We tell our copywriting course students to start a blog, even before they start their studies.
Some are anxious about trolls and abuse. And it’s true: the web can be a harsh place for copywriters to publish their work. Many people don’t observe any kind of etiquette in expressing their views. Personally, I wish there was a rule that you couldn’t post an opinion online unless you used your proper name.
However, it’s important to stress that most bloggers and online writers don’t have many problems. Don’t let the fear of malicious reactions put you off. The reality is that not many people will see your blog in its early days … and even if they do, rude and offensive comments are quite rare.
If you’re worried, you can set your blog so it doesn’t accept comments. That way, you can gain some confidence, without getting any feedback. Or you could get someone else to monitor comments for you before they’re published, and delete any offensive ones. Or even write under a pseudonym.
Having said all that, there is a price to pay for free speech, and copywriters should expect readers to disagree with them and criticise them … it’s part of the job description.
But you’ll soon find that you get used to the knock backs, enjoy engaging with people who really want to discuss things with you – and ignore the rest. They become like water off a ducks back after a while.
See our copywriting course