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Heisting Hall of Fame Headlines

By Michael Masterson

Old-time copywriters like yours truly enjoy a walk down Memory Lane now and then. We do it for fun, but it can be profitable, too.

I’m talking about rereading the best-known direct-marketing ads of the past. Copy written by such luminaries as Gene Schwartz, Claude Hopkins, and John E. Kennedy.

It’s fun to read through these old ads. Looking at them now — with their dated language and primitive graphics — you might think they could never work in today’s hypercompetitive market.

Yet some of them are still working. And, most of them live on as the arms and legs or blood and bones of many modern ads written by copywriters who understand their value.

There are many ways to learn from these time-tested ads.

One way is simply to read them — over and over again. Maybe even copy them down by hand or say them out loud. I’m convinced that’s the only way to understand all sorts of important but subtle things about good copy — diction, pacing, phrasing, etc.

But the best way to learn from them is to analyze them from the inside out. Ask yourself: “What is going on here beneath the surface? What are the psychological triggers that are going off in the reader’s heart and mind as he reads this?”

This is what I call determining the DNA of an ad. If you get the core structure right, you have a template — invisible to everyone else who looks at the same ad — of what really makes it work.

So today, I want to introduce you to that kind of deep structure analysis. And I’m going to do it by applying it to headlines — the smallest piece of the advertising puzzle, yet the most powerful.

The headline you use has an enormous impact on the effectiveness of your ad. Pick the wrong headline and your response rate could drop by more than half. Select the right headline and you could double or triple response, and even create an ad which will last for decades.

The Best-Known Headline Ever Written

Several years ago, Raphael Marketing compiled a list of 100 of “the best print advertising headlines ever written.” As a group, these ads sold hundreds of millions of dollars worth of products and services. (That would be tens of billions of dollars today.)

I looked through the list this morning and thought, “Boy, these are really good. I bet I could use some of them right now to improve my clients’ copy!”

I’m not talking about copying them verbatim. A word or two or three, maybe. (And for a headline by a living writer, I wouldn’t even do that.) But more than that is just plain dumb, because it doesn’t work on so many levels. For one thing, it’s cheating. And, it makes you a weaker marketer/writer.

What I could do, though, is figure out what is going on beneath the surface (determine the DNA of those headlines), and then inject that into my clients’ copy to invigorate it.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at one of the “top 100″ headlines. In fact, let’s look at the headline that came in at number one. It was written in 1925 by John Caples for a correspondence course from the U.S. School of Music:

They laughed when I sat down at the piano …
But when I started to play!

This headline instantly conveys all the key elements of a successful ad:

• One strong idea
• One desirable benefit
• One driving emotion
• One inevitable solution

In just 15 words, Caples tells a powerful story. You can see someone approaching a piano in a crowded room — perhaps it’s a dinner party. You can see the look of disbelief on people’s faces as he nears it. When he pulls back his cuffs, a twitter of laughter starts. Before his fingers touch the ivories, there is a chorus of abusive cackling.

How can you not feel sorry for this guy? Surely you have experienced, sometime in your life, a similar moment of embarrassing derision. (Who hasn’t?)

Imagining this situation, you feel his need for revenge and approval — two of the deepest and strongest human desires.

Now comes the second line — “But when I started to play …”

You can see the shock and disbelief on the faces of those who were laughing. Our hero has begun playing, and the music is flowing like wine. Men grow pale with admiration and jealousy. Women glow in appreciation.

And then the thought hits you: “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if I could play the piano?”

Based on Caples’s headline alone, the reader of this ad is already half-persuaded to sign up for the course it is selling. As I suggested above, this is an astonishing amount of work to get done with 15 simple words.

What’s Going on Here?

One of the most important discoveries I ever made about advertising came to me years after I first read this wonderful headline. But, it could have been inspired by it. I call it the Rule of One.

I said this about the Rule of One: “Write about only one thing at a time. Because one good idea, clearly and convincingly presented, is better than a dozen so-so ideas strung together.”

Caples’s headline is a beautiful example of that. Had he taken the salad bowl approach — so popular with the whippersnappers who write copy today — it might have read as follows:

Now You Can Learn to Play the Piano Quickly and Easily!

