I am not a good copy or you can say I am trying to be a good copy, although I am no long a copy since two years ago. The reason why I want to write down such professional topic as how to become a good copy, is just I don't want to forget what I learnt, to write down the skills for back-up in case some day I may go to work as a copy again. Acutally, I did for several times in the last few days, the feeling is good, I have to say it is a much better feeling than it was when I was a real copy.
This is the first point, if you want to be a good copy, first to be an account or planner or art, regardless you are good or bad, it helps create total different experience from what you get as a pure copy because it provides the total different angle, advertising is a small industry, it is not necessary for you to be as "professional" as so much, experience will lately tell you how to develop the copy concept, experience will tell you how to write a outstanding line that grape not only consumer's eyes but also client's. That's why I have a better feeling than the period I was a "real" copy. That's why my ex-boss got a rocket speed of promotion in his creative career, except for his intelligence, his experience of being an AE for one year also contributes to his success.
The second points is, I should put it as the first one, since it is the premise to be a good copy--having good copy sense. A good copy sense differentiate the good copy and qualified copy, it is nothing related with you have an education of Chinese language and literature, it is all about your understanding of how an advertising works. you see one same word could be putted in this brand with perfection while in another brand which in same category is a disaster, you see why this line should be longer than the next line, you see the subtle difference between two similar wording. This is the most difficult talent to learn because in a certain degree, that is not able to learn come through practice, it is inborn, just like EQ. In fact, I believe that's one performance of EQ.
As explained above, a good copy should have a good understanding of human emotion, but meanwhile, a good copy should have rational logic as well. Advertising is about persuasion, and persuasion should be sounds logical and having strong rationale. That's why a good copy could be a good creative team propeller since he/she is holding the creative logic and structure rather than art does in usual. The real ability of one copy is not depends on the how his/her copy could be written so much dazzle, but on the understanding of what an single advertising want to communicate--the invisible logic/strategy behind the visible copy.
Afterwards, I can say something about skill how to write a good copy, the key word are precise, exciting and sexy. There are 4 words summerized the skill of good WRITING (not good copy)--Qi, Cheng, Zhuan, He (起承转合). First you must have a good start that catch every target audience's attention, that's the most important part which requires your understanding about target audience's insight. you may launch a teasing line, you may present the incredible fact to shock your audience, this is the same way that you want to share a story with friends, you say something, then they open-mouthed, and pushing you on arm to say "and then?". The second is connection and shift, each good film doing good at this two points, right? The last one is conclusion, conclusion have many forms, the key is to recall what you said before, you lured consumer to read along with your copies, it is the responsbility for you to give them a conclusion, and make sure they will eventually believe your story. Every and each copy can't run out of two things: the structure and wording, you may training youself consciously on this two part, the first one is how to say, the second one is how to say with becautiful mind.
A copy shouldn't have his/her own style, instead, he/she should learn to have one brand's style, you are not a writer, you are a copy writer, you should copy the spirit of brand, and write along with the brand essence. Here I listed several suggestion from my own practice, that's detailed and I believe they are helpful, I use to follow this suggestions and then I no longer interested in to be a copy, coz I think I have no chance to be anymore better as a copy, haha, just a joke.
1. Do homework before your start, just idle reading on anything you can get about this brand and category, and make sure you have read the recent advertising of this brand, the more the better.
2. You should convinced youself at the very begining, that you will have a big idea this time, it is difficult I think espicially for those juniors, you should have more sucessful experience to get such faith.
3. If you can't work alone, work with your partner, you come up with one line and he/she come up with another.
4. Keep seeing the good copy reference when you are writing, you need something to stimulate your brain at any time, that's can makes your brain run.
5. Write down the wording you think is good during your routine reading.
6. Try to think the communication strategy of every advertising you see.
7. Don't take client's brief directly depend on what client said, to think what is the behind thinking of them.
8. Don't be narrow-minded and don't be stubborn, there is should a limit to your persistence.
9. Have a good presentation skill, it is crucial for efficient working style, a good presentation is the best way to save your time.
10. Always believe there is a solution in any situation.
P.S. Thanks Sophia corrected my grammar mistakes.
