Turn

Yourself
into a
Prosperous
Copywriter

3
ProWritingAid
Steps to
Success
from the World’s Top Copywriters

ProWritingAid By Kathy Edens & Lisa Lepki

 Introduction

T Now is a great time

he copywriting industry is exploding. With the
advent of the internet back in 1995, content has
become critical for all online businesses. Today, to be a copywriter
companies need a full host of online marketing: website There are three essential steps to becoming a
content, blog posts, articles, white papers, online professional copywriter, and in this book we focus on
videos, emails, and more. them in turn, with a dedicated section for each step:

Here are a few stats1 to help you understand the Section 1

copywriting explosion:
Develop Your Skills
• In excess of 400 hours of new video is uploaded
to YouTube every minute.
Learn what skills are necessary to compete
with the top copywriters.
•Oandverby2052019billion emails were sent each day in 2015,
the number will increase to 246 billion.
Section 2
•Mconducted
ore than 6 billion Google searches are
every day.
Create Content that Resonates
It’s not enough anymore to crank out keywords.
What do these stats have in common? Someone had to Clients and customers demand quality.
write the emails, video scripts, and content that people
are reading, watching, and searching for. The staggering Section 3
amount of data and information needed to feed the
Build Your Profile (and Pay Your Bills)
machine means copywriters are in high demand.
Here’s what you need to know after you’ve honed
Hosting Facts, an online research company offering your skills and are creating amazing content.
accurate and up-to-date hosting information, lists the
following in their Internet Stats & Facts for 2017: Each section is divided into topic-focused chapters,
and at the end of each chapter we’ve included a list
For the very first time in history, with a of recommended references for those who want to
projected $205 billion internet ad spend investigate the topic further.
compared to a projected TV ad spend of Turn Yourself into a Prosperous Copywriter is our way of
$192 billion, global internet advertising tipping our hat to all those who earn a good living as a
spend is expected to exceed TV copywriter. Years of copywriting experience went into
advertising spend. each chapter of this book. We hope you find nuggets of
gold in these pages.

And if you’re just starting out on this tremendous

journey, we’re with you every step of the way.

Now, turn the page and let’s get started!

1
Micro Focus, “How Much Data is Created on the Internet Each Day?” by Jeff Schultz
ProWritingAid
https://blog.microfocus.com/how-much-data-is-created-on-the-internet-each-day/.

ProWritingAid 2
 contributors

Kathy Edens Amir Noghani

Kathy is a freelance writer, content wrangler, and rabid Amir is the general manager at GWM Sydney SEO
all-things-written fan. She helps her clients reach Services. Having spent more than seven years in the
their target audience with amazing content that grabs digital marketing and communications industry, he
attention. Look for her at www.kathy-edens.com. developed rich knowledge and skills in Public Relations,
as well as writing journal articles and blogs.
Patrick Foster
Patrick is a freelance writer and owner of a popular Heather Robson
ecommerce blog Ecommercetips.org. He loves sharing Heather quit her day job in 2001 to become a freelance
expertise with other writers and entrepreneurs to help copywriter and hasn’t looked back. She specializes
make the most of their exciting careers. in content and email marketing, and is also Managing
Editor of www.WealthyWebWriter.com.
Lisa Lepki
Lisa is the Managing Editor of the ProWritingAid blog. Kelly Smith
A word nerd, she loves the technical elements of writing Kelly works at CourseFinder, an Australian online
almost as much as the writing itself. She is the education resource. She is passionate about writing and
co-author of The Novel-Writing Training Plan and innovations in the digital world.
20 Editing Tips from Professional Writers.

Susan Maccarelli
Susan runs the show at BeyondYourBlog.com, a website
that helps writers get published beyond their personal
blogs by sharing interviews with editors, directories of
where to submit writing, inspiration, and tips. Check out
her self-paced course at www.submissionsavvy.com.

ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid 3
 contents

Section 1: Develop Your Skills

Chapter 1: The Evolution of Copywriting 5
Chapter 2: Copywriting Skills You Need to Conquer 8
Chapter 3: Copywriting for SEO 10
Chapter 4: Headlines are Crucial - How to Create Killer Headlines 12
Chapter 5: How to Capture Time and Make It Work for You 15
Chapter 6: Write Faster with an Outline 18
Chapter 7: How to Write for Different Audiences 20
Chapter 8: What Top Copywriters Don’t Want You to Know 22

Section 2: Create Content that Resonates

Chapter 9: Top Copywriting Mistakes to Avoid 24
Chapter 10: What’s the Most Important Copywriting Skill to Master? 27
Chapter 11: Me Write Pretty One Day 29
Chapter 12: You Don’t Need a Psychology Degree, But You Do Need EQ as a Copywriter 31
Chapter 13: How to Write Direct Response Content With Integrity 33
Chapter 14: Why You Need Your Audience to Nod as They Read 35
Chapter 15: Taking Advantage of the 7 Deadly Sins to Boost Your Copywriting 37
Chapter 16: Don’t Let Sloppy Content Turn Customers Away 39
Chapter 17: Copywriting is a Never-Ending Learning Fest 44
Chapter 18: How and Why to Partner with Other Copywriters 46

Section 3: Build Your Profile (and Pay Your Bills)

Chapter 19: Create Your Online Profile 48
Chapter 20: Set Yourself Up as Self-Employed 49
Chapter 21: Find Work 51
Chapter 22: Why You Shouldn’t Focus on a Single Niche 53
Chapter 23: Lucrative Writing Opportunities You May Have Overlooked 55
Chapter 24: What Editing Issues Fast-Track Your Writing Submissions to the Reject Pile 58

Conclusion 60

ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid 4
 section 1
develop your skills

chapter 1: the evolution of copywriting

By Patrick Foster

T
hroughout history, copywriting has been integral And what’s more, we consume content in different ways:
to the success of millions of advertising and
marketing campaigns.
•Dapps,
igital content. Consider the content on web pages,
social media sites, and other electronic venues.
Many people consume digital news today instead
The copywriters of the past have produced some
of print.
ground-breaking work, composing captivating content
and sellable stories that got heads turning, ears flapping,
and tongues wagging. Over the years we’ve seen some
•Ospending
nline advertising. For the first time, advertisers are
more money on online advertising compared
sensational writers: John Emory Powers, Bernice Fitz- to television.
Gibbon, Stan Freberg, David Abbott. Many creative
people spent time in their early career as advertising
•V43%
ideo marketing. Videos are extremely hot; in fact,
of people want to see more video content from
copywriters – Salman Rushdie is one example. marketers.

Now, with the rise of the internet, the nature of

copywriting has undergone (and is still undergoing) some The primary objective
significant changes. Here’s how copywriting has evolved, remains the same
and what today’s copywriters need to bear in mind. We know that regardless of medium – be it short or
long-form copy – effective copywriting comes down
Back in the day to being able to tell a compelling story. It’s still about
getting in your target audience’s head.
The purpose of any writing, including copywriting, is
to persuade, inform, or entertain. Naturally, the focus Both then and now, the primary
of copywriting often tends towards persuasion – we
objective is to accurately pinpoint your
want people to buy a product, sign up for a service,
or choose one brand over another. The intent is audience and say something that will
commercial, and has often sounded that way. History’s be meaningful to them, in order to
copywriters were, for the most part, specialists inspire action.
in advertorial copy with a background in English
Perhaps more importantly, we want to inspire action
or Journalism, who worked at creative advertising
towards our intended brand, and away from its
agencies (think Mad Men!). Freelance writers were
competitors. It’s about finding that USP and drilling it
essentially unheard of.
home, along with a juicy call to action.

It’s a new Likewise, we still lean heavily on emotion, just as much

copywriting world as logic. Humans are emotional creatures; we are led
Things are changing. Having been “sold to” for decades, just as effectively by an emotional impact as a rational
today’s consumers respond less readily to conventional one. The best copywriting plays on both aspects,
ad copy. We’ve seen and heard it all before. creating genuine emotional response while supplying
us with the “why.”
ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid 5
 What’s more, we must still be accurate (there’s no
excuse not to proofread, especially with tools like
ProWritingAid), we must be able to grab the reader’s
7 stages of the
attention in a matter of seconds, and we must make buying cycle
our first impression the right one. No pressure, right?

A digital earthquake
So, let’s talk about the internet. It sure has shaken
1 Pre-Awareness
Pain/Problem
•Show the problem in detail
things up a bit. Along came digital copywriting, the •Focus on their needs
younger sibling of traditional advertising – previously
an only child. The internet has created a different kind
•Show worst-case scenario if they don’t solve
the problem

2 •
of role for copywriters, bringing with it blogging, SEO,
social networking, and ecommerce, amongst other Awareness
solution
things. The world communicates differently to before.
Problem-solution content
•
And now, so must copywriters.
First questions
The growth particularly in ecommerce has been
unprecedented, with easy-to-create online stores
•Prospect asks what it is and how it can help them

lowering the barriers to entry so that anyone with an

idea for a business can get set up online. But what they
lack in sales staff and hands-on experience, ecommerce
3 •interest/education
more information
How it works
stores must make up for with content that blows your •How it will help them
socks off. It’s a 24/7 sales tool, and it can work wonders
or destroy your entire business – depending on how
•Your unique process

good a writer you’re working with.

The move to
4 •consideration
emotional stage
Case studies

in-bound marketing •Testimonials

As society changes, so advertising must change. •Client stories

5 •
Disruptive advertising is old-school, and what we’re
starting to see much more of instead is inbound
justification
logic stage
marketing. Brands provide useful, actionable, relevant,
Price comparison
and entertaining content, which draws customers in
• Charts
because it’s inherently valuable. We do not feel sold
• Features
to. We feel informed – and we see that you are, too.
• Comparison
Today’s buyers are research-led: they will go where their
internet searches take them. • Us vs them content

Inbound marketing’s aim is to provide the exact

information a consumer needs at any stage in the
buying process. When prospects begin their research,
6 •purchase
just the facts
Shipping and tax
they don’t always realize they have a problem that •Return policy
needs to be solved. A copywriter’s goal is to open their
eyes to the problem and show them a way to solve it.
•Guarantee

Each stage of the buying process moves your prospect

closer to a sale, which means they need different
information each step of the way.
7 •post-purchase
reassurance
Tell them they made the right decision
•Show them how to use the product
This graphic details the buying stages and what your
prospects need at each of them:
•Give them a bonus or nice surprise

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ProWritingAid 6
 The modern copywriter Today’s marketers increasingly search for copywriters
So, while the modern copywriter retains some of the based on what they specialize in. Niche is the new
distinctive traits of their predecessors, they have also black: if you can capitalize on the one thing you write
come to adapt to the changing landscape they find about really well, then your chances of making a good
themselves in. They sit alongside everyday internet living from copywriting are much higher. That, along
users: writing reviews, recommending products and with a good working knowledge of SEO copywriting (see
services, managing social media, and writing blog posts. Chapter 3), will stand you in good stead for the future.
Great digital copywriting is almost undetectable, such is
our constant exposure to the online world. Seamlessly
connecting user with advertiser, the average person Great Specializations
often can’t tell whether something has been written for Copywriters
professionally or not. With your more traditional
banner ad, they know that you are trying to sell them By Industry: By Content Type:
something. Really though, everyone on the net is
• Technology • Blogs and articles
promoting something, even if it’s just themselves and
• Education • White papers
their opinions.
• Fashion and beauty • Case studies
• Health • Video scripts
Copywriting is as important as it’s ever been – arguably
• Finance • Direct response letters
more so. The digital medium is the ideal platform for
the written word, as well as content and visuals that • B2B • Grants and proposals

work together. That’s before we’ve even touched

on video – the scripts for which will be written by
copywriters, too. More than 400 hours of video are
Conclusion
Some digital copywriters may kid themselves into thinking
uploaded to YouTube every minute2.
that copywriting is a young industry, but the truth is, it’s
Modern copywriting is becoming more conversational, been around for hundreds of years. Heck, even a Wild
more benefit-led, and more about building relationships West “wanted” poster shows some level of copywriting
with consumers. So where will this take us? in a primitive form. What is changing is the platform,
and the way we “sell” to online consumers. Storytelling
The future belongs will always be key. But perhaps the more outdated
customs will become relics of copywriters past.
to storytellers
who specialize
While you may not be writing the next best-selling novel, Want to go deeper?
copywriting is undoubtedly one of the best ways to Here are some great resources:
make money with an English, Arts, or Journalism degree.
The number of agency and freelance copywriters Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting
has never been higher – and demand is growing. It’s Fired Up & Focused Bootcamp
a booming industry to get into with a lot of different
Scientific Advertising
niches, and the flexibility to work from anywhere in the
The Copywriter’s Handbook: A Step-By-Step Guide
world, provided you have an internet connection. Ideal
to Writing Copy That Sells
for parents, carers, and travelers alike.

Legit brands understand the importance of good

content: it’s one of the biggest differentiating factors in
today’s marketplace. If you want to stand out, you need
to sound distinctive and have something valuable to say.
It’s simple supply and demand, and it’s escalating on
both sides.

2
Micro Focus, “How Much Data is Created on the Internet Each Day?” by Jeff Schultz
ProWritingAid
https://blog.microfocus.com/how-much-data-is-created-on-the-internet-each-day/.

ProWritingAid 7
 chapter 2: Copywriting Skills
You Need to Conquer

W
hether you’re just starting out in copywriting You may find you’re spending twice as much time on
or are a seasoned pro, the tips included research as you do in writing. That’s OK. In fact, it’s great.
here can help you ramp up your skill set and
become more attractive to clients looking for content. Even if you don’t end up using
everything you find during research,
Self-motivation it may come in handy for content you’re
This may be the top skill that a copywriter needs, writing down the road.
especially since the vast majority of copywriters work
The key is to understand how to research intelligently.
from home and set their own schedules.
Be aware of your sources on the internet. And use long-
If you can’t motivate yourself to sit at tail keywords when researching to see what people are
saying about your topic.
the computer each and every day and
pump out the content clients need, you
won’t be in business very long.
Audience understanding
The ability to empathize with your target audience is key
There’s no such thing as writer’s block. You need to fill a to finding the right words that will reach their heart of
blank screen with content, no matter how you’re feeling hearts. You want to touch upon their deepest desires,
that day. fears, wants, and needs to connect.

