After 25 years of writing copy, I must admit I get a little pissed-off (okay, maybe a lot) when my hard-learned, hard-earned craft gets lumped in and categorized as yet one more bogus "get-rich-quick, anyone-can-do-this" enterprise — like earning $2000/month stuffing envelopes at home or you, too, can make the big money driving the big rigs.

Imagine if The Honeymooners sitcom was still on the air today … surely the writers would have created an episode where Ralph Kramden, keyboard at the ready, struggles with a blank screen as he prepares to write his first spec assignment.

Or worse, commoditized to online page filler whose only purpose is to lend a hint of content on which to hang Google Adsense ads. (I’ll be writing more about that in a future post.)

But here’s the plain truth. Copywriting is a great profession. You can make a good, better or even great living at it. You can work for someone else or work for yourself. But it’s a craft and like anything else worth learning, it takes time, hard work, and yes, it takes some writing talent. (There, I said it.) and a respect for the sales process.

You wouldn’t necessarily know that by the deluge of junk courses, ebooks, programs being flacked by so-called copywriting experts I’ve never heard of that promise even the illiterate among us that copywriting is a fast, easy way to get rich. (There are many excellent courses and material out there, of course, and they, too, are tarred with the same low-rent brush.)

That’s why I was thrilled when Clayton Makepeace, a real-deal copywriting guru, covered this same issue in a recent article, TRUTH IN ADVERTISING: What Copywriting Gurus Never Tell You, in his newsletter, The Total Package. Here’s a quick recap of his 3 big fats lies about choosing copywriting as a career:

Big Fat Lie #1:  "If you can write a simple letter, you can be a great copywriter."
Clayton says, it ain’t about writing, it’s about writing to persuade. Perhaps even creating desire in prospects who didn’t know they wanted what you have to offer until you told ‘em.

Many of my students are excellent writers, but know little about the process of selling a product/service or idea. Or, and this is always interesting to me, the whole idea of selling anything to anyone is appalling and discomforting. (I talk to these folks about writing white papers and case studies instead. Ultimately, it’s all marcomm.)

Big Fat Lie #2:  "Copywriting is ‘the lazy man’s way to riches.’ "
Clayton says, becoming a great copywriter takes years of hard work — learning your craft and making it applicable to the real world … getting comfy and confident promoting yourself to prospective clients … and learning how to run your business like a business.

After 20 years on my own (next month is my business anniversary), I get a good living, flexibility for my family, and some nice tax deductions. But I work 5-6 days a week, 8-10 hours a day. Like the journeyman character actor, I’m not a copywriting superstar, but I make a living and it’s on my own terms.

Big Fat Lie #3:  "You’ll begin making the big bucks right away."
Clayton says, there are only three reasons why clients would hire a newbie. They’re clueless, cheap, or in rare cases, recognize copy talent and will mentor the newbie through the process. So what should you do? Get a job where you’ll write a lot and, if you’re lucky, get copy chief’ed by a pro. (Most of the gurus today learned that way, including moi.)

Play the short odds to success, learn your craft on someone else’s dime and time.

When I made the venture to go solo after 7 years of working for a B2B publisher and DM agency, I never felt like I was taking a huge risk. I already knew how to write effective copy for a wide variety of products, companies, and services. I already knew how a DM agency worked and how the paper flowed. So in my excitement and wee bit of arrogance, I knew the odds were in my favor. That was enough to go ahead.

Ready to play the short odds to a successful freelance copywriting career? Get hired, get a mentor, and get going!

Maven’s Maxim
When Clayton Makepeace tells you the unvarnished truth, listen AND make notes. Read the full article TRUTH IN ADVERTISING: What Copywriting Gurus Never Tell You … If you’re not already a subscriber to The Total Package, grab a free one here. (I scan a lot of newsletters but read this one word for word, and so will you.)

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