Readin’ Writin’ Rhythm ReWritin’ The Copy Workshop Workbook

A few new habits Whatever media you’ll be working in, you need to talk person to person. You must develop a short, straightforward writing style – and then it has to be better than that.

The new writing We read, hear and feel our way through a flow of information. We inhale, skim and absorb. We’ve evolved from readers to “viewers.” Even when we read, we graze as we gaze. It’s casual and natural.

The new writing Contemporary copywriting must connect with those new realities. Literary traditions are replaced by those based on news, movies, music and the cadence of conversation. Most writing is taught as a logical skill, but copywriting is different. The most important person is the receiver.

Readin’ Before you can write clearly about a subject you have to understand it. You will find yourself continually becoming an expert on things you know little about so you can write about them with authority. Digging for facts is the preparation stage of the creative process. Your writing must have substance.

Readin’ “Your job is to reveal how good your product is, not how good you are.” Get organized …

Writin’ Build a working vocabulary for your brand. Collect: Nouns, verbs and adjectives Slang and jargon Interesting ideas Facts and figures Figures of speech

Writin’ Avoid using a thesaurus – avoid obscure words. Find your verb: Move people. Find verbs associated with your subject. Verbs activate your writing and are the key to successful persuasion.

Writin’ Add adjectives: Be selective They should clarify, inform and intensify They should resonate with the target They should relate to the strategy After adding up the adjectives that meet your objectives, ask yourself: Is there one adjective strong enough to sustain your campaign?

Writin’ Find unique combinations of words and ideas that relate to your brand, product category and strategy. Assemble familiar phrases, clichés and puns, endorsements and reasons why.

Writin’ Organize your thinking Put the pieces of the puzzle together Take a short break Think Describe Write!

Writin’ Disorganize your thinking Challenge yourself and your writing to open up to new opportunities and perspectives. Look at it a new way and you may find an interesting story. Drama! Same old story becomes new again! New attitude!

Writin’ Reorganize your thinking Good writing is based on good thinking. Try and figure out what is really and truly the most important thing. In advertising, you can’t say everything, just the most important thing. Think target. Try to see, read and think through the consumer’s point of view. Is what you wrote important to the one who’s going to read it?

Theme & variations Most great ad campaigns have a great theme. An advertising theme will focus on the one thought you want your target to remember. It should be memorable and stick in the mind. There should be a natural flow of variations. Look for structural relationships. Write down everything you can think of -- everything!

Rhythm Short, simple sentences Gets to the point One idea follows another Keeps the reader’s interest Forces your copy to be easy to understand Creates a tempo, movement, cadence

Rhythm Active verbs and a positive attitude Write in a positive, assertive, upbeat manner Examine sentences with passive verbs and negative words Comparison advertising and positioning may require negative words.

Parallel construction Sentence structure, phrasing should be consistent. Verbs in the same tense. Control those pronouns. First person, second person, third person? Be consistent – creates clarity Clear construction = clear communication.

Alliteration, assonance and rhyme Alliteration: Similarity of the first letter or sound of words, usually consonants. Assonance: Internal similarity of words, usually vowels. Subtler. Rhyme: Poems are easy to remember and be passed along.

Puns, double meanings and word play When they work well, they speak for themselves. When they don’t work, they’re confusing.

Good copy vs. good grammar Good grammar should be behind the scenes. Should come naturally to you so your writing is natural to others. Should be your responsibility – don’t make your reader or your target work to understand your meaning or message. Remember, people are lazy ... they’ll skip something if it’s too hard.

Good copy vs. good grammar Three exceptions for copywriters: Sentence fragments: For effect and brevity, can often make copy better. Overuse creates a choppy effect. Beginning a sentence with a conjunction: Because, And, Or. But don’t overdo it. Ungrammatical usage: English is a flexible language. New words and usages emerge constantly. When used for effect, slang and/or bad grammar is OK. Contemporary copy should reflect contemporary usage. But treat the language with respect.

ReWritin’ The more the better Tighten your writin’ Do it again … and again … Visualize your copy Character count Be objective about your own work Look at your words through someone else’s eyes. It’s the start of teaching yourself to write for others.

ReWritin’ Know how to cut copy Remember, the objective of your ad’s “business” is to help your client’s business. “Creativity that doesn’t reinforce the proposition in an ad or commercial isn’t creative, it’s disruptive.”

Remember … Review your work and your work habits. And never stop. Learn to cut your copy! Be your own toughest critic. Shorter is better. Less verbal. More visual. Write tight.