Copywriters don't "copywrite"

As a writer with lots of business-to-business experience, I understand the importance of turning tradespeak into plain talk. I also understand that talking the "good talk" can make a reader feel at home. But coining new words that are neither plain talk nor helpful jargon is simply awkward.

"Copywrite" is simply not the language of our trade. I'm not a fan of needless jargon. The simple word "write" will serve fine. But if we're going to use advertising lingo, let's get it right. Using tradespeak incorrectly immediately shows you're an outsider. In my decades' experience in the ad biz, no creative director ever assigned me to "copy write" something, let alone have I ever written "copywrite."

"Copywrite" as a verb is not in any of the dictionaries at Dictionary.com. This includes the notoriously liberal Merriam Webster's, and my favorite, American Heritage. In the "reference" link, it is shown as various trademarks, and as an improper substitute for other words, such as "copywriting." In any case, it is not shown as a verb.

As a noun, it is explicitly rejected. And although a discussion under "copywritten" does say "copywrite" is "sometimes used [as a verb] by professionals," this professional of 30 years' experience has never heard it where it didn't expose the speaker's industry naïveté.

Sometimes the English language simply doesn't take the path you might expect. For good reason. There is a significant difference between a man well-hanged and a man well-hung. If a plane flies into your air space and then departs, we say it "flew out," but if a baseball player hits a fly ball that is caught, he "flied out." That's just the way it is.

Does a sign painter "signpaint"? Does a bricklayer "bricklay"? No, they don't. And a copywriter doesn't "copywrite."

I'll grant, it's not totally logical, but when you view the copywriting in someone's portfolio, be assured it was not "copywritten."

Good copywriters say it shorter. I have nothing against long copy (obviously), or long words. But I do object to using more words or longer words than necessary. Every authority agrees – from leading creative directors to your high school English teacher. "Copywriting" as a verb says nothing that "writing" doesn't say. (Watch for my upcoming article Use vs. Utilize, followed by a third in this series, Coming vs. Upcoming.)

Silliness and nitpicking aside, it is the wrong frame of mind. A good copywriter should never set out to "copywrite." That would suggest a process that is somehow different from other writing – somehow artful, "addy," hyped, dumbed down, sugar coated, normalized, or whatever.

That's exactly opposite to what good copywriting should be. Good copywriting should be transparent. Advertising Copywriters should simply "write." We might use any of the tools other writers use, and work in any of the genres other writers work in. There are some tools we tend to employ more often (e.g. short paragraphs, bullets, incomplete sentences, plain language), but whether we're creating a trust-building, down-home tone, or generating "killer copy," the last thing it should feel like is "copywriting."

If you must use a long form, make it "personal communication."

Whatever you choose to call your text or script, call 718-577-0005 or write me to discuss your copywriting needs in detail.

Real copywriters don't "copywrite." © RR