copywriting
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- blaw
i have average word-smithing skills and would like to improve my abilities.
anyone have good resources, specifically book recommendations, that can help hone commercial copywriting skills?
- Crouwel0
isn't that like a copywriter asking for a quick fix to improve his design skills?
just wondering...
- lvl_130
zing!
: )
perhaps look into a class or two at your local university or tech school?
- blaw0
most of us have to write commercially at least a little (for our own promotional material, for example). i'd just like to improve in that area.
amazon has several titles, i'm just looking for some direction.
no one ever said it was a bad idea for the singer to learn guitar, 'eh?
- johndiggity0
read more.
- lvl_130
my mistake. i didn't realize you were looking for books : \
i don't really have any good suggestions for that, sorry.
- aliceblue0
The Art of Writing Advertising : Conversations with Masters of the Craft: David Ogilvy, William Bernbach, Leo Burnett, Rosser Reeves, by Denis Higgins (Paperback - Jan 21, 2003)
- chaztoo0
"On Writing Well"
"Eats, shoots and leaves"
And read non-reference books. Go buy Hemmingway, Faulkner, guys who had firm possesion of the language, and pay attention when you read. Hemmingway was selling too, selling the Old Man in the sea as real, selling the salt in your nostrils.
It's all the same.
- skelly_b0
On Writing Well is a good book who needs to use the written word for any application.
- liquid0
chaztoo....got it.
I asked a few people I know that write for a living... and they all said read books that move you.... that have a lot of emotion...
pay attention to how they use the language...and how they evoke emotion...
- Witt0
a book with clichés about life is a must if you're into advertising
- blaw0
that's for the responses.
that is a good point chaztoo makes. an interesting self observation is that have the tendency to take on the vernacular of what i'm currently reading.
this means that if i'm reading something that leans intellectual, my daily speech is enhanced.
though, once, i was reading a novel about repo men and caught myself using a double negative. ha!
- JerseyRaindog0
I was about to recommend this which I have and I have found very useful.
But check the price!
- mg330
You have to include a great book like The Elements of Style, there are all kinds of versions large and small of basically the same thing.
Very handy to have around.
I do a fair amount of "copy" writing, but a much larger amount of publication writing for our law firm - lots of writing, editing, proofing, reworking, etc. to make lawyers sound like they're talking to other lawyers. LOL, but it's true.
I write and produce/direct our bi-monthly client newsletter, and also our internal office newsletter. Generally everything that someone is struggling with these days comes across my desk when they need a better spin put on it. I'm the office wordsmith!
I also write and direct our web content.
As far as books though... personally most of this is stuff I learned in college studying Advertising. I've always been told I wrote well, I think I get it from my Dad.
I did go to a fantastic two day seminar earlier this year that totally opened my eyes to hidden talents - it was all about copywriting, writing headlines, attracting people, etc. Such a fun and interactive group of about 40 people.
The best rule to follow sometimes? Always write so that a fifth grader can understand it. You'd think that in a law firm that wouldn't matter, but you'd be surprised. I get things that no one could possibly understand outside of the lawyer-talk.
- gramme0
Read more well books in order to write good.
Poetry has helped me a lot. People like Seamus Heaney, Frederick Buechner, too many others to list...
I think with some self-education, any good designer can and should write good copy. If you can orchestrate a strong visual message, you can also say it with words (most of the time...) It will also improve your design process. For example, my writing background is what drives my conceptual process; I write a lot before drawing a single sketch.