Hello I'm wondering what is the best copywriting/writing advice everyone has ever gotten? What would you pass on to other people? I think the "best advice" I got is kind of a cliche -- but it really works for me: to imagine that one person reading what I've written. Not focusing on the whole crowd of people but connecting with that one person. What about you? What was the best advice? And what was the worst advice? lol Abby
Never miss a deadline. Most people who make a living of writing write because they love it. You have to love what you do.
The job of the first sentence is to get the reader to read the second sentence. The job of the second sentence is to get the reader to read the third sentence. And so on. Having see a lot of writing around these parts, one piece of advice would be that the world is not your audience. A writer must make decisions. Focus in on a narrow target and write to that audience, ignoring what everyone outside might think.
Never give up, even if you run into roadblocks. A freelance writing career is hard work, and you will definitely run into failures. But in the end you can be a huge success.
Well, I don't think it was put quite that way to me, but you get the gist. And I'd say the worst is "get a real job." No matter how much I make or how long I've been doing this, I still have people tell me that. But that's why networking with other writers is so great... many of you "get it," which makes it easier to keep from being discouraged.
I've heard that before. I guess by "real job" they meant I should stop earning $100-$150 an hour (writing) and go work for $15-$20 an hour for some ass. My personal favorite is the person who thinks that anyone, specifically him or her, can write. It's usually after you're done or highlighting entire documents with 4.5 million errors that he or she comes around. Or they think you're just a grammar-Nazi ass.
Learn your target market inside and out. Research this part until you feel like they do. Take notes only during this process. Then list the benefit and ask, "Why does that matter to the target?" and keep on doing that until you arrive at a benefit that hits an emotional nerve. Then you write.
Or, if you can write what you want to write in such a way that will make people want to read it (and subsequently more of it) you are on your way!
Totally off-topic Turbulence...I LOVE that dog in your avatar! Wow what great advice....everyone has such different things to say. This is really cool!
Just read Gary's letters and you will see what I am talking about. The Greatest copywriter ever!!! P.S. Yep, the doggy is cute!
I know how you feel. I hate 9 to 5 jobs, but many people think that's the only way through life. I think is "Focus on only one thing at a time" is good advice.
When in doubt, leave it out... whenever you are using a rarely-used word or are confused about the grammar of a sentence, simply replace it with something simpler. do not try to show off your writing skills by including flowery words that would initiate the use of a dictionary. Remember, most of your readers are lay persons.