Masterpiece or masturbashyun? Only your conscience knows for sure...

Since this is the last day I am launching my 9th — and final — novel of my Enoch Wars series, I want to share a related & amusing anecdote from the bio of George Lucas by Brian Kay Jones. You can read about the valuable training I am bribing people to buy my novel below. (The deadline is tonight, 8/25 at midnight EDT - so get your time zones figured out if you want it) But first, here is the George Lucas anecdote: === In May 1970, nervous executives at Warner Bros. finally asked to see THX 1138 for themselves. It had been seven months since Lucas had completed filming, and Coppola had continually promised the studio that Lucas was taking the time he needed to give them something truly great. Now it was time for Coppola to put up or shut up. The night before his meeting with Warners, Coppola came by Lucas’s house for his first look at THX. When it was over, Coppola sat in silence for a moment. “Well,” he said slowly, “this is either going to be a masterpiece or masturbation.” === That last line probably describes my final Enoch Wars book. I doubt there will be much lukewarm reactions to it. Probably people will love it or hate it. For example, one lady told me a few days ago: "I bought your book... it's not fun to read... it's full of venom so far." And even the few who have read it that liked it… I think got legitimately angry with me. For example: On Stefania’s first reading, for enjoyment not editing, I remember falling asleep as she read the last three chapters and the epilogue. Ch 17 had her laughing. Ch 18 had her angry. Ch 19 had her in deep thought. The Epilogue literally had her in tears all through the next day. (The epilogue was admittedly very therapeutic and not-very-easy for me to write, either — I won’t say why here, but it will be obvious to anyone who has been on my list for a while and then reads it.) My publisher Greg had a different kind of love/hate reaction: (Spoilers redacted) === Roller coaster to say the least. But I had real difficulty reading ____ in that room. I did not want to read it. And the ____, I figured would be Winston Smith-inspired. But then you took it to the next level with what could have happened to ___ . This might lose points with you, but I absolutely didn’t catch – therefore didn’t appreciate – what got Stefania emotionally on such a two-chapter up/down ride. In those chapters, as I told you, I was seriously dreading the read about ____. So much so, that I understood the ____ situation, but couldn’t/didn’t appreciate it. I was too fixed on having to read what I didn’t want to read. (I assure you I do NOT now own a pussy hat or eat soy products.) I went back this afternoon and re-read 17 to the end. So so glad. Thank Stefania for me. Brilliant. I might just say… DOUBLE GOLF CLAP! (Hope you know what I mean by that. I figure you’d appreciate the veiled reference.) ==== Like I said: Writing is a rollercoaster. Or, at least it should be. And this goes for copywriting, too… All right, this is it. Here’s the deal: I’m launching this novel until tonight, Friday 8/25 at midnight EDT. And if you (1) buy it in print or Kindle format and (2) send me your receipt (screenshot is fine) BY that deadline (not after, got send it to me BY tonight’s deadline)… I will send you a copy of an extremely valuable bonus in the Enoch Wars mobile app (you’ll need an updated Apple or Android smart phone to access it) called: “Email X-Sellence” It is an in-depth training I gave to Email Players subscriber Brian Kurtz’s private & prestigious Titans Xcelerator community about email copywriting & inbox delivery. Here are a few of the things I taught them: * A frank discussion between myself, Brian Kurtz, and an A-list copywriter with God-only-knows how many controls under her belt about how to use (and, maybe even more important, how NOT to use) humor in your emails and sales copy. * How to “connect” a topic or story in your emails to your offer when they are totally unrelated. * A deep, back-and-forth discussion on how to good at reading between the lines about what your list really wants or needs and what they say they want or what you guess they might want. * 4 things you can do (probably even starting today) if you struggle with always having something to say in emails, finding inspiration for emails, or getting into a routine of writing emails. * 2 Hollywood directors whose movies are near-perfect examples of how to build Vision (that can help make the sale sometimes without even using claims or benefits…) in your emails and sales copy. * Advice to younger copywriters for navigating the glut of goo-roos and bull shyt floating around, and how to know who is the real deal to be followed and who is full of crap to be avoided. * How to get away with selling right from your emails and not even needing a sales page. * An inside look at the “Anti-marketing” approach I take to business where I don’t obsess over (or even look at) my stats, numbers, metrics, or a spreadsheet while still growing a business that more than suits my needs. * The very LAST thing I would ever outsource in my business. * Why anyone prancing around masterminds or at conferences or on social media billing themselves as an “email deliverability expert” should be taken with a big, fat grain of salt. (And who the for real email deliverability experts are.) * The 3 most important (non-technical, that anyone can do — even if you’re brand spanking new to email marketing) things you can do to help your business get