Electrolicious

A smart-person trap is a limiting situation that is particularly common or tempting for smart people to get themselves into. [via]

Bionic Teutonic » Cha Cha Cha Cha Changes

Is the arc of your life somewhat planned or is it as random as it appears. By this I mean, so many moves and job changes etc. Conversely, what are the unchanging elements that mean the most to you?

This is an awesome question. It’s odd to think of my life as seeming random because I am an obsessive planner when it comes to day to day things. I used to be a fan of 5 year plans, but honestly … I’ve had trouble with those lately because some life simply doesn’t go according to your plan and it can be very, VERY frustrating for a premeditated type like myself. In fact, it’s actually sort of nice to hear that my life looks random because it suggests that maybe I’m better at going with the flow than I feel like I am.

Then again, some of the randomness is just a factor of the blog format —
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• Andreas gets home tomorrow night! I’m glad I was in NYC during most of his trip because I haven’t really started missing him something fierce until this weekend. When I got home Thursday night, I walked into our bedroom and got a blast of what I think of as the “we smell,” and had to go sniffing at his pillow and sighing. Mmm: nothing like a squeeze-n-sniff man-scented pillow.

• I start my new job on Tuesday! I’ve already been doing a little bit of work for them remotely, and I’m looking forward to actually getting into the office. As part of the three days/week commute, I’m also considering taking the plunge and trading our 24 mpg Subaru for a 50 mpg Prius. Buying a car scares me though — Dre and my technique for 7 years has been inheriting a series of vehicular cast-offs from Dre’s mom and her partner (first a Honda Civic, then a Ford Ranger, now a Subaru Legacy). The prospect of actually going and buying a car freaks me out, but a hybrid sure would be nice!

• This Wednesday is the Salon of Shame! I’m not sure why I’m mentioning this because presale tickets sold out in two hours last week (!!!), so unless you’re one of the lucky ticket holders it’s not like you can come … at least until May when we move into our new WAY LARGER space and then everyone can come! FINALLY. What a relief that will be.

* This Friday I’m going on a tour of the Lush factory in Vancouver, BC! I’ll be writing an article about it, so yesterday Amani and I went to the grand opening of the Seattle store and HOLY FUCK, that shit was crazy packed. Everyone loves Lush.

Who wants a little peek into my industry? You? Maybe not, but here it is anyway…a few common questions about copywriting, answered by me.

What does a copywriter do?
A copywriter writes words that sell things. Sometimes this aim to sell is evident (catalog descriptions, print or online advertisements, spam, junk mail) and sometimes it’s more understated (company newsletters, press releases, “marketorial” product reviews). Basically, a copywriter is a word whore. Pay a copywriter enough money, and they will write anything. Another important aspect of copywriting is that the client’s name (not the writer’s) is associated with the words. This protects the careers of writers who moonlight as copywriters, and who don’t want to be associated with things like Easy digital photo editing is as close as one click, and one smile. (I actually wrote those words once.)

How does a copywriter know what to say?
A good client will provide the copywriter with plenty of background material. A good copywriter can write without background material, crafting compelling copy out of thin air.

How does one become a copywriter?
I have no idea. In my case, I think the University of Washington taught me my most valuable copywriter job skill — the ability to bullshit. If you can write an essay about a book you’ve never read, you might be well-poised for a career in copywriting.

Is a copywriter like a copyeditor?
No. Copywriters write marketing or advertising material. Copyeditors proofread newspapers, magazines, books, and other documents for errors. The jobs use very different skills. Sadly most copywriters don’t have the luxury of working with copyeditors, which is why you so often see typos in marketing writing.

Is a copywriter like a technical writer?
No. Copywriters write marketing or advertising material. Technical writers write technical documentation like help files, manuals, and other “how to”-type stuff. Technical writers work with programmers and other technical types to translate technical information into laymen speak. Copywriters work with marketing managers, product managers, and advertising directors to achieve sales and marketing goals. Technical writers get paid much more than copywriters, because what they do is really really difficult.

Are copywriters sell-outs?
In a word, yes. For me at least, after four years in the magazine industry I realized that most magazine content is a form of veiled copywriting, as the relationships between advertiser and editor are very interconnected. I figured that if I was going to be at the whim of advertisers, I might as well drop the facade (and the miserable wages) of magazine “journalism” and just be a copywriter. I’m all for whoredom if you’re up front about it. As a magazine editor, I felt like I was fighting a constant uphill battle to uphold ethics. As a copywriter, I still fight some ethical battles (there are some companies I won’t write for, like herbalife and x10.com), but they’re battles about just who I will and won’t sell out to, instead of editorial battles over whether it’s right to sell out at all. Plus, as I mentioned before: my name doesn’t appear by much of my copywriting. I’m a quiet sell-out.

Do copywriters make a lot of money?
In a word, yes. Wages are competitive, starting at $20/hr and going up to $50/hr or more if you’re a swindler skilled. If you’re like me, you use this as an excuse not to work all the time, so there’s time to focus on unpaid projects like books and articles and Warmies and stuff.

…So is that why you’re a copywriter?
Not really. I’m a copywriter because it’s easy for me to write for other people, and I enjoy being paid to keep my writing muscles in shape.