Even as a professional copywriter, I have found myself mincing words, wasting them, and the worst situation of all– at a loss for them. The thing is, words are like wardrobes–they need to be carefully selected, making sure to fit the mood, the occasion, and the audience. It is not a “one-word-fits-all-world” out there.

Take the word “no.” It’s a simple word, yet very powerful. It’s only two letters. Nothing fancy. Just two simple letters forming one simple word. But think about it. Think about all the times you’ve heard it, and all the times you’ve spoken it. How did it affect you? What impact did it make on the listener’s life when you spoke it? “No,” can make a child cry, start a war, send a jobseeker to the end of his rope. But “no” can also be positive. Like when a mother is waiting to find out if her child has a terminal disease, or when a wife is waiting to hear from a private eye whether or not her husband is cheating on her. Sometimes a word is more than a word. Sometimes it dictates a future. Other times it sets precedent. And at times, it just means “no, you may not have candy before breakfast.”

If only people would stop to think about the words they speak, and type, before putting them out there. After all, our words really are the only thing in our lives we have complete control over.

Unless, you’re a copywriter. In a time when everyone thinks they’re copywriters, frustration amongst us professionals, is at an all-time high. The truth is, true copywriters live and die by words, sentences, phrases, headlines, and taglines. It is in our blood and we tend to get offended when words, or we, are taken advantage of or not used correctly.

Copywriters are a rare, and seemingly dying breed. Yes, anyone can speak. Type a letter. Even form a somewhat coherent sentence. But that does not make them copywriters. Neither does watching a TV commercial and thinking to themselves “that was stupid. i could do a better job than that!” Which coincidentally, is what got me into this business. Sitting with my sister in our college apartment, ripping apart poor commercials and ads. Oh the joy.

My favorite quote, yes, I must put a quote on here, is from Rudyard Kipling. He said, “words are the most powerful drug used by mankind.” I think about this, and repeat it often. Why? Because it is true. If more people really thought about the power of a simple word–they may develop a new respect for language.