After years of research, musicologist discovers the world’s most efficient method for teaching the piano.

Using this unique new program, you can master the piano
in less than a year!

You will amaze your friends and neighbors!
Some may even be shocked at how well you can play!
Plus, you can earn extra income on the weekends!

This headline doesn’t have nearly the force of the original because it has too much going on. Too many unnecessary details, too many unrelated emotions, and too many damn words!

Another reason Caples’s headline is so strong is because, as I pointed out, it tells a story. Of all the ways to get your readers emotionally involved in your copy, nothing works better and more consistently than the story lead.

In the book I’m writing with John Forde on copywriting, he has this to say about it:

“I can think of a lot of people who balk at big promises. I can think of plenty more who couldn’t care less about a bulleted list of shocking statistics. But I can’t think of a single person who can resist a good story. Can you? Everybody loves a good story.”

“As a way to communicate, nothing feels more natural.”

“So doesn’t it make sense that when someone says, ‘Let me tell you a story … ‘ you perk up and listen? There’s no better way to melt resistance. Of course, if you don’t tell the story well, you can still lose the reader. And telling the right stories well isn’t always easy.”

“But get it right, and a story lead lets you sneak into the psyche sideways, like no other lead can, delivering anecdotal proof and promises … and a setup for the rest of your pitch … long before the reader even realizes what you’re doing.”

Caples’s ad was an instant hit, selling thousands of correspondence courses. Many call it the most successful ad of the 20th century.

And the structure of his classic headline has been “borrowed” time and again by other copywriters. You may have seen this one (thanks to AWAI Board Member Don Hauptman for these examples):

They grinned when the waiter spoke to me in French …
But their laughter changed to amazement at my reply.

Or this one:

They laughed when I sent away for free color film …
But now my friends are all sending away, too.

Or this one, which I just saw in Small Business Opportunities Magazine:

They laughed at me when I started my cleaning business …
But when I quit my day job …

So what can the modern marketer/copywriter learn about headline writing from Caples’s classic example?

• First, the Rule of One: One strong idea/emotion/benefit is better than half a dozen mediocre ones.

• Second, the power of the story: There is no stronger way to engage your prospect than with a simple story.

• Third, that adhering to the “rules” of good storytelling will produce the greatest effect. That means beginning in the middle with a conflict — expressed or implicit — that affects a protagonist the reader can identify with. And offering an emotionally satisfying solution.
You don’t have to use Caples’s words. Just borrow the deeper structure of his headline:

• The hero, an ordinary person like your prospect, attempts to do something extraordinary.

• People doubt him.

• He proves them wrong.

There are countless ways to apply this structure. If you are selling an investment system, for example, you could tell a story about how all the experts doubted the system when it was first unveiled. If you are selling inexpensive domestic caviar, you could create a story about how a group of gastronomes ridiculed your product until they tasted it.

Spend a few minutes right now jotting down notes on how you could use it in your next advertising campaign.

Many copywriters spend just as much time on their headlines as they do on the rest of their sales copy. After all, the headline is the most important part of the ad.

I’ve just revealed several secrets of writing million-dollar headlines. And, as you work your way through AWAI’s Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting, you’ll discover even more: the seven things your headline must do — and what it should never try … the deceptively simple secret of the “Four U’s” … why cleverness is not a virtue. It’s all in there, along with hundreds of tips for supercharging the rest of your copy.

At this year’s Bootcamp, I’ll spend ten minutes reviewing another classic headline that has been running, in one form or another, since I was a kid. We’ll analyze it like we did this one and I’ll give you examples of how you can ethically knock it off to make your own copy stronger.

If you haven’t booked your ticket to come to Delray Beach yet, it’s not too late. The experience of being at a Bootcamp – learning from some of the world’s best copy masters and getting hooked up with other copywriting students — not to mention attending the Job Fair — is without doubt the single most effective thing you can do right now to make your dream job come true.

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Another good rule of thumb that Michael doesn’t mention here is: take at least as much time writing the headline as you took to write the entirety of the piece. Don’t rush to throw something at the top of your work just to get it out the door. Do it right, do it once and move on to the next project.

