Review: Copywrong to Copywriter by Tait Ischia

* Copy courtesy of Scribe Publications *

I'm a blogger, reviewer, editor, proofreader, sole trader and sometimes lone ranger, so you could say I'm the target audience for Copywrong to Copywriter - A Practical Guide to Copywriting for Small Businesses, Small Organisations, Sole Traders, and Lone Rangers by Tait Ischia.

My success over the years has been directly proportional to the work I put in and the standards I set for myself. Like most, I'm always striving to learn more and improve my work and in reading Copywrong to Copywriter I was hoping to learn some new tricks, re-visit old ideas and see if content writing has changed much over the years.

"When someone first realises they need a copywriter, they might have any number of services in mind. They may be looking for web writing, journalism, scriptwriting, product naming, headlines, ad campaigns, concept development, user personas, information architecture, content audits, copy editing, proofreading or complex content strategies.
They might also require intricate knowledge about esoteric subjects, a sophisticated understanding of highly technical industries or years of experience in marketing, advertising, brand strategy or public relations." Page 13

The author goes on to say: "while the foundations of copywriting are simple, they quickly give rise to many complexities." Page 13

If you're expecting or hoping this book will delve into the above services and explain what they are and how they vary, you won't find it in this slim offering. At less than 100 pages, this is a very brief look at copywriting and instead offers an insight into setting a strategy, finding the right voice, identifying your audience and some basic grammar rules. I'm certain that the author could have written a 500 page manual on copywriting that explored each of the services mentioned above in addition to the complexities they give rise to which would no doubt make a thoroughly informative read. (Which I'm totally down for by the way).

Having completed a Bachelor of Arts in Literature, Associate Diploma in Management, Diploma of Business and Certificate in Professional Writing, this overview was old territory for me. I've been reviewing and blogging here at Carpe Librum for almost 18 years now and while I've moved beyond the basics, this short refresher was still worth my time.

Copywrong to Copywriter by Tait Ischia is best suited to those embarking on a career or hobby that involves communicating information to an audience. It might be a blog, an Instagram or Etsy account, intranet or company website. At the very least, this is an easy to follow introduction to copywriting by an accomplished Australian author that will provide a solid foundation that may lead to a deeper exploration down the track.

My Rating:

★ ★ ★ ★ ★