Creative writing for copywriting

Hi. I was wondering if you guys think that practicing/studying creative writing could help for copywriting.

 

Of course! Copywriting needs creativity and talant! The more you practice creative writing the skilled and experianced you become! Go ahead!

 

Copy writing definitely needs creativity it almost like a fuel to it. If the writer does not have the desired creativity no reader will go half way through the writing piece.

 

Well, I guess these creative writing and copywriting are altogether different.The former goes with what writer feels and wants others to feel and assume the same when they read the copy; the latter is written keeping in mind the targeted audience. Most of the times if not always, copywriting involves a sales pitch and professionalism whereas creative writing demands more of imagination and casual style. However, being interactive in creating writing and being interactive in copywriting again makes a difference.

Moral of the story is; if you are great in reading others' mind and knowing what market demands, you can be terrific copywriter, IMO.

Though I would love to see what others say

 

If you're talking about advertising copywriting, then it "may" help. The worst copywriters, who are talented writers, tend to be people who try to be creative for creativity's sake. There is a difference between getting overly creative in copy and being very creative in presentation. The former is bad, the latter can be good.

In the end, you need to know exactly what you want to do (TV ads, sales letters, etc) and follow that path.

I don't believe "creativity" can be taught. You either have it or you don't. Those that have it can harness and develop it by exploring the world (watch ads, see the work of others, soak in pop culture, etc).

Remember, copywriting is about selling. And selling is about people.

 

Creative writing at it's core has the writer crafting a story and describing the experience of the characters. Is not much of copywriting telling a story of how XYZ product or service will add something to your life?

 

No.

One is persuasive, one is not.

I can craft a great story, but it doesn't mean you'll do anything. Copywriting is selling. The story is a mechanism/tool of the overall process. But, you can't just say "story," because it's too broad. It's a type of story--perhaps 2 lines or an idea or something else.

Here's one way to look at it:

The best salesman who can barely write will be far more effective than the best writer who can barely sell.

Remember, if you're simply telling, you're not selling.

 

I never excluded being persuasive from the equation; it was, in fact, part of my answer.,

 

The problem is that you're assuming "persuasive copy" is equivalent to a "story." It's not. I do creative writing (even studied it a bit in college) as well as copywriting. I cant' say anything about being a creative writer helps me when writing business copy - where it's more about marketing and psychology, not being able to spin a good yarn.

 

Thank you.

 

Some of the most effective television commercials of all time were built around a "good yarn". Perhaps the most successful one is the on-going romance for a brand of butter spread where we shared a young couple's courtship, marriage, pregnancy, and even the birth of their child. That marriage of creative writing and ad copy was brilliant.

In my college writing and communications classes, I was taught to "know your audience" and "draw them a picture" and to use both skills for all types of writing.

Copy used to sell a house has to sell the image of the prospect living in that home and how wonderful their life will be for it. Being able to describe and sell a kitchen to a prospective home buyer is not all that much different than being able to create a description of a scene in a novel. Both are written to put the reader in the room. The primary difference between the two is that the novelist first has to create the room before they can describe it.

There seems to be this trend around here to portray copywriting as unique and different from all other types of writing. The most effective writers I've seen have studied all types of writing and can blend concepts from each in their writing.

The OP asked if a creative writing course would be helpful and I brought up a single area where there is some parallels. You both assumed that I think that crafting a story is the only skill a copywriter needs in their bag of tricks. I didn't say that either. Had the question been, "Does a creative writing degree prepare one for a career as a copywriter?", my answer would have been quite different.

 

I assumed nothing about you. One of my talents is the ability to understand language. The part of your post I replied to said "much" not "only" and I'm quite familiar with the English language and what those two words mean.

I can't speak for Jenn obviously.

I have countless books on writing fiction and non-fiction and have written in many fields. Exploration is what makes a writer good (second post).

Copywriting, like any field, has its own uniqueness. Again, at the heart of copywriting is selling. I don't care if you're the best fiction writer ever, if you don't understand people and persuasion, you won't be an effective copywriter.

While some core elements of writing apply everywhere (as we all know), each field requires its own special instruction.

And to recap, I told the OP that what he/she is interested in doing "may" help. It's really a case-by-case basis.

 

Considering storytelling is one of the techniques used in copywriting, I'd say creative writing is a skill that will help.

Not only that, creative writing can help you come up with words and phrases that perfectly illustrate why the reader should buy your product.

 

IMHO, the only time creative writing is going to come in handy for a career as a copywriter is if - and only if - you intend to use a story hook to draw people into your sales copy. Not everyone is capable of doing this well; so in this instance, a creative writing background can be beneficial.

