Writers – can guess what this is?

It’s a 20,000-year-old technique… [The Writer’ s Life]( March 3, 2022 "We are, as a species, addicted to story. Even when the body goes to sleep, the mind stays up all night, telling itself stories." – Jonathan Gottschall Hi {NAME}, The most effective marketing technique in the world is 20,000 years old. Cave dwellers invented it … Medieval kings hired specialists in funny hats to do it for them … And now the world's largest companies, like Apple and Google, do the same. Humans thrive on stories. And storytelling — when done right — can motivate entire nations to fight … Vote … Or stand in line all day to buy the new iPhone. Just think about everyone's favorite Superbowl commercials … Remember the unlikely friendship between a Clydesdale horse and a golden retriever puppy? No judgement if it made you cry. (Guilty 🤦🏻 ♀️!) As a copywriter, you know that our buying decisions are based on emotion. And nothing evokes emotion better than a skillfully told story. So, today I want to share three tips to strengthen your copy with storytelling, from master copywriter and storyteller, Jen Stevens as part of AWAI's Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting. Note: You can apply these tips to ANY project you take on, from sales letters to social media posts to case studies — which are the purest storytelling gig of all! ([More on case studies here.]() Storytelling tip #1: Employ specific details. Rather than saying: The Rothschilds were rich, very rich. Instead say: Over the years, the Rothschild family built eight of Europe's grandest estates. Mayer's son James, for example, built a French mansion big enough to house dozens of guests, 100 servants, and stables for 80 horses. These two stories are in essence the same. But by adding the specific details, the story becomes alive and engaging. Storytelling tip #2: Use strong verbs. Replace "to be" and "to have" with verbs that describe an action or offer a visual image. Weak Example: When the boy was 11, a smallpox epidemic swept through the ghetto. It killed both of his parents. Strong Example: Kelly gratefully accepted a pair of jeans, a heavy sweatshirt, and an extra thick pair of socks. Her quivering finally stopped, I was relieved to see. Later, in the cafeteria, as she tucked into a sandwich and a steaming bowl of soup, I said to her, "Kelly, no matter what has happened to you …" The words "swept" and "tucked" really give the reader a sense of what's happening in the story. Storytelling tip #3: Ferret out details others will likely overlook. Think about not only what you see in the situation you're describing, but also what you smell, hear, and feel … Example: Imagine lounging on your deck, a book on your lap and a cocktail in your hand. Just steps away, turquoise waters slip gently up onto the talcum-fine sand. Overhead, palms rustle and pelicans squawk. Often, it's the little details that will pull someone into your story. If you like writing stories, and you're not as attracted to the "selling" part of copywriting … Try taking on a few [case studies]( (also known as success stories). They're fun to write. They all have a happy ending. And the project fees are unbeatable! For a single, two-page case study, the going rate is $1,500! On top of that, case studies are formulaic. Just as the most beloved stories through history share a similar structure … you can make a great living writing case studies that each follow a single, simple outline. If you can ask the right questions … follow an outline … and fill two pages with story … you can [make a great living writing case studies](. [Rebecca Matter’ s signature] Rebecca P.S. We use case studies all the time here at AWAI — in fact, I'm looking for case study writers right now. And, yes, I'll pay $1,500 for two pages of excellent storytelling! Read how you can snag that gig [in the Case Study Mastery materials here](. What's Hot at AWAI … 😎 Top Case Study Expert Casey Hibbard reveals: [Why Case Study Writers Are Getting More Projects Than Ever Right Now!]( 🧨 To infuse your storytelling with excitement and draw your reader in further, check out this article on [The Most Powerful Words in Your Writing]( 📚 What ARE the marketing stories that exist all around us? See some examples in Will Newman's: [Finding Marketing Stories in Your Everyday Life]( 🚀 Launch Your Paid Writing Career in Just FIVE Days — [Starting Next Monday Here!]( More experience and a little more income? We'll take it! [Social media post about gaining more writing experience and income through a new writing project] Great job, Erica! Keep going!! Have your own story or advice to share? Email us at mysuccess@awai.com, or [post it over in the Facebook group](, so we can celebrate your win too! Featured Writing Jobs Marketing Creative Writer – Leidos Full-time, Illinois Leidos, the implementer for the Ameren Illinois award-winning Energy Efficiency Program, seeks a Marketing Creative Writer. The Marketing Creative Writer's primary responsibilities include creating, writing, and editing copy for a variety of projects using multiple communication platforms, working closely with the Marketing Director, Deputy Marketing Director, Marketing Managers, and the Marketing Design Team to execute marketing plan initiatives for business and residential customers to promote energy efficiency. --------------------------------------------------------------- Content Designer – Array Remote, Oregon US You'll have the opportunity to be one of our first content designers as we grow our team, creating the voice and tone for our products. As part of the product team you'll help contribute to our strategic direction for our biggest products while also creating content that transforms complex ideas into clear, actionable language for our customers. You'll work across the company to influence and create our standards for UX writing. --------------------------------------------------------------- Medical Writer – General Dynamics Information Technology Hybrid, Frederick, Maryland GDIT's Military Health team is hiring a Medical Writer to support the Office of Regulated Activities (ORA) under the DoD (Dept. of Army) located at Ft. Detrick in Frederick, Maryland. This position is a remote position, but some meeting attendance at Fort Detrick will be required. Write, review, edit, and advise on the development of documents and dossiers in an electronic Common Technical Document (eCTD) format, to include IND applications, master files, investigational new device applications, biologics license applications, new drug applications, annual reports, information amendments, clinical protocols and study reports, investigator's/investigational brochures, FDA meeting requests and background materials, responses to FDA requests for information, target product profiles, clinical development plans, manuscripts, white papers, 510k pre-market notifications, and to a lesser extent pre market approvals, and Environmental Protection Agency registration packages. --------------------------------------------------------------- You can find all of these jobs and thousands more on [WritersWanted.com](. Access is currently available with [The AWAI Method™]( and will be opened up to additional AWAI members in the near future. Stay tuned! 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