Helen Gilchrist, Director of Cornwall-based copywriting agency The Stranger Collective, talks to Christopher Ward about what it means to be a copywriter in the current climate.

Previously a freelance journalist for London-based publications, Helen moved to Cornwall and launched the nationally distributed youth lifestyle magazine Stranger in 2004. While setting up Stranger, Helen began writing content and copy for a specialist design company to help finance the magazine. This provided such a steady stream of work for Helen and her team that in August 2007 they established The Stranger Collective solely as a copywriting agency. It has flourished ever since.

Starting out

With so much experience in the field, Helen is the perfect person to explain what aspiring writers have to do to earn a successful living from copywriting. For those wondering exactly what the job entails, here is her description:

“In simple terms, it’s helping businesses and organisations communicate effectively with their customers to boost sales and build their brand. But business copywriting encompasses a huge variety of communications styles, platforms and media – from website content to customer magazines, e-newsletters to advertising copy, Twitter campaigns to annual reports.”

So versatility is important if you are to be successful within the profession; maybe as important as the ability to write. But even if we possess these qualities, it can still be difficult to understand how to get involved with copywriting businesses in the first place. Luckily, Helen has some tips for those starting out:

“Absorb as many different types of business communication as you can. Look at customer magazines – whether it’s in Sainsbury or SpecSavers. Look at some of the leading brands’ websites and think about the different ways they communicate and the methods they use to call potential customers to action. The main thing though, is to write write write. Help out with the copy for your friends’ websites... contribute to online magazines and websites (even if it’s unpaid) so you can build your experience and contacts; and organise some work placements with copywriting agencies if you can, so you can learn a bit about the way they work with clients and the processes involved”.

Once a writer has built up a small portfolio of work and some experience with copywriting agencies, the next job is self-promotion:

“A good website is obviously key. Break down your different skills and the services you can offer potential clients. Offer your services to friends, and friends of friends. Contact design and web development agencies to see if they need help with anything.”

It is at this point that having a portfolio online can pay dividends - it is often the first thing an agency like The Stranger Collective will look at. If your portfolio is good, there is every possibility that you might be taken on for future paid projects.

Making a living

If a copywriter has proven experience with a company, there's a good chance that company will request their services in the future. As Helen states, copywriting agencies keep a bank of writers with details of their interests, specialties and commercial experience. The good news is that there is nearly always the need for a writer of some kind , regardless of the project.  And then there are the fees:

“Copywriting rates are generally higher than editorial fees, so it’s perfectly viable to make a living out of copywriting - and still allow yourself a day or two a week for creative writing or book projects etc, should you so wish... Our editorial budgets for the magazine were always very tight (eg £60 for a feature!), so it has been nice (in recent times) to be able to offer regular contributors better paid work because of copywriting.”

Don't get the idea that this type of writing is not creative in itself, though. As Helen says:

“Although some projects are obviously more creative than others, there’s huge scope for creative ideas. Sometimes clients will come to us knowing they want a brochure, but not exactly sure what they want to go in it. So we’ll suggest a list of content, possible feature ideas, options for editorial flow and structure, ideas for photography and/ or illustration etc. It can be just like planning a magazine – although obviously you always have to bear in mind the client’s objectives, budgets, target audience etc, and what sort of content will be appropriate for them. Sometimes there's a tight brief that you simply have to follow, but at other times you can bring a huge amount of creative input to a project. The beauty with this type of work is that you're employed on a project by project basis, so there’s always lots of variety.”

Copywriting in the future

Some people say that the continuous need for versatility in the workplace will bring the role of a copywriter closer to the PR consultant. That, coupled with the continual changes in the way media is evolving, might suggest an uncertain future for those dedicated purely to writing copy. Helen, however, believes that the internet and use of digital media could work in favour of copywriters, rather than against them:

“About 70% of our work is web-based. Things change very quickly on the internet so websites can quickly become out-of-date – it’s a bit like mobile phones; now everybody has one, the work is more about constantly upgrading them. Businesses are increasingly recognising the vital importance of good communication and proper two-way dialogue with their customers, so it’s a good time to be working in communications.”

It is clear then, from speaking to Helen, that copywriting is still a viable profession for new writers. She does, however, want to share some words of caution:

“The decline in the newspaper and magazine industries means that a lot of journalists are now making a living out of copywriting, so those starting out)have to be as competitive as possible.”

This shouldn’t be any reason to be put off, of course. As long as you are willing to be flexible and adapt with the times, it is obvious that a career in copywriting still has plenty to offer.