Wanted: Native English Copywriter.

Being native isn’t everything. Nabokov didn’t write Lolita in Russian either. Internationally, it can even be better to be not too native.

Every once in a while I’m asked, “Do you write in English?” I do indeed. “So you’re a native English copywriter?” Well, my clients obviously trust my English copy. But native English I am not. I’m native German. “Oh. I see. Sorry. Gotta find somebody else then.” I understand that. Thanks for calling anyway.

Nativeness, I find, is greatly overestimated when it comes to writing. Because the predominant skill you need as a copywriter is a talent for story-telling. The second most important skill required is the ability to write good copy. A certain amount of proficiency in the language we are writing should help. But none of these come to us by birthright, which we cannot fail to recognize when taking a good look at our own fellow countrymen. It’s the very reason why copywriting is a profession.

Countless novelists and playwrights – from Joseph Conrad to Vladimir Nabokov to Samuel Beckett to Galsan Tschinag – have demonstrated that being native is not necessarily a prerequisite for good writing.

Around where I live, native English copywriters do exist. But they are rare. So if you can’t find one who is able and willing to meet your deadlines – why don’t you check out what I can do for you?