Are Copywriters Still Creative Writers?
If you are a copywriter who misses creative writing, you’re not alone. And you are definitely not broken. More often than not, it just means a part of you has been a little quiet lately. In this post, I’m talking about why copywriting can start to feel formula driven, how your own voice can fade into the background, and a few suggestions to bring creative writing back into your life.
Specifically—>
Why copywriting can start to feel formulaic
How your own voice can get lost
Ways to make room for creative writing again
The small win that reminded me I still had it
You never stop being a writer
Why copywriting can start to feel formula driven?
Copywriting has a job to do. It needs to guide, persuade, and convert. That clarity is one of the things that makes it so powerful.
Over time, you start to notice patterns. Certain frameworks work, so you use them again. Hooks begin to sound familiar. Calls to action blur together. You are doing solid work, but it can start to feel a little mechanical. That does not mean you’re losing your creativity. It usually means you are very good at your job.
When you write for clients day in and day out, your role is to step into their voice, their goals, and their audience. Your own voice often gets set aside, not because it disappeared, but because it was not needed in that moment.
2. What happens when you write in other people’s voices for too long?
Writing in someone else’s voice is a skill. A big one. But when that is all you do, it can start to feel a bit strange to write as yourself again.
I have had a few conversations with copywriters lately who feel stuck or flat. Some worry their writing sounds the same everywhere. Others wonder if their creative edge is gone. I promise, it’s not gone at all. It just hasn’t had much airtime.
Creative writing asks different questions. What do I want to say? What am I noticing? What story do I want to tell? Copywriting doesn’t usually leave room for that kind of reflection. When you stop asking those questions, it may just be a sign that your creativity needs a little dusting off. Set aside just for your voice to shine through!
3. Small ways copywriters can make room for creative writing again
You don’t need to quit your day job or overhaul your business to feel creative again. Sometimes small, intentional shifts are enough. Try these:
—>Join a local writers group
A writers group gives you a place to show up as a writer, not a service provider. You get feedback, encouragement, and accountability. And honestly, just being in a room with other writers can be incredibly grounding. If you prefer to write from the comfort of your desk, check out Grub Street Creative Writing Center.
—>Write a feature article
Pitch a story to a newspaper or magazine. Something that interests you. Something that does not need to sell anything. Having a deadline and an editor can wake up parts of your writing brain that client work doesn’t always touch.
—>Look for short story submissions
Short pieces are perfect when time is limited. Prompts and themed submissions give you a container to play in without feeling overwhelmed.
4. The moment I needed to remind myself I still had it
Last year, I, too, was feeling a bit stuck in my own writing. Not burnt out, just uninspired. I saw a call for submissions for an anthology of short stories called Animal Mayhem, being published by Highlander Press.
On a whim, I decided to submit something. I wrote a short piece about my kitty, DiceK. He was a man of mystery who always went on adventures. One January night, we heard his call and found him with tail got frozen to a ten pound rock. (True story) The title of my story was Cat on an Ice Cold Rock. When the email arrived that the piece had been accepted, I felt that buzz of pride.
It didn’t change my career, make me money, or shift my workload, but it did something even more important. It reminded me that the creative part of my brain was still fully functioning.
Sometimes all it takes is one small yes to say, okay, I’ve still got it.
5. You never stop being a writer
I have been writing since I could hold a pen. I have published six books, including five children’s books and one book of poetry. I have written for newspapers. I studied advertising and creative writing. And I still write creatively when the mood strikes.
Copywriting did not replace that part of me. It simply lives alongside it.
If you are a copywriter who misses creative writing, consider this a gentle nudge. Write something that doesn’t need to convert. Submit something that belongs only to you. Sit at the table as a writer again, even if it is just for a little while.
You still have it.
Thanks for joining me on this adventure!
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