What is a Copy Writer?
A copywriter is more of a profession in the advertising field. They make ads, taglines, web pages, scripts, billboards, or anything the company or person who hired them wants. Yes, even like Uncle Jesse and Joey, they can make jingles! Whatever the company or person wants them to get across to their audience, they write. For example: warning labels, instructions on pill bottles, Ikea furniture instructions, etc. The list of what they do never ends.
That doesn't sound hard. Do I need an education?
Yes. A bachelor's degree in advertising, media, journalism, liberal arts, marketing, communications, and other areas of study are suggested. Like any other careers, internships, club activity, and research really do help in this field. However, an MA or MFA is not required. Anything you do during college can or will help you get into copywriting.
Sounds pretty easy. How much will I make?
Like any other job or career, you'll probably start at the bottom. You'll be new to the game and therefore people will not want to pay you much. However, because copywriting is needed EVERYWHERE and is one of the more popular writing jobs, it pays pretty well once you get your name around. After a couple of years the average salary is $40,000-$50,000 a year. Since copywriting is what I believe to be called a "self business" the more experience you get, the more you can charge per hour. If you're a freelance copywriter, you tend to bring in more money. If you're a well-known and well-sought copywriter, it's not impossible to make six figures per year.
Since it's a needed business how come I've never heard of a "big" name being one?
Actually, you probably have! There are at least six authors who were copywriters before making it "big." Like any author, some you may not have heard of, but some you may have.
F. Scott Fitzgerald. The author of "The Great Gatsby."
Joseph Heller. The author of "Catch-22."
Helen Gurley Brown. The author of "Sex and the Single Girl." Editor-in-Chief of Cosmopolitan Magazine.
Don DeLillo. The author of "White Noise."
Salman Rushdie. The author of "Midnight's Children."
Dorothy Sayers. The author of "Whose Body?"
More information?
My resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copywriting
http://www.kuraoka.com/how-to-become-an-advertising-copywriter.html
http://www.theawl.com/2011/08/six-authors-who-were-copywriters-first
http://voices.yahoo.com/how-much-money-really-as-copywriter-2092372.html?cat=35
http://wordsleuth.com/html/what_does_a_copywriter_do_.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copywriting
http://www.kuraoka.com/how-to-become-an-advertising-copywriter.html
http://www.theawl.com/2011/08/six-authors-who-were-copywriters-first
http://voices.yahoo.com/how-much-money-really-as-copywriter-2092372.html?cat=35
http://wordsleuth.com/html/what_does_a_copywriter_do_.html
This guy, Jesse, has a lot of videos on the subject of copywriters. Tips, how-tos, and why people fail at copywriting. Definitely check his YouTube out if you are interested.
Ray is an actual six figure copywriter. He has videos on how he got started, tips, and general information. This video has poor sound, but it gets better as you check out more recent videos.