Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Feel like I've been under a photographer's hood and suddenly the light stabbed in.

This has nothing to do with the post, I just like the photo I took.
As I left the office today I realized i'd only left my desk 3 times over 9 hours, and each of those 3 were only for a few minutes. I didn't notice the passage of time. It rushed past me as I focused my eyes on computer screens and notepads and sketches of work I had to do; where words would fit and rough ideas of images that could support the content I was helping craft.

Something I don't think most who haven't actually practiced the craft is that copywriters have to think visually. And that never ends, no matter how far you progress upward along your career path. And I think it's probably even more important today. And it got me to thinking that now that the web is filled with "writers" who believe they can try their hand at everything because they can craft some snappy copy there are probably less actual writers, who can practice a true and well rounded craft, than you'd think.

It's also led to a whole bunch of people who think lyrical, creative writing is simply based on jokes, or irony, or whatever. If you don't think I'm correct read a lot of what you see out loud and then you'l realize how blunt and dull the majority of it is. I like to make words dance, and bring forward internal rhythms, that then lead to mental images or at least impressions. It's what I do to make myself feel good. And it's a talent that serves me well professionally and privately. And I want to grab every young writer who shows a shred of talent and shake them and tell them to stop emulating the tone and cadence of every other writer alongside them. It might get the job done, but it's never going to move anyone.

And all I want to do is help people feel, or discover things that make them feel. At the core, that's what I think I do.

No comments: