A Copywriter Never Mumbles ' and Other Principles of Effective Writing
H.L. Mencken, the author, jounalist and social critic observed that most people "write badly because they cannot think clearly." And the reason they cannot think clearly, he went on, is that "they lack the brains."
Putting aside H.L.'s cricisim for the moment, let's assume that all copywriters have the "brains" and, more often than not, we are capable of clear thinking. It follows then, that we stand a very good chance of being able to write well. But clarity of thought is only step one. The following principles will help you move on from there, so that you can put down in writing exactly what you have in mind.
1. Don't mumble.
Jumpstart Your Writing Career** Jumpstart Your Career by Asking "Why'" ** by Laura Backes,
Publisher of Children's Book Insider, the Newsletter for
Children's Writers
When developing a story or .....
Advertising is most effective when it is easy to understand. (Take a look at any advertising effectiveness study.) In other words, you sell more stuff when you write copy that is clear.
Copy that speaks out commands attention; copy that mumbles doesn't. So once you've thought about what you want to say, come right out and say it. Don't mumble your message by being short on specifics or long-winded in your sentences. And don't use big words, cliches, jargon or borrowed interest.
Keep in mind E.B White's sobering advice: "When you say something, make sure you have said it. Your chances of having said it are only fair."
2. Get to the point.
Start selling with your very first sentence. Try to make it and every sentence that follows simple and declarative. Factual. And short. Short is powerful. Lincoln used only 266 words in his Gettysburg Address. And many believe that the shortest sentence in the New Testament ' "Jesus wept." ' is also the most moving.
Do You Want To Write A Best-seller (Part 2) 'If a man has talent and cannot use it, he has failed.''Tom Wolfe
In the first installment of this essay, we said that if you want to excel as a writer, you would not only have to write on a best-selling topic, .....
3. Don't write like a nerd, a lawyer or a bureaucrat.
In his Simple and Direct, Jaques Barzun says, "The whole world will tell you, if you care to ask, that your words should be simple and direct. Everybody likes the other fellow's prose plain." Don't inflict technical jargon, pompous words or fancy phrases on your readers. Remember, you're trying to communicate with them, not impress them with your grasp of show-off fad words or vague abstractions. Why write "sub-optimal" when you mean "less than ideal'" Why write "interface" when it is more clear and direct to write "discuss, "meet," or "work with'" Why take the chance of annoying your reader by writing "net net" instead of "conclusion'"
4. Use short paragraphs, short sentences and simple words.
The professional copywriter always practices this simple principle: Short sentences and short paragraphs are easier to read than long ones. And easier to understand. Rudolf Flesch, in The Art of Plain Talk, says that the best average sentence length is 14 to 16 words, 20 to 25 words is passable, but anything over 40 words is unreadable. So write in crisp, short, snappy sentences. A trick of the trade -- using sentence fragments ......
More Of This Article ....
