Failure, success, and how to gap the difference.
Carnegie-Mellon, says the book “Made to Stick,” did a study. They invited participants in to take a survey. The topic wasn’t important — something about tech products — but what mattered was the small payout. Each participant got paid with five… Continue Reading
Interviewers will tell you, they hire based on qualifications… experience… results… and so on and so forth, blah blah, etc. Says Richard Wiseman, in his book “59 Seconds…” they’re mostly kidding themselves. And he’s got 30 years of psychological research… Continue Reading
I’ve gotten a few copy critiques in my day. I’ve given a few, too. And I’ve discovered there’s one essential element to making them effective: “ego butter.” Let me back up a bit, so I can explain by way of example… Continue Reading
What’s the fastest way to master copywriting? You could sign up for the courses online. You can read all the books. You can go to the seminars, drink protein shakes at the keyboard, or slaughter goats at the foot of a guru. And all are good, except maybe the goat bit. But there’s an even easier way… Continue Reading
“If I had to give young writers advice, I would say don’t listen to writers talking about writing or themselves.” – Lillian Hellman Via an old friend, a young writer sent me an email: How, he wanted to know, should… Continue Reading
It’s commonly said that the Greeks talked about two kinds of knowledge… One you gain from study, the other you gain from experience. But there’s a third kind of knowledge, one the Greeks absolutely didn’t have access to… but you do: refrigerator wisdom.… Continue Reading
It’s natural to get angry. And certainly, some pretty hot-tempered, “hair-trigger” individuals have still managed to do some very great things. But I raise this point for a reason… Continue Reading
Alex Osborn, a founder of a super-successful New York ad Agency and of the Creative Education Foundation, came up with a list of brainstorming “rules” in 1963: No judgment in early stages: Collect as many ideas as possible without imposing… Continue Reading
I got a note from a reader who aspires to a copywriting career and wanted to know how best to get started. You can imagine, I get that question a lot. Here was my reply… Continue Reading
I’ve written the “Copywriters Roundtable” ezine for many years. I’ve worked with many others who write ezines. And I’ve received ezines galore. What have I learned that’s worth sharing with you?… Continue Reading