Self-motivation also helps you meet client deadlines, an An in-depth and thorough understanding of your
essential habit for developing a stellar reputation. If you audience leads to click-throughs, opt-ins, and
want clients to keep returning to you with new work, conversions – everything a copywriter should excel in.
never miss a deadline. Make sure you know how to motivate and then persuade
your target audience to act. Entrepreneur has a fantastic
Passion article 10 Ways to Learn About Your Target Audience.
Those who create the most compelling content have In today’s content environment, understanding your
a passionate voice. It comes through in everything you audience means figuring out what information readers
write, infusing your choice of words with energy and want and making it easily and quickly available. Conquer
enthusiasm that’s contagious. that and you’re most of the way to the important
It’s really hard to write about a product or service you’re analytics you need.
not passionate for. And on the flip side, sometimes you
can get so connected to your clients’ product or service SEO
that you end up wanting to purchase it. That’s the side While you don’t need to be a guru of SEO practices,
you want to be on. you should have a pretty good understanding of what’s
current and relevant, like long-tail keyword phrases
Research but no keyword stuffing. Neil Patel has an excellent post
Copywriting and content creation is about going SEO Copywriting: How to Write Content for People
deep into a subject. The web inundates readers with and Optimize for Google. It’s a must-read for
information and they’re tired of reading fluff pieces every copywriter.
regurgitated around the internet. They want solid, For example, you should learn how to write relevant,
well-researched, informative articles that tell them concise, and targeted meta descriptions and meta
something new or give them a new perspective. tags. SearchEngineWatch.com shows you how in their
article How to Write Meta Descriptions for SEO. Also,
ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid 8
 understand how headlines, unique URLs, and sub- Conclusion
headlines work with SEO best practices. If you can conquer these skills, you’ll be well on your
Learn how to research keywords and provide your way to a full stable of clients who value your work. What
clients with a list of suggestions for three- and four- is important to understand is that content marketing is
word phrases that should be part of their content changing. Those writers who are highly skilled and able
marketing strategies. Know how to use these phrases to crank out deeply relevant and informative content
so your content is highly informative, which gets better will always be in demand.
SEO results. Never stop honing your skills and learning about writing.
Here are a few of our favorite content marketing blogs
Headlines to read:
Powerful headlines grab your readers’ attention and
move them forward through your content. In fact: • Hubspot
most readers will read only the • Copyblogger
headlines and not the body copy. • Content Marketing Institute
So, make sure your headlines are engaging and Next, because it’s so vital, we go more in-depth on SEO.
informative and, most importantly, full of your Especially if you’re creating digital content, you should
long-tail keywords. always know the current SEO practices, which by their
very nature are constantly changing.
Make each word in a headline count. And make your
headlines unique. People don’t want to read the same
headlines again and again. Your main headlines and body
headlines should read cohesively from beginning to end
Want to go deeper?
and must impart something of value to readers. Here are some great resources:
SEO Copywriting: How to Write Content for People
Copyblogger has a free e-book you should download and Optimize for Google
called How to Write Magnetic Headlines. You’ll find a
How to Write Meta Descriptions for SEO
link at the end of this chapter.
10 Tips for Staying Motivated as a Work-at-Home
Freelancer
Polished writing
Last, but certainly not least, you need polished writing How to Write Magnetic Headlines
skills. Beyond being obvious, those who excel at creating
easy-to-read content with compelling conclusions
will succeed as a copywriter. Gone are the days when
writers could throw any SEO content on the page and
get ranked.

You need to make complex topics simple, write great

transitions, and choose the best words to engage your
readers. While you needn’t be a grammar aficionado,
you do need to create content free of grammar,
punctuation, and spelling errors, amongst other
technical gaffes.

Run everything through an editing tool like

ProWritingAid before you hit send/publish. It will help
you spot repetitiveness, overly complicated sentences,
weak constructions, and so much more. Your content
will end up polished and ready for any client to review.

ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid 9
 chapter 3: Copywriting for SEO
By Amir Noghani

S
EO is probably one of the least understood online The content itself needs to provide
topics, period. This doesn’t come as a surprise
once you understand just how often search
exact information users are looking for,
engines such as Google adjust and calibrate their and be relatable enough for them to
ranking algorithm. share across their social media platforms.
The biggest challenge content creators have to face is The sharing aspect is particularly favored by Google’s
writing content that not only appeals to the right kind algorithm, as it increases both relevance and authority
of audience but is also optimized for various search of your content, resulting in improved ranking for
engines. But the moment you realize that content should specific keywords.
revolve around people instead of search engines, you will
find that SEO copywriting really isn’t that complicated. What are the elements
of SEO copywriting?
What is SEO? Before we begin exploring the various elements you
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, refers to various need to incorporate into your content, first, we need to
techniques and practices used to elevate a website’s mention site speed:
ranking position. As users input search queries into a
search engine, they are greeted with a list of results Nearly half of all people will simply
relevant to that search query. The correct order and abandon your web page if it takes
way in which those results are ranked and displayed can longer than 3 seconds to load.
be influenced with a properly executed SEO campaign.
No matter how interesting and worthwhile your content
With SEO, you can essentially optimize your content and is, it is completely useless unless people actually read it.
make it relevant not only for the readers but also for the Once your website is properly optimized and pages load
search engines, which will rank your content higher than quickly, then and only then should you focus on creating
that coming from competitors’ websites. unique and relatable content.

What is SEO copywriting?

As we discussed in the opening pages of this book,
1 Headline
Creating a mediocre headline will result in a low click-
through rate. When it comes to SEO copywriting, the
copywriting is the art of writing content which stimulates headline should not only attract the users’ attention but
the end-user to purchase a specific product or service, also make them want to click it and continue reading.
subscribe to a particular mailing list, or simply perform
an action that will end up benefiting the client. A headline is there to convey an idea or a message. The
best SEO copywriters create their headlines first and
Copywriters are skilled professionals who drive users to then move on to the content body. Using numbers in
take action. They need to be skillful in writing content headlines is perfectly normal, as long as the headline
ranging from advertisements and promotions to directly corresponds to the rest of the content.
customer-engaging content.

SEO copywriting, on the other hand, is the art of writing

unique and compelling content in order to target
2 Content body and keywords
Writing content that ranks well on Google revolves
around targeting specific keyword phrases. This,
specific keywords used in the search queries.
however, does not mean that you have to stuff keywords
into your content. Google and other search engines do
not approve of keyword stuffing and doing so can result
ProWritingAid in your website getting demoted in, or even omitted

ProWritingAid 10
 from, the search results. SEO copywriting is not just And finally…
simple keyword placement and targeting, but rather a The key points to remember in creating SEO-friendly
way of writing content that focuses on the intent behind content are to include specific keyword phrases but
those keywords. avoid keyword stuffing, use both internal and external
links to connect to other relevant content, and make
3 Keyword frequency
Keyword frequency refers to the number of times the
keyword appears in your content. Keyword density and
sure you’re providing the right information at every level
of your website. As Google, Facebook, and even Netflix
are using storytelling to further grow their digital assets,
frequency used to guarantee high SEO rankings, but with
we can see a trend towards more complex methods of
the recent moves against keyword stuffing, it is no longer
SEO optimization. This makes it trickier to ensure your
as effective. Effective SEO copywriting balances the
website is on the first page of search engine results, but
repetition of keywords with relevant surrounding content.
getting it right results in a much better experience for

4
the end user.
Meta descriptions
Meta descriptions are used by search engines to Next, let’s talk about creating killer headlines to make
better understand the topic of your content, as well as people want to read and share your work.
the reason behind why your keywords keep appearing in
it. They provide a concise explanation to search engines
regarding your content. Search engines then use that
information to provide users searching for the targeted
Want to go deeper?
keywords with a snippet copy. This snipped copy
Here are some great resources:
directly determines whether your content will get clicks How to Create Compelling Content that Ranks Well
and how high your page will rank. Meta descriptions in Search Engines
need to be informative and include a call to action Meta Description Magic: Think Less About SEO &
enticing users to click on your website. They shouldn’t More About Click-Throughs
be longer than 150 to 160 characters. How to Write an Effective Meta Description (Yes, They
Still Matter)

5 Hyperlinks
Inbound links are one of the most important factors
in SEO ranking. They tell Google and other search
How to Write Title Tags For Search Engine Optimization
The Beginner’s Guide to Link Building
engines that your website is connected and user- 10 Super Easy SEO Copywriting Tips for Improved
friendly, with plenty of informative and useful content. Link Building

Linking to external websites and pages with high

authority tells visitors that you value content other than
your own. Google rewards this behavior as it organizes
the information and makes it readily accessible.

Likewise, using internal links to other pages on your own

website is highly encouraged as it improves the structure
of your website in the eyes of search engines. Plus, users
can navigate to other pages from within your articles.

Other elements you should go over are title tags,

heading tags, and overall title optimization practices.
Title tags are the first thing to appear in the search
engine results page, and heading tags are used to
structure the content and make it easier to skim-read.
Make sure these use your keywords and accurately
reflect your website’s content.

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ProWritingAid 11
 chapter 4: Headlines are Crucial –
How to Create Killer Headlines

H
ow do you grab the reader’s attention and Numbers jump out more
compel him or her to read on? With a catchy than words do, and small
Top t
headline, which is why generating killer headlines
is the key to becoming a master copywriter. In fact,
numbers are better than
larger ones. Another
Writing ip
the nu
word, mber
Copyblogger states 80% of web visitors will read your study shows people doesn’ e . g. ‘sev
t have en’,
headline, but only 20% will read the post or article3. believe the legitimacy th e im
of the pa c t
of odd numbers dig
Thus, it’s safe to assume: headlin it ‘7’ in
rather than even ones. es. Alw
use the ays
Lackluster headlines will derail even numer
al.
the best content marketing plan. Offer
If your headline doesn’t match what you’ve written readers
in your article or blog post, or if it’s longer than 62 meaty rationale
characters, your headline will most likely fail. The vast majority of posts and articles don’t get shared.
So how do you cash in on the 12% that do? Give them
Here’s everything you need to know to create amazing something they need. And most readers want meat in
headlines that get attention and conversions. their posts that they share. As such, offer them:
Keys Strategies Ideas Ways
Use numbers in
Lessons Secrets Facts
your headline
Experts agree using numbers in your headlines catches Tricks Tips Reasons
the reader’s eye. In fact, several studies show headlines
with numbers generate almost three-quarters more For example, consider the following:
social engagement and shares. In an interesting twist, • 817Keys to Becoming a Copywriting Master
readers respond least to headlines that ask a question.
• 7 Strategies
Lessons to Learn Before Putting Pen to Paper
Here’s how headline preferences shake out:
• 3 Secrets toforWriting
Creating Killer Digital Content

overall headline
• Viral Content

36% preferences:

21%
17% 15%
11%
Number Reader How To Normal Question
30 Ways to Make Addressing How to Make Ways to Make What are Ways to
Drinking Tea More Ways You Need to Drinking Tea More Drinking Tea More Make Drinking Tea
Delightful Make Drinking Tea Delightful Delightful More Delightful?
More Delightful

ProWritingAid
“How to Write Magnetic Headlines” https://www.copyblogger.com/magnetic-headlines/.
3

ProWritingAid 12
 Make your Each of the above headlines is directed at someone
or something. These headlines might not be unique
headline unique because it’s hard to get both uniqueness and specificity
You don’t want to use the same old headline that
in a single headline.
everyone else is using. Make your headlines unique
so they’ll stand out from the crowd.
Create a sense of urgency
There’s an easy way to check if your headline is unique. You want readers to feel a sense of urgency so they
Enclose your headline in double quotes in the Google read your content now. If they save it for later,
search bar. Here’s a great example: sometimes “later” never comes. Make them want to
read your article/post straight away; they can’t put it
off until tomorrow.

You can take advantage of the fact that potential

customers buy rather quickly based on emotions and
then justify their decision on facts or logic. Use scarcity
and urgency together. How many times have you seen
the following headlines in an advertisement?

• Hurry in today because supplies are limited!

•Tahisfewdeal won’t last because we only have

in stock!

• Don’t wait! Only 2 left in stock!

• Only while supplies last!

Voilà! Unique headline that no one else has used. (One Amazon does this very well. For every item listed, you
warning: you have to use the double quotes to get the see the list price followed by their price, showing you
results you’re looking for. While thousands of articles how much you can save (urgency). And then they list
will pop up for “killer headlines,” there’s only one with how many items left in stock (scarcity). You know you
this title – our chapter.) jump on that Amazon buy because they’re low on the
stock and the price is right.

Your headline should be

ultra-specific Offer something useful
You want your reader to feel a sense of hope when they
Headlines should give readers a sense of what they’ll
read your headline – show them you’ve identified their
get when they read your content. The worst thing you
problem and you have a solution. In fact, if you use the
can do is offer them one thing in your headline, and give
above suggestions – numbers, meaty, urgent,
them something else in the body.
ultra-specific, and unique –
Avoid vagueness. How do you do this? By using your to create a headline, you’re
keywords in your headline. Let’s say the keywords you’re bound to end up with Top t
targeting are “content marketing plan.” Here are a few something useful for A grea ip
t blog t
your readers. for exc o
examples of headlines that are specific: ellent h study
•3forEasy Steps to Create a Content Marketing Plan
Beginners
is Kissm
genera etrics
eadline
te a lot . Since they
of socia
s
it make
•1Significant s sense l share
1 Content Marketing Plans that Generated they ’re to s,
doing a see what
ROI can ad nd how
you
•Linearn
apt it f
How to Write a Content Marketing Plan or your
keywo
rds.
30 Minutes

•7Marketing
-Step Guide to Writing a Successful Content
Plan

ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid 13
 Follow a Formula
Jeff Goins has created a useful formula that will help you
focus on what’s important when writing stellar headlines:

Number or Trigger Word + Adjective + Keyword + Promise

Let’s see this in action. Say you’re writing about a
Software-as-a-Service platform for educators.
9 Effortless Ways this Teachers’
Platform Makes Planning a Breeze
Or make a bold promise at the end, like:
How to Grade 100 Papers
in Less than an Hour
Final thoughts
Your headline should bring readers in and make them
want to click through to read more. And of course,
you know it’s not enough to entice them to click your
headline. You must back it up with sound information
in the content that speaks to their pleasure or pain and
how you can help them.

So solve their problems, or show them how to create a

better life. But never stop learning about new ways to
create amazing headlines that people want to share.

The next chapter will give you helpful suggestions on

how to manage your time so you can write more and
earn more.

Want to go deeper?
Here are some great resources:
5 Easy Tricks to Help You Write Catchy Headlines
How to Write Magnetic Headlines


4 U’s of Web Copywriting: Tips for Writing Great
Headlines & Copy

How to Write Headlines That Work

ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid 14
 chapter 5: How to Capture Time and
Make It Work for You

H
ave you ever noticed that time is relative? You specific goals. Your goals on any given day may be to
can become so immersed in something engaging complete projects you have or spend time creating a
that hours slip away unnoticed. But sit in a strategic plan for increasing your earnings next year.
waiting room filled with people all there to see the
Do your most creative work when you’re most
same doctor, and time crawls.
energized. If that means copywriting in the morning
The key to capturing time and making it work for you when you’re feeling best, block out that time, and tackle
is to schedule those creative, engrossing projects for the goals on your list.
the time of day when you have the most energy. Do
you know if you’re a morning person or someone more
energetic in the afternoon or evening? 3 Break goals into
manageable tasks
Goals are easier to achieve when you break them down
If you already know, great! If not, carry something to into simple steps. Looking at a goal can sometimes be
keep notes on and record all your thoughts, activities, overwhelming. Don’t get paralyzed; break your goals
and conversations for a week. Then you can analyze the down and work towards achieving steps that move you
data to figure out: closer to attaining your goals.

• How much you can get done in a day.

You can even plan your tasks out for each day of the
• Where you spend most of your time. week. This helps you know what’s most important to do
• Activities that produce results. each day. But stay flexible enough to accept a rush job

• Activities that waste time. from a client who needs your help immediately.

Real time management isn’t about

doing a good job at getting stuff done 4 Say no to time wasters
Learn to say “no” to people and activities that don’t
help you achieve your goals. If it’s important enough,
quickly. It’s about living your life well. And
you can tie it to one of your goals. If it’s not important,
balance between work, play, and relaxing it’s a time waster you should avoid.
is your best solution to living life well.
Part of protecting your valuable time is to learn what
How do you do this? Here are 10 rules for a is a time waster in your personal life. If you’re taking
successfully balanced life: time out of your day to run simple errands, load the
dishwasher, or vacuum the floors, you’re taking valuable

1 Create a morning ritual

Your morning ritual is as personal to you as the
clothes you wear or the people you hang out with.
time away from your writing.

