CHAPTER 6
After
M06_HORB7347_01_SE_C06.QXP:M06_HORB7347_01_SE_C06 2/6/09 09:50 Page 81
M06_HORB7347_01_SE_C06.QXP:M06_HORB7347_01_SE_C06 2/6/09 09:50 Page 82
O
nce I’ve got something down, I read it aloud, or at least
under my breath. This is one of the best tools in the bril-
liant copywriter’s box, and I commend it to you. No
other technique separates the wordy wheat from the textual chaff
with such efficiency. I’ll instantly see what works and what
doesn’t, where the punctuation needs alteration, which bits are
too long (or too short) and a hundred other things. If it reads like
a policeman giving evidence in court or an illiterate seven-year-
old then I’ve got some rewriting to do.
Anyway, with the rough words safely saved I can start to edit.
This involves revisiting the techniques introduced in the last
section and re-applying them with ever-finer degrees of granu-
larity. It’s like a carpenter shaping a piece a wood – initially with
a great big saw and latterly with superfine sandpaper. Every
adjustment – however slight – brings the piece closer to the
divine.
The general idea
The Goldilocks rule
I want to make every word count, and if it doesn’t then off it
goes. Another way of saying this is, ‘if in doubt, chop it out’.
That’s not to say that brilliant copy-
writing is ultra-compressed – as
we’ve seen, a few extra words can
if in doubt, chop it out
M06_HORB7347_01_SE_C06.QXP:M06_HORB7347_01_SE_C06 2/6/09 09:50 Page 83
84 brilliant copywriting
produce a lot of extra meaning. It’s just that good writing con-
tains the right number of words – as the saying goes, ‘It’s not how
long you make it, it’s how you make it long’. It’s the Goldilocks
rule – not too short, not too long, but just right.
Put yourself into your work
The editing stage is my last opportunity to increase my personal
involvement in the piece. If it moves me, chances are it’ll move
others. This comes back to the point about copy as a conversa-
tion with the reader. If I write from the simple perspective of one
person talking to another, then the chances are I’ll unthaw the
chilly tone of voice that seems to characterise so much corporate
communication.
M06_HORB7347_01_SE_C06.QXP:M06_HORB7347_01_SE_C06 2/6/09 09:50 Page 84
Don’t be too hard on yourself
Remember that no copywriter, however brilliant, can do the
impossible. If the client hasn’t brought some real benefit to
whatever it is they’re selling, then the writer is reduced to empty
phrasemaking. Although fun, this isn’t brilliant copywriting. So
I try to be realistic about what’s possible and don’t over-claim.
Creating a messaging toolkit
If I’m writing about a particular product or service on a regular
or ongoing basis, it’s worth creating what I call a messaging
toolkit. This is a list of the main messages the client wants to tell
the world, expressed in the right tone of voice and agreed by the
client.
It shouldn’t be too big or it’ll become unwieldy – somewhere
between five and ten messages should be about right – two sides
of A4 max. Typically each message should be a single sentence
After 85
brilliant
example
Me to you
Don’t say
BigBank has a comprehensive suite of mortgage solutions designed to meet
the needs of all our customers.
Do say
We’ve all sorts of mortgages for all sorts of people. In fact we’ve probably
got one that’s just right for you.
In short, use I, you, us, our, your and we. Don’t use ‘BigBank’s people’ or
‘BigBank’s products’ – instead say ‘our people’ or ‘our products’ – your
reader will know exactly who’s talking.
M06_HORB7347_01_SE_C06.QXP:M06_HORB7347_01_SE_C06 2/6/09 09:50 Page 85
..................Content has been hidden....................
You can't read the all page of ebook, please click here login for view all page.