I've read a couple of good books lately on copywriting.
I've said many times (elsewhere) that I'm no copywriter but I've actually written professionally, on and off, for years. Don't claim to be brilliant but born out of demand and frustration, I've turned my hand to a little wordcraft and, so far, it's been OK and hasn't been destroyed by anyone (yet). I've even earned a little money from just writing. But Fletcher's words always echo around my head, "You can only muck about with language if you know what you're mucking about with. Otherwise, you're just being sloppy."
Wise words.
Having a typographic background helps. You can't be a typographer without being interested in words and their meaning so it's a relatively small step, perhaps not even a step...a minor shuffle...to wanting to understand how writing works. Even if you don't want to write yourself, a designer that understands how writing works will find that knowledge useful. Mark Shaw's book, Copywriting, I think, works particularly well on this level. It's about copywriting but it's very much aimed at designers; with examples and brands that, on the whole, will titillate the aesthetically inclined. And I came out the other side feeling better informed; with a greater understanding of how to structure and craft my writing.
And just as I was polishing this one off, much, much, much better and proper writer Nick (Corpoetics) Asbury championed Roger Horberry's even better book, Brilliant Copywriting. Not particularly aimed at designers this time it's, page-for-page, jam-packed full of wisdom and usefullness. It's bloody brilliant! Buy it; Horberry deserves your money. It's even horribly under-priced. Trust me...you'll thank me for it (well, Nick really).
