Divine Write Copywriting Forum

Hello, I have a question about 'high-end, specialist copywriting.'
Firstly, are there specialist 'high-end copywriters?'
Secondly, if so, where do you find them?
Thirdly, what are they called?

I am not sure that 'high end specialist' is the 'right' expression for what I mean. By 'high-end specialist' I am attempting to refer to copywriting that many copywriters cannot write because it requires significant background knowledge/education and is very conceptually challenging, sophisticated, and complex or the like for the layperson. I am not (intentionally) referring to 'technical writing' - such as engineering, software or other 'science' related writing. I mean instead copywriting that contains complex information about, say, management theory, or related fields such as HR, sociology or organisation psychology. Perhaps alternatively it involves some discussion of financial and economic trends, legal principals or political science. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

David.

Hi David,

It's a good question. In my experience if you wanted someone with highly-specialised knowledge like that you'd need to hunt down specialist PR firms. e.g. I know of pharmaceutical PR firms in Sydney who would no doubt have the sort of copywriters you refer to working for them.

But it's unlikely you'd find PR firms that cover the full gamut (sp?) of topics... perhaps if you were after someone to help with something really obtuse you may need to team a good copywriter with an academic who was expert in the area.

Paul

One of the problems in this area is that the people commissioning the writer aren't aware of the requirements to get the best job done. Even more dangerous, they may have limited competence and add on extra levels of qualification, just to be sure. By way of example, I was into technical writing a few years back to pick up the odd dollar between artistic gigs.

Then people were only interested if you could do the job. I would quite frequently quote for work where we both knew that my knowledge of the area was limited, but we (whoever was commissioning the job and myself) knew that I would be able to bone up on the areas where my knowledge was thin. Sometimes when I was road resting new technology, I'd start from scratch. It was a fun way to stay ahead of what was happening in the breaking technology.

Then came the period where IT and the web became the flavour of the month and people were coming at it from all directions, before -- you guessed it, the bubble burst.

Now you have the situation where there is an oversupply of people with all sorts of knowledge and background. When agents describe the required skills, they concentrate on the paper skills. There is no real assessment of the writer's craft, their ability to organise information and more importantly, ability to communicate in an entertaining and informative manner. In one sense, there is justice however, they get what they ask for - what they paid for. There is a God of Copywriting after all.