This post can best be categorised under ‘woe is me’.
To put yourself out there as a copywriter is actually quite an arrogant thing to do. Essentially, what you’re saying is;
‘I’m a good writer’ (which, in truth, is for other people to decide)
‘I can persuade people to do or buy things, with my writing’
‘I’m articulate’
‘What I say or write should be listened to or read’
The problem is, words (inclusive of grammar, semantics, and syntax) are part and parcel of pretty much everything we do, every day.
So, if you’re a copywriter you’re constantly on duty, regardless of media platform or level of sobriety.
I have to use punctuation in texts to my friends. Nightmare. (who uses commas when texting???)
If I send an email – eyelids half closed – at midnight, it cannot have a single typo in it.
All of my Facebook statuses and comments have to be both syntactically and grammatically correct.
I’m the only one I know, out of my friends, who bothers to proofread their own statuses and edit them if they’re not quite right.
Last week, I was out for a post-party breakfast with two friends. They were struggling for the word that best described the atmosphere in their house (they’re currently advertising for a new housemate).
They turned to me and said; ‘what’s the word we’re looking for?’
I responded with; ‘I don’t know’
‘But you’re a copywriter’
‘Yes – a copywriter who marched through two bottles of wine, and half a bottle of rum last night… forgive me if I can’t quite find the right word’
Oh I’m not complaining too much – I love what I do.
I wonder though: does anyone else do something which means they’re never quite ‘off duty’?