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Back Do I Have To Be An English Major To Become A Copywriter? by Kevin Browne There's a common belief running rampant among those seeking a career to become a copywriter that having majored in English puts you on an easier entry path than everyone else looking to become a copywriter. I would love to meet the person who came up with this one. Having spent a few years hiring people, this one's as big an Urban Legend as the woman who gets cut in South America and has flying spiders fly out of her face at dinner in front of guests. It's just NOT TRUE. (Sorry.) Copywriters, very, very good ones know less about Yeats and more about Yahoo! and that's exactly what we look for. Diversity. Depth. We want extremely well rounded individuals who have a diversity of thought and thinking abilities. And a strict diet of all things intellectual, especially when it comes to writing for the masses is HARDLY what we'd consider depth. Don't get me wrong, everyone who is hired as a copywriter (regardless of their degree) has to be a word hound. The people who rise to the top of this profession have an uncanny ability to weave benefits into quote unquote branded copy. Every word should have a purpose. No fat anywhere. Copywriters in particular have to be GREAT at transitioning their copy. Going from one benefit to another effortlessly, pulling readers along. The very best ones have their readers salivating with anticipation. And learning how to do these transitions comes from having a diverse pool of writing from which these people have studies. Newspapers, magazines, screenplays. The more diverse the better, actually. So in many cases, people with degrees BESIDES English are given the nod, because the assumption is that they might have a deeper pool from which to dray their writing. I know of at least one NY ad agency that actually WON'T hire English majors! Don't forget, ultimately it is your portfolio is the key to getting the job. Your portfolio is what we want. Author's Biography: To learn exactly how you can use your writing talents to earn a substantial living through |
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