Where possible, delegate or hire others to help you

Maybe you choose to spend time freewriting about with non-earning tasks. The more time you spend
what’s on your mind. This is a good way to capture writing, the more you can produce, and the more money
all of your thoughts and distill them into something you’ll make.
meaningful.

Or you can spend a few minutes every morning in

meditation or exercise. Whatever helps you prepare
5 Plan time for meals,
exercising, and socializing
Planning for these breaks in your day helps keep you sane
your mind and body for the day ahead should be your and lessens your risk of burnout. It also helps you get
morning ritual. away from a project and clear your mind. Then, when you
come back, you’re more focused and might have thought

2 Have a list of goals

ProWritingAid
Instead of a “to-do” list, work towards achieving
of better or different ways to get your projects done.

ProWritingAid 15
6 Take time off
You’ll have occasions when you’re spending 12-hour
days trying to get a project done for a client by the
10 End each day by planning
for tomorrow
This is a great way to streamline your next day. When
deadline. Or work may inspire you to stay at your keyboard you sit at your desk the next morning with a completed
long past when most people stop. This is not a bad thing. plan for the day’s work ahead, you’re more likely to get
right to work.
Make sure you take adequate time off after doing a
big push or working longer hours. You can’t continue Plan the evening before while action items are still fresh
at that pace for very long before your work suffers. in your mind. You can even make notes about where you
The worst thing you can do is struggle your way through were on a project and what’s to be done next.
and complete sub-par work. That won’t keep clients
coming back. Give yourself a head start on tomorrow’s activities by
taking 10 or 15 minutes at the end of the day to plan.

7 Use the 10-minute rule

Everyone has tasks they dread doing. They loom over
our heads and suck the energy out of your day. If you
There’s an app for that
Time is precious. The more tools you use to save,
can, and it makes financial sense, hire someone else to capture, and manage time, the better your business will
do them. But sometimes, you just have to buckle down be. Here are a few favorites:
and do them yourself.
Timelyapp
Schedule 10 minutes of your day to work on these There are many time-capturing apps on the market,
tasks. The odds are, when you work the task, you’ll keep but Timelyapp offers a few advantages. You can visually
going beyond the original 10 minutes. Even if you don’t create your work schedule for the week and incorporate
and you only spend 10 minutes a day over several days, your calendar into the program to block out time
you’ll soon have the dreaded task knocked out. scheduled for meetings, etc. Timelyapp also captures
what you’ve worked on that day in “Memories” in case

8 Protect your creative time

Once you’ve figured out what time of day you’re
most energized, protect that time at all costs. Put a “Do
you forget to track it. It integrates with your favorite
project management app like Trello, plus much more.

not disturb” sign on your door. Turn off all electronic Trello
devices, take your email offline, and block any other Speaking of Trello, this app allows you to collaborate
disruptions like social media. with anyone, anywhere. And you can capture everything
you need for a project in a single location. Have files?
If you want to be successful, you must spend your most Attach them. Have a checklist you need to manage?
productive time writing. Your energy cycles govern when Create one. You can assign tasks to others, and attach
you do it. How you do it is governed by how well you due dates and even comments.
protect your creative time. Make sure family and friends
know you’re not available during your peak period. You’ll Rescue Time
be surprised how much you can get done. When you install and run Rescue Time, you’ll get a
report at the end of every week detailing exactly how
9 Batch your activities together
Put all related activities together and work on them
in batches. This works well with phone calls, emails, and
you spent your time. It shows you the percentage of
time spent on communications such as email or Skype,
time spent on business or research, and much more.
even research.
You can see exactly where you’re wasting time, and
Don’t work on your batched activities outside of the compete with yourself week by week to improve your
time slot you’ve scheduled them. Keep to your plan and productivity.
work each batch of activities according to the best time
of day to get them done. Freedom
If Rescue Time tells you you’re spending too much time
Make sure people know that you have certain times on social media, you need Freedom. You can block
of the day you’ll be responding to emails or taking and specific websites with Freedom, block all social media,
ProWritingAid
making phone calls. and even add multiple devices, like your phone and

ProWritingAid 16
 tablet. Then for the time limit you set, Freedom doesn’t
let you go to any blocked site, app, or platform, either
on your computer or your other devices. You actually
have to buckle down and get work done.

Final thoughts
Try to keep regular hours. Without putting limits on
yourself, you may be tempted to work 24 hours a day. But
working too many hours decreases your creativity and
results in less than stellar output. And it leads to burnout.

When you’re in business for yourself, you probably feel

overloaded and stressed at times. It’s important to note
those times and work on creating more balance in life.
If you cut yourself off from everyone and everything you
enjoy, you’ll damage your relationships and you won’t be
in business long. Then what will you have?

In the next chapter, let’s look at something easier than

time management: creating a great outline before
you write.

Want to go deeper?
Here are some great resources:

1 7 apps that will help you become a more
productive person
6 Morning Rituals That Will Make You Productive All Day
Morning Pages: a daily practice

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ProWritingAid 17
 chapter 6: Write Faster with an Outline

A
ll of you planners out there are cheering right Let’s use an example. This chapter’s working title was
now at this chapter title – we can hear you! “How to Outline.” Not the sexiest title, but it got the
And all of the seat-of-their-pants-ers are idea across. My brainstorming notes looked like this:
groaning. But think about all the bad posts or articles
you’ve read. What’s one thing you could do to reduce
the risk of putting out a less-than-perfect blog post? - It speeds up the writing process.
You got it – outline. An outline prevents you from running - Outlining helps you stay on track.
- It gives structure to your articles
off on a tangent. Or creating a fine mess that doesn’t
flow or get across the major point you wanted. We don’t
mean just jotting down a few talking points, because so you can find glaring holes.
- How many outlining methods are
that still leaves too much leeway to go off course. You
want to capture enough detail so you won’t stray.
there out there?
Outlining methods are as personal a choice as what you
eat for breakfast. Here’s a step-by-step method we’ve - Planners will love it; pants-ers
found that you can adapt to any writing style while still will hate it.
getting the basics down:
- Brainstorm what needs included.
1 Create your working title
Try to be as specific as you can with your working
title. It will guide the rest of your outline and help you
- Create 3 or 4 sections and organize
your thoughts under each.
add or cut items based on how well they adhere to it.
However, your working title doesn’t have to be your final - Flesh out sections.
title. You may get to the end of your post or article and
find the perfect title waiting for you.
- You start with a working title.
Refer back to Chapter 4: Headlines are Crucial to create
- Cut what doesn’t work.
excellent headlines that get attention. For purposes of - Research and include links.
your outline, your working title provides direction to
your post or article. You can make it sparkle later.
See how the ideas are all over the place? Then, in the

2 Brainstorm take-aways next step, the thoughts start to take shape in typical
What do you want your target audience to learn or how-to form.
consider by the end of your article? This is the fun part
of outlining. You get to brain dump everything you want
readers to know.
3 Organize your
thoughts into sections
Most articles and posts have major sections and
Write without thinking about organization or usefulness. subsections of information. Usually there are 3 to 4
Don’t think of these as your main sections, or even sections per 600-word article.
subsections, because you’ll organize them in the
next step. Mind maps are useful, but a list in a Word Since this chapter is a how-to, our main sections
document or Evernote works just as well. Let your wild are the steps. We still need to figure out what to do
and crazies come out. This keeps them from popping up with the other ideas. For now, some can go in the
later when you write your post. introduction and the rest in the conclusion.

ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid 18
 When writing a typical article, this step helps you
recognize where there are gaping holes in your Final thoughts
structure. You may think of a theme you need in your Creating an outline before writing can make your post
post, but you don’t have bullet points for. Go ahead and or article much better. You’ll have a clear path to follow
add a new section. that’s coherent and doesn’t go off on a tangent.

4 Add more take-aways But the best part? It cuts your writing time in half.
Your outline is taking shape now. Look for places Outlining works, no matter the length of your article. It
that need to be fleshed out more. What can you add? almost guarantees you’re creating a solid post.
For each section to be balanced, you want to make sure This isn’t the only outlining method out there, nor is it
there are close to the same amount of bullet points the best. It’s simply what works for some of us. Take
under each. what you can use and discard the rest. But do consider
If there’s nothing to add, perhaps you don’t need that outlining your projects before sitting down to write the
section after all. Which leads us to the next step. first word.

Next, let’s talk about a skill every copywriter should

5 Cut out the dead wood

The previous step helped identify areas that just
aren’t working. Cut them. Even if you love them. You can
nurture: how to write for different audiences.

save them and make a post of them another day. But

they need to go now.
Want to go deeper?
Here are some great resources:
Let’s go back to our example list. In this step, I deleted
4 Steps to Successful Brainstorming
“How many outlining methods are there out there?” – it
just didn’t fit in anywhere. How to Write a Blog Post Outline:
A Simple Formula to Follow
After you cut out what’s not supporting your working
title, consider if you need to reorganize anything. Now
is the time to clean up everything and make sure the
sections are coherent and flow well together.

6 Research and include links

Your outline is in pretty good shape by now. You just
need to fill in with research and links to add depth and
credibility. Oh, and for SEO purposes.

This is where you’ll save major time when writing. Focus

on finding examples and data to support the points in
your article. Then add those links to your outline under
each section in which they belong.

When you’re ready to write, you’ve organized everything

and included it in your outline. You just need to write it
up. It’s a breeze.

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ProWritingAid 19
 chapter 7: How to Write for
By Kelly Smith
Different Audiences

W
riting for a living can often mean that you If you’re trying to sell a product, you need to make sure
have to take jobs outside of your natural that your reader will clearly see how they will benefit
writing style. If writing in-depth reports on from having this product. If you’re trying to entertain
current affairs is your forte, you could feel stumped if a group of people and get them to keep coming back,
you find yourself writing for a click-bait style website you first need to know what they find amusing, and
that wants you to focus on pop culture. If you’re used work from there. It may sound simple, but many people
to writing conversational-type pieces, creating an overlook the ability to connect with an audience by
instructional eBook may feel a bit awkward for you. appealing to them directly.

While each writer has a preferred style and a voice,

you need to be able to code-switch to meet the needs
What do they
of your audience. Here are some key questions to ask know already?
yourself before you begin: Do your readers already have a good background
understanding of the topic, or are you introducing them
to new material? You don’t want to talk down to a group
Who is your audience? of people who are familiar with the subject matter. At
Before you begin writing, you need to know who the same time, you don’t want to put together a piece
you’re going to be writing for. Do a bit of demographic of writing that flies over their heads either. Make sure
research, and identify a goal. Are you trying to inform that you have a fairly accurate measure of what the
stay-at-home moms? Are you trying to sell something to audience brings to the table ahead of time before you
young adult men? Defining your target audience and a elaborate too much or over-simplify a piece.
goal or intent will help you decide on the voice that you
need to tap into to address them appropriately.
What is your role
What is the purpose or as the writer?
You’ve identified your audience, so now you need
intention of the piece? to consider who or what you are to them. Are you
Will you be writing a proposal for a board of executives teaching them? Are you having a “conversation” with
deciding on an investment? Or a short story to get a them? Are you an authority figure or are you asking
good laugh from college students? Obviously those for assistance? Depending on the author’s intended
two situations would require completely different relationship to the reader, you may need to change
perspectives, styles, and tones. While you’re writing, your perspective and your tone. If necessary, find a
keep asking yourself if you’re meeting your ultimate few examples of the type of writing you’re trying to
goal, and course-correct any time you think you may be accomplish and read through them to get yourself in
straying from the purpose of the assignment. the right mindset before you begin.

What appeals to Conclusion

my audience? It may help to give yourself a “cheat sheet” based on
Understanding what motivates your readers is the key to these questions that you can refer to before you begin
effectively engaging them. any project. Include the definition of the audience, their
knowledge level, the goal of the piece, and any other
If you want to hook them, you need to bits of critical information that you feel are necessary
understand their underlying reasons for to keeping your voice tailored to your audience.
reading your piece, and then appeal to
those reasons.
ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid 20
 Get yourself familiar with your audience: you may even
find that what starts off outside your comfort zone
becomes your new niche.

Want to go deeper?
Here are some great resources:
Understanding Voice and Tone in Writing
Audience Adaptation

ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid 21
 chapter 8: What Top Copywriters Don’t
Want You to Know

T They don’t shoot

he top copywriters have secrets they don’t want
you to know. Why? Because if you knew them, you
could be a master copywriter, too.
for perfection
Top copywriters know chasing perfection is bad for
In this chapter, we blow the lid off the biggest secrets business. They shoot for good enough, and then let the
those at the top don’t want the rest of us to learn. copy go. Otherwise, you could spend fruitless hours
refining and revising what you’re written instead of
It’s hard work working on the next project.
Many think a top copywriter sits down in front of her Don’t misinterpret this statement. This doesn’t mean
computer and whips out an amazing headline or two. The they produce shoddy work. They produce their best.
truth is it takes hard work to get a headline just right. They just know when to stop tweaking and move on to
something new.
You may spend hours researching your target audience,
and then more hours creating just the right headline. Because if you shoot for perfection, you will always
Some would like you to believe they spend a few hours be disappointed.
a day on copywriting and the rest pursuing “the writer’s
life,” which they present as one of freedom and leisure.
They’re not the
The truth is great copywriters best writers
sit in front of the screen every single Many successful copywriters aren’t the best writers.
day for long hours. They want no one to know, so they’ll never fess up. But
deep down, they understand while they may be good,
Because the more you write, the more money you make. they’re not the best.
And the more you write, the better you get. There is no
such thing as “writer’s block” to a top copywriter. They What sets them apart is knowing
know when they’re in front of their computer, they must how to write smart, not best.
produce. It’s what they do.
The best turn of phrase means nothing to your target
audience. Succinct, clear words that everyone
It takes time understands and that paint a vivid picture are the fodder
Great copywriting takes time. You need to set aside a of great copywriting. And the best copywriters write at
lot of time to get inside the skin of your target audience. about a middle-school level of understanding.
Then you need to think about how best to reach them
with your insider knowledge. Finally, you take the time They’ve had their
necessary to make each word count.
share of flops
If you whip something out quickly, give it a minimal Not all top copywriters can hit it out of the park every
look-over, and send it on its way, you’re not putting single time. They have flops where their big idea
forth the effort needed to be a top copywriter. didn’t do the work it needed to or their headline
remained un-clicked.
You need time to craft your big idea,
time to research and write, and time What separates them from the rest of us who flop is they
return with even stronger copy to test out next time.
to self-edit to make it shine.
A flop is merely an analytic that
tells you what’s not working.
ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid 22
 It gets you one step closer to what does. Great
copywriters learn from their flops and use it to make
their next idea that much better.

They love research

Great copywriters love researching to find that “golden
nugget” of information that turns their copy from good
to great. When you can present your target audience
with a speck of information that will blow their socks
off, you’ve struck gold.

This doesn’t mean they spend an inordinate amount of

time researching. They’ve learned over the years when
to call it quits and start writing. Top copywriters have
also learned all research is eventually used. You can
always use your leftover research in a future campaign.

It’s incredibly rewarding

When you’re motivated by helping your clients boost
their sales or increase revenues – or any other positive
key performance indicator – it’s incredibly rewarding
when they succeed. It’s personal and professional
validation that what you do makes a difference.

You may write pro bono sales copy for non-profits

you’re passionate about. Or you could help a charity
raise much-needed funds to help those in need.
Consider mentoring and helping a newbie copywriter to
avoid the mistakes you made.

