How Other Writers Get “In the Mood”
What’s the parallel between writers? No matter how different their writing routines, each of these writers — and thousands of others who actually produce — had just that: a routine… Continue Reading
Finding the Elephant…
What’s it mean to be “creative?” Says the great John Cleese, that’s an almost impossible question to answer. Easier is to ask yourself, “What doesn’t it mean?” Watch here… Continue Reading
The Single Secret to Success?
Tom Bay wrote a book about Harvard Business School Grads and their financial success — or lack of it. About 10 years after graduation from what’s supposed to be the echelon of rockin’ good business brilliance, here’s how the students’ status… Continue Reading
“Need to Tell” vs. “Want to Tell”
Dumping a gut full of “want to tell” copy onto the page can feel cathartic. It can make you feel smart. It can make you sound funny or witty or clever. But it’s no way to sell… Continue Reading
How Ben Franklin Learned to Write
Eight times, Ben Franklin crossed the Atlantic. France, Spain, England, Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany — he hit them all. And his fame reached even further. His ideas were talked about in Sweden, Russia, China, even North Africa, all during his… Continue Reading
We Can’t All Be Einstein (Thank God)
We can’t all be geniuses, right? And in some ways, thank God. For instance, how about these little tidbits I recently found online about one of the most famous geniuses in history – Albert Einstein…
Which Promises Work Best?
“That’s right – it filets, it chops, it dices and slices. It never stops. It lasts a lifetime, mows your lawn, and it picks up the kids from school. It plays a mean rhythm. It makes excuses for lipstick on… Continue Reading
What Trump Gets Seriously Wrong…
Nope, I’m not gearing up for a political diatribe. That’s not our beat. But when it comes to productivity, there’s been another topic on my mind… What’s the one thing that Donald Trump… and Martha Stewart… and talented film and… Continue Reading
Short Words, Bigger Word Power
I grew up loving what the nuns used to call “25 cent words.” In high school, we called them “SAT Words.” These are the words, they told us, that make you sound smart. That win you respect, jobs, and the girl of your dreams. People who use these words, they said, can walk through walls. Boy, did they get that wrong… Continue Reading
How Curiosity Can Save a Copywriter
Somebody once asked David Ogilvy for a list of traits that matter most when hiring copywriters. Above all, he said, they have to have an unwavering, overpowering, enormous sense of curiosity. I can’t help but think that has to be right. Why? Continue Reading