How Many Times Have You Read Your Favourite Copywriting/Marketing Book

A lot of veterans in the industry have recommended that you re-read the copywriting books you like best several times over. Which ones have you cracked open more than twice?

 

Re-reading is good. However, reWRITING great sales letters by hand is where it's at.

 

I'd have to agree with Seth. Reading is good but doing is better. Copy successful sales letters and rewrite them for different products.

'Practice makes perfect' is a cliche but still and always true.

 

Thought this thread would be livelier...as for what Seth said - true. But having a strong reference library never hurts.

 

I've been watching this thread hoping to find something worth reading. My recent purchase is sadly not something I would recommend.

The irony for me is that the only writing or marketing book that I've referred to several times was something I found on a junk pile in a bookstore. It's a small book on how to properly punctuate bullet lists. Even then, I'm not sure that I would recommend it as there were a number of things I thought the author got wrong.

I've downloaded a few freebies from Clayton Makepeace and Michel Fortin. Other than stuff by those two, most of the other eBooks I've seen are fairly useless. I paid for one that had received rave reviews from other writers - total waste of time and money. The reviews were either paid for or standard hero worship.

John, since you've started the conversation, what books do you value?

 

Hi YMC,

Here are some of the books on my shelf that are completely littered with post-it stickers:

The Adweek Copywriting Handbook - Joe Sugarman
The Ultimate Sales Letter - Dan Kennedy
No B.S. Direct Mail - Dan Kennedy
How to Write a Good Advertisement - Victor Schwab
Positioning - Al Ries & Jack Trout (This isn't a copywriting book, but once you crack it open, you'll see what I mean)

If you want more, let me know.

Cheers,

John

 

I wish I could add a few here, but oddly enough I never read any book in any great depth.

Well, there is Words That Sell....

They were either off the mark but hyped up by amateurs and air heads, or, they were out of date.

It would be interesting to know what the top books are that REALLY do work, though.

 

Just tell us what you're into (your hobbies, main interests) and I'm sure there's a copywriter that will suit you better than others.

 

I am a copywriter.

I was just always interested in what other (REAL) copywriters thought about.

I guess I'm a nerd in that deapartment.

Whenever I'm asked which books to read, I really can't tell them other than giving them my A to Z list (personal advice) to go by to be a really good writer, a really good salesman and to also read the top books on Amazon.

It's rough out there in this field for many.

 

I've done most of my learning on the job.

 

I think "Web copy that sells" by Maria Veloso is very good....so far.
Haven't finished it yet. And it's my first book about copywriting.
I have read a lot of articles etc. But never a book about copywriting.
So I can't compare or really judge, I can only say that it is helping me out a lot.
But still have to see if it is copy that sells.

 

Couldn't find an edit button.

I wanted to add that I just found out that you can read the whole book in google:
Maria Veloso - Web copy that sells

 

Its, depend on the time, How much time you have.!

 

"Scientific Advertising" Claude Hopkins

"Tested Advertising" Caples (4th edition or earlier only)

"How I Raised Myself from a Failure to Success in Selling" Betger

"How to Write a Good Advertisement" Schwab.

"How to Write Sales Letters That Sell" Drayton Bird

"The Robert Collier Letter Book" - by Robert Collier​

 

I always try to reread & revisit most of the popular copywriting books.

In fact, most of the books i read are related to copywriting.