super boring, use those storytelling techniques you’ve been honing. Tell the story of what your reader’s life is like now, then fast forward to what their life could look like if they use your product or service. Describe – in graphic detail – the life they’re missing out on by not using your product. The more specific you get, the better they’ll be able to see themselves living in that scenario, and the more likely they’ll be to give you their money.

The one thing you need to learn

How to sell.

Most writers feel uncomfortable selling. I get it. It’s like wearing a pair of jeans that don’t quite sit right or flatter your figure but you can’t work out why. Turning your creative writing skills into a selling tool is possible, though. All you need is a pair of scissors, a sewing machine, and a little initiative. Those jeans that once felt too tight will sit just right in no time.

Ready to get started?

Then join me on 11 May 2019 at Nottingham Writers’ Studio, where we’ll explore how you can write kickass copy! For further details about this course, see here. 

About the author

Kristina Adams is an author, blogger, and reformed caffeine addict. She’s written five novels poking fun at celebrity culture, one nonfiction book on productivity for writers, and too many blog posts to count. She shares advice for writers over on her blog, The Writer’s Cookbook.

Is an Internship for You?

By Lisa Smalley

A degree may be proof of your academic ability, but vocational experience is a completely different matter. Unfortunately for most creatives, this is the balance they must achieve when trying to enter into their chosen career. Of course there are graduate placements, but these are extremely competitive in the creative industry, and often the best course of action is to take on an internship to get that all-important experience to support your C.V.

Show me the goods
Trying to gain experience in my chosen career in copywriting has been like trying to squeeze into my pre-Christmas jeans: a feat that even the most talented of professionals would find impossible. Most companies want to see published work, and this is the area where I have struggled most. So when the opportunity to intern with a creative agency was offered on the Creative Writing at Leicester University Facebook page, I leapt on it with both feet and sickening enthusiasm. 

Show me the money!
My internship was unpaid, and I weighed this option against the experience I would be gaining in an active agency. Experience, as it turned out, was my main priority. Working in the office with other creatives, including photographers and graphic designers, was an inspiring experience. I have never been so motivated in my writing - being in an environment charged with that much creative energy rubbed off on me and I learnt a lot from my colleagues there. 

What did you gain?
I have come away with regular paid work, which has padded my portfolio nicely. The only downside is that trying to publish under my own name has proved challenging. Many companies want 'white ticket' writing, where their own names will appear as the author. The agency tried to help with this, publishing a couple of my blogs on their own website, and even endorsing my skills and providing a recommendation on Linkedin. They gave me training in digital marketing and offered access to courses for social media marketing. 

This has been a step in the right direction and one that I can build on. Based on this, here are my best bits of advice for anyone considering an internship: 

• Be clear on your timeline.  How much time can you realistically afford to dedicate to the company?
• Be clear with your expectations.  For the work you provide, what experience will the company give in return and is it worth your time?  Will it translate onto your CV?
• Think about your portfolio.  Look at jobs in your field of interest and note down what kind of experience they're asking for.  Can you achieve some of these points in the internship?

I wish you the best of luck, and I look forward to seeing more creatives out there in the future.


About the author
Lisa Smalley is an MA English student, and an aspiring copywriter.