Now, as a freelance copywriter, I look back on those years, and it seems like a walk in the park.

I’ve been copywriting for 7 years, and I like to think I’m pretty good at it. Certainly, I’m always busy, and I always get good feedback. But, still, every day is tough. I can honestly and categorically say that copywriting is WAY harder than technical writing. Here are 12 reasons why…

1. When you’re copywriting, you have to educate and persuade. When you’re technical writing, you have only to educate.
2. When you’re copywriting, your reader will simply give up if your writing doesn’t grab them. When you’re technical writing, you have a captive audience; they’re trying to do something, and you’re telling them how. The onus is on them to understand and heed your writing.
3. When you’re copywriting you have to compete with dozens, maybe even hundreds, of other pieces, all trying to sell the same sort of thing. When you’re technical writing, you’re one of only a handful of reference sources available to the user, and the others are normally ‘on your team’ anyway.
4. When you’re copywriting, it matters if people read what you write. When you’re technical writing, it doesn’t; if people don’t read it, it’s probably because they don’t need help.
5. When you’re copywriting, yours is the critical objective: to sell. When you’re technical writing, yours is the secondary objective: to support. (Not that I’m saying software companies are unsupportive. Honest… ;-)
6. When you’re copywriting, your client is often paying for your services out of their own pocket. When you’re technical writing, your client is usually just another internal department, so money isn’t so personal.
7. When you’re copywriting, you have to write about and understand hundreds of products and services, each year. When you’re technical writing, you may write about only one.
8. When you’re copywriting, you have to understand the client, the buyer and the user. When you’re technical writing, you need only concern yourself with the user.
9. When you’re copywriting for the web, you’re at the mercy of indexers that don’t care about you, your writing or your subject matter. (i.e. You’re at the mercy of search engines.) When you’re technical writing, you’ll either index your own work, or someone within your organization will index it.
10. When you’re copywriting, you have to write creatively and clearly. When you’re technical writing, you have only to write clearly.
11. When you’re copywriting, you have to find dozens of ways to sell a single product, and you’ll often have do it again and again for similar — maybe even competing — products. You have to continually come up with different ways to say essentially the same thing. When you’re technical writing, you need only say it once.
12. When you’re copywriting, you’re contending with high expectations; there’s a lot of quality copy around. When you’re technical writing, there’s a good chance your audience is used to being asked to, “Inserts the SD card, changes into my computer, and drives to H: Driving”!!!

What’s your experience?

Have you done both copywriting and technical writing? What do you think? Is copywriting harder or easier than technical writing? Please comment…

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A couple of years back, someone sent me this gem, previously published in an issue of Vertigo, the much-loved student magazine of the University of Technology, Sydney. Penned by editor, Pat Armstrong, this very funny piece deconstructs MC Hammer’s 90s ‘classic’, You Can’t Touch This. It also provides a disturbing insight into the deeply troubled minds of today’s young writers! Be warned, I’ve been told this is only funny to writers!

MC Hammer is:

• A super dope homeboy:
• From the Oaktown.
• Dope on the floor; and
• Magic on the mic.

Busting:

• The funky lyrics;
• Fresh new kicks; and
• Fresh new pants.

Events for which the bell is sounded:

• School being in (sucka).

Things which can’t be stopped:

• Hammer time (concept is unclear – some explanation needed).

Things which can’t be touched:

• This.

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