Putting pen to paper a career in writing

Putting pen to paper a career in writing Emily Poole graduated with BA History in 2015, from the University of Exeter, Penryn Campus. Shes currently working for  workplace interior design company  Interaction Emily Poole, BA History graduate and copywriter Hear the word “copywriting” and it may conjure up ideas of patenting products (Dragon’s Den style). Yet it’s actually another word for professional writing â€" and a great outlet for graduates that want to make a living out of a love for the written word. Most copywriters these days will fall under the umbrella of marketing, and are therefore usually called digital copywriters â€" that means writing any copy (words) you see online; whether that be on websites, emails, blogs, news articles, social media etc. (the list is pretty endless). Digital copywriters will often work closely with other members of a team, including web developers, brand managers and graphic designers. I wouldn’t be in my current role if I didn’t have previous writing or marketing experience. Fortunately, soon after graduating, I was employed as a copywriter at a marketing agency Although I wasn’t writing about anything that interested me I became familiar with writing a lot of blogs and web pages in a short space of time, and also started managing the social media accounts for a number of clients. Writing for the web these days often goes hand in hand with SEO (Search Engine Optimisation). Essentially, this means creating content around a set of keywords that will be searched on google. For example, say you wanted a pair of black jeans and typed “black jeans” into Google, the companies that appear first will be those that have successfully written SEO-optimised content. It’s really fun to see the effect that your writing can have on a customer â€" and learning how to track and analyse this. How would I know? Well, I’m a digital copyrighter, and have been since I graduated three years ago. After studying essay-based subjects at A-Level and falling in love with the Penryn Campus, I chose to study a BA in History with The University of Exeter. I wouldn’t have done this without a love for writing â€" which certainly came in handy when writing my dissertation! Wanting to write for a living, after graduating, I searched for content-based roles. Fast forward to today and I’m currently working at a workplace interior design company called Interaction, based in Bath. My role is varied to say the least! I could also be called the Social Media Manager, Blog Editor, PR Manager, Web Assistant, Email Builder, Photoshoot Co-coordinator and more. No day is the same, but I still get to spend most of my time writing, which is what I’ve always wanted. Most importantly though, because I work for a creative and fun company, I get to conjure up the odd pun; which is a massive passion of mine! A step in the right direction I wouldn’t be in my current role if I didn’t have previous writing or marketing experience. Fortunately, soon after graduating, I was employed as a copywriter at a marketing agency in Weston-Super-Mare. Although I wasn’t writing about anything that interested me (generally windows, doors and conservatories), I learned a lot; I became familiar with writing a lot of blogs and web pages in a short space of time, and also started managing the social media accounts for a number of clients. Importantly, I became used to an office setting; working a 9-5 job is odd after the amount of free time you get at University, but I soon got used to it. The main factors that have enabled me to get where I am today are passion, experience and skill. I’ve always been passionate about creating content, which tends to shine through on my CV and during interviews. After a little less than a year, I applied for a maternity-cover role at Clarks HQ in Street (the shoe people!) I got the Content Executive role and learned so much in the process! I would create the content for emails that were sent out to hundreds of thousands of people. Not only was it amazing to work for such a well-known brand, but it proved to me how important even the smallest bits of text can be. I also got used to working in a larger marketing team (hint: being able to collaborate with people is a big learning curve, but so worth it). Although my maternity contract was extended, I chose to move on. Clarks was great, but I wanted to work for a more creative company â€" and hence my applying for my current role at Interaction.  A little bit of advice The main factors that have enabled me to get where I am today are passion, experience and skill. I’ve always been passionate about creating content, which tends to shine through on my CV and during interviews. I’ve been lucky to work my way up to a role I really love, for an amazing company â€" but this was only possible by getting my foot in the door writing for other companies (even if that quite literally meant writing about doors). Although I wasn’t passionate about my first job after Uni, it gave me experience of the marketing sector. So even if you’re thinking twice about applying for a job, I’d say go for it. Even if it’s only to add a year’s worth of experience to your CV, that could prove to be invaluable at a later date. Personally, I think there are few traits that are vital if you want to be a professional writer (and a good one!) These include: immaculate spelling and grammar, the ability to create content quickly whilst maintaining quality, a creative flair, a genuine love for the written word, a willingness to learn new things (e.g. SEO), and the ability to work equally well alone or as part of a team. If you’re wondering where to start after Uni (I know it can seem daunting), keep an eye out for copywriting, editing, publishing, or marketing internships and jobs. Although they may be unpaid or not paid very well, the experience will probably make them worthwhile, even if you only stay in them for a few months. Whilst applying for jobs, also spend time (and effort) getting your own work published online â€" this could be in the form of your own blog or portfolio, or on a site that publishes content for free. As long as you’re passionate about writing, you’re halfway there! Good luck!