Creative copywriter — Tom Taylor

Tom enjoys collaborating with colleagues over content, sharing ideas about fun and creative ways to get a message across

How did you get your copywriter job?

I began my career writing product descriptions for a musical instrument website in the UK. Inspired by this experience, I applied for a job working for a company, similar to Airbnb, in Berlin.

I completed a writing test and was offered the job. Writing about travel and holidays was a privilege, and it was also a rewarding experience working within a large company. I have since written for numerous companies in Berlin, including a bike company and an online education company.

My current employer is based in Lithuania, and I work remotely. In recent years, I've got jobs through word of mouth, and increasingly I turn to my professional network to seek out new opportunities. I found my current job through a friend of a friend.

How relevant is your degree to your writing job?

My sociological studies degree is not relevant to my current role. I’m proud of the fact I built up my career on my own.

How has your role developed?

As I've gained experience, I've frequently found myself managing people and the delivery of content. Working in an international environment means my copy is often translated into other languages and I am sometimes tasked with collecting translations and delivering larger content projects.

What do you enjoy most about copywriting?

I love collaboration, and working on copy together with my team is always enjoyable and entertaining. Puns, alliteration and adding subtle references to music and film - there are lots of great ways to have fun with writing. I love getting a 'good job' from colleagues, and it's always a thrill seeing my work appear on adverts, the company website, or even in real life at events.

What is the most challenging aspect of your writing career?

Holding on to your job can be a challenge. Artificial intelligence (AI) writing tools take a lot of menial tasks off the hands of copywriters, but it’s uncertain what impact they’ll have in the long term.

Any advice you can give someone wanting to get into this job?

Write for fun, write a blog, write your friends' Tinder bios, write about your favourite music, write funny things to your friends, write all the time. The more you write, the more you'll find your own voice, and the more efficient you'll get at putting the things in your head onto paper. Employers love to see you have a passion for writing outside of the money-making side of things.

Collect everything into a portfolio. Document what you do, it's not only a good way of proving to people you can write, but it's useful for tracking your progress. You'll look back on writing from a year ago and realise how much you've improved.

We're surrounded by words. Pay attention to them. Think about what works, and what's terrible. Catchy slogans such as 'Every Little Helps', 'Does exactly what it says on the tin' and 'Should've gone to Specsavers' are just a few examples of copywriting that has seeped into our culture. Seen some bad copy? Think of how you'd do it better.

Find out more

• Read all about the role of a digital copywriter.
• Take a look at the marketing, advertising and PR sector.