The “Hero’s Journey” is a common narrative style popularized by Joseph Campbell, where the hero leaves the ordinary world for an adventure (Departure), trains, acquires new skills, and faces challenges in the special world (Initiation), and comes back changed or transformed (Return).

This narrative is applied in almost every popular fantasy story: Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Naruto, Sailor Moon, etc. There is always an eccentric hero who other people may find as a nuisance, weak, or unfit. This hero accepts the Call to Adventure, explores a new world, and begins to grow and become someone capable of things they didn’t know they could do. These stories leave an inspirational lesson that everyone, regardless of weaknesses or flaws, can save the world.

But the Hero’s Journey can also go beyond fantasy or fiction. Even in real life, everyone has the potential to be the hero. Everyone is capable of growing and reaching their dreams. My journey of being a beginner to becoming a copywriter at Vitalstrats Creative Solutions is just one of the many stories that prove this.

STAGE 1: DEPARTURE

I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing degree from the University of Santo Tomas in 2022. Our classes equipped us to write for the fields of literature, film, new media, and theater, while I specifically write fiction. My writing leaned more toward creative storytelling. I was used to writing with literary devices, reading long narratives, and being expressive in my craft. But I stepped in a completely different world as I left the familiar four corners of the classroom.

STAGE 2: INITIATION

The transition from graduating with a creative writing degree to working as a copywriter was quite a shift. It felt as if I was jumping down the rabbit hole precisely because of my lack of experience in the marketing and advertising field. As a beginner, I had to hone my writing skills in this discipline, and VCS gave me the opportunity I needed.

VCS allowed me to start from scratch despite how rocky my first days were. I simply started at having no idea what I was supposed to do. It took me long hours to digest content and write, and it would also be followed by a number of revisions.

With guidance and thorough mentorship, I was able to fully understand the discipline and weight of copywriting.

STAGE 3: RETURN

One of the first things I learned as a copywriter was how to craft compelling messages that resonate with the target audience. This involved researching the market and understanding the needs of the customer in order to create content that is both informative and engaging. I’ve developed a better understanding on how to craft content that targets different demographics. I’ve also gained experience in writing for a variety of mediums such as video, magazine, and social media.

My writing with fiction was naturally a solitary work. I was used to doing things on my own. As a copywriter, I learned to adapt my writing to work with a team. Beyond creating engaging content, I needed to adjust the copies to fit what the designers or video producers can work with. Each of our ideas and opinions are also important during brainstorming. Brainstormings provide us a creative space where we can share ideas and adjust according to each expertise and limitations.

Slowly but surely, I started getting the hang of copywriting. While I work on a project, like content calendars, it becomes automatic in my head to think of what voice and words I should use to make the posts engaging, and how I would visualize these for the designers.

How my creative and copy writing intertwines

My growth in copywriting doesn’t mean the loss of interest for creative writing. I learned to apply my writing degree in a very practical way by creating creative content. I was able to use my creative writing skills to come up with unique and engaging copy.

I also remember a moment, as I finished writing copies for a calendar that requires easily understandable Taglish language, that I initiated a conversation with my previous blockmates who also ventured into copywriting. We discussed copies as a part of literature, the same way we often discuss creative works.

In this age of high technology and short attention spans, there is something we can learn about creating content that engages with a group of people. The practice of copywriting, specifically on researching and understanding the needs of a target group, reinforces the literary questions of “who do we write for?” and “how does writing address their needs?” To simply put, becoming a copywriter helped me further explore how I can utilize my writing.

All of these wouldn’t be possible without the trust that TeamVCS has given me. They trusted that I can accomplish my tasks despite my shortcomings, and that was enough for me to believe that I can. This journey and their trust has provided me the opportunity to grow, make mistakes and learn from them, and build my skills.

TRUST AS A BEGINNER’S FOUNDATION

Trust plays a crucial role in a beginner’s journey. In a fantasy story, it is as crucial as the entire population of Middle-earth trusting a little hobbit to save them from ruin. It serves as the beginner’s first step to adventure, trials, and growth.

For beginners, trust in your strength and abilities. You can make a mental note or list down your strengths and align these to address your current challenges. Growth can only start from your trust that you can face whatever hurdles you may meet in the journey. You can also find and trust the right support system, both personal and professional, as they can help boost your confidence and trust in yourself.

Trust is also necessary for brands. It serves as one of the core values for brands to thrive. Clients trust advertising agencies like VCS to provide effective creative solutions and meet their communication and business objectives.

Trust is everywhere within a workplace, working together to achieve a common goal. The Design and Production departments trust the writers to strategize and write copies that meet the client’s needs, and set the tone and pace of the project. In return, writers trust the Creatives and Production Departments to effectively execute our ideas. Our trust in each other is what makes the workplace dynamic, and allows us to grow individually and as a team altogether.

Being a beginner only means there’s a vast space for growth. When business owners put their full trust on their employees, it boosts their confidence to accomplish their tasks and it serves as a push for them to strive further.

A Hero’s Journey in real life may not be as suspenseful and thrilling as it is in fiction, but they share the same weight on growth, fellowships, and trust. Every person is a hero going through a constant cycle of journeys, which provides everyone an opportunity to save the world in their own ways.

BUILDING A BEGINNER: A Hero’s Journey of Becoming a Copywriter at a Creative Agency

STAGE 1: DEPARTURE

STAGE 2: INITIATION

STAGE 3: RETURN

How my creative and copy writing intertwines

TRUST AS A BEGINNER’S FOUNDATION