I’m a copywriter. Which would suggest becoming one must be quite simple – but incredibly enough, it isn’t. It’s not quite as hard as becoming Archbishop of Canterbury (and believe me, I’ve tried), but it’s not without its challenges. So, with this in mind, I actually Googled the phrase ‘how to be a copywriter’ and the advice was so wide of the mark, I thought it would be useful to present some answers that are at least rooted in the real world.

Should I do a degree in English or media or something?

You  may choose to do a degree in any subject at all, but it won’t (or won’t necessarily) get you any closer to a career as copywriter. Having been in the position of hiring copywriters from time to time, I can honestly say that qualifications have played no part in my decision. A full working knowledge of the history of News International may be fascinating, but it lends very little to the demands of copy briefs. What’s more, lecturers tend to be somewhat removed from the cut and thrust of agency life, so any college training can be flaky to say the least. (Apologies to the hordes of excellent lecturers out there, this is simply my opinion and experience).

If I don’t have a copywriting job, how can I get the practice and exposure I need?

A common question reflecting a classic mistake. If you imagine the first piece of copy you’ll ever write will be on your first day in your first job, you’re missing the point. You want to be a writer? You can start right now. Not just today but this very instant.

You’re reading this on a computer, so just flick open Word (or whatever) and write something. Anything. Try a couple of hundred words on the last movie you saw or last gig you went to. Review a hotel or restaurant, or open a magazine and rewrite the first advertisement you see. Do this every day, and get used to showing your work to people – even reading it to them. The point I’m trying to make here is: ‘a writer always writes’, job or no job.

I’d like to try writing to a brief, but what if I don’t have one?

That’s a good point. What really separates the copywriter from the columnist or novelist, is the brief. A copywriter creates pieces to meet certain demands or instructions from a client and if you’re going to be a copywriter, you’re going to see an awful lot of briefs. To get used to this process I suggest calling a Creative Director or Head of Copy and asking if they’d mind sending you some dead briefs with the confidential stuff (client details etc.) blanked out.  You’ll be surprised how many will agree and if you get knocked back, just try another agency. If they’re happy to help, ask them if you can send them your resulting work for comment. Just be polite and enthusiastic – even if they refuse, you’ll have made a valuable contact. If you draw a total blank – email me, I’ll send you a brief and even read what you’ve done. Seriously.

Should I do an unpaid internship?

If you can afford to, then you should. There is absolutely no substitute for doing the job for real. You’ll learn more about copywriting in a day than you would on a month long course. And you’ll start to build a portfolio of real work which employers will be keen to see when you apply for roles.

A couple of notes of caution though. Make sure you agree on the duration of the placement (any more than six weeks is drifting into ‘free labour’ territory). Check you will actually be writing rather than fetching coffees and ask whether they’ll cover legitimate expenses – which they really ought to. If you prove yourself to be invaluable, they may even hire you.

My spelling and grammar aren’t terrific, but I like writing. Is that a problem?

Frankly, yes. If you don’t take the time to get these basics right, you’re not really going to make it. When you were at school, spelling and grammar may not have been considered important and that’s unfortunate, but you can still improve these essential skills. And they are essential. A plumber who told you he enjoyed his work but wasn’t much good with pipes would be shown the door very quickly – this is exactly the same.

What should I expect to earn?

Nothing. Which isn’t to say you’ll never earn a bean, it’s just that focusing on the money is the wrong call. For my writing I have earned sums that were both incredibly generous and hilariously small, often within a few weeks of each other. I tend to accept commissions because they’re creatively valid, rather than choosing the work that pays the most. The same applies to salaried jobs. Clearly we all have to eat and live (and you’ll know the minimum you need to do so), but beyond those limitations you should make decisions based on inspiration not remuneration. In the early days of my career, I foolishly chose to add 50% to my salary by accepting a job with an agency whose walls were covered with terrible work. I hated it and left six months later.

If you are seeking an income that would make a merchant banker blush, copywriting is NOT the career for you. It’s unpredictable, often underpaid and frequently unappreciated. But if you’re very good, someone will pay you very well for your work. Sometimes.

Has the recession affected the copywriting business badly?

It has. The media and creative industries are volatile at the best of times and this is the worst of times. There are still very attractive opportunities out there (this site is full of them) but there are probably twice as many people chasing them. But this is true of almost any sector and if you’re genuinely driven by copywriting, you might as well pursue jobs you want as jobs you don’t. What’s more, when there is a recovery, you want to be able to tell employers you carried on with your writing regardless of the downturn – because that’s what a real writer would do.

So what does it take to be a successful copywriter?

Talent, dogged determination, a bit of humility now and again (remember, you’ll rarely see your name under your work) and a sizeable dollop of luck.

But you haven’t answered my question.

No problem. Post your question in the comments section below and I’ll do my best.

Magnus Shaw – copywriter and blogger

www.magnusshaw.co.uk