A short copy about how to write good copies.

Long-form, short copies, ad campaigns, all that jazz.

A copy, here, is referred to as everything, from an ad copy, to a script for an AV film released for your campaign. Why is it called a copy? Maybe in reference to a copy- which is an empty ruled book that writers write in, or used to write in. I don’t know. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that you write a good copy.

Readers are thoughtful people who want to take something from having invested their time in consuming your content. Unknowingly, complexity bias might make them believe you are an expert in your field. But, a simple, direct copy will linger in their mind more than a copy full of jargon. Be clever for clever’s sake. Action speaks louder than words. Write witty content instead of having it sound smarter.

In this race of trying to be different and above everyone, we somehow have forgotten that we are communicating with humans. Write as you would write to someone.

As a copywriter, an issue I have faced is that when I look back and revisit my own content, I tend to detest it, almost wanting to remove my name from the credits of some pieces. Yes, it does show my growth, but, these are not exactly timeless pieces. We cannot control the future and permanence is a myth. But if I am still growing, I hope to hone this skill enough so that my future self is proud of what I produce today. I’m aiming for the stars here, let’s see where I land.

Define the why. Always define the why. Don’t just define it, write the purpose on a post-it and put it in front of your desk while you write your piece. It will help you control the monkey that your mind is, and avoid digression, hence, more precision in your copy.

Sale is the aftermath. No one aims at creating with the goal of getting residual. Always keep the larger goal in mind. The goal of our articles is that they should educate, given the amount of misconceptions that plague the industry. They should trigger dialogue because communication is not just key, but rudimental to the growth of humanity. And lastly, it should generate inquiry. As your teachers said, if there are no questions, everybody either understood everything, or nobody understood anything. The latter has a higher probability.

Keep working on your voice. A writer’s brand is their voice. There are only 26 letters and merely 171,476 definitions in the dictionary. All of us have to communicate with the same bank of words available. It is your voice that makes you stand out. Develop one that not only helps pay bills, but also give you creative satisfaction.

Talk to people. Be a good listener. Consume content mindfully. Think. Let your thoughts marinate before you put them to paper. Stare at a blank sheet. Try practicing writing by hand rather than the distracting screen. Be your own editor. Read it over once before submitting it. Even if you have an editor who will proofread your piece before publishing, re-reading will show you insight the same way you get more insight after reading the same book twice, or watching a film again. It’s a practice that will take you a long way.

The fundamental of copywriting is still what it was, communication. The advent of television, the internet, and many more such platforms might have forced writers to extend their skills to fit the bill of the platform, but not the function of copywriting. The job descriptions have also upgraded, from copywriting to content strategists, digital executives, ‘digital evangelists’ even (not kidding), verbal designers and so forth, and their jobs also have particular tasks, but where all of them overlap, is called copywriting.

— by Manas, Content Strategist, Slangbusters Studio