Here’s a little bit of mental exercise for you if you are getting jaded with your copywriting career; make up an unexpectedly strange article as you go along.

What I mean by that is that you start typing an unusual article about a fairly limited subject without having any clue about what you plan to say or why you chose the title. Maybe most people already do this, but I certainly find that it is something which gives me an extra boost when I am getting a bit low on energy.

It is a trick which I tend to use once every couple of days and usually when I am in the middle of a big batch of frankly uninspiring keywords. If I didn’t use this method occasionally I think I would end up getting run down by researching things which don’t really interest me all that much.

Anyway, here’s how it works.

Make Up a Bizarre Title

Ok, so you need to write about something simple like moisturiser cream. What you need to do is turn your article into something more exciting by giving it an unexpected title which takes even you by surprise. How about ’5 Deadly Secrets about Moisturiser Cream’, or ‘The Day a Moisturiser Cream Shook the World’? The more outrageous the better as far as I am concerned. Not only will it grab people’s attention but it will also help you with the next step.

Work Out What on Earth to Write About

This is the bit I love. I have boxed myself into a corner and now I need to come up with 5 deadly secrets about moisturisers when I don’t even know of one. This is the kind of writer’s challenge which will get you really thinking and scraping around for ideas. Try not to give up too easily, as I reckon that you can turn just about any weird title into a decent article as long as you work at it enough. A few years ago I used to enjoy writing detective stories in which even I didn’t know who did it until I got to the end and I think I got my idea for making it up as I go along from that.

See What the Person Paying You Thinks

There are always a few nervous moments when you do an article like this for someone for the first time. If you were commissioned to work on keyword phrases such as “felt hats” no one will be expecting articles like “Felt Hats, Dead Rats and Mystery Cats”. If it isn’t clear from the order which you were given whether they expect dry, serious articles or more light hearted ones then you might want to check this out before you try this system.

Feel Free

One of the reasons you probably started writing online in the first place was to feel free. After being stuck in the cold shackles of a lifeless office for years I appreciate being able to express myself and be creative. As far as I am concerned one of the very best ways of doing it is by following this style of writing, although I would be interested to hear what other writers think.

Image: nixxphotography / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Putting on some music can boost creativity

Any copywriter needs to be able to flit between different styles when needed. Sometimes a client will ask for a personal, light hearted blog while others might want a serious, professional piece. Being able to switch between these styles is an important skill and also lends a bit of extra variety to the job but I am sure that, like me, most writers would always choose a certain style over the other if given the chance.

When I first started freelance writing I had a kind of stiff writing style which always seemed to end up in “5 Ways to…” and “10 Great Things about…” type articles. I guess that this is probably a common problem, as most of us instinctively shy away from relaxing and writing in a more personal way when we are faced with a blank screen.

My breakthrough moment came when a client simply asked me to write about personal experiences. I found that when I type “I” instead of “You” I feel a lot freer. I can add in some jokes, talk about my family and my childhood and generally create something a bit more interesting without worrying about it so much. Writing like this also inspires me far more, meaning that I work faster and take more care over getting everything as well written as I can.

Get the Music On and Get Creative

Setting the right atmosphere by putting on some music and leaning back in my chair seem to help me relax too but I guess every writer has their own routine for getting into a laid back mood. If you don’t then I would suggest you try and find one. It could be a pair of slippers, a glass of something sparkling or just a certain time of day but I think that there is something any of us can use to give us an extra spark.

This casual style I prefer obviously isn’t right for every job, and a couple of clients have asked me to stop making so many jokes or to stop talking about my dog, but I genuinely believe that this relaxed form of writing hits a chord with readers and makes them want to read on. After all, if you open a blog and read one article it is more often than not the personality of the writer and their writing style which makes you want to read on and see what else they and their dog (he’s called Bruno by the way) have got up to.

When it comes to more serious matters such as medical subjects, financial news or football it is time to put away the light hearted approach and get serious. I guess that is what I am trying to get at here in a fairly long winded kind of way. One of the keys to being a good copywriter is in knowing what kind of style is right at any given time. Often one look at a site is enough to tell you this but at other times you might need to make a tentative approach with your first articles to see how well they go down with your audience and the people who are paying you before putting the music on and kicking off the slippers.

Image: Giovanni Sades

It’s taken years, but the world has come round to the type of writing I like to do. When I was in high school and university, my teachers were unimpressed by the brevity of my essays. As a language student (English, French, Spanish) I had to write lots of essays, but invariably I’d be marked down because they were too short.

