Every copywriter wants their ideas to resonate with the intended audience. But what makes some ideas resonate and leave a lasting impression? And what makes other ideas completely ineffective? As brothers Chip and Dan Heath say in Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die, "you want to invent new ideas, not new rules." So, they've created a playbook that offers a … [Read more...]
The System Copywriters Need to Efficiently Get Work Done
In today's office, particularly if you're combatting work-from-home distractions, there is a lot that is vying for our attention. There are tons of work to-dos coming in throughout the day: pings on Slack and other messaging apps, dings of a new email, and rings of the phone, whether for a client call ... or your best friend wanting to catch up for an hour. How do you not … [Read more...]
Daily Habits of the Most Successful Writers & Creatives
Some of the smartest minds past and present have had set routines. Some of them had morning routines, some had evening routines, and some had both (depending on when they were most productive). That's because the best routines help us get focused. And for writers, including copywriters, having a ritual before you sit down to work can get you in the mindset to write. … [Read more...]
Fight These 10 Fears with a Systematic Process
For many copywriters, the transition to becoming a copywriter is filled with the fears that come with any major life change: inadequacy, uncertainty, being judged, and, the overall fear of failure. In the The Bravest You: 5 Steps to Fight Your Biggest Fears, Find Your Passion, and Unlock Your Extraordinary Life, author Adam Kirk Smith breaks down these common fears and six … [Read more...]
How to Prevent Ego from Derailing Your Copywriting Success
As copywriters, we're often typing away on our computers, writing copy to deliver to our clients. So, it can sometimes come as a shock when we interact with our client and the feedback is ... less-than-stellar. As Brandon Black and Shayne Hughes explore, humans have a significant preoccupation with self-worth, which causes us to react to various situations with … [Read more...]
Our 2020 Roundup of Books Copywriters Will Enjoy
It’s time to amass your reading list for any time you can manage to steal away during the holiday break. Here are a few suggestions! 4 Great Books for Leveling Up Your Thinking and Your Business Bluefishing: The Art of Making Things Happen by Steve Sims. I really enjoyed reading about the mindset and business choices that helped this former bricklayer build an … [Read more...]
2020 Holiday Gift Guide for Copywriters
While work is certainly how we move our businesses forward, sometimes we also all need a break. Some time off. Maybe even some treats. So, in that spirit, today we present our 2020 Holiday Gift Guide. Are they things you absolutely need? Of course not! These are things you might helpful, things you might find a little indulgent, and things you might even find fun. You've … [Read more...]
10 Resources to Keep You Resourceful
Okay, look, I promise that I'm not going to be the 10,000th person today to tell you that we’re living through “challenging times.” But I will, gently, remind you that while some worrying is natural…it’s not going to help anything. (And, as copywriters, we’re very fortunate that there’s a bit less to worry about for us than for lots of other people.) So, in the spirit of … [Read more...]
3 Books to Help Get You Focused (Even in the Midst of Chaos)
I used to think that bouncing around from project to project (or activity) every few minutes was the key to my productivity. “I need variety!” I thought. Wrong! What I was actually doing was burning up attention and willpower each and every time I switched tasks. I wondered why I was so exhausted only halfway through the day and why I’d gotten so little done at the end of … [Read more...]
3 Books to Help You Amp Up Your Persistence
If there’s one trait that will separate the successful from the unsuccessful in pretty much any field, it’s persistence. (I have a visceral dislike of the faux word “sticktoitiveness” so you will NOT see that here. You’re a writer; I’m sure you understand.) You can get the hyper-detailed road map to exactly where you want to go, but unless you start walking down that … [Read more...]