To your success,

Mike Lawson

(This article appears courtesy of American Writers & Artists Inc. (AWAI) The Golden Thread, a free newsletter that delivers original, no-nonsense advice on the best wealth careers, lifestyle careers and work-at-home careers available. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.awaionline.com/signup/.)

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Read This Article For a Key To Hypnotic Writing

By John Torre

Welcome back!

I hope your Labor Day holiday was enjoyable. Mine was good, but I have to say I felt a bit deceived by the weatherman. A sunny, beautiful weekend was predicted here in Jersey, and indeed that prediction held true for most of the state. But down the shore where I was it remained pretty much overcast except for Saturday. But, at least it didn’t rain, and with the good fortune of being able to generate a bit of “liquid sunshine” in lieu of the real thing, a good time was had by all.

By-the way, I realize that to most of the other coastal parts of the country, “the shore” refers to the strip of sand that meets the ocean.

Not in Jersey. To us, that’s “the beach.” While the beach is indeed an essential part of the overall shore experience, here in Tony Soprano land “the shore” encompasses so much more.

If I had to define it, I’d say that the Jersey shore is more “attitude” than location. It’s comprised of approximately 127 miles of resort and residential towns that feature endless rows of vacation bungalows, multi-million dollar homes, roadside motels, and seedy honky tonks from which blare the sounds of Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Frankie Valli, or the latest local tribute band.

On the famed boardwalks of tourist traps like Seaside Heights, it’s all about greasy cheese steaks, sausage sandwiches, slices of pizza the size of road cones, and wheels of “chance” where prizes range from stuffed animals to televisions, bicycles, and more. You’ll also find souvenir shops, beach gear stores, arcades and ice cream parlors, as well as two 300-foot long piers that feature amusement rides, carousels, log flumes, roller coasters, Ferris wheels and other attrations that’ll make you lose your lunch quicker than a quarter through the cracks of the boards.

Every few steps you’ll come upon attractions that test your skills, bearing compelling names like “Frog Bog” and “Shoot the Geek,” where barkers dare you to shoot paint balls at a poor kid dressed up in an Osama Bin Laden costume who’s being paid about six bucks an hour for nothing more than cultivating welts on his head and body.

From the snap of paint balls hitting body … to the blaring sounds of rock-n-roll … to the bells and whistles of Lucky Leo’s Arcade … to the screams and sirens from the rides on Casino Pier … to the tat-tat-tat sound of leather slapping metal prongs as it slows down the spinning wheels of chance … it’s all part of the aura of the Jersey shore.

Is it unique to New Jersey? I don’t know … you tell me. All I can promise is you’ll have the time of your life when you visit the Jersey shore, and you’ll understand why it’s an experience all unto itself.

Okay, ‘nuff said about that. In the spirit of the holiday past (and in anticipation of the ones to come…), what do you say we get back to work?

A couple weeks ago we started talking about some psychological devices that will help your sales copy transform readers into buyers. Today we’ll take a look at another one that has almost a hypnotic quality about it … literally and figuratively.

It’s called, “Neuro-Linguistic Programming,” or “NLP” for short.

Co-founded in the 1970’s by American author and mathematician, Richard Bandler, and Dr. John Grinder, an American linguist at the University of California at Santa Cruz, NLP, in its most basic definition, is the study of helping people change by teaching them to program their brains.

Or, in our case, perhaps subtly programming it for them.

Now understand right up front that NLP is as complex as any psychological field of study out there, and it would be ludicrous to try and use this space to dissect it past the miniscule scope of it that applies to us.

Nevertheless, we can still examine the logic behind certain aspects of it and how they might be used to our benefit as copywriters. And the first aspect we’re going to take a look at this week is…

Embedded Commands

The “Golden Rule” of web copywriting (or any copywriting, for that matter…) is to generate a response of some kind. Whether it’s to call for more information, subscribe to a newsletter or mailing list, or purchase a product or service … you want your reader to take action!

Using embedded commands to elicit that action involves “embedding” the action you want your reader to take in the form of a casual, conversational sentence.

Consider the following sentence:

“Let me know when you are going to purchase this product and I’ll make sure you receive a free bonus report.”

