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Swearing can be a powerful gesture ...
It could also be meaningless. It all depends on:
1. The Source: Who said it?
2. The Frequency: How often does that person swear?
But those factors can be hard to conceptualize, so here's a true story that illustrates how to use profanity to your advantage in writing (and life):
Meet: Coach McSvears
My high school soccer coach -- let's call him Coach McSvears -- was a good guy, a history teacher, a family man. He was down to earth, funny. The kids loved him.
He also happened to curse a lot, like he was getting paid by the syllable. It was fascinating. Hearing Coach speak to us as though we were grown made us feel grown.
But the novelty didn't last. After a couple weeks, the thrill was gone. We stopped caring.
Meet: Mr. Lesesmo
Fast-forward a decade: I'm writing copy at CareerBuilder. I'm working in-house at their Chicago headquarters. My editor -- let's call him Mr. Lesesmo -- was short and stout, soft-spoken. He wore suspenders.
He was a gentle, unassuming person. But every now and again, he threw a dart:
"This isn't fucking there, Eddie," he'd say.
You see, unlike coach, Mr. Lesesmo rarely cursed, which made it all the more effective when he did.
Here's how I saw it:
- McSvears swore for himself, for his own emotional satisfaction.
- Lesesmo swore for others, using the gesture strategically.
When my editor cursed, it was a sign that he was addressing something important, something that demanded attention and urgency. This drove his point home, saving him effort.
When my coach cursed, it meant nothing.
Less = More
Don't throw your expletives around like they're fisherman's breadcrumbs.
Save them up. Make them count.
LEARN TO PERSUADE
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WRITE BETTER.
MARKET BETTER.
SELL MORE.
Because copywriters conjure emotion for a living.
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Perfectionists hoard it.
"I'm sorry about all this," I said.
"Thanks," he said. "But I deserve it. Things could've been different."
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And it isn't even about copywriting ...
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Swearing can be a powerful gesture. It could also be meaningless ...
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If you aspire to write good copy, watch and read these things religiously.
Make it ugly.
Let me explain…
The longer you focus, the more focused you will become.
Focus long enough and you’ll tap into something called Deep Work…
There’s a marketing tenant every good copywriter respects…
Knowing that, here are the words and phrases every copywriter should use…
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As a teenager, I sold magazine subscriptions door-to-door. At first it was hard and I was unsuccessful.
Then I picked up a trick that skyrocketed my conversion rate…
This strategy is scientifically proven to help writers — and anyone else — spur their creativity.
“I can do that,” said The Copywriter. “But first let me ask you a question.”
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If your goal is to write tighter copy — copy that says more in fewer words — try this 15-minute exercise.
Sometimes that feeling — that mood — is already there, all around, omnipotent and omnipresent.
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Smart writing is clear and concise. It’s easy for the eyes and mind to follow. It’s accessible and unpretentious, easy to consume and hard to create.
Smart writing is readable. Effortlessly readable.
Be a copywriter, not a coward.
If you can back up your claim, write the copy. If you can’t, be a professional and do the right thing.
Don’t write headlines that are flat, invisible, like white paper on a white desk. Write compelling headlines that stand out. Headlines that contain emotion, image, logic, and promise.
Here’s how to do that.
A visceral response is a physical reaction to a non-physical experience, an emotion.
If you feel it, don’t dismiss it. Let it wash over you.
You’ll be a more empathetic person for it — and a better marketer, too.
“We’re talking about him having an accident,” said the man, whispering. “Just walk up to him, put your hand on his back, and give him one big push!”
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It boils down to a simple three-step process ...
“I was The Onion’s editor at the time so, mainly, I was just punching up or rewriting other people’s work,” said Scott. “And so when I sat down to write the pilot, I was like, ‘Shit! I have writer’s block! I got nothing!’”
CHICAGO—Saying he was ‘more than happy’ to jump on the call, Scott Dikkers, The Onion’s longest-serving editor-in-chief, graciously gave time out of his day to talk to a copywriter about how to overcome writer’s block.
As a copywriter, it’s tempting to get lost in the majesty of your creativity, your ideas.
Looking inward for ideas will burn you out.
Want more ideas than you could ever use?
Confident copy says, “Go ahead, you’re making the right decision.”
Great copy starts with efficient questions.
“You have to be more concise,” he said. “You write like a water hose. You need to be a nail gun."