The best example I can cite for this sort of copy technique is a gentleman by the name of Vin Montello. Vin started as a television writer in Hollywood, decided to shift his career to copy a few years ago, and today is one of the best I have ever seen with a story hook (if you want to see what I mean, Google "Montello Marketing").

Other than that, I'm afraid that focusing too much on creative writing would get in the way of excelling as a copywriter. As has already been stated in this thread, the majority of creative writers who try their hand at copy tend to let their creativity get in the way of what it really takes to sell something.

If you are an advertising copywriter, then creativity for creativity's sake can be quite beneficial (think Volkswagon commercials, all cute and fluffery... no actual selling done); but if you want to work as any sort of direct response copywriter, then creativity can actually do more harm to your career than good.

 

Have to agree with coolcopy on this one.

As another reason why creativity sucks if you want to be a great copywriter, do a google on website conversion expert Dan Lok and you'll find his book, "Creavitity Sucks"

For my personal take on the issue,

here's what I believe is the reason that creativity is not good as a copywriter.

First, your job is simple, close that sale. (period for those of you who are "punctualizationally challenged.")

In order to close the sale, you don't use flowery adjectives and meaningless superlatives...

you build desire and value, create urgency, stimulate fear of loss, push emotional hot buttons, make people
dream of how their life is going to be a heck of a lot better than it is right now once you buy my product...

but only if you buy my product.

No other way will work.

Not Tom's, not Sally's, not Dick's and not Jane's.

You bypass all the junk and cut straight to the real deal with me here and now

or you get left behind never realizing the success that "could have been"

it's your choice but only you can make it.

Do you want to continue living like you are now experiencing the same pain of your problem over and over without relief?

Or do you want to get the easy solution immediately and never have to worry again?
made up your mind, it's time to take action.

Here's your link=> "YourNewPerfectLifePortal"

Lol

Okay now compare that to...

Her eyes burned intently with desire kindling a primitive passion within me I never knew existed until that moment.

Click here now

Which one?

The first one right?

Copywriting is not creative writing.

Creative writing is made to express creativity.

Copywriting is made to sell. Salescopy. copy of sales presentation.

You either create or close but you don't do both.

you give people what they already want and that doesn't take reinventing the wheel.

I know exactly how you feel though.

I used to be a poet and had to fight really hard to let that part of me die to succeed in writing salescopy that converts in any market.

I could coach you if you were willing to pay the fees that I command and your life/income would never be the same after just spending a little time with me.

But if you really wanted a life and income like that, you would have found a way to find me before now,
so go continue to write nice flowery creative fiction and hope somebody buys it, unless you're ready
to get serious and become a killer.

But you really can't do both as ideal and nice as it would be.

sorry kid.

 

Let's use your own phrase...

Her eyes burned intently with desire kindling a primitive passion within me I never knew existed until that moment.

...I knew at once that buying Jungle Passion's cologne...

...Could it be my Hot Hunks Tuxedo...

...There was magic in the air...she loves it when I use Heavenly Delights Ribbed Condoms

...I knew she'd love her Jarod's Diamond, but...


Not every client wants or needs the in-your-face hard sales pitch.

 

I agree wholeheartedly that not every client needs the "hard sell". But, as
DigitalPointer explained, as a general rule you can either create or
close. It takes a very special sort of copywriter to be able to do both in the
same copy.

The examples you gave are akin to a personal hero of mine - J. Peterman. His
catalogue copy is most excellent, and draws the reader in with a story just
like the ones you described above. However, his copy is not meant to close
the deal... merely to create a sense of passion and to draw the reader in
through their desires. Unfortunately, this simply doesn't work in the majority
of markets.

Depending on the type of copy you want to write, and I believe I already
stated this in my last post, creative writing skills may or may not be
beneficial to your career. Unless you have mastered - and I do mean
mastered - both creative AND direct response principles,
a background in creative writing will NOT give you an edge in this business.

Can a master copywriter have both a story and a hard sell in his or her copy?

You betcha. But if that's the route you want to take, please be prepared to
spend either years developing the skills necessary to master both; or the
money on a mentor who can usher you through the process much quicker.

And should you choose to find a mentor to teach you the fine art of
combining creativity and direct response selling - make sure that you find
someone who has mastered that art themselves... they are few and far
between.

JMHO

 

Woo hoo!

Got you to respond to the post.

I was hoping you'd like that one better.

Lol.

Peace

 

Lol!

Yes, DP... your master skills of subtle persuasion are still in working order

 

Definitely! I am a Fiction writer, but to make money I do Copywriting.