Top copywriters understand it’s just as important to

give back.

Want to go deeper?
Here are some great resources:
The Secret To Writing Killer Product Copy
Work Smart: 3 Steps to Reduce Copywriting Panic

ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid 23
 section 2
Create Content that Resonates

chapter 9: Top Copywriting

Mistakes to Avoid

N
ow that you’ve laid a good foundation by
Use concise and punchy headlines to
understanding and developing your skill set, it’s
time to put it to use. Let’s get into the details of move your readers through your content.
how to write great copy and avoid the pitfalls. If they’re engaging enough, your target audience might
even read the content below each headline or sub-head.
Copy has different purposes, including direct response
This is true whether you’re writing B2C or B2B content.
(you want readers to act/buy) and educational
(providing the information they need to decide).
Regardless of your purpose, writing great copy takes Not writing
finesse and skill. conversationally
Conversational tone and wording is key to getting your
If you want to nail your copy every time, stay away from target audience to read through your content to the
these mistakes and the boring, unclear, and ineffective very end. If you start off with “purple prose,” your
copy they generate. bounce rate will be high. What is “purple prose,” you
ask? Read Chapter 11 to learn more.
Failing to use keywords
The best way to write conversationally is to picture one
and long-tail keywords person in your mind who exemplifies your target audience
Everyone loves candy, especially search engines.
and talk to them as if they were your best friend. You
Singular and long-tail keywords are the candy for search
wouldn’t use flowery, extravagant, polysyllabic words
engines. If you don’t feed them with the candy they
(see the “purple prose” there?) when chatting with a
want, they won’t rank your site very high.
friend over a cuppa. Don’t use it in your copywriting,
Spend time researching your keywords. Most important and you’ll connect better with your audience.
of all, learn how your target audience uses keywords.
Lurking in forums will show you how your target Confusing features
audience speaks about the topic, what tone and with benefits
language they use, and what they’re most interested Let’s say your product is a new tech gadget with lightning
in. You’ll also learn what your target fears and what he fast operating speed, 64GB storage, and access to all
wants most. the apps in both the Android and iOS app store. If you
focused on just those in your copy, you’d be missing the
Not using compelling mark because those are features, not benefits.
headlines Drill down to find the benefits
Readers skim headlines and sub-heads to see if your
copy has what they’re looking for. Your headlines should of each feature.
compel and engage, and should also tell the story Why is lightning fast operating speed beneficial to your
about how your product/service gives what your target target audience? Because it saves them time, right?
audience needs and desires most. Drill down even deeper. They can spend more time
ProWritingAid with family and friends and less time on work, or they

ProWritingAid 24
 can take on new clients and make more money. It all
depends on what motivates your target audience best.
Making grammar,
punctuation, and
Failing to connect with style mistakes
Woe unto him who doth such. Nothing screams
your target persona “amateur” more than misspellings, awkward sentence
Not connecting with your target reader is high on the constructions, and technical gaffes. And don’t expect
list of pitfalls. You need to walk a mile in their shoes your editor to catch it all; busy editors don’t have time
to understand what they need and want most. True to fix all your easily found mistakes.
empathy for their plight and passion for what they need
drive the best copy. Be proactive with ProWritingAid in your toolkit.
A self-editing tool lets you write freely as you draft
If your client doesn’t give you a marketing persona(s), because you know it will help you clean up your
you need to do the research yourself. Hang out where content later. You can be more productive when you
your target audience does in chat rooms and online write unreservedly “in the flow.” And your editor will
forums to learn what they fear and desire, and how you love your error-free content.
can best address those fears and desires. Your best
copy will come when you are actually one of the target
audience members.

Failing to include a Call to Action at the end

Failing to include a call to action (CTA) leaves your content dead in the water. Your audience
needs to know what to do at the end, so you need to be clear and concise about what it is.

A great CTA is urgent or time constrained, compelling and easy to do, and contains no risk.
Here are some examples:

Evernote
Simple and to the point, Evernote’s CTA is compelling and engaging:

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ProWritingAid 25
 Dropbox
Again, clear and concise, Dropbox’s CTA speaks to its amazing benefits:

REI
REI combines urgent and compelling wording:

Conclusion
Focus on avoiding these pitfalls, and create amazing Want to go deeper?
copy that gets results. Whether you’re writing blog Here are some great resources:
posts for your website or direct response sales copy for Long-Tail Keywords: A Better Way to Connect with
a client, learning what to avoid and what to focus on Customers
can make a clear difference in conversion rates, leads
Marketing Features Vs. Benefits
generated, and other key performance indicators. It
really is about quality over quantity when marketing How to Write Conversationally: 7 Tips to Engage and
with content. Delight Your Audience

Next, let’s look at what’s the most important skill 

The Power of the Call to Action & How Its Strength
Boosts Conversions
to master.
The Complete, Actionable Guide to Marketing Personas
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 chapter 10: What’s the Most Important
Copywriting Skill to Master?

I
have my thoughts on this topic, but when I googled Hopefully your client has done some of this research in
it to see what others were saying, I received 2.85 advance, and you can get that information from him or
million results in 1.10 seconds. her. If not, you can research this yourself.

People out there have vastly different ideas. So I Let’s say your target audience is millennials. You
chose the top 3 results, which were articles from can google “millennial occupations” or “where are
Entrepreneur.com, ContentMarketingInstititue.com, and millennials living,” and look up Census Bureau or
Medium.com. They all had my same idea listed in their Department of Labor statistics to find out occupations
top 5 essential skills list. and income, etc.

What is this skill, you ask? Next, use your creative and powerful research skills
to dig deeper. What TV shows do they watch? Do they
Getting in your target listen to particular podcasts, music, audio books, etc.?
Who are their role models? What books or magazines do
audience’s head they read? Follow them on social media.
Others call it learning the psychology of persuasion,
awareness of the user experience, understanding your If your target audience is B2B, you’ll take a similar
audience, creating a buyer persona, etc. However approach. But focus your research on the industry they
you’d like to refer to this skill, it’s about getting inside belong to, associations they’re members of, and scout out
your target’s head and writing to their fears, desires, forums where they hang out and talk shop. You’ll want to
problems, wants, and needs. set up Google alerts on industry news, blogs, and forums.

Many will argue creating a standout headline is the most Whether your client is selling a product or service, B2B
essential skill a copywriter should master. I counter or B2C, you need to find out what the competition is
with: if you don’t understand how your target thinks, doing that’s resonating with your target market. Lurk
you won’t fashion a standout headline that speaks around the competitor’s website and see what their top
directly to him or her. blog posts are about.

The good news is: this is a skill you can easily learn. When selling a product, look to reviews on Amazon for
similar items. Online reviews and forums let you see
Good research is the key what your target audience is thinking, what words and
To understand how your ideal prospect or target language they use to describe their experience, and
thinks, you need to go where they hang out, whether what they do and don’t like.
it’s online or offline. First things first, find out the basic
demographics of your target audience: Take a field trip
If you can, go to where your target audience is hanging
out. One copywriter whose target audience was new

Gender Occupation/ mothers would go with a pregnant friend to her doctor’s

appointments and hang out in the waiting room to
industry watch new mothers with their infants.
Age
Income range You can also take a metaphorical field trip by immersing
Married? yourself in what they’re reading. The previously
Residence mentioned copywriter read all of the popular new-mom-
Children? to-be books like What to Expect When You’re Expecting to
see what mothers worry about and want most.
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 For B2B copywriters, attend industry association
meetings, conferences, and trade shows to observe
your target audience in action.

Never stop learning

about people
Read everything you can find, online and in print, about
what makes people tick. For instance, here are a few
books you should read thoroughly:

•Ibynfluence: The Psychology of Persuasion

Robert Cialdini

•HbyowDaleto Win Friends and Influence People

Carnegie

•Obygilvy on Advertising
David Ogilvy

•Ebymotional Intelligence 2.0

Travis Bradberry & Jean Greaves

•COurhanging Minds: The Art and Science of Changing

Own and Other People’s Minds
by Howard Gardner

Final thoughts
You want a fairly detailed image of your target prospect
in your mind’s eye. Make your target a real person with
hopes, dreams, fears, and desires. If you can determine
what he or she is thinking and feeling, you can easily
reach out with words that resonate.

There are a lot of different ways you can get inside

the head of your target audience. Next, let’s consider
writing that can harm your content’s effectiveness.

Want to go deeper?
Here are some great resources:

10 Ways to Learn About Your Target Audience
6 Steps to Decoding Your Target Audience

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 chapter 11: Me Write Pretty One Day

W
ho remembers the book from almost two IBM reports that we create 2.5 quintillion bytes of data
decades ago, Me Talk Pretty One Day by every day. I had to look up quintillion (it’s 1018). When
David Sedaris? Great stuff, that. The title you’re facing this monumental competition every day
always reminds me of copywriters who think a pretty for readers, you’ve got to make every word count.
turn of phrase is the best way to show off their skills.
The reality couldn’t be farther from the truth. Examples of purple prose
Great content needs to be more than Here are a few ways to find purple prose and correct it
before you hit “publish” on your blog post or send your
just “pretty”. It needs depth and insight. content to a client.
It needs to avoid purple prose not like
the plague, but because it is the plague.
1 Take a look at your adjectives,
adverbs, and verbs.
What is purple prose? Example: The collection of obviously much-needed
The Roman poet Horace coined “purple prose” eons money was deemed highly appropriate for the
ago. People used to patch their clothes with purple incredible proliferation of deserving charities vying
cloth because the color purple was a sign of wealth. for favor.
Horace thought writers patched their prose with purple Whoa. That’s a mouthful, and I’m still not sure what it
phrases to appear more elegant and intellectual than means. Adjectives, adverbs, and verbs are not bad per
they really were. se, but when used in a flowery manner, detract from
Purple prose is flowery language that doesn’t help your your meaning.
reader understand your point, but it sounds so pretty. Let’s deconstruct this example:
It’s extravagant and showy, but it’s purely self-indulgent.
You feel like an artist when you write it, but your readers •Pabout
assive verbs? Check. “Was deemed” tells you nothing
who did the deeming. The sentence should be
will notice a mile away when you’re using big words to
written with the subject first and then the verb.
impress them. And trust me, they won’t be impressed.

Have you ever hit a brick wall when writing content and
•Hareidden verbs? Check. “Collection” and “proliferation”
two verbs with a suffix tacked on to make them
you’re not sure where to go next? Or you’re working on sound more important. Rewrite the sentence with
a 1,200-word article, but only have about 800 words of verbs instead of these nominalizations.
solid, researched text? This is when writers might turn
to purple prose as a filler. Bad choice. •Aproblem;
dverbs? Check. Adverbs themselves aren’t the
it’s using too many of them. “Obviously” and
“highly” are too much to take in one sentence. And
Why you should avoid they add nothing to its meaning.
purple prose
It detracts from the meat of what you’ve written.
•Anecessary?
djectives? Check. Is “much-needed” really
How about “incredible” and “deserving”?
Readers get bogged down trying to understand where
Rewritten example: We deemed collecting money
you’re going instead of nodding along with your easy-
necessary for the many charities needing funds.
to-read content and agreeing. Particularly for digital

2
content, readers want small, easily digestible bits of
Simplify your language and
information. They want to skim read for understanding
and expect you to get to the point immediately.
word choice
Example: The subject of the memo identified several
Wordy writing confuses readers. And opportunities to proceed with the plan to provide
ProWritingAid
frankly, it’s boring to read. tablets to each student in the school system.

ProWritingAid 29
 There’s a lot of corporate wording and diction issues The beauty of an editing tool like ProWritingAid is you
with this sentence. Here’s a deconstruction of it: can write freely and dump your thoughts on the screen,

•Pnotroceed – Does this sound stuffy to you, too? Why

just say “go ahead”?
then use the tool to find purple prose and accept or
reject its suggestions. You’re in control of edits to

• PSystem
rovide – You could just as easily say “give.”
make sure your meaning is clear and your unique voice

•much information.
shines through.
– This is an abstract word that doesn’t give
The best way to be more productive, earn more money,

•Ssimplified,
ubject – I threw this one in because it can be
but sometimes shouldn’t, like when you
and delight your clients is by writing fast, editing smart,
and sending your copy promptly. Let the right tools
refer to the “subject line” of an email. In this case, work for you so you spend more time writing.
“The subject of” is extraneous and can be deleted.

Rewritten example: The memo identified several

Conclusion
This is one of the longer chapters we’ve done, but it’s
opportunities to go ahead with the plan to give tablets
such an important topic to cover. The key take-away is
to each student in the school district.
don’t try to sound “infinitely intelligent with polysyllabic
Simpler is better, especially when you’re competing for words and flowery phraseology.” Try to have a simple
click-throughs and social media shares. conversation with a friend – your reader.

3
Have you ever read purple prose content? What was
Write short, active sentences.
your knee-jerk reaction? Yeah, ours, too.
Purple prose crops up in long, rambling sentences.
When you keep your sentences short and your pacing Next, let’s talk about emotional intelligence.
moving forward at a good clip, your readers will stick
with you.

Example: The gates will open at 5:00pm tonight so Want to go deeper?

concert goers can arrive early enough to find a seat Here are some great resources:
on the lawn, enjoy a picnic dinner, and visit with friends
How to Know If Your Prose Is Purple
before the music begins at 7:30pm, meaning you’ll have
plenty of time to relax and get ready for Purple prose: how to recognize it, and tame it
amazing sounds. What is Purple Prose, Beige Prose, and Blue Language?

There’s simply too much going on, right? Fifty words

in this sentence is about 39 too long. You want your
sentence lengths between 11 and 18 words and to vary
their lengths to keep readers interested.

Rewritten example: The gates open at 5:00pm tonight

for concert goers. Arrive early, find a seat on the lawn,
and enjoy a picnic dinner. You’ll have plenty of time to
visit with friends before the music begins at 7:30pm.
Join us for a relaxing, amazing evening.

How to correct
purple prose
ProWritingAid is the best answer to fighting purple
prose in its many forms. Each one of these examples
lit up the reports in my ProWritingAid add-on like a
firework. If the editing tool came with alarm bells, my
eardrums would have popped.

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 chapter 12: You Don’t Need a Psychology
Degree, But You Do Need EQ as a Copywriter

What is EQ? How to cultivate EQ

EQ (emotional intelligence) is the There’s good news if you weren’t born with a high EQ:
you can work at increasing and improving yours. Here
ability to identify emotions you’re feeling,
are ways to work on EQ every day:
understand them, use appropriate
means of expressing them, and manage Become aware of how you feel
We’re so rushed to get everything done in a day that
your emotional responses in positive,
we don’t take the time to examine how we feel. Being
effective ways. out of touch with your emotions means you’ll behave
People with high EQ communicate better with others, unconsciously in situations. You can turn this around
manage conflicts better, have better relationships, by being mindful during the day about how your
and can empathize with another person – exactly what emotions change.
copywriters do.
Take the time to stop, even during the
Writing with EQ busiest time of day, and observe your
Imagine you are writing a sales letter that needs to emotions.
communicate the benefits of your product or service For example, set a timer on your phone to connect with
in a way that prompts a visceral response. You need your emotions every hour. The more you do this, the
to foresee and manage your readers’ objections, and better you’ll get at identifying emotions.
empathize with your prospects’ feelings. You’re using
words to establish a relationship with readers. Practice managing your emotions
Instead of reacting to situations as they arise, make a
Using EQ to manage clients conscious effort to respond consciously. For example,
Imagine a new client who’s clearly rushed for time when you’re feeling stressed out about a deadline, you
and isn’t explaining her needs very well. She’s getting may unconsciously express that stress by snapping at
frustrated that you’re not picking up on what she wants someone who interrupts your work. To respond instead
done. If you can put yourself in her shoes using your of react, use the previous step to identify your emotions
EQ, you’ll establish a better working relationship and and decide how you want to behave. You could tell the
understand how best to communicate with her while interrupter how you feel, why it’s not a good time, and
she’s feeling harried. when would be better. This helps you manage your
emotions instead of letting them control you.
Your business as a copywriter
Practice empathy
depends on dealing with others in ways This means working on understanding how
that are positive and effective, and to others are feeling:
respond appropriately to emotional cues
• Try to see the world through another person’s eyes
from others.
•ASeek
ppreciate that person as a human being
This is the key to providing great client service and to •Communicate
to understand their feelings
writing great content that touches your readers.
• your understanding to them

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 Practice the 4 keys for
a better outlook

1. Stay away from the never-ending

“ what if ” scenarios.