On the surface it seems like a harmless enough sentence. But notice the almost hypnotic embedded command: …you are going to purchase this product.

Embedded commands are frequently used by public speakers to get their point across. Whether it’s a sales presentation or a political speech, the speaker will use voice inflections such as a lower tone or speaking more slowly for emphasis to produce the hypnotic effect.

We, as copywriters, don’t have that luxury so we have to depend on other means of delivering our embedded commands. This normally involves using boldface type, italics, quotation marks, dashes, ellipses, or colors.

In the example above, I set off my embedded command by putting it in italics, thus establishing the effectiveness in which the command is communicated. A person will subconsciously zero in on that part of the sentence as a command, and will likely follow the command without consciously realizing it.

The whole point is to gain effortless compliance from your reader without ever having them perceive that they’ve been given a command. What’s happening when you utilize an embedded command is you’re circumventing the scrutiny of a person’s logical “left brain,” and thus appealing directly to your reader’s intuitive and subjective “right brain” mode.

It is a very powerful tool, but like I said a couple weeks ago, it can be dangerous and unethical (if not illegal!) if used incorrectly, so be careful and do it right.

Crafting an Embedded Command

Start by constructing your command. This is usually expressed in three to seven words in the imperative voice and begins with an action verb. For example:

Pick up the phone…

Learn the secret to…

Act on this now…

Purchase (product name) today and get…

After you’ve constructed your command, simply incorporate it into a full sentence, such as:

Pick up the phone today and speak to a knowledgeable representative who can help you pick out the perfect pattern to compliment your home décor.

Learn the secret to a longer, healthier, and better life through meditation.

An additional bonus report will be sent with your order if you act on this now.

Purchase this widget today and get three more widgets for the just the cost of shipping and handling.

Take a look at some of the projects you’re working on and see where you might be able to edit your copy in order to insert an embedded command. It will make the copy more powerful, more compelling, and elicit your reader to take the action you want him to!

Oh … by the way … knowing where we were going with this post, I embedded a command up above when I was talking about the shore. Can you find it? (It shouldn’t be too hard to spot!) And for that matter, there’s one in the headline. Let me know what you think.

Till next week, and as always …

Good health and good writing!

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Now, if that don’t help you out, I don’t know what will. This is one of the most effective tools in your copywriting tool box. Learn what the masters do and jumpstart your career as a copywriter:

The Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting

Until next time,

Mike Lawson,
www.BluegrassSolutions.org

PS: This article appears courtesy of American Writers & Artists Inc. (AWAI) Writer’s Blog. For a complimentary subscription to AWAI free newsletter that delivers original, no-nonsense advice on the best wealth careers, lifestyle careers and work-at-home careers available, visit http://www.awaionline.com/signup/.

As the owner of Bluegrass Solutions Article Directory, I’m glad to know that my fellow publishers are also holding author’s feet to the fire. If you want quality, you have to accept nothing less. Poorly written, cobbled up work just doesn’t make the grade. It’s like trying to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.

I’m glad to know there are a few of us left who still require at least a modicum of quality before we will publish an article. The thing that always perplexes me is why someone who is trying to impress you enough to do business with them represents themself so poorly? I bet their competitors just love it when they see they have posted another article.

Article Writing…You Cannot

By: Echievements

Article Writing: You Can’t “Do It” in 15 Minute

Did someone tell you that articles could be written in 15 minutes? Do not believe it! Writing, even the simple act of letter writing, involves your personality, intelligence, and commitment. Most of us do not have the capacity to deliver the goods article writing demands in 8 to 15 minutes.

My laptop’s “Start” menu points me to the “No Nonsense Article Creator”. Kim Haas’ software sets a pattern of progressive and simple steps that could produce an article in 15 minutes. To finish that quickly, you have to think and work pretty fast. I am sure someone bangs out 4 articles an hour, but I have never succeeded. I outlined this article using “No Nonsense Article Creator”. My 15 minutes of article fame passed an hour before writing this sentence.

During a teleconference, I heard an Internet marketer, whom I respect say, “Just write the article; don’t worry about grammar or length. Just write it.” I say, write it right or not at all. Every word reveals you, your ability, and your commitment to your article topic. If you believe this fact, then your effort is worth more than 15 minutes.