Academic Writing

Then, as now, I was an excellent researcher, so no-one could find fault with the content. What they didn’t like was that I didn’t expand on it enough. It was considered de rigueur for Arts and Humanities students to write impressive and lengthy papers on any aspect of language or literature.

I never saw the point. The way I figured it was, if I knew the material and had shown that that I knew the material, what did it matter how many words it took me to prove that? In the end, we had to agree to disagree on that one – and since I still managed to graduate with honors, the story had a happy ending.

Journalistic Writing

Once I started working as a journalist, things began to improve. Although my first editor didn’t set strict limits on word count, it was better to write something relatively short so as not to cause problems when doing layout. (At my first paper they were doing paste-up, which probably reveals more than it should about my age!) To go with my well-honed academic writing skills, I learned the 6 Ws and the inverted pyramid and my inclination towards concise writing came into its own.

Writing Web Content

Fast forward to the present, and I’m in a writing world that my teachers did not foresee. Now I mostly write web content. That means I have to keep articles and blog posts short and to the point. Finally, being able to explain something in 300-700 words has become a gift rather than a burden. I’m doing the dance of joy!

(Photo: cathepsut)

Update: Check out the related poll on my Facebook page: what type of writer are you?

It’s often tricky to learn how to write for people who speak a different language. I’m not talking about the plethora of international languages, but of the difference between writing for a British and an American audience. I’m lucky; I read a lot and so I know a lot of expressions from both sides of the Atlantic. However, it’s not just about vocabulary but about style, and that’s something that’s harder to change.

Differences In Style

Take the common or garden sentence, for example. If you are writing for a British audience, you can feel free to be a bit flowery. You don’t need to get right to the point, in a sharp, short American style. Instead, you can write meandering sentences, which include several clauses as well as a few polysyllabic words. That last sentence was a good example of British style.

If you write for a US audience, keep sentences short. Make one point in each sentence. Avoid using clauses. Get to the point quickly. (That’s the advice I got from an American copywriting friend. How am I doing? )

Vocabulary

Then there’s the vocabulary. A lot of books have been written on the differences between over here and over there, including books by Bill Bryson and many others. Many more have been written about the English, including books by Kate Fox and Jeremy Paxman. They generally agree that Brits tend to be (in speech if not in fact) more modest. Sentences often start with ‘I think’ or ‘I believe’ rather than making bold statements.

There are also differences in terminology, of which I’ll list only a few:

• Where you say closet, we usually say wardrobe
• Where you say adjustable rate mortgage, we say variable rate mortgage
• We say stocking fillers when you say stocking stuffers
• We say stamped, you sometimes say stomped
• We love words like bumph (uninteresting official paperwork)

We also like to take a slightly irreverent tone to anything we speak about.

Getting It Right

So, how do you make sure you get the tone right if switching from writing American English to British English? Here are some suggestions:

• Watch Coronation Street, Eastenders or any other British programme
• Set your Word spell check to UK English to catch spelling errors. (Don’t ask me why we have extra letters in ‘honour’ and ‘travelling’ but we do)
• Get a dictionary of English usage that’s meant for the UK market
• Ask a friend

This last tip is the one I use if I’m not sure about a particular expression. I have a bunch of writer friends from the US, Canada, Australia and even further afield, all of whom are happy to help with points of style.

What strange differences in terminology have you found when writing for people in different countries? I’d love to hear about them.

Have you ever wanted to write a sales letter that could sell anything? I have, so when I needed to write one, I went out and found some advice from James Frey about how to do it. I also checked with some copywriting buddies for a suitable formula. Here it is.

Attention, Attention!

The first step in writing a sales letter is to get your prospect’s attention. Ever wondered why most sales letters start with a huge, in-your-face warning? That’s because the person who writes the letter wants to make sure that you will read it. We’re only human, and if a web page starts with words like ‘warning’ or ‘danger’, then we’ll probably take a second look. To start off your sales letter, you need a short headline with impact, that offers readers a ‘how to’, a ‘secret’ or a ‘warning’.

Problems And Solutions

The next step is to convert that second look into a more sustained consideration of what you are selling (it’s not what you think, but I’ll get to that later). Next you need to tell your readers what the problem is and provide a solution. It’s a case of making readers feel some pain before giving them the antidote. Your product or service is that antidote.

