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The hard truth is you’re an intern and it’s probably easier for people to just change it than it is for them to tell you how to correct it and why. Not ideal behavior from the more senior creatives and won’t help you grow.
You should seek a mentor within your workplace.
This. I always try to take the time to tell my interns and juniors when and why I’ve made changes beyond minor tweaks but ever-shrinking client deadlines and ever-growing expectations mean it’s something I do have to intentionally make time for. Not everyone does.
Seek out a mentor and in the meantime, feel free to ask the seniors on your projects why something changed so you can keep it in mind for next time.
How much does it get changed? Is the core idea still there? Sometimes you can own the idea and learn to accept little changes. That said, if you can find consistent patterns to changes or learn more that can only help.
I completely understand your frustration; that's incredibly demotivating. It's time to get to the bottom of this. First, start by asking your direct supervisor for a meeting to discuss this workflow. Also, try to understand the next step in the process after your approval. Is it design? Legal? Project Management? Ask them directly if they are making changes, and why. Document specific examples where you can clearly show the before-and-after, noting the changes and any potential impact on the message. This will help you create a clear case and facilitate a constructive conversation to fix the root cause.
This is actually all part of the collaborative creative process. Sure, it would be cooler if someone let you know that it was happening and why. But you can at least ask afterwards and still learn.
Say something along the lines of, you “totally get and expect that your copy would be adjusted and tweaked by those higher-up and more experienced. But so I can learn, can you help me understand the thinking behind the evolution. Why it wasn’t totally working where I had it, and why it’s more successful now?”
This will show that you’re humble, willing to put your ego aside and learn. And if you do this, and really take in the guidance and feedback, you will definitely learn and grow.
I’m a senior writer and this still happens to me. Most of the time, it’s the client that dictates changes and we have no control or room to push back. Other times, the project gets passed to another writer because I don’t have the bandwidth to take it on and the copy gets changed by the new writer. Both of those are just par for the course, but sometimes I catch art directors changing copy to suit their design or because they didn’t like what I wrote…and that I don’t tolerate. Let me be clear, I have no problem changing a line because there’s not enough room in the layout or we need a shorter word, but that should be a discussion between me and the art director, not something they do and hope I don’t catch it. *steps off soap box and returns to the question* Now, as an intern, I would ask your manager/mentor why the line changed and what the process is for changes. An internship is the time to learn as much as possible and understanding why a line needs to change (length, needs to match the brands tone better, needs to communicate something else, etc) is important to learn. I would also ask them for the opportunity to make those changes based on their feedback next time. This will help you learn how to apply feedback quickly, because let’s face it, that’s mostly what our jobs are.
this is great feedback. i would only
add too that it would be smart to request to follow a project through its entire workflow from concept to completion as this could be a huge learning opportunity to see how each discipline (agency side and client side) put their own stamp on the work. how can you better solve for things in the future? how can you anticipate some issues? part of the creative process is releasing a little bit of ownership.
Don’t sweat it. It’s the nature of the biz. I rewrite stuff bc I’m presenting to client and I know exactly what they want to hear. Your idea is still gold and appreciated. It’s just part of the process. If it’s significant, I’ll let the CW know the reason. Keep writing. Keep asking for feedback.
This is 100% the same way I felt as an intern and throughout my time as a junior writer - and it’s completely normal. Odds are the fine-tuning on your work is coming from legal, product, the client etc. Or it just might not be totally polished yet, and that’s the best part of being an intern. This is the time where you hone in on your creative process, the big idea work, and start perfecting your craft.
Set up a meeting with your manager, they’ll be able to help you track down where these changes are getting made. Have concrete examples of those changes ready to share and get their take on it. AND most importantly, once you figure it out, ask that person to inform you first if any changes need to be made. That’s how you learn!
If I ever got rewritten as an intern I always knew and I was told why. I’d be pissed if I were you. They’re doing a bad job mentoring you.