Copywriting Is Fun.

What I've done at work is moved from proofreading to being a sometime copywriter because they need one around here, but the proofreader who can also write copy is way cheaper.

I've done copywriting before, but never had the title. I did it as the editor of whatever periodical I was working on because somebody had to. It was always a sideline to the real job. Which apparently disguises the fact that when it's your only job, copywriting is fun.

A few weeks ago, I got to make up some chipper-sounding crap about salad dressing. SALAD DRESSING, PEOPLE. I tolerate salad, and have no truck with dressing them, but for a couple of days, I was Mr. Salad Dressing, Esquire.

And it was a blast. Even now, when I'm doing less creative copy stuff for drugs instead of Tangy Blue Cheese Napa Valley Buttermilk Ranch Dressing, it's still kind of fun.

I'm tempted to say, "If I'd known this was fun, I'd have started years ago." but that would be false because my act wasn't together enough years ago to enjoy it like I do now. Now that I've staggered around doing odd jobs and nonsense, I have a real appreciation for this:

A challenging job alongside creative, motivated co-workers, that is seriously not that hard. I sit in a chair and type on an ergonomic keyboard. It's not like I'm hauling lumber.

Unfortunately, the contract ends in a few weeks, so I might have to move on. But now that I can legitimately put "copywriter" on my resume and show some portfolio pieces, it shouldn't be too hard to find more work.

At least that's what they tell me. They said that about grantwriting too, and then I spent four months unable to get a nonprofit in this city to waste a stamp telling me no.

Maybe it's time to stop listening to people who have no stake in my well being. And maybe it's time to go back to sourcing copy for anti-cholesterol drugs which is way more fun than it sounds!