If 15 minutes of article writing takes too long, Article Marketer offers an 8 minute article software. That strikes me as odd since Article Marketing holds authors to high levels of content, grammar, and spelling standards. Article Marketer’s “Article Writer” will show you how to write the most popular type of article: lists. You will also learn how to write your article so that it is correctly formatted, and your articles submissions will be a snap!” Sometimes we can “do it” in 15 minutes, but most of the time you should not.

I use the “No Nonsense Article Writer” to capture article ideas. At this time, I have 40 articles with titles and basic outlines to finish. Using the software helps organize my articles, then I copy them to PSPad Editor. Whitesmoke can help you write better too.

Article writing requires an idea, thought sequence, research, proof, and justification for any recommended action steps. If you can do all that in 15 minutes, I am impressed. Here is what I think article writing requires. Admittedly, the “No Nonsense Article Creator” and “Article Writer” will get you started.

You can write about any topic. You’re not bound to your highest level of expertise. If you want to become an authority on a specific subject, then write only about that subject. A primary rudiment for writers is to “write what you know”.

1. Write a quick outline in your notebook (always carry a notebook to capture ideas). Let your thoughts stream. No need to edit a word, and avoid rereading. Just write.
2. Now read to create an outline or flow to your thoughts. Circle key words that prompt paragraphs. Organize your ideas.
3. Keep your paragraphs brief and your sentences short. Yesterday, I read a 74 word sentence written by a Town official. Strunk and Wagnall’s Elements of Style recommends 7 word sentences.
4. Don’t Write Like You Talk. Talk Like You Write.
5. Quote authorities or interview one.
6. Edit…Edit…Edit – No step matters more than editing. Sometimes we have to set an article free before multiple edits. If you can hold back submitting your article for a few days, you will see many ways to rewrite, but at some point set that article free.

John Updike died Tuesday, January 27, 2009. Updike wrote “essays, reviews, short stories, poetry and memoirs,” according to CNN. In genre and subject, Updike’s writing made the simplest idea poetic. There is not a wit of a chance he used a software program to write a book.

During an interview with The Academy of Achievement, Updike tells writers “.. to develop actual work habits, and even though you have a busy life, try to reserve an hour say — or more — a day to write. Some very good things have been written on an hour a day…So, take it seriously….”

Should a simple Internet how-to article aspire to Updike-like standards? Maybe if on line writers wrote fewer articles, and worked on them diligently, more articles would be worth reading.

Of course, that advice goes for me too.
Author Resource:-> Echievements Writers Community is the online article directory for publishers and authors. Articles answer questions with how to instructions. Echievements supports and encourages online publishing and article syndication for websites, ezines, and authors. The Echievements Writers Bin is Ray Randalls all about writing blog. Ask him questions here. Need help writing? Get writing help.

Submitted By ArticleUnited.com

Article From Bluegrass Solutions Article Directory

To the contrary, it’s a great time to be an internet marketer for those who hold their ground and continue to drive sales through their doors. Those businesses will come out the far end of this storm as survivors. The rest of the herd will be culled out and killed off. It’s always better to be the hunter than the hunted. It’s as simple as that.

Many businesses are cutting back on marketing programs. I understand the source of their thinking; even though I believe they’re dead wrong to do so. Sales are generated by getting the word out about a business, what they offer and where they may be found. Business owners who market most effectively yet efficiently will still be standing at the end of the long day ahead of us.

The Internet is about content; in fact that’s all it’s about. Whether it’s articles, blogs, sales pages, solo ads, podcasts or videos, people come to the Internet in search of some form of content. Make it yours they find and I guarantee your success will be greater than those that don’t.

Search engine optimization and pay-per-click advertising are great ways to get targeted traffic to a web page. But it’s what happens once they get there that makes sales. If your content doesn’t generate trust in your expertise, you have gained nothing. If your content doesn’t excite visitors to the point that they jump at your “call to action,” what have you really accomplished.

A few internet marketers are accomplished copywriters and that’s great; if you’re one of them. Not trying to hurt anyone’s ego by saying this, but most internet marketers are mediocre at best when writing copy and some are down right terrible. It’s a skill that requires a good bit of training and practice to master.

