Today’s lesson – fixing boring copy

This simple technique instantly creates points of curiosity for your reader… [The Writer’ s Life]( October 28, 2022 "Life is an echo. What you send out comes back. What you sow you reap. What you give you get. What you see in others exists in you." – Zig Ziglar Don't be boring. I swear {NAME}, whenever I'm reading about copywriting techniques like in today's lesson … that phrase pops up in my head. Boring copy is dismissible. Which means the results will be lower … Which means you're leaving money on the table — both for your clients, and for yourself. Fortunately, the technique Senior Copy Chief Sandy Franks teaches below is a cure for boring, dismissible copy. Along with reading it, I highly encourage you to practice it on your own, using the exercise she shares as a guide. You'll become a MUCH better writer. You can also use it when talking to the potential clients you've identified this week, thanks to Pam Foster and the various ways she taught you to identify the writing needs they have. Today's lesson will give one more way to deliver value out of the gate … Along with pointing out what's missing, you'll also be able to improve the quality of the content that's already there. Before we dive in though, just a quick reminder … Today is your LAST CHANCE to get in on Pam's upcoming Site Content Audits Certification. If you're looking to make $2,000 per audit AND set yourself up for more writing gigs as a result, [go here now](. And now, over to Sandy … Hope you have a nice weekend! [Rebecca Matter’ s signature] Rebecca --------------------------------------------------------------- It wasn't one of his best habits, yet it's been said he couldn't write without one … I'm talking about a legendary copywriter whose name you probably aren't familiar with … Mel Martin. And his bad habit was smoking way too many cigarettes. Apparently, if Mel ran out of cigarettes while writing copy, he had to stop immediately and go out and get more. But that's not what he's best known for … Mel began his career writing advertisements for the Sussman & Sugar ad agency sometime in the late 1950s, whose specialty was producing ads to sell books, including David Ogilvy's book, Confessions of an Advertising Man. He was then hired by Herb Nagourney, then publisher of the New York Times books division … and ultimately by Marty Edelston, the owner of Boardroom Inc. But rather than writing sales copy, Marty hired him to write content for the company's flagship publication, Boardroom Reports. Mel loved writing ads. Writing content? Not so much … So, he had to find a way to make his writing assignments more interesting. His "fix" was to create a table of contents (TOC) so he could write it in a way that was similar to how he wrote ads. Every morning, after having read through the entire newsletter, Mel would work on the TOC. And when he was finished, he'd hand it over to Marty. Said Marty, "Each content page was a glittering jewel, far and away better than the rest of the magazine." And this is how fascinations were born. What's a fascination you ask? A fascination is a short sentence (or two) designed to conjure up intense curiosity and compel a reader to act. Think of them as bulleted copy … but on steroids. Here's an example of what I'm talking about: - How to deduct all your medical bills without first subtracting 7.5% of gross income. Lots of people do it and never get in trouble. What's more, their ploy is perfectly legal. - Quick look at a sticker price plus simple arithmetic reveals the minimum figure a car dealer will accept. - Two famous cold remedies that make you sicker if taken together. - AVery short letter in a sealed envelope attached to your will could be the most important letter you ever write. - What surgeons won't tell you. Seven questions to ask before consenting to an operation. Mel changed copywriting forever, because just one of his fascinations could be enough to pique curiosity and have prospects ordering. With Mel's new copy tactic, Boardroom soared to $100 million in revenues. Using fascinations is like having a secret weapon you can use to fix boring passages of copy and turn them into something your reader wants to know more about. A simple way to write a fascination is to ask yourself this question, "What if I say it in a way that has more meaning?" Then, re-write your sentence so that it feels more exciting or conveys an emotion. Let me show you how to do this with a few examples. What if I say it another way example #1: Ordinary copy: Interest rate hikes will cause a housing crisis. Meaningful copy: Central bank plot to seize your home. What if I say it another way example #2: Ordinary copy: Diet pill helps you lose weight. Meaningful copy: This secret formula turns fat into muscle. What if I say it another way example #3: Ordinary copy: Selling stock to make money Meaningful copy: Here's a proven way to create money out of thin air. Not only does this help you write stronger sentences, but it also helps you write stand-out headlines, sub-heads … even subject lines for emails. Heck, you can even use this technique to help [improve the content on your client's website]( like you've been learning about all week in The Writer's Life. You can take their ordinary copy and content and turn it into something readers can't help but read. Another thing that happens when you practice writing more meaningful copy or fascinations, is you just get better at writing … That's because they require clarity … tightness. It takes practice to write fascinations but it's worth your time … You'll help clients get more customers and more sales … Which means you'll be in more demand, making more money. The ideal win/win, wouldn't you say? Sandy Franks Senior Copy Chief, AWAI LAST CHANCE: $11 today, $297 tomorrow When you grab a subscription to Barefoot Writer magazine today, 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 … 👉 FINAL CALL: [Sign up for our Site Audit Certification here!]( 🤩 [Florida exec finds winning formula with B2B copywriting.]( 😄 Want to get paid twice? [Check out this project!]( 💰 Or, if you just need a side hustle … [try this](! A confidence boost is always worth celebrating! [Social media post thanking AWAI after landing a client] Congrats, Elizabeth! The first client is always the boost you need to make it clear that YOU can do this! 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! 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