2. Appreciate the work you do.

3. earn how to disconnect when necessary.
4. ook for the positive in every
situation.

Conclusion
Developing EQ in your copywriting business is really
akin to developing strong social skills. You know how to
communicate clearly and courteously. Now it’s time to
learn how to set your own emotions and motives aside
to actively listen, understand how someone else feels,
and put yourself in their shoes to help them figure out a
solution or solve a conflict.

Pretty powerful mojo to use in your content and your

business relationships.

In the next chapter, we explore integrity in copywriting.

Want to go deeper?
Here are some great resources:
How to Increase Your Emotional Intelligence – 6 Essentials
The Importance of Emotional Intelligence in Marketing
How to Boost Your (and Others’) Emotional Intelligence


The Dark Side of Emotional Intelligence

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 chapter 13: How to Write Direct Response
Content With Integrity

D Has This Ever Happened

irect response content is any writing that
persuades someone to take an action. That
might be a phone call to set up an appointment,
to You?
Have you ever had a near miss with a potential client
a click-through to another page on a website, filling in
where something just didn’t feel right? They were
an opt-in form for a mailing list, or a sale.
pushing too hard for you to write a certain way about a
Whatever the call to action is, you want to attract your product or service that didn’t ring true. Or perhaps they
readers emotionally with amazing benefits and then reel were very vague about their “proof,” but still expected
them in with concrete features and proof. you to write a standout direct response letter.

I had one client that bamboozled me completely. He

Direct Response Gets was pleasant, personable, and acted slightly befuddled
a Bad Rap about the whole direct response letter process. He said
What do most people think when they hear “direct he’d “leave it up to the expert.”
response content” or “advertorials”? Those late-night
I wrote the content and sent it off for his review. He
infomercials that push products with a lot of hype and
went at it with a hatchet, twisting what I wrote to
“But wait! There’s more!”
manipulate rather than persuade. I was appalled and
Let’s compare that with how a more popular and non- swore “never again.”
hype company like Under Armour promotes their high
quality, top-rated outdoor gear. In fact, you could Manipulation vs.
compare any reputable company that wants customers
to buy their stuff.
Persuasion
The best discussion I’ve seen that sums up writing
Pick any product on their website. You’ll see a direct response content with integrity comes from
flattering picture with an attractive model, benefit- Jonathan Fields:
laden features, proof of their exclusive technologies
(like ColdGear), upsell of other products frequently “The difference between persuasion and
purchased together, and their extras or free gifts like a manipulation lies in:
100% satisfaction guarantee and free standard shipping.
•Tpersuade
he intent behind your desire to
that person,

•Tofhethetruthfulness and transparency

process, and

•The net benefit or impact on that person.

Manipulation implies persuasion with the intent to
fool, control, or contrive the person on the other
side of the conversation into doing something,
believing something, or buying into something that
leaves them either harmed or without benefit.”
jonathanfields.com

The same elements that they use in late-night, hard-sell

advertising. The difference is integrity. True gold, that.

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 How to Write Content Conclusion
With Integrity Writing direct response content doesn’t mean you need
As a copywriter, you need to get clear in your mind how to sacrifice your integrity. But it does mean you have to
you think about your purpose in relation to your target truly believe in the benefits of the product or service
audience. Ask yourself the following questions: you’re writing about. If you can write truthfully about
how awesome it is and the amazing benefits readers will
What do I stand for? get from using that product or service, your content will

How do I help others? sparkle with integrity.

Next up is a crucial step in the art of persuasion: getting

Let this be your guiding light for everything you write.
your readers to nod along as they read.
The Oxford Dictionary defines integrity as: “The quality
of being honest and having strong moral principles.”
Want to go deeper?
The tone of your copy should always match or
complement the brand you’re writing for and their
Here are some great resources:
audience. For example, how you would persuade The Line Between Manipulation and Persuasion
someone to buy a financial product is completely
different from how you would present a commodity like

Four Ways to Persuade a Client With Integrity
10 Lies Freelance Copywriters Like to Tell You
laundry detergent. The latter is pretty low-key, while
the former can stand a little hype. The 6th principle of badass B2B web copy: Integrity
Direct Response Versus Branding: How to Write
keep these three tenets No-Hype Copy that Sells

in mind at all times:

1 Put your audience first.

Nefarious clients will want to do whatever it takes
to get a click, a response, or an opt-in. You need to
think about what’s best for your audience. Try to find
a way to compromise with clients who only want
click-bait, and be prepared to walk away from
unscrupulous advertisers.

2 Trust your instincts.

If something doesn’t feel right or if the client is too
vague about their product or service’s benefits to others,
take a step back and truly assess the situation. If a client
wants you to make claims you find it hard to support,
you can try again to compromise or just walk away.

3 Focus on quality.
Research is the foundation of high-quality direct
response content. Research both your subject and
your target audience thoroughly. Learn what and how
your audience talks about the product or service
you’re writing about. Use that information to guide
you in reaching them with the language they use and
the fears, desires, and goals they have. When you
research reputable sources, you can write with
authority and integrity.

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 chapter 14: Why You Need Your Audience
to Nod as They Read

I Keep their attention with

f you do one thing with your copy, and one thing only,
what do you need to do? It’s an age-old technique
salespersons use because it moves people to act.
the first sentence.
You’ve got their attention, now don’t lose it with your
And isn’t the purpose of your copy to get readers to act
first sentence. Keep the sentence short and to the
– whether it’s a click-through, an opt-in, or a sale?
point. A single-sentence paragraph that intrigues is the
Get them to agree with you. perfect first sentence. In fact, use this technique with
your first three or four sentences. Short sentences
Yep, it’s that simple.
create movement. Writing pithy, concise sentences,
No matter how brilliant your copy is, if you can’t get especially ones that ask simple questions to get your
your readers to nod along as they read, you haven’t readers nodding along, work the best.
made that all-important connection.

Any car salesman worth his salt will approach a

Now you create harmony.
You can do this in several different ways. Again, use
potential customer with an easy-answer question like
the simple techniques of asking questions you know
“It’s a nice day today, isn’t it?” Assuming it is a nice
your reader will answer with a “yes.” Right? (See what
day, you’ll agree. Next, he’ll say something about your
I did there?)
current vehicle like “Your car is in excellent shape. You
must take good care of it.” Now, who wouldn’t agree to Or assure your readers you know they’re savvy. As you
that? Then, he’ll say, “Since you’re here looking at cars, know well enough, readers like to be treated as savvy.
are you thinking it’s time for a new car?” Again, (Did you catch that one?)
you respond with a “yes.”
Another tactic is to help them see what you see. Use
The salesman follows up with “How about I show you your creative genius to help them picture themselves
some new models with improvements that you might be with your product or service and how their lives will
interested in?” This is the “yes” that will lead to the sale, change dramatically for the better.
but the groundwork was laid in the early questions used
to establish the connection. Finally, show your reader they belong. Use case studies
and stories to illustrate that people just like them are
Because once you have your prospect nodding along and living a better life or succeeding in their businesses, or
agreeing with you, they’re more inclined to say “yes” whatever your Unique Selling Proposition is.
when you throw down your ultimate call to action.

How do you do this? Create an amazing finale

Don’t drop the ball at the end. Here’s where you need
to make your reader take action. It’s actually more
Get their attention with a straightforward than you think.
kick-ass headline
We won’t go into this in detail because we covered it in Tell them what action you
Chapter 4, but it’s ESSENTIAL! want them to take.
If you don’t ask, they won’t do it. And if you’ve made
them answer “yes” often enough in your copy, they’re
more likely to say “yes” to your call to action.

Have you ever read a blog post that asks for your
thoughts at the end and felt compelled to share? Or
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 have you ever finished reading about a product and
felt you really had to have one?

That’s good copywriting. And it all starts with getting

your audience to nod along as they read.

Conclusion
There are many ways to create connection and harmony
with your readers, like appealing to their empathy or
even their fear.

The key is to get the head a’nodding and the rest will fall
into place.

Need a few more ideas? Turn the page to learn how to

take advantage of the “7 Deadly Sins” in your copywriting.

Want to go deeper?
Here are some great resources:
How to Convince Your Skeptical Readers to Accept
a New Idea


Ten Timeless Persuasive Writing Techniques
What Makes Customers Say “Yes”: The Psychology
of Persuasion

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ProWritingAid 36
 chapter 15: Taking Advantage of the
7 Deadly Sins to Boost Your Copywriting

W
hat is it about the 7 Deadly Sins that grabs Find out what makes your target audience tick, and
readers’ attention? Face it – you’re itching to make them want it more than anything else.
read this chapter just on the title alone.

Sex, sloth, greed, envy… it all sells. Right? Sloth

In this day and age, almost everyone feels rushed off
Wrong. It’s all in the presentation. their feet. How many overworked professionals, frantic
freelancers or new moms dream of relaxing with a cup
Here’s how to use the 7 Deadly Sins like an angel to of coffee, sleeping late, snoozing on a warm beach or
present your product or service in its best possible getting lost in a good book.
light. Master these and your readers will be eating out of
your hand. Appeal to their sense of being able to work fewer
hours and still come out shining by using your product
Lust or service.
Ahem. There are different forms of lust. Have you ever
read a cleverly crafted product description or sales Wrath
letter and felt a physical desire to own something? Who hasn’t gotten angry at the cell phone billing
That’s mastery of this deadly sin. department, cable company, or other providers who
seem to take advantage of hard-working individuals?
If you can make your reader feel a Dial in on your readers’ “pain” and speak directly to how
physical pull from their core urging your product or service can help them.
them to purchase quickly, they’ll be
If you’re selling a better mouse trap, you need to
lusting after your product. address how maddening and horrible it is to have
rodents in your home and especially your kitchen.
Gluttony
“No one can eat just one.” Who hasn’t heard this Hit your reader where they’re most
catchy phrase? upset and then offer them a way out.
Think of ways to appeal to the part of your reader that
craves more of something. Does anyone remember
Envy
This deadly sin bears almost no introduction. Most
the Beanie Baby craze from a few decades ago? The
people want the latest and greatest version of whatever
manufacturer couldn’t keep those things on the shelves
they’re passionate about. This approach doesn’t take
in stores because everyone had to have the next one.
much more than describing how your target audience’s
The sensation was all about “How many Beanie Babies
lives will be so much better with your product or service.
do you have?”
Show your readers how everyone will want to be their
Greed best friend. Appeal to the fact they want to inspire envy
If your product or service can make your reader in others. Consider this example from several years ago:
wealthier, you’ve hit the gold mine. “Everyone wants a BMW. Not everyone can have one.”

There are many ways people consider themselves

wealthy besides money. People with good health are
Pride
Your target audience is making the best decision
wealthy, as are people surrounded by loving family and
possible when purchasing your product or service.
friends. Some people consider themselves wealthy if
Make them feel smart and accomplished, or show them
ProWritingAid
they can travel the world and meet new people.

ProWritingAid 37
 how they’re light-years ahead of the competition when
they use your product.
Flatter their intelligence when deciding to contract with
you for services or purchase your product. Make them
feel part of an elite group who understands the finer
things in life.

Conclusion
Do you use the 7 Deadly Sins in your copywriting? When
you speak to that deep part of your readers, connect
with their wants and needs, and then show them how
bright the other side is thanks to your product or
service, wallets will open.

Want to go deeper?
Here are some great resources:

So Bad They’re Good: Use the 7 Deadly Sins for More
Persuasive Copy
Using Scarcity to Counter Sloth
Appealing to Pride

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ProWritingAid 38
 chapter 16: Don’t Let Sloppy Content
Turn Customers Away

C
onsider the content on your website and in your When you come across an intensifier, see if you can
blog posts, the product descriptions in your replace it with a stronger word. Why say, “We’re really
eCommerce store, your lead generation pieces, happy to have you as a new customer” when you could
and your emails. Every word makes an impression on let your customers know “we’re thrilled to partner with
your customers and prospects. you on this project.”

Small businesses with remote workers around the Nonspecific words

world don’t have a bricks-and-mortar shop front, so When you read the statement “I like your new system.
the face you put forward in your content represents I find it an interesting resource,” what comes to mind?
your company. It could refer to anything, right? A resource could be a
book, a tree, or even a person. Avoid nonspecific words
If your content is rife with punctuation and spelling like “interesting,” “resource,” and “system.” Instead,
errors, technical gaffes, or vague wording, what use more concrete wording such as “Your new SaaS
impression does that send? platform is amazing. I use it every day to manage my
Here are 10 ways to make sure your content is concise, to-do list.”
technically accurate, and clearly understandable so your Awkward sentence constructions
potential customers focus on your product or service’s Beginning too many sentences with an “-ing” word
benefits instead of bad writing. is another overuse situation to avoid. Let’s look at a
specific example:

1 Overused words
Some words and phrases are fine to use every once
in a while, but when overused they tend to detract from
Generating revenue is every business’s goal. Getting
your sales team aligned with your marketing strategies
is a key component. Organizing teams of both sales and
your meaning or come off as too awkward or wishy-washy. marketing personnel is one solution.
Let’s look at a few examples. It sounds a little robotic. Mix up your sentence
constructions to keep your target audience engaged. If
Could, might, and maybe
they have to work too hard to understand your content,
When you overuse these words, you sound unsure. “I
they’ll click away from your site.
might get this report done by Jan 18th” or “Maybe I could
send you a sample” tell your reader you’re uncertain. Use ProWritingAid to find awkward sentence
constructions so that you can reword them.
The solution is to use authoritative phrasing. “I will
have this report done by Jan 18th” and “I’ll send you a
sample” tell your target audience that you mean what
you say. If you want to engender trust, avoid undefined
words and opt for a clear, exact statement instead.

Intensifying words
Intensifying words are crutches for weaker words. When
you use “very,” “really,” and “so” to prop up a weak
noun, adverb, or adjective, you’re muddying the waters.

