Let’s get one thing clear.
You don’t need any of what’s below.
But…it’s all helped me out. And it’ll help you out too.
Before you continue…
Don’t buy everything here. At least, not all at once.
Because if you don’t want to write, you’ll find that out before you get through all this stuff. You’ll have wasted a ton of money.
Pick one thing at a time, read it, see how you feel. Go from there.
My writing routine
Simple.
Write at least 1000 words a day.
Copy at least one piece of writing, by hand, every day.
Read at least a half hour every day.
The best websites for copywriting
Copywork365
If you want to get good at writing, you need to hand-copy the best writing.
This newsletter makes that easy.
One piece of copy, once a day. Ten minutes or less.
Here’s a quick guide. Doing this helped me become a better writer.
Best part? It’s 100% free, and always will be.
Swiped.co
Humans don’t change. The same words and strategies for writing that worked 100 years ago still work today.
So why not browse a website that collects all the best ones?
Everytime I go here, I find something new I can use.
Eve Arnold on Medium
You’re probably here because you want to make money from writing.
I’d also bet you have a 9-5 that pays the bills.
Eve Arnold (one of the top writers on Medium) has made an incredible living from writing. All while working a typical 9-5 job.
She spills all the secrets on her blog.
The best books to learn copywriting
The Adweek Copywriting Handbook
This is the closest thing to a “how-to” guide you’ll get.
It outlines, exactly, how to write effective sales copy.
By one of the best to ever do it.
You could probably read just this book and start your own copywriting business.
It’s that good.
Oglivy on Advertising
Remember how I said humans haven’t changed in hundreds of years?
I stole that from David Oglivy.
He’s one of the greatest advertising executives of the 20th century. And he firmly believed that people don’t change.
But he didn’t just think that. He tested it. He was one of the first agency executives to use research in advertising decisions.
Look for strong opinions and a kick-ass tone with his words.
On Writing by Stephen King
Let me explain.
Stephen King is one of the best writers alive.
To get there, he did two things that might interest you.
The first is he started writing as a side hustle. He was a teacher to make ends meet while he cranked out story after story.
The second: he mastered his bulletproof writing process.
He goes over that and more in his book.
Especially…the second half. The first half is fluff about his upbringing. The second half is all the advice.
The tools you’ll need
A good pen (mine’s the Pilot G2 0.7mm)
Say it with me again. If you want to get better at writing, you need to copy the best writing.
This only works if you write it out. By hand.
When you write by hand, you can’t gloss over words. You have to consider every word and how it works in a sentence.
So you can’t cheat and type it.
Now, you’ll have to do this every day.
So…do you really want to spend hours a week writing with a cheap pen that gives your hand cramps?
No.
Get a good pen.
Something to write on (for example, a Staples Notepad)
Keep this simple.
Whatever you like writing on (notebook, printer paper, parchment) use that, and get a lot of it.
Make sure it’s not super expensive. You’ll be writing a lot.
Hemingway App
Oglivy put it best. “I am a lousy copywriter, but I am a good editor.”
Your first draft will never be your best draft.
So when you start editing, you’ll want more than Microsoft Word’s spell check.
Hemingway app is free and checks for more than typos.
It analyzes your content’s reading level to make sure your writing isnt too complicated.
Aim for a fifth grade reading level, by the way.
That’s not all. It makes sure you don’t make the mistakes that turn readers away.
Things like long sentences, passive voice, or dumb adverbs.
I use this for every piece I write. Yes, even this one.
Don’t leave home without it.
A computer
No s**t, sherlock.
Yes. Unless you’re from the 19th century, it’s better to write your full thoughts on a keyboard you enjoy using.
Right now I’m using Apple’s *terrible* butterfly keyboard MacBook Pro. Ask me how excited I am to get a newer model next week.
Whatever you use to type up your thoughts, don’t make it expensive. It doesn’t need to be.
It just needs to work.
ChatGPT
This might be controversial.
But trust me, ChatGPT is like the critical editor best-friend you never had.
It goes beyond just a second set of eyes. You can paste your writing and ask it for SEO advice, clarity, and tone. That’s stuff that Word (or Hemingway app) doesn’t get you.
And, once again, it’s free. No-brainer.
Swipes folder on my phone
This one’s easy.
If you ever see an ad you like, or a title that knocks you off your feet, screenshot it. Take that screenshot, and store it in a “swipes” folder in your phone.
Then you’re building your own personal swipe file of writing that resonates with YOU. And you’re not lost next time you have to write something new.
Since you’re here…I’ve got something else that might help.
Here’s all my favorite words and phrases. Thank me later.
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