Writer’s list of pet peeves (What not to do!)

You’ll want to keep this checklist handy… [The Writer’ s Life]( October 6, 2022 "It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan." – Eleanor Roosevelt What are your biggest peeves as a reader, {NAME}? Those things that pull you out of what you're reading, and cause your brain to start judging or correcting? Maybe it's typos … improper use of words … confusing language … an over-use of ellipses … 😉 Peeves cause distraction. And as our Copy Chief Sandy Franks points out below, a distracted reader is not a reader who stays connected … and is certainly not a reader who takes action. Today she walks through her personal list of "copywriting pet peeves," and shows you how to correct them … so you don't lose the reader. One thing to remember though: When you're writing, just write. Don't let lists or other lessons you're learning cause you to judge your writing along the way. It will just slow you down and make you overthink each word. Instead, use tools like this to become aware, and then as a checklist when you're in the "editing phase" of writing. Before I hand it over though … Just a reminder that today is the last time you can get our new training on getting paid to write e-newsletters, for the launch price of $97. This program will be in the catalog at $497 come midnight … So, if you're looking for predictable monthly writing income … and a project that's easy to land, and even easier to write, [go here and grab it now](. And then come back and learn what NOT to do when writing them. 😉 Over to you Sandy! [Rebecca Matter’ s signature] Rebecca --------------------------------------------------------------- Hi {NAME}, Sandy Franks here. 👋 This drives my husband crazy … In truth, you could say it's one of the biggest pet peeves I do that bothers him the most: Me not screwing the lids on containers all the way until their tight. I can't tell you how many times he's pulled a jar out of the fridge or cabinet and the lid is so loose, the whole thing slips out of his hands. And it's worse when it's something he has to shake up before using … You can imagine the mess it makes in the kitchen. It's not intentional on my part. Often times, I think I've turned the lid tight enough when in fact it's not. Everyone has a list of pet peeves. In fact, in an article published in Psychology Today, Americans cited these three things as their top three pet peeves: - Chew sounds/noises - Repetitive tapping - Interrupting during a conversation But pet peeves aren't just irritating habits. They can and do happen in writing too. So today I'm going to share what I like to call "copywriting pet peeves." These are things you want to avoid doing when writing copy and content. Writing pet peeve #1: Too much repetition. We learn from repetition because it transforms a skill from the conscious to the subconscious. In copy, when you reinforce certain points throughout a sales letter, you're helping your reader better understand the benefits of the product or service you're selling. But the trick is to not repeat the exact same point over and over, in the exact same way. In other words, don't use the same phrasing that you might have used a few paragraphs or pages earlier. Some people call this "echoing." It happens when a writer uses the same distinct word or structure multiple times in a paragraph or starts a bunch of consecutive sentences with the same word. Your prospect will notice when they see the exact same words repeated. Instead of being persuaded, they'll be distracted. And a distracted prospect, is no longer an interested buyer. Writing pet peeve #2: Using big vocabulary words. Sometimes it's tempting to want to impress your reader by using vocabulary words that make you — the writer — sound smart. But writing copy or content isn't about you. It's about your reader. You want to write to your reader in the same way you would talk to them in person. It's all about writing in a conversational tone, or what AWAI calls "The Barstool Test," a technique developed by AWAI co-founder, Paul Hollingshead. It's simply a matter of writing the way you speak. Once Paul is finished writing copy, he imagines he's in a bar having a drink with the prospect. Then he reads each sentence out loud. As he does, he asks himself, "Would I really say that, in that way, if I were sitting on a barstool having a beer with this person?" If the answer is no, he deletes the sentence and re-writes it until it comes across in a conversational tone. The importance of writing conversationally is so important to sales copy that In Confessions of an Advertising Man, David Ogilvy said, "Unless you have some reason to be solemn and pretentious, write your copy in the colloquial language which your customers use in everyday conversation." This doesn't just apply to sales copy … it goes for everything you write, whether it's [content for a newsletter](, emails, articles, or blog post. Writing pet peeve #3: Too many exclamation marks! Generally, we use exclamation marks to show strong emotion like, for example, an emergency such as "get out!" or "help me!" In the newspaper publishing industry, exclamation marks are referred to as astonishers, gaspers, and screamers. I'm guessing this somehow relates to the days when people working at a newsstand would shout out the most recent headlines of that day's edition of the newspaper. By calling out the headlines in this way, passers-by were intrigued enough to stop at the booth and by the newspaper. But in today's world of content and copy, there's no need to shout at the prospect. Instead, we can create emotions with the words we use, the pictures we paint, and the promises we make. If you use too many exclamation marks, it takes away from the emotion you are trying to convey. It makes what you write feel cheap. In Making a Point: The Persnickety Story of English Punctuation, author David Crystal explains exclamation points were popular in the 18th century and used often in parody novels to show a character's reaction