More copywriters and their crazy quirks.
Last week, we introduced 5 types of copywriters and their unique, crazy working habits. In this second post, we looked deep into ourselves (and asked around more fellow copywriters) for 5 more unusual copywriter personality types! Have you encountered any of these writers below?
The Secretary
Description: These people are organised to a tee. Planners, checklists and calendars, you name it, they probably have it on their workstation. Have a writing job? You’ve got to wait in line, because they will need to check their ‘schedule’ to see if they are ‘available’. They’re often mistaken as secretaries, if not for the fact that they are actually tracking and systematically eliminating writing tasks from their to-do list.
Completed the first paragraph? Check. Researched about the copy’s topic? Check. Yes, these copywriters have an obsession with lists, and derive immense pleasure from crossing things. While it may seem useless to others to break tasks down to the smallest detail, it’s their way of keeping sane in an overwhelming working environment.
Pros: Time management is their forte (Well, it has to be, considering their compulsive need to organise). Trust them to always hand in their work on time; They know how to pace themselves, and will place full focus on a task in order to produce the best content within a given time frame.
Cons: On the flip side, they can be highly rigid and inflexible to change. They are stubbornly adamant about sticking to the ‘plan’; A sudden tweak to a deadline can cause chaos to their perfectly planned schedule, bringing them to a standstill. Likewise, if today’s agenda is writing a piece on cupcakes, no one is going to change their mind to writing about car parts or something.
The Multi-tasker
Description: They may look perfectly normal on the surface, but take a peek at their computer screens, and you will know why; These copywriters are wizards in disguise; How else could you explain the sorcery of having multiple project windows open and working on all simultaneously?
You haven’t seen a multi-tasker until you’ve seen a copywriter alternating between writing 3 (sometimes even 4) pieces. And even then, you would stare and wonder how their eyes flicker between screens – won’t their pupils get tired? Apparently not. It’s how they save time and energy.
Pros: Think of them as slightly slower, but definitely more focused versions of Churning Machines (See Part 1). But unlike them, Multi-taskers do not enjoy writing a piece at a time; They get bored easily. And while they can’t do anything as insane as 7 pieces/day, their working style is great for managing bigger projects, as they are able to progress slowly (and steadily) on various assignments at once.
Cons: If you’re waiting for your piece to come through first, don’t. These copywriters give equal priority to all assignments, and are likely to finish them together. Like a computer that crashes, they also run the risk of using too much of their mental capacity from juggling too many tasks, and suffer from momentary bouts of confusion.
The Drafter
Description: Perfectionists or just plain uncertain, Drafters never seem to make up their minds about their writing. These copywriters actually feel antsy the moment they complete a piece of work.
Typical worrywarts, they are constantly afraid that something that might be amiss or ‘wrong’ with their copy. As a result, they spend much of their time working on one draft after another. Every project becomes a never ending work in progress, and they often have to resort to naming their drafts as ‘<Subject_DraftFinal3FINAL2REALLYFINAL>’.
Pros: These perfectionists live up to their name. Expect a well thought out, carefully structured, delivered and edited piece when they are confident that their work needs no more improvement. Not a word out of place, not one spelling mistake. However, the catch is…
Cons: … if their work needs no improvement; And that hardly happens to these copywriters, especially when they find themselves unable to ‘perfect’ their prose because of a tight deadline. Also, because they have so many drafts, they often make the mistake of sending old versions or unedited copies as the final product. Awkward times abound…
The Complainer
Description: A pleasure to work with at the beginning and at the end, but don’t stay around for the drama in the middle. If their colleagues can’t stand them, you wouldn’t too. Complainers don’t mean it when they bitch and moan about how difficult/stressful/boring/complicated the project/client is; But in the heat of the moment, it sounds like that’s all they ever think about, really.
Despite their loud mouths, these copywriters’ problems are often over-exaggerated; Complaining is just their way of releasing tension and steam as they write.
Pros: For all that they gripe and grumble about, these guys are surprisingly cool-headed when it comes to managing their work. They are generally careful and responsible about their assignments, albeit a little too responsible. Thus, when they put too much pressure on themselves to perform, they blow it out of proportion by running their mouths.
Cons: You have been warned – don’t be there to watch them explode; You might just lose your temper before you see the finished product. Also, if their emotions get the better of them and they get caught up feeling strained, they might find themselves unable to progress with work.
The Avant-Garde Artist
Description: Not your average desk-bound copywriter. Avant-Garde Artists despise conventional ways of working, and are often hard to pin down physically. These hipsters claim to thrive in specific places or situations, and need constant stimulation to get their ideas flowing.
For these copywriters, writing is an experience, a work of art that relies on the right mood to execute the best results. You would have better luck finding them typing away at the latest cafe hangout or crystallising their thoughts in a meditation retreat than in an office.
Pros: While they can be terribly pretentious, their unconventional outlook reflects in their writing. They strive to be original, and have the ability for producing thought-provoking, attention-grabbing copy. Their odd-ball antics also allow them to gain new perspectives, giving their writing that unique spin unlike the others.
Cons: Their ridiculous habits; Sometimes their outlandish thinking is a disadvantage, especially if a client prefers something conventional. Likewise, it can be frustrating for those working with them to keep up with their disappearing acts and demands.
Written by: (www.script.com.sg)
Edited & Illustrated by: Script Consultants Pte Ltd
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