Longing for Long Copy

All copywriters can come up with a snappy headline. That’s their bread and butter, and it’s what helps win clients and awards. And like their art-centric colleagues, they can come up with great ideas. But there’s a dirty secret many agency copywriters don’t want you to know: they can’t write long copy.

Of course, this isn’t an indictment of all copywriters, but I believe it to be true of the majority. Long copy — and especially editorial copy — is often beyond their capabilities. At least, they can’t write it in a compelling way. This is a paradox that has bothered me since my days at the Chicago Portfolio School. The word “writer” is in your job description, so shouldn’t that cover all the bases?

Sure, they can deliver multiple paragraphs, but it’s often clunky and overstuffed, and it lacks the flow needed to keep readers engaged all the way through. And honestly, that shortcoming may actually be a benefit. An unspoken truth in the agency world is that copywriters with solid long copy skills tend to be the ones who are given the less-exciting assignments. They’re delivering emails, direct mail, brochures, white papers, web content and more, while the less proficient get to enjoy shot after shot at campaign ideation, radio and video.

As a freelance copywriter in North Carolina, my ability to tell a long-form story has become a major source of income. It allows me to tackle difficult products and services and make them interesting. And as I’ve gotten to know other freelance writers, it’s clear they share the same proclivity toward long copy.

Every project and every client requires someone who can string together more than a single, clever sentence. If you want long copy crafted with expertise, a freelance copywriter is the way to go.