Hi there, I hope I fit in. Most of my creative writing is done these days for my own business and other businesses. And yes, it's creative. Just in a constructive way. I used to work fulltime at magazine and fiction writing. But since I like to have food with meals, I needed something more profitable. I got into copywriting about two years ago. Originally found it quite boring. Writing brochures, etc. Until I found out that type of commercial writing isn't too effective. The corporations like it, but who wants to read that stuff? Effective sales writing, I've discovered, is about engaging one-on-one with the reader. Focusing on their problems, needs and desires. Not trying to impressive them with all the thing XYZ Inc. does. This is what direct-response copywriting teaches It's a more personal form and creative form of sales writing based on giving a specific return on investment. So not only do I get to be creative - I also get paid well for it. For example, a Yellow Pages ad I wrote recently brought me $1000 upfront with a $110/month royalty. Another website I put up, earns me about $1000 month, on average. This month it's already pulled in near $2000. And I only work on it 1 ½ hours day. Anyways, I'm really trying to make it as a wordsmith. Eventually I'll start directing my knowledge of direct-marketing to self-publishing my own books to niche markets. Most authors fail because they don't know how to market their own books. And the publication companies certainly have no idea (or any willingness to allocate a budget towards a new writer). Anyways, if you're interested, I have an email column I write a few times a week, where I give a detailed account of my successes and failures. My aim is to make about $15,000/month writing for clients and my own ventures. So far, I'm average $5000/month. I also do audio interviews with other copywriters. If you want to read more about my copywriting ventures, I have archives of past email columns at: www.RealityCopywriting.com . It's sort of a play on Reality TV. Day-by-day virtual look at the life of a fulltime copywriter. It's quite something when you see your words creating a response from people. When you split test. Compare one website to the other. Let a 1000 visitors go through, and see what makes more people click the order button. You learn an awful lot about what human beings want to read. John John A. Manley From starving writers to high-paid copywriter - without sacrificing creativity and expression... www.RealityCopywriting.com
Wow. That is most impressive. Sounds to me like you've made quite the career from copywriting. Congrats. Welcome to the site.
