Introduction to the World of Copywriting
Are you a natural wordsmith with an eye for detail and a passion for crafting compelling content? If so, a career in copywriting may be the perfect fit for you. Copywriting is an essential component of marketing and advertising, where every word counts, and every sentence can make a difference.
In this interview, we meet Ilaria, Head of Copy & PR at MassiveMusic, an international music company. In her spare time, Ilaria also works as a Freelance Writer while also hosting creative writing workshops for groups, companies and universities on a monthly basis. Here she shares her passion for words and how she turned it into a successful career. She talks about her creative process, the techniques she uses to generate ideas and how to approach copywriting for someone starting in the field.
Meet Ilaria: Senior Global Creative Copywriter at MassiveMusic
1) What inspired you to become a copywriter, and what do you enjoy most about this career?
“I’ve always considered words as creatures of their own — where you place them, what they sound like and, most importantly, the power they carry on, and off, the page.
It all started when I was a kid. I’d write short stories, book reviews, songs. Together with music, writing has been my safe haven and my preferred modality of emotional release ever since. When I found out I could conjure emotions for a living by writing down words for myself and for others, it felt like a dream come true.
I’m not here to sugarcoat it though. Choosing to become a copywriter can be a challenging journey. You’re surrounded by people who think that they know better just because they write emails all day. Most of the time, your writing is at the mercy of the world: it can be read (and judged) by anyone. But if you have a deep, almost visceral relationship with the written word, please nurture it and stick with it. It’ll pay off. Words are bridges. And, considering the state of the world right now, we need more connectors than ever.”
2) How do you approach the creative process when developing a new copywriting concept, and what techniques do you use to generate ideas?
“Contrary to what most copywriting books suggest, I rarely write outlines. They often limit my writing rather than support it. I prefer to start with a braindump, jotting down pieces of information or random lines about the project or article I’m working on before connecting them as pieces of the same puzzle.
Or, especially if I’m under a time constraint, I use the freewriting technique and write everything my intuition suggests in a stream-of-consciousness mode. I never write and edit at the same time. It’s too time- and energy-consuming. The first draft is there merely to exist. The editing phase comes later. That’s when I add data, stats and numbers, if needed, to support my thesis. The freewriting technique is a great one to generate ideas too. I usually set a 10-min timer and come up with as many as I can, bad ideas included. Without them, good ideas wouldn’t have a yardstick to compare with. They’d probably feel lonely too.”
3) What advice do you have for someone just starting out in copywriting, and how can they gain valuable experience?
“Write as you speak — but without the ums and ahs. Keep a journal. Be after angles and leave topics behind. Read as much as you can. Subscribe to copywriting courses and newsletters. Study their tone of voice. Emulate it until ‘emulate’ becomes ‘emyoulate’. Save everything you write and add the highlights to your portfolio. Learn from the best who made it before you or learn from the mess you make on the page. Or send an email to copybyilaria@gmail.com and hire me for a 1:1 copywriting session. I promise we’ll treat pens as magic wands and words as golden swords.”
Wrapping Up the Insights and Experience Shared
Whether you’re a seasoned copywriter or just starting out, Ilaria’s story is a powerful source of inspiration and guidance. Her unique approach to the creative process, combined with her unwavering passion for writing, offers valuable insights for anyone looking to make their mark in this dynamic and exciting field.
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