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How's it going Friend,
Writing is both an art and a science. To become an excellent writer, you must practice hard and practice regularly, but also be open to new experiences and ways of thinking. You must copy the greats to some extent, but also be willing to forge your own path, when the moment calls for it.
All of your favorite writers were, at one point, novices as well. I know this may be hard to believe! :) But I can assure you of the following: all they needed to do was decide writing was important to them, and commit to getting better at it every single day.
If you are starting out as a new and aspiring writer, you may find the following five tips to be indispensable on your writing journey:
Choose your headlines carefully
Headlines can either make you or break you. If your headlines sound weak, you stand a chance of losing even more.
It's important to choose titles that are interesting and leave your readers with the urge of wanting to know what is behind the title. Headlines in the form of questions have always worked great since they leave the reader desiring to know your answer or achieve your result.
Write regularly (daily if possible)
If you want to become a celebrated writer, you need to write on a daily basis. No skill becomes second-nature if you practice infrequently.
If you were an Olympic athlete, would you - or your coach - be satisfied with a few training sessions every other week? Heck no! :) That would never fly - regardless of what sport you're involved in!
The same is true of writing. If you only sit down to bang out a few words a few days per month, your quality will suffer dramatically - and you may even consider quitting. It's essential, therefore, to become a master of your schedule, and commit at least 30 minutes per day to writing.
Inconsistent writing weakens your writing muscles. The more you write, the more your writing skill and insight improves. It's as simple as that.
Read more
You cannot expect to write well if you read less. This may sound irrelevant, but writing and reading are completely connected!
Make a point of reading anything that comes your way - especially books and content that challenges and stretches your thinking. This will enable you to write anything on any topic. The more versatile you become as a writer, the more you can reach your readers on any platform and at each stage in the customer journey.
Make it a habit to read at least three to four hours per week, or one hour per day, if you're able. Studying your audience - and what similar writers compose for their audiences - will help you have a clear idea of what works.
Remember that if it was not for your audience, you would not be writing in the first place. Before committing to write anything lengthy or substantive, make sure it's content your readers would find useful, entertaining, and enjoyable.
Never leave your notebook behind
Always have a pen and writing pad wherever you go. This is entirely vital if you want to become a better copywriter. Ideas can cross your mind at the most unexpected moments, and you never know when motivation can strike.
When you need more topics on what to write about, refer to this notebook, and use it as a template. Add to it and refer to it as often as need be. This will help you build a writing rhythm, and can be the difference between losing momentum and keeping it.
Most importantly, create clear plans on what you are going to write. Establish an editorial calendar instead of just writing posts free-form. Jot down an outline of your next post or article, and stick with it to avoid getting lost or giving up.
Tell a story
A good story can deliver results beyond your wildest imagination. Storytelling is one of the oldest forms of human communication, and it is here to stay! The idea is to tell your story to your audience without boring them to tears. Even if you're writing a business post or strategic article, you can write in terms of conflicts and resolutions to engage your reader more deeply.
Focus on why you are telling the story. Is it to relieve? To clarify? To encourage? To motivate? To define? Keep your end goal in mind, and it will become easier and easier to finish that post. Never underestimate the power of good storytelling in copywriting.
By using these five strategies for quality copywriting each week, you'll be able to produce content based on an audience-driven perspective, and execute that content via the right mental tools.
Towards your writing dreams, Brad
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