Wow. That sure sounds like an opportunity tailor-made for me. I’m a pretty good writer (I mean, my Mom’s told me so, and that’s good enough for me!). And I’d sure love to turn that skill into “$300 an hour”! That’s what they promised in this copywriting program I saw on the Internet. And it has to be true if it’s on the Internet, right? I mean, they could get into BIG trouble if they told lies. But there it is, in black and white!
And the best part? According to the program, I can get started as a “commercial writer” in just seven days! And here’s what those seven days look like:
Day One: I’m going to learn the basics of the freelance commercial writing business. I mean, it’s just writing – how hard could it be?
Day Two: I’ll create my copywriting portfolio. They say it’s easy, and I believe them. Heck, I’ll probably be done by lunch!
Day Three: I’ll create and send out a press release to my local paper, letting them know about my new copywriting business. Wonder how long after I send it out till the phone starts ringing. Could I end up with too much business? It’s possible!
Day Four: I’ll explore making money in PR writing. Working around all the “movers and shakers,” yeah! Sounds like fun – and profitable, too!
Day Five: I get to figure out if I’m going to a generalist or specialist. Decisions, decisions. This is just too easy.
Day Six: I’m going to learn the “ultra-easy” way to market my new business so I can, according to the program, “stay booked up for months.” Like the sound of that. Heck, maybe I will go ahead and buy that Camaro I’ve had my eyes. I mean, obviously, I’m going to have the money to make the payments.
Day Seven: I’m going to learn all about writing for TV and radio. Bet you can make big bucks there, and get to be around all the cool actors. Life is looking up!
I wish the above was just a dramatization of some poor slob getting reeled in hook, line, and sinker by some fictionalized copywriting course, but alas, it’s based on a real one. THIS one. What a joke. I know, why am I surprised? I mean, I know stuff like this exists. It’s just that seeing flat-out fabrication up close still sets you back on your heels a bit.
Someone sent it to me, asking if I knew anything about it. A two-minute visit revealed all. I don’t know who you are, but your offer is a scam, and you know it. And people like you have buyers looking for legit information on copywriting lump the rest of us trying to do the right thing into the same scam-artist boat.
I mean, their “7-Days-to-Riches” timetable would be hilarious if it weren’t for the fact that countless unsuspecting folk are dropping $147 for nothing but a mirage. And $300 an hour? Have you no shame? Yeah, right. Silly me.
I can hear them now: “Well, if you read it carefully, I’m not actually promising people they’ll make $300 an hour inside of a week.” Ah, the old “have-‘em-connect-the-imaginary-dots-in-their-mind” strategy. So, you’re weasels on top of being scam artists. Quite an accomplishment. What an unbelievably fragrant and steaming pile of road apples this is.
Our mothers were right: “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” As the experienced commercial writers on this blog know, our field can be a wonderful way to make a great living as a writer. But they also know it’s no cakewalk. As writing fields, go, it’s one of the most accessible, but it still take a lot of hard work to get established and work up to healthy hourly rates. And $300 an hour as a copywriter? In a week? I can hear the hysterical laughter echoing across the land. From sea to shining sea.
Did you ever fall prey to any offers like these before you got started?
What would you say to someone considering this fairy tale of an offer?
What truths would you want them to know about our field instead?
Any general comment for this shyster?
It’s all very well slamming this particular individual for scamming its readers, but the question still remains — where does a beginner get legitimate training in copywriting? With all due respect, Peter’s work covers the “business” of copywrting not the “craft”. Apart from AWAI, which appears as big a scam as the subject of this post, bona fide copywriting courses don’t appear to exist outside of universities. Even those courses are often a component part of a marketing/communication degree, the like of which beginning copywriters over school age are usually unable to commit in terms of time of finances. Sure, Robert Bly makes a living writing books as the doyen of copywriting, but reading his words in a vacumn and attempting to mimic is parrot learning with no rationale. That makes grasping the foundations of the art a bit of a lottery. Is copywriting such an inexact science that one can just start doing it and evolve one’s own set of principles? If not, where does one really learn the craft as opposed to being ripped off?
Luckily for me, your book was my first intro to copywriting. And what an intro it was.
Hi Oscar,
I understand your frustration. The best way to learn copywriting is go to someone who’s already making $$ from their skills. Now there are a lot of writers who are coaching novices on the craft. http://www.redhotcopy.com, http://www.inkwelleditorail.com, John Carlton and many others have coaching/mentoring programs.
I actually invested in an AWAI course, and it’s not a scam. However, it gives you a foundation of what copywriting is all about. Plus, they have “proven-track”record copywriters on the board. By far check out http://www.dankennedy.com He has a lot of courses on the craft of copywriting. I think the best bet is to get a mentor who has already had success in the field. This way he /she can give you feedback on what’s hot and what you can improve! I hope this helps.
Hi Oscar,
My sincere apologies for not approving your comment until today. It slipped through the cracks when it first came in (I was on vacation and must have missed it). And just noticed it today along with a few other unapproved comments.
Nina, thanks for those resources (and you’re right, Dan Kennedy’s the real deal; ANYTHING he writes is worth reading). That said, I just wanted to clarify something. Keep in mind that the term “copywriting” has been somewhat hijacked by the direct response copywriting (DRC) world. Check out this link on my site for a more in-depth discussion of the differences between DRC and all the rest of it, which is our field.
As for resources on HOW to write (because, you’re right, my book is far more about how to build a writing business) , a great resource is Bob Bly’s “The Copywriter’s Handbook.” It’s going to cover a lot of the project types we take on as commercial freelancers, NOT just how to write direct response copy and sales letters. Good luck.
PB