Copywriting in Beijing

There's an enormous market for English copywriting in Beijing. More and more companies are attempting to break into the western markets (such as Lenovo and 361 - you may not have heard of them now, but I predict you'll hear much more about them in the not-too-distant future), and with more and more foreigners in China, many companies have some degree of bilingual output. So as a writer, it's an exciting and happening place to be.

What's perhaps unusual though, is that the market for English copywriting is far from mature. At the moment, it's fairly easy to hire a foreigner with adequate writing skills - many come here as English teachers in the first instance, which of itself suggests a command of writing skills, and the work is congenial, so many are keen to make the jump. Also, even though foreigners in China generally earn substantially more than their Chinese counterparts, wages are still relatively low, so it's cheap enough to get a young ambitious writer on board. There's only one, as far as I know, independent freelance copywriting professional, this one here. Unlike Britain, for example, there are a steady stream of adverts for entry-level writing positions and part-time work (in websites such as The Beijinger and eChinacities), showing that companies actively seek candidates, rather than agencies and independent copywriters seeking work.

Thus, the market is still wide open and has many opportunities for writers. I would imagine that in 5-10 years time, there will be far more freelance professionals and even agencies in a far more solidified market, with greater standards and higher entry levels.with companies able to pick and choose when they need specific tasks. (One of my own pet grumbles, when I'm wearing my copyediting hat, is that some of the writing is of a poor standard. I mean really poor!). In other words, it will resemble the copywriting market in London or New York or any other major city. As things stand, the ability to write English well remains a rare and sought-after skill in China.