If you tell customers that your service is “very fast,”

just how fast should they assume that means? It’s much
better to let customers know specifics, such as “we
have 24-hour turnaround.”
ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid 39
2 Sentence structure
The length of your sentences matter. Varying
sentence lengths between short, long, and medium
adverbs, and corporate wording. Let’s look at these
in turn:
Passive voice
makes your content flow better for readers. Let’s look Passive voice occurs when the subject of your sentence
at a few examples: comes after the verb or is eliminated completely. Here
Short are two sentences using passive voice.
The report’s due date is Friday. Julie says she is on
schedule. We forewarned the copy room. They’ll have
•Tcatch
he white paper is being edited prior to publication to
last-minute errors and omissions.
copies ready by 4pm. Packets will be delivered by 5pm.
•Tattendees
he webinar was created by Tech Support to show
how best to handle error reporting.
Long
Since the client has a concrete deadline of Friday end of In the first example, who is editing the white paper is
day and Julie says she’s on schedule, we need the report eliminated completely. And in the second, the subject
finalized early on Friday so the copy room can make the doing the creating comes after the verb.
copies and put together the packets in enough time for
our delivery guy to drop them off at the client’s by 5pm. Now let’s look at the same sentences using an
active voice:
Varied
The client has a concrete deadline of Friday end of day. •Jcatch
anie will edit the white paper prior to publication to
last-minute errors and omissions.
With Julie on schedule for completion, we can get the
report to the copy room early Friday. This should give •Thow
ech Support created the webinar to show attendees
best to handle error reporting.
them enough time to make the packets. Then our delivery
guy can drop off the packets at the client’s by 5pm. Notice how each sentence has a subject followed by an
It’s like Goldilocks and the Three Bears. One is too active verb. Passive voice can sound stuffy and politicians
choppy (five short sentences), one is too befuddled (a use it to avoid taking responsibility for their actions. You
single long sentence), and the varied one is just right. want your content to use active voice at all times.

You can use ProWritingAid’s Sentence Length Report to Hidden verbs

create a visual representation of your text so that you Verbs can hide in your sentences when you add “-ion”
can check your variation: or another suffix to a verb to turn it into a noun.

•OWish
ur employees took up a collection for the Make a
Foundation to help seriously ill children.

•Wcomponents
e performed an analysis of the machine’s
to identify wear and tear.

•Tbonuses
he executives made a decision to forego company
this year.

Can you spot the hidden verbs in these sentences? Now

check out these rewrites:

•OFoundation
ur employees collected money for the Make a Wish
to help seriously ill children.

•Wwear
e analyzed the machine’s components to identify
and tear.

•Tthishe year.
executives decided to forego company bonuses

3 Writing style
Stylistic choices make a dramatic difference in how
your customers perceive your company. Search engines
Adverbs
Used sparingly, some adverbs are OK. Used to mask a
weak verb, however, adverbs are crutches used by lazy
look for strong writing, so replace any unnecessary
instances of passive voice, hidden verbs, too many writers. Look for a stronger verb instead. Here are
ProWritingAid some examples:

ProWritingAid 40
 Weak verb + adverb: Still not sure? Here’s an example:
The manager quickly sent his response via email.
Strong verb:
•Idatabase
was able to find the answer to the problem in the
of the audit reports of the system and get
The manager fired off his response via email. the system admin to make some changes that will
resolve the issue.
Weak verb + adverb:
The CEO spoke eloquently about the company’s The percentage of glue words used (called the glue
mission and vision. index) in the above sentence is 61.8%. You want to shoot
Strong verb: The CEO articulated the company’s for 40% or less. Take a look at the sentence rewritten:
mission and vision. •Tthehe system
audit reports database contained the error, and
admin’s changes resolved the issue.
Corporate wording
Corporate wording creeps into writing when you’re The glue index for the rewritten sentence is 37.5%,
more concerned about eloquence than you are clarity. under the 40% recommended.
Take a look at this example of corporate wording
gone overboard. Using an editing tool to highlight sticky sentences is

•Oandur administrators
latest platform creates synergy between users
to enhance workarounds and
an easy way to search out awkward and clunky writing.
Sometimes a sticky sentence will be fine, but more
often than not, it can be improved by breaking it into
generate buy-in for our core competency.
two sentences or rewording it in a simpler way.
Now read the rewritten version:

•Uwesershopeandeveryone
administrators are creating solutions
can get behind to support our
company’s products and services.
5 Pacing
Pacing refers to the speed that readers move
through your content. You’ll use pacing differently
depending on the purpose of your content.

4 Sticky sentences
You’ve probably never heard of sticky sentences,
but they’re a real problem in writing. Sentences can
For example, let’s say you’re writing a white paper for
customers and prospects to learn more about your
products or services. Here, you want to vary your
get sticky when they have too many glue words holding sentence lengths to keep your readers’ attention.
them together. These glue words are 200+ of the most
common words in the English language. But if you’re writing web content, you want to use short,
punchy sentences that visitors can skim. Be honest: do
The following chart shows a few glue words to give you read long blocks of content on websites, or do you
you an idea: skip ahead and read the headings?

Visitors to your website want to find the information

glue words they need as fast as possible. Give it to them in short,
The most common words in English, including, easily-digestible bits of information that anyone can
but not limited to: understand at a glance.

in of think is A great way to accomplish this is to use headings that

move your reader from the top of the page down to
on to some this
the bottom with short one- or two-sentence
the there new from paragraphs underneath.
was will make with
Another technique is to use bullet points with short
for be much have
descriptions. Website visitors enjoy lots of white space,
that what every an images, and videos on websites, so the less text the
said get should by better. And what you do use, make it short and concise.
a go just it Make every word count.
if like and asked
ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid 41
 6 Transitions
Transitions get little attention, but they’re
important to help your readers stick with you. Consider
Did you identify the repeated phrase that kept showing
up throughout the paragraph? This technical gaffe can be
hard to pick out in your content, so it is helpful to have
them the signposts in your content that help your software that picks up on repeated words and phrases.
reader follow your train of thought.
The exception to this rule is, of course, keywords. You
Transitional words and phrases help move your reader need to use keywords at a 2.5% density rate throughout
through your website, too. You don’t want to jump from your website content for search engines to recognize and
idea to idea without helping website visitors understand rank your site for them. Anything above 2.5% is keyword
you’re covering something new. stuffing and search engines could penalize your site.

8
You might remember transitional phrases from school,
like “as a result,” “nevertheless,” “likewise,” or even Clichés
“in order to.” These phrases show the relationships Clichés can still occur in business writing. In fact,
between your ideas. Spot the difference between these Inc. Magazine has an excellent article These 32 Business
bullet points: Clichés Need to Die that everyone should read.

•Tcontaminant
he water test kit is composed of 10 different
testing strips. You’ll need to send
Here’s a fantastic example of clichés overdone:
Tom, I need to pick your brain. Let’s think outside the
samples to the laboratory for analysis. box and get disruptive. We’re done with the low-hanging
•Tcontaminant
he water test kit is composed of 10 different
testing strips. However, you’ll need to
fruit; now it’s time to raise the bar. Let’s take a deep
dive and really push the envelope. I want to create a
send samples to the laboratory for analysis. paradigm shift here. Let me know your thoughts.
The second sentence with its transition makes it clear What is this person trying to say? He or she needs
to your reader that these two ideas are separate to work on finding fresh ways to communicate, not
thoughts requiring different actions. only because the clichés have been done to death,
but because they just don’t give specific information.
Let’s see another transition in practice:
They’ve lost their impact and meaning. Surely the writer
•Mmarketing
ark is the senior manager in charge of inbound
for the metals and construction group. He
could be more “granular” (that’s a cliché for “specific”
that also needs to die).
covers the cement desk.

•Mmarketing
9 Consistency
ark is the senior manager in charge of inbound
for the metals and construction group. In Your website visitors, customers, and prospects
addition, he covers the cement desk. will notice if you’re not consistent with spelling,
In the second sentence, it’s clear that Mark’s hyphenation, and capitalization. And for remote teams
responsibilities on the cement desk are in addition to from the US, England, Canada, and Australia, spelling
his senior manager responsibilities, not part of them. inconsistency happens easily.

There are over 1,700 spelling differences between UK

7 Repeated phrases
You may not even notice when you use the same
phrases repeatedly in your content. When you’re
English and US English, and Canadian and Australian
English are somewhere in between the two. The most
common inconsistencies are words with “-or” in US
writing, certain words can stay top of mind and spill out English compared to “-our” in UK English, such as
frequently. Consider: honor/honour, color/colour, and neighborhood/
The company’s new vision statement identifies neighbourhood. This is just the tip of the iceberg. You
opportunities we want to target and where we see should pick one version of English – US, UK, Canadian,
ourselves in 5 years. The Board of Directors approved Aussie, etc. – and stick with it.
the new vision statement at their regular meeting
Another inconsistency that readers will notice is
last month. We’re just now rolling out the new vision
hyphenation. How many times do you refer to the
statement to all employees, but many of you have seen
“long-term” plans of your division versus your
ProWritingAid
one version or another over the past several weeks.
company’s “long term” plans? Do you hyphenate

ProWritingAid 42
 “e-mail” or do you use “email”? Over 60% of randomly
sampled documents have some form of hyphenation
Conclusion
The above examples show “bad writing” that makes
inconsistency.
your business look unprofessional. Urge your remote
Finally, capitalization inconsistencies are common, too. staff responsible for content to use an editing tool like
Do you “google” something or “Google” it? Is it the ProWritingAid to help them check for technical edits
“Internet” or the “internet”? I’ve seen these both ways, and style choices.
so again, pick one and stick with it.
An editing tool makes suggestions for improvement and
lets you choose what edits to make. This allows you to

10 Vague and
abstract words
Unclear words lack specificity and leave your reader
keep your brand voice and style consistent.

More importantly, however, your customers and

prospects will be more engaged with your content.
wondering. Vague words are subjective in meaning.
When visitors are engaged with the content on your
Consider “tall,” “pretty,” “little,” “slightly,” or “good.”
website, your conversion rates will increase. And that’s
What you consider “pretty tall,” I might consider
what we all want, isn’t it?
average height.

Choose words with stronger denotations to replace

vague terms. Here’s a fun example. Want to go deeper?
Your boss writes you an email: I read your report. It’s
Here are some great resources:
pretty good. Still, can you make it stronger? What are the 25 ProWritingAid Reports?

How do you respond to that lack of specificity? For 

These 32 Business Clichés Need to Die
remote employees, this vagueness requires a Skype call
to clarify, which wastes your time and your manager’s.
Concise writing doesn’t mean you have fewer words,
as in the above example. It means you’re choosing the
strongest words possible to make sure your reader
understands your meaning.

I read your report. It’s well-written but I wondered if you

can add more evidence to back up your arguments in
sections four and five. I suggest using the stats from the
last quarterly report.

There. Now you know exactly what your boss liked and
how she thinks it can be made stronger.

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ProWritingAid 43
 chapter 17: Copywriting is a Never-Ending
Learning Fest

W
e’ve covered a lot of ground up to this point. at your fingertips. It’s your responsibility to take that
You’ve seen examples to help you identify advantage and use it in productive ways.
what is and is not good copywriting. And
we’ve offered tips and suggestions for improving. Get with the
Now is a good time to point out an essential component changing times
of being a great copywriter that’s not often touched Copywriting is a different discipline than it was in
upon: the ability to keep learning. yester-years, like the days of Mad Men. You need to get
rid of your assumptions and your convictions about its
Copywriting and marketing, especially for the internet, use, its purpose, and its value so you can be open and
are changing and evolving daily. What works for SEO receptive to a new way of doing business. It’s not about
purposes or conversion rates today won’t be the same winning advertising awards; it’s about conversion rates
tomorrow. So if you think your copywriting education and other analytics.
will be complete when you put this book down, we urge
you to reconsider. Hopefully you’ve come across information in this book
and elsewhere that challenges your worldview. Rather
Don’t stop learning than stay in your comfort zone, stretch yourself to
learn more and grow. You’ll be amazed at what you can
The structured education you get from this book and
accomplish.
others like it is very important to your success. But
highly motivated individuals who dedicate themselves As you make it a priority to learn something new about
to lifelong learning will have the competitive edge over copywriting every day, take the time to think about what
other copywriters. you believe and why. Do you have an outdated mindset
that’s holding you back from growing your business?
Prioritize time in your busy life to educate yourself
about the concepts, ideas, and current trends in For example, do you see copywriting as a specialized
copywriting and marketing. When you do, you can see skill that can help clients achieve amazing success? If
the plentiful opportunities just waiting for someone like you do, you’ll be able to price your skills on the value
you to capitalize on them. you provide instead of by the hour or by the project.

Personal and Be willing to question your beliefs and dig deep.

And let new information and research inform your
professional success opinions. Separate yourself from the crowd by
Your copywriting business is only as strong as the effort developing an independent mind steeped in facts.
and knowledge you put into it. What you provide can make the difference in a client’s
There is a direct correlation between success. It’s that valuable.

people who strive for growth in their

personal lives and those who are Learn, then apply
It’s not enough just to cultivate your mind. You need to
successful in their professional lives. apply what you learn.
We urge you to commit to the concept of lifelong
learning. In an ever-changing market like copywriting
Consider creating a to-learn list just
and in our global economy, it’s vital to stay current, up like you would a to-do list.
to date, and competitive. Unless you’ve been in the copywriting industry since its
origin (which would make you older than Methuselah),
Technology makes it easier than ever before to pursue
ProWritingAid
and attain knowledge. You have access to information
there’s still more to learn. You might complain your

ProWritingAid 44
 already-busy life can’t fit one more thing in. If you let Another idea for growing and learning is to seek out a
limiting thinking like this keep you from learning more mentor, someone who’s been where you are and can
about your craft and business, prepare for mediocrity. offer insight and encouragement. Surround yourself with
like-minded individuals and try to learn something new
from them each day. There are plenty of experts in their
To Learn: field who have valuable information and insight to share.

Google’s latest SEO criteria Consider setting aside a weekend to take a copywriting

How to make Facebook videos

seminar. You’ll have access to experts and other
copywriters, you’ll learn in detail what you need to know
More about Emotional Intelligence about copywriting, and you’ll make lifelong contacts.
These contacts will help you as you expand your
More about writing apps business and find new challenges to tackle.

This is where you can get ahead of everyone else Conclusion

as a copywriter. You understand the importance of Filling your mind with all of this information is incredibly
time management and prioritizing the never-ending important to your business’s success and to your
education of your industry and trade. Constantly strive personal fulfillment. But it’s useless if you don’t apply it.
to learn more, do more, and know more than your Reading a book or listening to a podcast isn’t the same
competitors. This will help propel you towards success. as applying what you learn. Find a way to take what
you’ve learned and apply it in a functional and fun way.
Daily learning opportunities don’t have to be hard or One of the best ways most people learn is by taking on
time-consuming, nor do they have to inconvenience projects they’ve never done before.
your life. You can actually learn on the go. Consider
these ideas for using the downtime in your schedule to So go ahead. Jump right in, then learn as you go. And
learn more: remember, copywriting is a never-ending learning fest.

Stuck in traffic It’s as important to set aside time

This happens to the vast majority of us, so make use for learning as it is for writing and
of this time. Listen to audio books, play a podcast on business development.
new business concepts, or listen to a webinar on your
It’s part of the three-legged stool that will help you
smartphone. You can find audio books to help you with
become a master copywriter.
writing techniques, business ideas, marketing, and any
other subject to make your business more successful.

When you’re waiting Want to go deeper?

Think about all the time you spend waiting – at the Here are some great resources:
doctor’s office, in the check-out line, waiting to pick the
kids up from school or practice, or any other number of 
Copywriting Course Reviews
instances. Read a few pages of a book while you wait. Copywriting Fundamentals Online Training Course
Just 15 minutes a day will help you read a new book
every two weeks.

Social media
This might be hard for some people, but it’s estimated
Americans spend 23 hours every week on texting and
social media. Instead, channel that energy and time
into your business or personal enrichment. You could
be a thought leader and master in your field simply by
changing your habits and mindset.

ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid 45
 chapter 18: How and Why to Partner with
Other Copywriters

I
t may seem counterintuitive, but every copywriter
She’s there to kick your butt when
needs to partner with other copywriters. Maybe
you’re thinking, “But I compete with other you slack off and to push you hard to
copywriters for gigs!” Don’t worry; there’s plenty of achieve your goals.
work for all of us. Your best friend can’t be your accountability partner
Partnering with another copywriter can help you build because she won’t be objective enough. How would she
your business and your skills. There are two types of hold you accountable? You need someone who will tell
partner that are particularly valuable: mentors and you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear.
accountability partners. An accountability partner won’t worry about hurting
your feelings; he’ll worry more about helping you meet
or exceed your goals.
Why you need a mentor
A mentorship is a hierarchical partnership. You find Accountability partnerships are two-way streets. You
someone who’s already navigated the waters you’re must give the same feedback and support you’re
carefully treading. A mentor can help you avoid the getting. It’s like peer pressure, but in a good way. So
snake pits and dead-ends. And he or she can show it’s important you and your accountability partner
you proven ways of either managing your copywriting understand what you’re trying to do and what you’re
business or learning the skills you need to grow into a both up against.
top copywriter.
Imagine if you were writing your first how-to business
Here are a few famous mentoring partnerships that book, but your accountability partner had never
helped people skyrocket their careers: written one or participated in the process. You need to

•OCaroline
prah Winfrey was mentored by Barbara Walters. find someone who can relate to what you’re doing on

•helps women
Ghosn, founder and CEO of Levo League that
of Generation Y break into and excel in
some level.

Which leads to the point on everyone’s mind…

their careers, was mentored by Sheryl Sandberg.

•Rorganization
eshma Saujani, famous founder of the Girls Who Code
that helps young women pursue careers
How to find a mentor and
in technology, was mentored by Hillary Clinton.
an accountability partner
Finding your mentor or accountability partner can
You can shorten your learning curve in business, be serendipitous. Just when you’re not looking for
copywriting, and life with a mentor. He will listen to someone, you find the perfect person to help you
you without reservation, she’ll let you pick her brain, build your business and get on the fast track to
and they’ll get you on the right path. If you believe copywriting success.
learning is a never-ending task, mentoring offers an
amazing database of knowledge and experience from As corny as it sounds, you’ll know who the perfect
a successful businessperson to open your mind to new mentor or accountability partner is when you talk to
possibilities and ideas. them. The key is to get out there and network. Attend
marketing association meetings, chamber of commerce
Why you need an luncheons, copywriting conferences and seminars, or
any other venue that might put you in proximity with a
accountability partner would-be mentor or accountability partner.
Unlike a mentor, an accountability partner isn’t there
to build you up and listen to you vent.

ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid 46
 To give you some guidance, here’s what Final Thoughts
to look for in a mentor: You want to work with a mentor and an accountability
•Ycorner
ou need a cheerleader; someone who’s in your
when good things happen and when bad things
partner who will help you expand and grow your
business and your skill set. How to tell when you’ve
do, too. chosen well is to examine how they approach their own

•Ytheou right
want a coach to help you solve problems and find
solutions.
business. Find out how they handle clients, good and
bad. What books do they read? And how do they handle

•Ywho
ou must choose someone who is a connector
can introduce you to others to help you grow
mistakes or bad things?

Treat it as a professional relationship and as part of your

your business. work responsibilities. It’s all right if you become friends,
but approach each meeting as a regular business
And here’s what to look for in an
meeting to get the most out of the partnership.
accountability partner:
•Yresponds
ou need a reliable person who’s easy to reach and
quickly.
Do you have a mentor or an accountability partner? If
you don’t, it’s time to find them.

•Hfundamental
e or she can relate to what you’re trying to do on a
level (it’s better if she’s a copywriter with
This is the last chapter of section two. Take a few
moments to make sure you’ve implemented everything
complementary talents to yours).
you’ve learned so far, and then join us as we take the
•Sneed
he’ll be completely honest and open: here you don’t
a cheerleader – you need a butt kicker.
third and final step to success.

Finally, with both your mentor and accountability

partner, be clear about your expectations. There will
Want to go deeper?
be times when you need someone to just listen, while Here are some great resources:
other times you need advice. Decide when and how How To Start A Mentorship Relationship
often you’ll connect, and if it will be in person, by
Why You Must Have Accountability Partners If You’re
phone, or through email.
Serious about Copywriting Success
Most importantly, make sure you realize that, when you The Reality Blog: 5 Different Accountability
take your accountability partner’s or mentor’s advice, Partner Situations
you are still 100% responsible for your choices.

Why an Accountability Buddy Is Your Secret Weapon
for Faster Growth

ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid 47
 section 3
Build Your Profile ( and Pay Your Bills)

chapter 19: Create Your Online Profile

Y Social media – yay or nay?

ou’ve honed your skills and created content that
resonates. Now it’s time to build your profile as
Personally, I don’t putter much on social media to
a professional copywriter, ensuring all your hard
promote my services. And there are tons of freelancers
work is rewarded by earning a decent living.
out there who would decry my irresponsibility in
You need a place to showcase your skills and market avoiding it.
your services. A lot of platforms that connect
Several proponents claim they get a lot of great client
freelancers with clients who need writers also let you
work from their social media accounts. Others claim it’s
capture your portfolio online. For example, you could use
the fastest, best way to build authority and credibility.
LinkedIn as your base of operations: there are plenty of
While others say social media is the biggest time suck
places on the site to capture samples for your portfolio.
and you should avoid it at all costs.
But by far the most professional way to present yourself
I’ll leave whether you choose the social media route
is through your own website. And a website today
up to your better judgment. Ultimately, if you plan on
doesn’t have to break the bank. If you know how to
providing social media services to your clients, make
drag-and-drop, you can create your own.
sure you’re pretty active and savvy with all of it. Check
Every reputable business today has a website, and your out the first link below if you’d like to make social media
freelancing business is no different. Your own website part of your professional online presence.
lets you control the format, what’s included (or not
included), and a host of other necessities like:
Want to go deeper?
•YYour biography

•Aourlist portfolio Here are some great resources:

•Testimonials
of services provided (with or without prices) 
How to Use Social Media to Get Freelance Writing Jobs

•Contact information Find Trustworthy Freelancers on LinkedIn

•And, most importantly, your blog.

•
Because let’s face it, creating your own content that helps
your clients see the value you provide is paramount.

The key to your website is to keep it up-to-date. Always

add fresh content, upload new samples to your portfolio,
and add new services as you broaden your horizons.

Finally, constantly add new client testimonials. Make

requesting testimonials for your website a part of each
engagement you complete, and you’ll always have plenty
ProWritingAid
of fresh fodder.

ProWritingAid 48
 chapter 20: Set Yourself Up as
Self-Employed

T
aking the plunge as a professional copywriter To make sure you’re covered legally and tax-wise,
could well mean you’re going self-employed for it’s best to find a tax accountant. She can guide you
the first time. When you’re ready to hang out your towards which business entity works best for your
shingle, there are a few things you must do and several situation and help you determine deductible business
that are nice-to-do or rainy-day tasks. expenses to help reduce your tax liability.

Let’s cover the must-do first.

Get a business
Get a reliable checking account
Set up a separate checking account to run your
internet connection business through. A separate account makes it clear
You can’t work from home without a reliable internet to the IRS that your business is a separate entity from
connection. You need maximum up-time and a solid your personal income. This also helps you keep track of
connection because you’ll be communicating with everything you earn and your business expenses.
clients through email, Skype, Slack, Google Hangouts,
and a host of other collaboration platforms. Having a
spotty connection will hamper your ability to function Pick an accounting system
and make you come across as amateurish. You need a system to track your income and expenses
to make sure you’re profitable. The best option by far
If this means you need to purchase more expensive is QuickBooks Self-Employed. You can do everything
business internet for your home, it’s an essential from track and categorize your income and expenses, to
investment. And it’s an expense you can deduct from pay your quarterly estimated income tax and generate
your income taxes. invoices for clients.

That’s the essentials covered. Next, let’s go over the

Determine your nice-to-have or rainy-day projects. These ones are for
legal structure when your business is up and running and profitable.
How you structure your business affects how much you
pay in taxes, the paperwork and accounting you need to
do, and your personal liability. Most freelancers are sole
Hire an assistant
For every minute of every hour you’re not writing,
proprietorships (or sole traders), meaning you’re the
you’re not making money. An assistant can be invaluable
only owner and taxes are paid on your personal income
for maximizing your time. A good VA (virtual assistant)
tax return. There’s a great resource at the end of this
can handle everything from routine emails to phone
chapter that discusses each type of legal entity you
calls, scheduling meetings, and invoicing clients. He can
could form for your new business.
be a life-saver when it comes to weeding out the things
In the US, if you don’t register your business as a only you can do and delegating the rest of the tasks that
separate legal business entity, you’re automatically need handled.
considered a sole proprietorship for federal tax
Let’s say that you’re charging $100 per hour on the
purposes, and must pay your own income taxes, Social
average. If you pay a VA $15 an hour for 15 hours of
Security, and Medicare. You don’t want to get on the
administrative work each week, you’re making an
wrong side of the IRS, so keep meticulous records on
additional $1,275 that you wouldn’t otherwise. Here’s
your income and make your quarterly estimated tax
how this is calculated:
payments on schedule and on time. In the UK, you
need to keep on the right side of HMRC and your tax $100 per hour at 15 hours = $1,500
payments will be biannual. Less: VA’s 15 hours at $15 per hour = 225
ProWritingAid $1,275

ProWritingAid 49
 Those are 15 hours that you can write and earn money
that would otherwise have been spent on mundane
administrative work generating no monetary value.

Check out your

insurance situation
If you work out of your home, your homeowner’s
insurance policy may not cover when something
happens to your business assets like your computer. It’s
best to make sure you’re covered, even if this means
taking out an additional policy.

You should also check into liability insurance. What

would happen if you made a mistake in something you
wrote that damaged a client? You’d be personally liable,
unless you had liability insurance. Then the insurance
company would be responsible for compensating the
client, and you wouldn’t have to file for bankruptcy.

Finally, don’t forget about health and dental insurance. If

you can get on your spouse’s work plan, that’s wonderful.
If not, you need to get insurance on your own.

Conclusion
There are as many more nice-to-have ideas as there
are individuals who freelance. On your list might be
getting two or three external monitors so you can set up
separate screens on the same computer for researching
and writing. Also consider investing in a robust time
tracking app. How and where you spend your time is of
the utmost importance to making sure you’re generating
as much income as you can.

Business structure all set up? Great stuff. Next, we take

a look at finding work online.

Want to go deeper?
Here are some great resources:
Start Your Own Business (US Federal)
IRS State Government Websites
Choose a Business Structure (US)
Choose a Business Structure (UK)


QuickBooks Self-Employed
Virtual Assistant Finder

ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid 50
 chapter 21: find work

Y Contena
ou have options when searching for clients. You
can cold-call businesses to see if they need any Much like Upwork, Contena is platform that connects
copywriting assistance. You could use direct mail writers with clients who need their help. The great
and send promotional information to companies. Or you thing about Contena is they charge a flat fee every
could attend dozens of networking functions to try to year. So, no matter how much money you make on their
get in front of someone who needs a copywriter. platform, you still only pay the same flat fee. This can
Here’s a revolutionary approach: you could go where save you thousands of dollars in fees over the course
clients are looking for writers – online freelancing of a year.
platforms and job boards (gasp!). Yes, you can make
good money working for the so-called “content mills.” Guru
Or you could end up working for pennies on the dollar. Guru offers something beyond just writing; there are
It’s up to you to set yourself apart from the other writers jobs for management and finance, engineering and
and create high-paying demand for your services. architecture, and much more. The big drawback for
Guru is there is a membership fee: basic is free, but has
Just like any business, you have to put in the time very limited functionality. There’s Basic+, Professional,
and effort to build it. This means starting out working Business, and Executive, each costing more per year.
for peanuts on a freelancing platform to build your The perk to membership is that with each level, you
reputation. Once you get a few 5-star ratings under pay less in job fees for work performed. For example,
your belt, you can begin to raise your rates. And when in Basic+, you pay an 8.95% job fee for every dollar
you continue providing top-notch work and become a earned, while for the Executive level membership, you
top-rated freelancer, clients will come to you. only pay 4.95%.
Here are a few platforms to check out. Experiment with
a few; see which ones resonate with you. Then put 100% MediaBistro
effort into building your online career – under-promise MediaBistro has a fantastic job board with everything
and over-deliver, always hit the mark, never miss a from TV and PR/Marketing to social media and book
deadline, and continually upsell your services. You’ll be publishing. You can find writing jobs in addition to
surprised at how fast you can rise through the ranks. journalism and can even drill down to a specialty like
B2B, content marketing, or SEO.
Upwork
With something for everyone from beginners to Other sources
seasoned pros, Upwork offers access to a high number Job search and board listings like Freelance Writing
of paid projects, priced either hourly or by the project. Jobs, Indeed.com and Craigslist are another source of
There are short-term and long-term projects, so you copywriting jobs. Simply google “freelance writing jobs”
can build a stable of repeat clients for whom you write and start getting on their email lists so you’ll know when
every week or month. Upwork takes out a 20% fee new jobs are posted.
for the first $500 you earn; after that, they take 10%
until you hit $10,000 in client billings, after which they Finally, but perhaps the most important, is LinkedIn.
take 5%. There’s safety working through Upwork; they As we flagged in the previous chapter, this is the
guarantee you’ll be paid for your work. If you’ve ever quintessential place to find a job. And if you can get
been stiffed by a client, you’ll understand the appeal. ranked in their ProFinder program, you’ve made yourself
stand out from the crowd so you’ll get noticed first.

ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid 51
 Conclusion
The key is to not put all of your eggs in one basket.
Spread your talents around these different platforms
and job boards to find just the right clients. Then nail
each and every assignment, always turning work in
on time and on or under budget. You’ll quickly build a
stellar reputation that will have high-paying clients seek
you out.

Imagine not prospecting for hours, but having paying

clients knock on your door, asking you to work with
them. It can all be yours with a little hard work and
attention to detail.

Want to go deeper?
Here are some great resources:

Becoming a Freelance Writer Can Be Easier Than You Think
Writer for Hire: 101 Secrets to Freelance Success
The Well-Fed Writer: Financial Self-Sufficiency as a
Commercial Freelancer in Six Months or Less
You are a Writer (So Start Acting Like One)


Writer’s Market 2018: The Most Trusted Guide to
Getting Published

ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid 52
 chapter 22: Why You Shouldn’t Focus
on a Single Niche

L Think outside the box

et’s consider my friend, Nancy. She was an
accounting major in college and worked at a How did Nancy finally discover her niche? She went
Big Six accounting firm in the 80s and 90s for to a marketing association luncheon, and met the
over a decade. Then she decided to stay home and marketing director of a fitness chain. They clicked, and
raise her children. the director asked Nancy to write an email marketing
campaign for him.
Nancy enjoyed her time with her children, but after her
youngest started school full-time, keeping house bored And for the first time, Nancy found herself so involved in
her. She’d always liked to write, was a fairly decent a project that she forgot about time. Why? Because she
writer, so she hung out her shingle. found herself in the target market. She was the right age,
educated, married with children, and interested in losing
Now, Nancy listened to conventional wisdom and
weight. She knew exactly what to say to these prospects.
focused her attention on the accounting industry. She
obviously had the experience and expertise needed to How does that help you find your niche?
advertise herself as an expert in the field.
Think about niche-searching as connecting with people
The funny thing is… Nancy hated those writing – not industries. And when you connect with other
assignments. After some soul-searching, she realized people, you don’t always search out someone who is
that if she had she been passionate about accounting, exactly like you, right? You probably have a variety of
she would have stayed working rather than become a friends from different backgrounds, professionals,
stay-at-home mom. She lacked the passion she needed races, religions, geographical locations, etc.
to focus on the accounting niche.

