Start writing and get a good grasp of the English language.
What is your job?
I'm an Advertising Copywriter for The Good Agency.
What does your job involve?
I write advertising material for charities. This can be anything from direct mail (marketing letters that come through the post) and press ads in newspapers and magazines, to billboards and radio ads. It involves taking a creative brief, coming up with creative concepts, then writing the copy for the advert. Most of my work is direct mail.
How did you get to this point in your career?
I wanted to live and work in London, so after university I learned typing and computer skills and worked as a temp. I took a temping job at Reader’s Digest, which turned into a permanent position.
While I was at Reader’s Digest, I also started a theatre company called Inflate with my friend, Lindsey Pugh. We wrote a play called ‘Spinback’ about the 80s rave scene, which got a 5 star review in The Scotsman and was named as a critic’s choice in Time Out.
The Creative Director at Reader’s Digest saw ‘Spinback’ and told me I could be a copywriter. So I did a copy test and worked my way up the ladder from a junior to a senior copywriter. I loved creating concepts and writing copy.
After nine years, I joined The Good Agency (previously called Cascaid), a brand and direct marketing agency that works in the charity sector. I wanted to do something different, and get experience of an agency environment. And when I first saw their advert, it struck a chord; I’ve always believed that if you’re lucky enough to be in a good position, you should do what you can to help others.
What training did you do and where?
I was crazy about drama, so I left school at 16 to do a BTEC in Performance Arts at Grimsby College. I also studied for English A level at an evening class to get an academic qualification. Then I went to Royal Holloway, London University, to study a degree in Drama and Theatre Studies.
Which piece of work are you most proud of?
It has to be the play that I wrote, ‘Spinback’. But I’m also really proud of my copywriting work. I did some work for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, and afterwards, Ken Burnett, one of the founders of charity advertising, wrote to Cascaid saying what a great piece of writing it was.
What do you need to succeed in your industry?
You have to have a way with words and a good imagination and be able to tell a good story. And you have to really understand the core message that the client wants to get across.
Who’s your work hero / heroine?
At Reader’s Digest, I learned a huge amount from a senior writer. Now, it’s the Creative Directors at The Good Agency who I learn from. I love the way they can take an idea and make it into a brilliant idea.
What inspired you to do this type of work?
I was inspired to be a copywriter by someone telling me I could write, and then realising I could earn money from writing.
What do your friends/family think of the work you do?
My parents are really pleased I’m doing something I enjoy. They’re genuinely interested and if I talk about a project, my mum will always ask to read what I’ve written.
What are your tips for anyone wanting to do your job?
Start writing and get a good grasp of the English language. I don’t really believe that copywriting is something that can be taught. But if you enjoy writing, go for it. Search the web for companies that use copywriters and get to know what kind of work and agencies are out there.
Creative inspirations
Phil Hyde
Phil Hyde was a lecturer on my BTEC course in the Performing Arts and was the first person who told me I could write. He told me I should enter a young writers’ competition. I did, and was shortlisted.
My colleague at Reader’s Digest
The senior writer at Reader’s Digest who mentored me at the beginning was hugely inspiring.
Creative Directors
I’ve worked for a few. When they look at my work, and like it, that inspires me.
’26 Compelling Letters’, edited by Darren Kay
This book has been on my desk for years and if I’m stuck, I’ll always pick it up. It’s a book of compelling direct mail letters.
People I interview
In this job, I interview all kinds of people in the charity sector. They include people who’ve suffered because of war, and those who live with terrible illnesses or crippling poverty. It’s humbling. We don’t know how lucky we are.
Charity workers / volunteers
I meet so many people who dedicate their lives to helping others, and who get very little money for it. I always come away admiring them and feeling inspired to do a really good job promoting their cause.
Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie
You can’t beat a book like ‘Peter Pan’ or ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ for amazingly imaginative, descriptive writing. If I need inspiration in my writing, I often go back to books I read as a child.
People who follow their dreams
I always admire people who take risks and write books, make records, start their own business etc. It’s fearless.
Brookside (the early years)
I love television, film and theatre that just gets it right and encapsulates a time, a place or a feeling exactly. Brookside - my favourite ever TV programme - did that for Liverpool in the 1980s, and the film ‘Rita, Sue and Bob Too’ did the same for Bradford in the mid 1980s.
Being a magpie
I have folders full of pages ripped from magazines, tickets, flyers, and things I pick up from all over the place. They might look like rubbish to other people, but I go back to them again and again for inspiration.
If you would like advice on creative careers and courses, contact a Creative Way Careers Adviser - either Matt Ball on m.ball@uel.ac.uk / 07889 001764 or Sarah Comerford on s.comerford@uel.ac.uk / 07515 051509.