Fix boring writing (today’s copywriting lesson)

Everything you write can be made stronger … [The Writer’ s Life]( November 9, 2023 "Practice the philosophy of continuous improvement. Get a little bit better every single day." – Brian Tracy Hi {NAME}! I have the phrase "don't be boring" written on the white board in my office, next to a picture of my then 11-month old daughter with an expression on her face reminiscent of Zoolander's blue steel pose … Boring copy is dismissible. Which means 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 … And you'll be able to improve copy or content someone else already wrote. Before we dive in though, just a quick reminder … Today is your LAST CHANCE to [become a founding member of AWAI's Copywriting Academy](. If you're looking to prove to yourself and the millions of companies who need a professional copywriter that you have what it takes … [go here now](. You'll never see this insane offer again. #notboring 😉 And now, over to Sandy! Rebecca Matter President AWAI Your ALL-ACCESS Key — Just $1! Get instant access to this exclusive B2B writing community and ALL their private resources, including … All the success roadmaps … All the writing templates … All the articles … All the how-to videos … All 150+ training webinars … The Forum, the Job Board, the tutorials, the tools … And much more! [Go Here for More Details]( Using Fascinations to Conjure Up Intense Curiosity and Compel a Reader to Act By Sandy Franks [Coffee cup on desk next to hands typing on computer keyboard] 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. - Very 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 copy and content already being used by potential clients. 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? What's Hot at AWAI … 🤓 [LAST CHANCE: Become a founding member of AWAI's Copywriting Academy.]( 👉 [What's your definition of success?]( 🤩 [Ex-army major finds life-changing purpose in copywriting.]( Tell everyone that you are a copywriter … [Social media post about meeting a potential client during the plane ride home from AWAI's Bootcamp event] Congratulations on a successful introduction, Barbara! You are practicing what we preach when it comes to letting potential clients know that you have something they need to improve their business. 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! FREE Virtual Open House: All Your Questions About Circle of Success Answered! LIVE: Friday, November 10 at 12 p.m. ET Join AWAI's Executive Director Katie Yeakle and some surprise guests as they lift the curtain on our industry's most comprehensive and personalized level of copywriting training – Circle of Success. Discover the transformation that happens when you have top industry professionals setting you on a fast track to success … mentoring and guiding you every step of the way … teaching you the skills you need … giving you the feedback and direction you need to step into the "pro ranks" faster than you ever thought possible. It's all happening LIVE, this Friday at noon! Attendance is FREE, and there's no obligation. DON'T MISS IT! [Go here now to reserve your spot!]( Featured Jobs You can find these jobs and thousands more on [WritersWanted.com](: --------------------------------------------------------------- Temporary Junior Copywriter — RPA Contractor, Santa Monica, CA Temporary junior copywriters work on actual client projects and are prioritized candidates for full time entry-level staff positions in the creative department. --------------------------------------------------------------- Copywriter — ArtistsOnDemand Part-time, Remote Write original scripts for audio drama shows in a variety of genres, including mystery, thriller, science fiction, and fantasy. --------------------------------------------------------------- Writer — Valuetainment Full-time, Miami, Fort Launderdale, FL Produce top-notch written content, including articles, blog posts, reports, across a wide array of topics such as personal development, entrepreneurship, lifestyle, and culture. --------------------------------------------------------------- Trouble viewing this email? 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