Nancy finally found her niche after taking on quite a few Connecting – not selling
different clients. She’s now passionately writing for the Selling is when you target a single niche and focus all your
health and fitness industry. attention there. That’s what you want to avoid at first.

You want to meet people who are

Is the answer to follow doing things that stir your passions.
your passion?
If you limit yourself, you risk getting pigeon-holed into That’s connecting, not selling.
something that doesn’t light a fire in your heart. But Grab your notebook and a pen, or open up a blank page
it’s not as simple as blindly following your passion. It on your laptop. Now brainstorm three or four “niches”
needs to be a viable industry. Not all industries can pay that interest you. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a
professional copywriting fees. something you can monetize, but it needs to be subject
For example, if you enjoy writing for small, local matter you find interesting.
businesses, they’re usually limited on funding. So, to When I did this exercise, I came up with “dogs,” “tech,”
make any money, you’ll have to take on a lot of clients at “writing” (obviously), and “reading”.
lower rates.
Now find three or four blogs/websites for each niche
Some people say you should narrow your focus down to and interact with people there. The key when you
the smallest common denominator to determine your interact is you stay in your copywriting brand. You let
niche. But you can get so far down a rabbit hole you get everyone know what you do, but emphasize you’re there
stuck in the dark. to discuss technology or dogs, or whatever interests
you. Remember, you want to connect with others, so
ProWritingAid interact as much as you can.

ProWritingAid 53
 Who you gonna call? Final thoughts
When you get known in those forums, chat rooms, and Diversifying into other niches can be invaluable. Because
blogs, who do you think they’ll turn to when they need a the competition for prospects’ attention online is
writer? And who do you think they’ll recommend when fierce, you’d better start sowing seeds in other niches
their friend’s business needs some content written? by connecting with interesting people. Either they’ll
become clients – or someone else will.
That’s the power of connecting with others.
Next, let’s look at a few writing opportunities you may
And it works. I know a fitness guru who picks up fitness have overlooked. Turn the page…
clients from guest posting on tech blogs. How, you ask?
He loves tech, dabbles with it in his spare time, and he
loves writing about what he learns from his dabbling.
Everyone on the tech blog sites find his opinions and
Want to go deeper?
thoughts interesting, while being fully aware that he’s a Here are some great resources:
fitness guru. And it’s funny because a lot of these tech How to Choose a Profitable Niche
guys want to get fit.
Why You Don’t Need a Niche (and 11 Simple Alternatives)

Connecting helps make

the sale
Guess what? The fitness guru is far outside of his niche,
but he’s still making the sale. That’s good business.

Realize it won’t happen immediately: you can’t expect

to meet someone who instantly realizes she needs a
copywriter. But as you talk and connect, she’ll say,
“Hey, I know someone who was looking for a business
writer.” And since she now knows and trusts you, she’ll
recommend you.

See how that works, though? You’re out connecting with

people while enjoying your interests. Just hanging out and
having fun. And you made a sale without having to sell.

And even more interesting – you weren’t focusing

narrowly on a single niche.

ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid 54
 chapter 23: Lucrative Writing
Opportunities You May Have Overlooked
By Heather Robson

Y
ou can be a writer without being a starving artist. let them know up front that you handle the writing and
In fact, plenty of writers make a healthy living the design is up to them.)
from their craft. Some even crest six figures.
Case studies typically run to about four written pages.
That’s hard to do writing novels, poetry, or magazine If your reader has a similar problem to your client’s
articles. But it’s not all that difficult if you turn your skills customer, they’ll be able to immediately relate to the
to a more in-demand kind of writing – copywriting. story you’re telling. Ideally, they’ll contact your client to
pursue a solution of their own. Success!
If writing a best-selling novel is your secret (or not-so-
secret) hope, or your favorite fantasy is about being Most business-to-business (B2B)
invited to read your poetry at esteemed universities, companies expect to pay between $1,000
you can fund those dreams using what you already know
and $1,500 for a well-written case study.
and love… writing.

If you turn your skills to commercial freelance writing,

a few great things can happen for your creative writing
career:
2Helping Businesses
Grow Their Lists –
Writing Special Reports
•Mwhich
any freelancers earn enough to leave their day job…
frees up more time to work on your novel, your
Have you ever signed up for an email list because
they were offering a special report you were really
poetry, or your next award-worthy magazine article. interested in?
•Tcommercial
he writing techniques you learn working on
projects can help you market the projects
Most people have… more than a few times.

you are more passionate about. And usually those special reports are written materials.

•Chealthy
ommercial writing performs better when there’s a
dose of creativity in the mix – stories sell –
Well, someone has to write them. And that someone
gets paid.
so quite a few creative writers find that copywriting is A well-written special report begins with an intriguing
satisfying and rewarding in its own way. idea. It goes on to explore that idea in-depth, providing
plenty of actionable information along the way. These
And there are many of different kinds of projects you
reports may be two pages long… or 20. Sometimes,
can work on that pay well, so chances are good you
even longer.
can find one you enjoy. Here, you’ll find seven writing
projects that pay well, and that you may not have Most companies expect to pay
considered… until now. between $1,500 and $5,000 for a
good-quality special report, depending

1 Stories That Sell –

Writing Case Studies
Among the most enjoyable business writing projects to
on its length.
These reports are fun to write and can lead to more
work on, case studies are basically stories that sell. varied and interesting projects with the same client.

3 A Gift That Keeps on

To write a case study, you interview your client along
with one of their customers. You find out what problem
the customer was facing and how your client helped
Giving – Writing E-letters
One of the best writing assignments to land as a
them to solve it. And then you write it all up as an
freelancer is a weekly e-letter. Because it’s a regular
interesting, visually rich story. (Don’t worry – your client
assignment, it provides a reliable source of income.
will have a graphic designer to pair you with, or you can
ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid 55
 Hiring freelancers isn’t an easy process for most Learning to write pay-per-click ads, the landing pages
companies. It takes effort and thought. When a they lead to, and product sales pages are all types of
company finds a writer who does a good job with their copy that can pay handsomely.
e-letter, they aren’t likely to look for a replacement
without a pressing reason. So there’s job stability, too. Landing pages can run from $500
to $5,000 (or more) depending on
Writing an e-letter is similar to writing an article.
the length.
You need to frame your topics to appeal to your
audience, maintain a consistent voice, provide useful In today’s market, the internet makes it possible to
and entertaining information, and write in a clear and test and track results, so your client will know when
organized way. you’re making them sales. They’ll keep hiring you and
they’ll give you good referrals, too. Sales writing is
Most companies pay between $150 more demanding than editorial, but if you like a good
and $500 for a weekly e-letter. challenge, the rewards are excellent.
That’s week in and week out. It doesn’t take very many
clients to build a comfortable, steady income.
6 Make the Headlines –
Writing Press Releases
4 A Higher-Tier Repeat
Gig – Writing Print
Newsletters
Online companies are always on the lookout for new
sources of web traffic and new ways to get their name in
front of potential customers in a credible way.

A lot of businesses – particularly professional services Getting picked up by the national – or even local – news
businesses – send out a print newsletter once a month outlets is an incredibly effective way to do both.
to their list of current and previous customers. It keeps
them at top-of-mind with their customer base and A writer capable of producing a press release that news
helps to generate a sense of loyalty. outlets publish is a writer who will always be in demand.

It also serves as a reminder. If you’re due for a dental Most companies pay between $500
cleaning, for example, and receive your dentist’s and $1,000 per press release.
monthly letter on good oral care, that may be the If your releases get picked up on a regular basis, your
trigger that leads you to make an appointment. clients will come back to you again and again.
Some professionals write their newsletters themselves,
but many don’t have the time. And they want to provide
consistently excellent quality to their customers. So
they hire it out… to a writer like you.
7 Try Your Hand at Script
Writing – Writing Videos
You may have noticed that video is big on the internet
right now. Companies have certainly noticed. They are
These newsletters usually run two to four pages and
turning to video for content marketing, commercials,
contain multiple articles.
sales letters, interviews, customer engagement, how-to
Most businesses expect to pay instructions, and more.
between $500 and $1,000 for this service. And for every video, there’s a writer creating a script.
It’s another steady gig that can really add up quickly
once you’ve landed a few clients.
Most writers get paid between $100
and $200 per minute of run time.

5Put Your Persuasive

Skills to the Test –
Writing Sales Pages
If you write a script for a five-minute video, that could
be worth up to $1,000 in your bank account.

Writing is a valuable, in-demand skill. Don’t let anyone tell

Writing editorial copy – copy that informs and you different. And if you’re a good writer, you can make
sometimes lays the groundwork for a sale – is a good gig. a very good living writing content and copy for online
But sales copy pays more per project. The closer you are businesses… with time to spare to pursue your creative
ProWritingAid
to a client’s bottom line, the more you can charge. projects like writing the next great American novel.

ProWritingAid 56
 Want to go deeper?
Here are some great resources:
State of the Industry 2017: Copywriter Rates,
Marketing Stats
How Much Should I Charge? (Downloadable PDF)
How Much Does it Cost To Hire a Copywriter?

ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid 57
 chapter 24: What Editing Issues Fast-Track
Your Writing Submissions to the Reject Pile
By Susan Maccarelli

O
nce your copywriting business is up and grammatical errors are fine, but if it’s not coming
running, the last thing you want is to hit the from you, it’s not your original voice and idea, it
submission rejection bump. won’t be considered.”
Whether you move on and forget the experience in Magnolia Ripkin, Editor-In-Chief
five minutes or dwell on it for five weeks, it would be BLUNTmoms.com
nice to know WHY an editor decided not to use your Magnolia can smell a fake writing persona from a mile
article. But in this industry, nobody has time to give away. She quickly figures out when “a submission
individual feedback. is full of 40-dollar words not in the natural
vocabulary of the writer.” While she appreciates an
When we asked editors what makes them send a writing
impressive vocabulary as much as the next editor, she
submission straight to the reject pile without passing
points out that using a writing voice unlike your own is
GO, they shared these reasons. They’ll help you avoid
“like your first time on high heels, everybody can
rejections and explain those that may have happened
see the awkward.”
when you were starting out.
Carelessness
Not following directions T.T. Robinson, Managing Editor
Jennifer Oradat, Freelance Editor Spousebuzz.com
Jenniferoradat.com Careless writing comes in many flavors. T.T. Robinson
Not everyone takes the time to read through editorial warns: “If you spell the publication’s name wrong,
guidelines before submitting work. Jennifer says: it’s an easy no.”
“There’s nothing more obnoxious than a writer
Alison Lee, Editor
who clearly didn’t read the submission guidelines.
MultiplesIlluminated.com
Guidelines typically discuss not just what to
Alison adds grammatical and syntax errors, misuse of
submit, but how.” She can often tell if a writer has
words, and spelling errors to the list of careless writing
glossed over or skipped the submission guidelines just
examples, noting that: “Good writers spend as much
by reading their cover letter.
time, if not more, on editing their essay. Great
Leah Singer, Managing Editor stories get lost in poor writing.”
Red Tricycle Spoke Contributor Network
Leah encourages writers to “Spend a few minutes Verbosity
to check the punctuation and editorial style of Kallen Diggs, Business Editor
the publication before submitting a piece for GoodMenProject.com
consideration.” Leah gets regular submissions that Kallen believes lack of succinctness is a big problem for
don’t abide by her publication’s rule on spacing after a many writers. Kallen observes: “Some writers take a
period, and reminds writers “Even if you are not a fan paragraph to say something that can be articulated
of two spaces after a period, if it’s the publication’s in one sentence.” Since first impressions are vital,
style, do it THEIR way!” Kallen goes on to say if he sees this problem he will
encourage the writer to take a writing class before
Someone else’s voice welcoming their submissions again.
Renée Picard, Former Editor
Elephantjournal.com Ignoring your editor
Even though an editor may not know you well enough to Dillon Baker, Associate Editor
pick your voice from a lineup, most can easily tell if your Contently.com
writing sounds inauthentic. Renée begs writers to “Skip It should go without saying that if your editor gives you
ProWritingAid
the clichés, please.” She notes: “A few structural or direction, you should make the requested edits or at

ProWritingAid 58
 least discuss further with them. Dillon thinks: “The
mistake most likely to make sure your pitches
won’t be accepted in the future is straight-up
ignoring edits. Ignoring a question or suggestion is
just rude, and can be extremely confusing for the
editor. If you disagree with something, fight back
– any good editor can take it as good as they can
give it, and it demonstrates that you’re committed
to making the best article possible.”

Dismissing the
editorial calendar
Leah Singer, Managing Editor
Red Tricycle Spoke Contributor Network
Many publications live and die by the editorial calendar,
so no matter how great the piece is, if it’s outside the
timeframe, it won’t get published. If a writer doesn’t
send a piece with enough lead time, editors may have
to reject it because the editorial window has passed.
Leah urges: “Be mindful of timing. Most editors are
completing timely stories well before the day of
an event or holiday. For example, if you have a
great story about how kids can get involved in
Giving Tuesday, don’t send the pitch on Giving
Tuesday. The story may be terrific, but by then it’s
too late and won’t be timely to promote on social
media either.”

Conclusion
If you were reminded of a recent faux pas, not to worry!
There are more publications in the sea and always
somewhere else to submit your writing and practice
your editing etiquette.

ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid 59
 conclusion
We hope you’ve learned enough from these chapters to get started.
Copywriting is not all rainbows and unicorns as some would like
you to believe. But if you love to write and are willing to work hard,
copywriting can help you fund your writing dreams.

Did you enjoy this e-Book?

We’d love to hear your comments. Drop us a line at:

about ProWritingAid

C
hris Banks, founder of ProWritingAid, is one of ProWritingAid analyzes and reports on 26 different
those rare minds that combine a love of words metrics to help you strengthen your writing.
with technical know-how. He has created
something for every writer, no matter where you are on Some reports are based on techniques passed down
your journey. Chris first made the editing tool to improve by writers for generations, like reducing reliance on
his own writing. He’s just as surprised as anyone that it’s adverbs or passive voice and avoiding clichés. Others
taken off the way it has—there are over a 600,000 users are based on statistics. For example, the app can scan
after just four years. your document and highlight repetitious phrases or
structures so you can revise and add more variety. Or
The analytical side of Chris’s brain understands it can find long, complicated sentences and corporate
statistics, which means he saw how the elements of bad wording so you can improve their clarity. ProWritingAid
writing could be measured by a computer. To support won’t fix them for you; it just highlights potential pitfalls
the creative side of his brain, he designed user-friendly so you can reassess them to make sure you’re getting
software powered by a robust algorithm that scans for your ideas across in the best way possible.
ways to make writing better.
But the best news is… ProWritingAid’s online editing
When asked how ProWritingAid is different from other tool is free to use.
checkers, Chris said:
Go to ProWritingAid.com today. You’ll be a convert, too.
“Where ProWritingAid excels is at
finding those sentences that should
be changed, not because they are
grammatically incorrect, but because
they are not as clear or as strong as
they could be. ProWritingAid goes way
beyond just grammar.”
ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid 60