There are two ways to deal with the latter two situations:

* Get the training needed to become a competent writer or

* Outsource to a professional writing service

There is a lot of good training to be found online for anyone interested in pursuing writer’s training. I would encourage everyone to become at least functional as a writer if they intend to conduct business on the Internet. The only real problem with is option is that it takes a good bit of time to become proficient at it.

Time is the golden commodity in most businesses. It is in high demand and short supply on a continuous basis. Even business owners who are excellent at writing their own copy and articles will eventually run out of time to get it done effectively. They turn to outsourcing.

There are many top-notch professional writing services available online today. Look around and find one that fits your personality and business goals. A good writing service is like a good barber: a lot of people cut hair, but no one does it as good as your barber. Hook up with a writing service that’s serious about you image and makes you look your best at all times.

About the Author: Mike Lawson is a freelance writer, entrepreneur and internet marketing professional. Learn more about effectively marketing your business here:

Cutting-edge internet marketing information, products and services: Bluegrass Merchants.

Custom web content, articles and copywriting from an established professional writing service: Bluegrass Solutions.

No longer are blogs restricted to personal online journals published for friends and family. Blogs are big business and are used by big business to enhance the companies that run them. There are quite a few blogs out there netting in the millions of dollars every year.

Forum sites, for example, are often affiliated with many blog sites; all inter-linked and mutually supportive of one another. Of course, the goals of many of those sites and blogs is not to make money except through residual advertising to offset the time and expense of running them.

The potential is there and limitless, however, to make a killing through this medium of communication. Where else can you publicly market, sell, ship and deliver your wares to a world-wide market for virtually no overhead? For about $300/year you can run a large variety of web sites, blogs and e-commerce sites that reach a global market. If you can reach and sell to 1/10,000th of that market, you will be living pretty high up on the hog; all done from the privacy of your home or off your mobile laptop.

There are probably as many marketing strategies to build a successful blog as there are blogs. The Internet is rife with sites that do nothing but teach you how to be a better, more successful blogger. I have reviewed several hundred of these sites and I have found what I believe to be the common core secret to them all. It’s so simple and obvious that a lot of people just overlook it.

People don’t visit blogs to look at all the pretty colors and flashing lights or hear the bells ring and whistles blow. They come because they are in search of content; the meat and potatoes.

Imagine, if you will, a fine five-star restaurant you have stumbled upon. They’ve had a cancellation and usher you in to be seated right away. Pretty good so far, eh? A whole staff of servants waits on you and flutters about while you wait on your menu. It finally arrives in the hands of a smiling server and you open it and are immediately perplexed!

It only offers one thing: PB&J Sandwich – $40.00 ($50 w/chips and a drink).

My guess is you would lose whatever appetite you had and let your feet do the talking as you headed for the door!

Blogs, or any other website for that matter, need to offer up the ‘meat and potatoes’ if they want return customers. And the way you do that is by offering a variety fine, delectable treats that they can’t wait to be served – each and every trip.

To sell something to anyone, you first have to get them inside your shop. Window dressing may catch their eye and get them to peep inside, but if they view empty shelves and cobwebs, chances are they will never be back again. You failed to offer the incentive to return.

If there is one truth in the business world, it is this:

“It is often very hard to gain customers, but it’s almost impossible to get them back once you’ve lost them.”

Content. That’s the secret thread that holds all successful online sites together. It is no easy task writing good, effective web content, but it can be done with a little study and good practices.

Many writers’ forums are available across the Internet to develop these skills in authors wishing to write articles for marketing. Blogs with good, well written articles and web content gets much attention and use. It is the wave of the future in all manner of commerce, whether you are selling a product, service or even yourself (as a writer). If you are looking to learn or improve upon your skills in this area, find a good writer’s forum to tutor you along the way.

About the Author: Mike Lawson is a freelance writer, entrepreneur and internet marketing professional. Learn more about effectively marketing your business here:

Cutting-edge internet marketing information, products and services: Bluegrass Merchants.

Custom web content, articles and copywriting from an established professional writing service: Bluegrass Solutions.