to a certain event. He uses this example, "Clare is marrying a man named Job Snooks: "Can't be – No go – Stump up to church – too true – Madness! Rage!" This isn't to say you can use exclamation marks, but don't overuse them. As the Chicago Manual of Style says, "they should be used sparingly to be effective." Writing pet peeve #4: Using cliches. The English language is filled with cliches. You wouldn't have to search or think hard to come up with a cliché on any kind of topic or subject matter. Just a few that come to mind are: - Time will tell - As old as the hills - Without a care in the world - Has nerves of steel - All that glitters is gold - You can't judge a book by its cover - The grass is always greener on the other side These are just a few examples. I don't know if anyone has ever counted them up, but my guess is there are literally thousands. The term itself is French and comes from the early days of the printing press. Cast iron plates were used to print words, phrases, and images on paper. The noise the plates made sounded like a click, or cliché. Because the click happened so frequently, the term cliché eventually came to mean a word or phrase that gets repeated. In writing, cliches are so overused that they have very little meaning. And that, Dear Writer, is a problem because when you are trying to persuade a prospect to make a purchase, you want every passage of copy you write to be meaningful. Remember, prospects buy with emotion and use logic to help them justify their decision. As I mentioned earlier, there are thousands of cliches in the English language, which makes it easy to slip into a habit of using them. But there's an easy cure. If you find yourself using cliches, the best way to not do it is to simply take a few minutes to rewrite the sentence using new words in their place. Eventually, your writing will be free of cliches. And the minute you see one, you'll know to immediately replace it. Repetition, big vocabulary words, exclamation marks, and cliches represent a small fraction of the writing pet peeves that exist. And I'll bet that every writer has their own list. The thing to keep in mind is that you want your writing to be clear, concise, and persuasive. So, avoid pet peeves altogether because as a copywriter, your job is to turn a curious prospect into a happy customer. Sandy Franks Senior Copy Chief, AWAI LAST CHANCE: $11 today, $297 tomorrow When you grab a subscription to Barefoot Writer magazine by midnight, for only $11 … You'll get FREE access to our Making the Leap program, which takes you wherever you are today … And shows you exactly how to make a smooth transition to paid writing, so you'll have success right out of the gate. It usually costs $297, but you'll get it completely free today! [Grab It All For $11]( What's Hot at AWAI … 👉 LAST CHANCE: [Grab our popular newsletter program for $497 $97!]( 🌊 From insurance agent in an office to copywriter on the beach. [Read how Charlotte attained her very own writer's life.]( 🧐 [How to get writing clients to take you seriously.]( 😬 Nervous you'll run out of ideas to write? [It won't happen here …]( Your first client AND referrals?! [Social media post about first client being happy with the work and making referrals] We are so happy that you are being valued by your client. Sounds like your work is speaking for itself. Congratulations! Have your own story to share? Email us at mysuccess@awai.com, or [post it over in the Facebook group](, so we can celebrate your win too! Full Access for Just $1!!! This free blueprint shows you how to make $2,500 to $8,000 a month as a writer. And for just a buck, you'll gain access to every resource you'll need to execute that blueprint. All the roadmaps … All the articles … All the how-to videos … All the training webinars … The member forum, the job board, the tutorials, the tools … All of it! [Check It Out Now]( Featured Writing Jobs Creative Writer – MrWhosTheBoss Part-time, Remote MrWhoseTheBoss, one of the largest tech channels on YouTube, is looking for a talented writer to write and edit a weekly newsletter. The position will require you to keep a finger on the pulse of the Tech industry, in order to create content that tech-enthusiasts want to read and talk about. --------------------------------------------------------------- Copywriter – Senné Full-time, Boston, MA Senné is seeking a versatile copywriter that has experience within the interactive, B2C or B2B brand campaigns, and/or digital content space. Assume additional responsibilities as assigned including appropriate client correspondence, newsletter articles and special projects. --------------------------------------------------------------- Copywriter – Ashton Carter Contract, Fairfax, VA (Hybrid) Content Writing Specialist to join our financial client in Fairfax VA. Acts as the lead writer for corporate communications and provides guidance, alternatives and advice to the product owner and Marketing Manager in developing copy solutions, providing alternatives and advice regarding appropriate copy strategy, methodologies, costs and turnaround cycles. Generates marketing materials to promote products, services, and delivery systems (e.g., annual report, newsletter, Apple-maintained website(s) and employee intranet, direct mail packages, radio, print and electronic advertising). --------------------------------------------------------------- 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! --------------------------------------------------------------- Trouble viewing this email? [View in your browser, here](. For questions or requests: [contact us online](. --------------------------------------------------------------- ©2022 American Writers & Artists Institute Do you know of someone who would benefit from reading The Writer's Life? Simply direct them [here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- American Writers & Artists Institute 220 George Bush Blvd, Suite D Delray Beach, FL 33444 (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](.