Dont Be Satisfied With Your First Draft
|
|
Sometimes it's a struggle to figure out what's the best thing to say.
You're writing a heading, the first sentence of an email, the introduction to a newsletter, a short description on a homepage.
But what should you say? When you have just a few words, what's the best message?
One of the ways I employ to help me with this task is to first weed out what I DON'T want to say.
I'll write a number of different opening sentences for an email, for instance. Then I'll start hacking away at the ones that don't carry the right message, or that carry the right message badly.
Knowing you're going to cut away the bad versions, it's easy to start a flow of different lines. You're not under pressure to make every line brilliant, because you know that most will be discarded.
This process also applies a very useful discipline; it makes you write down a large number of different lines, different options.
This, in itself, is a good thing.
Far too often, particularly when under the pressure of deadlines, we make do with the first opening that jumps to mind. Unless you are a full-time genius, that first thought is unlikely to be the best one.
Listing, and then eliminating copy lines makes you think. It makes you stop and really consider what it is you really should be saying.
Better still, it makes you self-critical and more determined to deliver the best line possible.
Nick Usborne is a copywriter, author, speaker and advocat of good writing. You can access all his archived newsletter articles on copywriting and writing for the web at his Excess Voice site. You'll find more articles and resources on how to make money as a freelance writer at his Freelance Writing Success site.
|
|
|
Created & Maintained by Empower! CMS Web Sites
Host2Sell Web Hosting | Emarketing Workshops | Site SEO Review | FREE NewsletterHook Your Direct Mail Sales Letter Readers With Good Transition Sentences
Anglers in Maine catch trout using dry flies with barbless hooks. Unless they keep tension on the line all the way to the net, they lose the trout. Your sales letters must do the same. But how?One secret to keeping busy business readers hooked is to use irresistible transition sentences. Transition sentences come at the end of one paragraph and the beginning of th...(related: Copywriting)
Four Things Every Web Site Headline Must Do
As you know, I'm constantly making the point that the text on web sites is not given enough attention. Which is unfortunate, because the headlines on site pages make huge demands on the skills of any writer.
If you're writing a headline or heading for a site page, here are four things you need to keep in mind, four elements that demand your attention, four separate 'audiences' you need to satisfy.
1. Make the reader feel he or she is in the right place
Every time someone clicks on a link and a new page b...(related: Copywriting)
Dont Forget The Copywriting
Copywriting And Content CreationOne of the most important, but often overlooked aspects of marketing is copywriting. Businesses afford much attention, time and money, on graphics, mail formats and all of the website bells and whistles. But the copy--what is said about the businesses product--is often left to the end, receiving little focus or refinement.Whether your marketing plan involves ads, direct mail or a web...(related: Copywriting)
Copywriting Tricks: Nailing The Voice
Professional copywriters are well-familiar with what's commonly referred to as "the voice." What is this exactly, and why do you need to master it in your writing?If writing is icecream, then "the voice" is the flavor in your scoop. You may be slurping on mellow vanilla, while I'm over here crunching Rocky Road. Sure, we're bothing having a cold and creamy treat, but our wa...(related: Copywriting)
Copywriting Faqs
One of the biggest challenges a copywriter faces is to make future clients feel confident in his or her ability. You know you can deliver, but your clients don't know that... yet! In my own experiences as a freelancer, I've noticed that the most hesitant potential clients often ask the same questions. Following are answers to help allay their fears.Copywriting FAQ's:1. How do I know your writing style is the right one for my company?I understand where this question comes from, because I ask it myself when I need to solicit the help of another writer. A good copywriter would never inject her own personality or opinion into the work she does for other people. Rather, she adopts the appropriate tone for their particular industry.When it comes to writing, I consider myself something of a chameleon. If you tak...(related: Copywriting)
How To Write A Direct Mail Fundraising Letter (four Tips For Fund Raising Success)
1. Address your reader as a friend, not as "Friend."When was the last time you received a letter from someone dear to you, addressing you as "Dear Friend?" Never, right? The days of the Dear Friend letter are dead. I heard recently of a chairman of the board of a national charity who has given his charity millions of dollars and hundreds of hours of hi...(related: Copywriting)
Are Long Copy Salesletters Scams?
A passionate debate is currently raging in the Copywriters Forum about long versus short copy. (If you haven't joined, do so. Click the "register" link the top. It's free. There are tons of tips from other very successful copywriters.)The debate was originally sparked by a comment a very well-known Fortune 500 "guru" made about Armand Morin's AudioGenerator.com.I love it, because debate ignites passion, provides insigh...(related: Copywriting)
Cleaning Up Your Copy
When you are beginning to write, you gather as much data as you can. You continually add allied thoughts. . You use your right brain, the creative side.So when you have an idea and your min...(related: Copywriting)
Is Your Content Provider Selling You Ripped Content?
Ripped content: well the term itself is self explanatory. Content that has been copied from some other site, without any official authority to do so. Although sound...(related: Copywriting)
Four Simple Steps To Improve Your Sales Copy
You know what it's like, you're reading the sales material about a product you're considering buying, but, as you read, all these questions seem to pop into your mind, but there's no-one there to answer them, so you shelve your plans to purchase.If it happens to you, you can guarantee it also happens to your customers when they read your sales copy. So, what's the answer?You don't have to practise mind-reading, just good-old fas...(related: Copywriting)
Advice For Copywriters: How To Win The Freelance Bidding War
Are you a freelance copywriter working from home? If so, you've probably been on the project bidding war sites, like elance.com. You've probably seen ads like this:"Need 50 Articles Ghostwritten. 500-800 Words. Budget: $250-$500. Timeframe: one month.""How insulting!" you think to yourself, and yet sheer curiosity lures you to the bidding area. What do you see? Lowbrow bidders losing their minds... chomping at the bit for this embarrassing offer: "Bid: $500." "Bid: $300."All of this is doing a number on your head. You start second-guessing your own worth. "Damn....(related: Copywriting)
Ad Copy - Your 12 Point Inspection!
You're ready to launch that new product or promotion, & you're really counting on a piece of advertising copy to come through for you.You're looking for stellar results! And, you're determined to do everything in your power to get them. Which means surveys, thorough testing, and ongoing refinement of your ad copy.Hold the phone!When you've got your draft, run it through this 12-point inspection. Cover off these basics, and you can be sure you're off to a running start.1 ? Do You Have A Compelling Headline?Does it generate curiosity? Does it promise a benefit that will compel someone wi...(related: Copywriting)
Health And Fitness: A Huge Industry In Need Of Writers
Think about how much you read about and spend on health and fitness.Do you ever exercise? Take supplements? Go on a diet? Visit the doctor sometimes? Most of us do all four. And how many books, magazines, tapes of videos ...(related: Copywriting)
site-map - Copyright © 2006 Empower! Web Design | All Rights Reserved. | Copywriting