Very Good Copy: 207 Micro-Lessons on Thinking and Writing Like a Copywriter

Life, after all, is a constant struggle between doing what we want and doing what’s expected of us.

Therapeutic in that one of the occupational hazards of creative work is the stress of constantly making decisions. Eventually, you’ll get stuck and start thinking in circles. I felt this way in front of the refrigerator, like my mind was going in circles.

it’s good copywriting practice to consistently write something, anything, for someone, anyone, you love.

Recapping the rules of realism: One, never let The Reader inside the mind of a character. Note how Sanpaku Eyes never reveals thoughts or feelings, only facts, actions, and dialogue. Two, don’t give too much information. Note how Sanpaku Eyes doesn’t over-describe the setting or the characters because too much information—too much specificity—fills

Time illuminates the details. Details give way to connections. And connections are the basis of creativity, a cornerstone of copywriting.

the research you put into it,” Kim went on. “Getting to know the market, their biggest pain points and frustrations and hopes. And what are the alternatives they’ve seen? And what hasn’t worked for them? And why will this work now? And why should they believe that? All that work you do with research makes up the bulk of the copy.”

Artist Austin Kleon says, “You’re often most creative when you’re the least productive.”

I get tired and go to “The Well.” It’s a digital folder with hundreds of documents, each containing an idea, a kernel, the very beginnings of an essay. The more I scroll through The Well, the less anxious I feel and the more in control I am. Want to be more in control when you write? I’ve some advice: Become excellent at recording your ideas as the

That’s what copywriting is, too. It’s about resonating with people.