the highest email inbox delivery possible. (Our Chief Architect at BerserkerMail was recently telling me that of everyone using the platform I both send the highest volume of email and also get the highest delivery according to our Enterprise sending service… and these are the 3 things I focus on more than anything else, and always have.) * Why you should probably run as fast as you can from any email platform whose support tells you to “game” Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc for inbox delivery and engagement. * The single best way that’s probably ever been invented for making sure you’re writing engaging emails people want to read and will even look for you in the spam or promotions folder if you do wind up there. * What you can learn from the failed car company Saturn about email inbox delivery. * The shoeshine boy-turned world famous motivational speaker & sales author (who probably never sent a single commercial email in his entire life, for all I know) I recommend reading if you never want to have a problem with email engagement, inbox delivery, or sales for the rest of your life. * How to know exactly what to sell to your list with email that beats doing surveys, asking them what they want, or running yourself ragged chasing trends all to hell. * Why I don’t cater to, sell to, or try to attract zoomer customers. (Nothing personal against the broccoli-headed ones, and there are exceptions… but there is an important marketing lesson behind my reasoning that can help probably any business do better with email, marketing, and selling.) * An almost laughably simple thing any business (new to email marketing or seasoned pro) can do starting today to new opt-ins — the second they opt-in — that can probably help ramp up your sales, engagement, and email inbox delivery. * Why you should always assume your list is full of bald-faced liars (“buyers are liars” is one of the single most proven truisms in all of direct marketing), and not believe a single word they say. * A totally counter intuitive way (that I did not even realize was some big deal until recently, I just assumed all subscription offers buyers did it, but apparently not) of using email that can potentially get your subscription offer buyers to stick around longer and cut down on your churn. * Why subscription offers are suddenly so tough to make work lately for a lot of direct marketers — and what you can do to reverse that if your subscription offers are dying on the vine. * Hands down the single the best question you can ask on a survey if you want to make more sales, have happier customers, and grow a stronger business. * How to know what your list, clients, and customers want to buy… before they even do! (Only down side to this is, if you do it right, you’ll likely get people ignoring that carefully crafted sales copy you sweated over for weeks and months, and just go right to the order form to buy during your launches. A good problem to have…) * A once-popular show that is a near-perfect “template” for how to run a thriving, email-driven business with a passionate group of customers who potentially wouldn’t even dream of going anywhere else, or buying from anyone else but your business. * A quickie crash course in how to apply the Scientific Method to your business. * An email list curation secret straight from one of the single most controversial & polarizing books in human history that has been more responsible for my business having one of the most responsive lists in my niche than any other method I’ve ever used or tried in the past 20+ years. * How having a philosophy behind your business can automatically get the best customers gravitating towards you by “default”… while repelling the worst customers at the same time. (A philosophy is not something you can “swipe”, lift, or steal without looking and sounding like a complete moron. It comes from a very specific place unique to you. And while I don’t give any answers for people on how to formulate a philosophy or what kind of philosophy to have… you will hear a few different examples of what having one can look like to think about.) * Why it’s silly to let AI, fapGPT, etc write your emails if making more sales and building a lifetime relationship with your list/clients/customers is important to you. * And lots-a’ more. All right, one more time: To get this bonus (which is ONLY in the Enoch Wars mobile app, and not available anywhere else, so an updated Android or Apple mobile phone is required to access it) you must (1) buy Enoch Wars: Serpent Seed in print or Kindle format before tonight’s Friday 8/25 at midnight EDT deadline AND (2) send me your receipt by that deadline (not after — or it will be ignored). Here is the link to the buy the novel: (If you live outside the US, you might have to manually search for it on Amazon) [https∶//www.EmailPlayers.com/enochwars/serpent]( Ben Settle P.S. A perfectly reasonable question some people have when they see me promote a novel in the Enoch Wars series is: “Do I need all the other novels to read this latest one?” And the answer is yes and no. Yes, if you want to read the story as intended. No, in as much as you will figure things out as you go, and it in many ways stands on it own. This email was sent by Ben Settle as owner of Settle, LLC. Copyright © 2023 Settle, LLC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this email may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from Settle, LLC. Click here to [unsubscribe]( Settle, LLC PO Box 1056 Gold Beach Oregon 97444 USA