The Convincer

You might think that by now they are ready to buy, but there’s still a long way to go yet. I don’t know about you, but I’m a born skeptic, so I need you to convince me why I should listen to you. In other words, tell me what your credentials are and provide a couple of testimonials. However, even that is not enough. Before I lay out my hard earned cash, I want to know how the product benefits me.

How Will It Help Me?

If you’re struggling to write this, consider the features of the product or service and then see how those will help the people who are reading your sales pitch. When you sell a weight loss product, people emphasize fitting back into your clothes. With an information product, the benefit might be knowing more than the next person so that you can benefit. You also need to provide proof that this works, which means more testimonials.

Make Me An Offer

The next part of your sales letter is the most important. Remember when I said that you weren’t selling the product? Well, according to professional copywriters, what you are really selling is the offer, because that is what will make people buy. That’s why most sales letters emphasize not only the main product, but all the free stuff which makes it worth paying for. One way to make people more anxious to buy is to set a limit on what is available or how long it is available. You want people to buy now, and this is a proven way to do it.

Guarantees

Some people may still be reluctant, fearing that they will be throwing money away. That’s why most sales letters offer a money back guarantee or a risk free trial (do those words sound familiar). Once you’ve done this, it’s time for the call to action, where you let readers know how they can take up the offer. On many online sales letters, this consists of a button or link, where readers can click to pay and get the product. In a sales letter in print, you might have to mail in a form.

Warnings And Reminders

There’s one last chance to gather in those readers who are still not convinced by what they’ve read. After all, if they’re still reading, they’re probably half sold on the product or service. As a writer, it’s your job to close the sale. It’s time for another warning of the consequences of missing out on the product, followed by a PS, where you remind them of the offer. That’s it – you’ve done all you can.

Look at most sales letters and you’ll see that they include all these elements. Even if you’ve never written one before, you can make a credible effort by following this format.

I tend to like to get along with people. I like to believe that all of us are professionals and we can do our jobs without the need for harsh words and confrontation. Most of the time that’s true. Sure, I’ve had the odd occasion when I’ve had to ask someone to up their game, but by and large it all works smoothly. Then there are the other times.

Those are the times when you read the brief and feel that you understand it. You do a test article and it’s fine. You do a few more and they are fine. Then, all of a sudden, the game changes and you can’t seem to do anything right.

There are lots of possible explanations for this:

Maybe you took your eye off the ball and your work is not to the same  In that case, the professional thing to do is to admit it, go back to the brief and fix what’s wrong.

Perhaps the client had expectations that weren’t in the brief. Most people do, and if you’re lucky most of the time you meet these unvoiced expectations. If you don’t manage to write to the hidden brief, then you are within your rights to refuse to do more work for the same pay. If the directions are not written down, then you can’t follow them.

Finally, there’s the situation where you have a personality clash with the client. Somehow you are not on the same page, in spite of a clear brief and successful test articles. When that happens the only thing to do is to confront the person who is hiring you. Ask direct and specific questions about what they want and how you can provide it. Once you have those answers, you can decide whether this writing gig is worth it.  And that decision is not only about money. It’s about your happiness, too.

Most freelance writers have a writing style that feels comfortable to them. When I’m writing my own stuff, I write like a Brit. That means flowing, run on sentences and a style that’s slightly wordier than the AP style. I write for a lot of British clients and that style works well for them. However, I also write for American clients and then I have to change my style. When writing for them, I have to keep sentences short and snappy – and keep it simple (that’s what an editor told me once). No phrases and clauses, either.

As a freelance writer, you have to be ready to alter your style when the job demands it. This is not only about grammatical style, but also about matching the writing to the subject matter. Academic writing is different from feature writing is different from web content writing and so on.

What I’ve found, though, is that you have to pay attention. I did two jobs for the same client. One of them was virtually perfect, lulling me into a false sense of security. The other one had a few extra clauses, which I am now ruthlessly excising.

There are three ways that you can adapt your writing to any circumstance:

First, know what your writing style is. If you can identify the things that make you you, then you can cut some of those out to make your writing more suitable for others.

Second, identify the style that the client likes. Sometimes they tell you exactly what they want, or give you examples of writing they like. Study these examples and mimic them, letting a small bit of your style creep in – just enough to make it different, but not enough to scare the client.

Third, pretend you are someone else. If you are a ghostwriter, then you are probably already doing this every day. As ghostwriters, our job is to write in our clients’ voice, whatever our own personal style.

I’d love to hear from you about your take on writing style.