7 Habits to Thrive as a Copywriter and…

I learnt the most critical steps to thrive as a copywriter from experienced American copywriters. I summarise here the main ones for pursuing this path.

7 Habits to Thrive as a Copywriter and DON’T BE LAZY.

This is my personal take: Laziness kills writers.

My training?

Persistent.

No school or guru’s Ashram has ever frozen my training. Training is continuous, progressive, and uninterrupted if you want to be a writer.

Thinking about the world today?

The advent of AI has undoubtedly changed the game, but it has also ignited (at least for me) an atavistic flame, which is the one that allows (and has allowed) human beings to evolve. And so, even our writing skills evolve.

I was “born” as a novelist and still am. I have published eight novels, two of them in English. An example here.

The narrative style has changed over time. No doubt.

Mine, for example, changed in 2017 thanks to taking a stand with myself. I told myself, “You, Marci, will become a great writer because that is what you will do.”

Since then, I have published books, opened and closed blogs and immersed myself in the vast world of copywriting, studying at writers’ associations such as AWAI and journalists. Etc.

In my blog, for example, I have fun experimenting with writing and exposing some of my past (disastrous but important) love affairs. Yes, right, why not. All experiences matter.

Here are 7 habits to grow as a copywriter. Seven habits to always keep in mind. Never, ever get caught up in laziness.

This is step zero: Don’t be lazy.

Now, let’s get on with the rest.

1) All you need is a workspace for your computer. A sacred place where no one can disturb you. If you write, you must surround yourself with your goals.

During high school, I lived in a house with no privacy because I had no room of my own. Someone was always in the house, and the television was always on. In addition to conflicts, there was always a bustle, and I couldn’t study. Studying or reading in that chaos was hard; it took me years to learn to focus even in the chaos. Suffering.

Now, I write in busy coffee shops or even on the subway, taking notes or transcribing podcasts (I know, there are AI programmes that do so, but it wasn’t always like that).

Nowadays, however, if I have to concentrate on a project that is not a novel, I look for the perfect workplace to focus on.

2) Know when you work best. When are you most productive?

Mornings are sacred to me. I leave home early, at 8 o’clock I am already at my favourite coffee shop, and I write until 11 o’clock or noon. The morning is where I function best. I reserve the afternoon to finish what I did in the morning and the evening to read or learn something else (there are friends, your girlfriend/boyfriend, yes, of course, we are talking about copywriting here, not personal life).

3) Curious to a fault. Be an avid reader. It’s where you get ideas, inspiration, and more. It may be the most important habit of all!

When reading, you’ll fuel your writing ideas, find exciting ways to bring your writing to life, discover how the masters approach different projects, and expand your research skills to instil your writing with unique concepts.

4) Copywriting is a craft, a skill that you acquire and then perfect with practice.

A quote from Mark Ford: It takes 1,000 hours of practice to be a copywriter. To be a great copywriter, 5,000 hours. Having said that, you won’t have to wait 1,000 hours to start working with clients.

5) Preparation paves the way. If you read and practice, you are learning. The more experience and knowledge you gain, the more preparation will come naturally. Investigate how to write an email or a newsletter. Learn steadily, a little bit every day. Build yourself up.

6) Your success depends on what you discover during your research and how you use your findings to create persuasive messages. When researching a particular topic or product, remember these steps. Investigate the:

• Product itself
• Specific components of the product (for example, how it functions)
• The story of the company selling the product (how it was founded, etc.)
• Previous marketing campaigns for the product
• Bonuses or additional products/offers that come with the product
• Competitive products
• Social media forums where people are talking about the product (or the product category)
• Online reviews (if applicable) related to the product
• Books, websites, associations, and other online resources related to the product category
• Thought leaders and other authorities related to the product
• News, trends, forecasts, surveys, and other online information related to the product
• And so on.

7) Writing’s block? No, Thanks.

If you’re stuck, take a break from your project. Walk around your area. Play outside with your kids or cat/dog. Take a shower. Do exercises. Go to the gym. Have a conversation with someone new or your neighbour. Once the mind relaxes and perhaps finds joy in something outside, ideas will flow again, and you may correct the mistakes you were making.

On my website, www.ioriwriter.com, I discuss storytelling and personal experiences with the women of my life. Reading other authors is another optimal starting point for taking cues and having a critical and continuously stimulated mind.

Stimulation is everything.

If you read, you have new stimuli.

If you learn, the things you have discovered will lead you to other goals.

One drop after another fills the glass or breaks a rock.

Don’t be lazy.