Your core strength as a writer

[The Writer’ s Life]( November 26, 2018 Hi {NAME}, Even if you haven't spent a lot of time in the Marvel Universe, there's no denying the powerful legacy of comic book writer, editor, publisher, and creator Stan Lee. His impact on pop culture is indelible. A couple of weeks ago, the legendary Mr. Lee passed away at age 95. As expected, there have been countless articles written about his life and creative endeavors … and as a big fan, I've been digging in … I learned that Mr. Lee was 40 years old when he co-created Fantastic Four. I'm sure he would appreciate our belief that it's never too late to start pursuing the writer's life. I also learned he created over 100 characters (!!), each with a unique defining characteristic. And coming to terms with their superpower and human characteristics was always a part of their saga. As writers, we each have unique characteristics also. And identifying and using your unique "superpower" makes a big difference in how you market yourself, how you build your career, how you learn, and ultimately, how quickly you find success. AWAI Member Sam McCoy recently uncovered his core strength as a writer … And today, he shares how he's using it, as well as how other successful copywriters found their unique characteristic, and how you can — and should — find yours too. Of course, no matter what your writing path or goals are, it all starts with mastering the fundamentals of persuasive writing (i.e., copywriting). AWAI's [Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting]( has been the industry's gold standard for more than 20 years. Written by the industry's top copywriters, it will teach you the skills, tactics, and techniques you need to make great money as a copywriter. [And today, during Cyber Monday, you can save $200!]( You can also pick up the highly coveted [Masters Program for Six-Figure Copywriting]( while it's on sale (which rarely happens!) for an unbelievable 75% off. [(You can grab that deal here.)]( The Masters Program continues your copywriting training and helps you advance into the ranks of "A-level" copywriters with copywriting secrets taught directly by the legends themselves. This is the program some of the most successful AWAI members credit for the advanced secrets they learned from it — secrets that gave them an edge in the market. If you don't have either, grab them now — it's a VERY limited opportunity to get two AWAI flagship favorites at the lowest prices of the year! One last lesson from Stan Lee before I turn it over to Sam … Remember, it's not just the powers that make you, it's the choices you make with them. ;) To your success, Rebecca Matter President, AWAI --------------------------------------------------------------- What Copywriters Have in Common with Martial Artists — Even If You've Never Stepped Into a Dojo … By Sam McCoy [Core Competency words under a magnifying glass to illustrate a unique capability, skill, quality, or other differentiator or advantage] I've been practicing Brazilian jiu-jitsu for 16 years … I've been practicing copywriting for 16 months — and I've found they have more in common than you might think. One of the cool things about practicing Brazilian jiu-jitsu is that everyone brings their own unique, natural skills to the table. Some folks are quick … others are very athletic … or maybe ridiculously strong. Whatever it is … each person brings to the mat some particular thing they do well — right from the very beginning. And as soon as they notice they have this one specific core skill … they build their whole game around it. A student of jiu-jitsu could go on for 20 years building a serious career around that one skill. For example … Eddie Bravo is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. He built a whole system around one move he used as a high school wrestler. Now the system he developed is famous in the jiu-jitsu community — it's called 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu. In copywriting … you bring natural skills and abilities to the table as well, you just may not have figured out what those are yet. But don't worry, just like Eddie and all the other jiu-jitsu experts have done, you'll figure out your core copywriting skill soon enough. The easiest way to do it is by answering a few questions. For instance … Are you a good storyteller? If so … you should consider writing case studies. Or video scripts. Or even emails. Or maybe you're great with research. If that's the case … you should think about writing in the health or financial niches, or specializing in white papers, where your success will depend on how thoroughly you research. Do you have your finger on the pulse of what's trending in the world? If the answer is yes … you might want to look into online copywriting, mobile marketing, or social media. Do you have experience as an educator or school administrator? You'd have skill you could use for grant writing. Or how about skill in a specific industry? There's a lot of room in the Business-to-Business market if you focus on your knowledge and experience. Of course, all effective copywriting is based on your ability to write persuasively, so be sure you spend time on the foundational direct-response principles found in [The Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting](. So, the fastest way to succeed as a copywriter is to focus on your natural strengths and then build your whole career around whatever skill comes easiest to you. Many "A-list" copywriters have done this … Take, for instance, the late Don Mahoney, Co-Founder of AWAI and a top financial copywriter. Master Copywriter, mentor, and teacher Mark Ford noticed right away that Don's core skill was research. Mark explained that Don loved to research and you could see it in his content because it was laden with proof. Some of Agora's most highly paid back-end copywriters have Don to thank for sharing his skill of research. Or AWAI Co-Founder and six-figure copywriter Paul Hollingshead … Mark said that Paul has always had a natural voice to his writing. Today, Paul's copy stands out, exemplifying what a conversational tone in a direct-response sales letter should sound like. Interestingly enough, that's what Mark said he saw in my writing. It all started when I sent him a straightforward email — right from the heart. I imagined I was sitting across from him — engaged in conversation. Just a simple chat … between two friends. My life changed forever when Mark responded with, "Ever think about copywriting?" I don't have a college degree in journalism. I don't always use perfect sentence structure … or correct punctuation. But Mark saw that I had a natural writing voice and told me, "You can build a writing career from that." Since then, I've learned a lot about the different styles of copywriting in my studies, but my core skill — natural voice — is the foundation on which I'm building my copywriting career. And because I have that strong foundation … it's okay that I'm not great at everything else yet. The core strength of my writing shines through. Yours will too … Examine your unique natural strengths and then build your career around whatever skill comes easiest to you. Do you have any questions about getting started as a copywriter? Share your message [here]( so we can help. TODAY ONLY: 75% OFF AWAI's Masters Program Transform your copy into "A-level" quality with AWAI's Masters Program for Six-Figure Copywriting. Learn the secrets that countless Master Copywriters use to produce winning sales copy and techniques that will increase the fees you command for every project you take on. More than any pure writing program we offer, it has the power to transform pedestrian copy into blockbuster controls. It's for any writer who's serious about elevating their skills to the next level. [Grab Your Copy Now at the Lowest Price You'll Ever See.]( Cyber Monday Deal: $1,350 in Savings! If you've been putting off learning copywriting, you're going to want to see this. It's a "double-decker" one-day-only Cyber Monday offer so incredible, you're going to want to call us to ask us if it's real — or if there's a catch. But it is real — and there's no catch … It's simply the very best deal you'll ever see when it comes to mastering everything you'll need to know to become an "A-level," in-demand copywriter. [Get all the details now, before it's too late.]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Trouble viewing this email? [View in your browser, here](. For questions or requests: [contact us online](. --------------------------------------------------------------- ©2018 American Writers & Artists Inc. Do you know of someone who would benefit from reading The Writer's Life? Simply direct them [here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- American Writers & Artists Inc. 101 SE 6th Avenue, Suite A Delray Beach, FL 33483 (561) 278-5557 or (866) 879-2924 Ensure your subscription delivery. AWAI Whitelisting info available [here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- You are subscribed to this newsletter as {EMAIL}. To unsubscribe from any future issues of The Writer's Life, please click here: [Unsubscribe from The Writer's Life](. To unsubscribe from all AWAI broadcasts click here. [I want to permanently unsubscribe from all AWAI emails](.