Writers can be classified into four basic categories:

1. Bad writers
2. Competent writers
3. Good writers
4. Great writers

Bad writers: These are the hacks that either can not or will not use the fundamental skills of the written language. Their misspelled efforts are grammatically inconsistent, eaten alive with adverbs and lack continuity in content. Albeit poor examples to emulate, they too have a purpose we will discuss later.

Competent writers: These are writers that possess the fundamental skills of language, can put together a cohesive work and convey the intended message. But their abilities end there. They simply lack luster. If they do get published, it will probably be in the middle of mediocrity.

Good writers: This is the kill zone! This is where you desire to position yourself as a writer. These writers produce excellent content that is fundamentally sound, stylish, entertaining and informational. They have mastered fundamental skills and have a collection of specialized skills that allow them to tweak every word and phase to their advantage. These are writers that readers hate to put down as opposed to pick up. While it is impossible to turn a bad writer into a competent one, it is possible with hard work, for a competent writer to become a good one.

Great writers: The Grand Masters, the literary legends: Shakespeare, Hugo, Steinbeck, etc. The rules here are simple enough. You either are one or you are not. It is not a learned skill or acquired trait. You cannot make a master out of a really good writer any more than you can make a bass fiddle out of a drum.

Keep this hierarchy in mind. Do an honest assessment of yourself. Where are you on the writer’s scale?

If you are a bad writer, then I am sorry. There is not much help to offer that will bring you along.
Are you a competent writer? Are you content with that? If you are, then you may as well go on your way, too. You will be able to find a niche writing somewhere that will afford you a level of mediocre success.

Are you a competent writer that is motivated to put forth the effort to become a good writer? Or the good writer that has a desire to be even better? Good then! You are the target audience of this series of articles.

Writing is a complex system comprised of many simple parts. The stronger the foundation of the fundamental elements, the more stability in the structure that rests on it. The cornerstone to success in anything that you do is to have a set of obtainable goals laid out before you with an end in sight; a road map, if you will. If you don’t know where you are going, how will you know when you get there?

You have already assessed where you are now and where you want be. Once you know this, you can make a plan that takes you there. Develop a mission statement of what kind of writer you will be.

A mission statement forms the constitution that governs the implementation of your plan. Shy away from weak words and phrases: “I will try to, as best I can,” etc. They predict failure. Instead use powerful words and phrases! Your mission statement should be full of will statements. “I will master the grammatical aspect of the craft,” or “I will continuously improve my editing skills.” Make these commitments to yourself and stick to them!

Before you ever pick up a pen or type the first word of a project, you should have a mission statement committed to making you a better writer. It doesn’t have to be a long, drawn out, complicated matter. Maybe just a paragraph or so that lays out your personal creed as a writer.

About the Author: Mike Lawson is a freelance writer, entrepreneur and internet marketing professional. Learn more about effectively marketing your business here:

Cutting-edge internet marketing information, products and services: Bluegrass Merchants.

Custom web content, articles and copywriting from an established professional writing service: Bluegrass Solutions.

This happens when an author, for whatever reason, can’t effectively put their thoughts down in print. Whether writing a novel or doing some article marketing, writer’s block  stops the writer dead in the water.

If you find yourself afflicted by this, it may become very frustrating, very fast. There are some things you may do to overcome this obstacle before it becomes incapacitating.

Here are a few tips to get you back in the saddle again:

* Many writers find it helpful to change their surroundings. Even the smallest change may affect large results in freeing the creative juices again.

Take your laptop on a short, local trip. It’s not the distance that matters as much as the change in atmosphere.

It may be all is needed is to try a different location right inside your home. Maybe you need to be out of the office for a bit; even if that means just walking from end of the house to the other. That may be all it takes to change your whole outlook on things and put you in a new frame of mind.

* Another trick of the trade to get out of the writer’s rut, is to change your topic to something new. I’m not talking about picking another topic within a niche. Go outside the box and challenge yourself by learning about something new and writing about that.

How many times have you been to the gym or other sporting event and warmed up or stretched before the game? Think of this writing practice as a “stretching exercise” for the creative mind.

The very worst thing that could happen is you are still blocked. You will, however, have invested your time in learning something new all the same. That knowledge may be useful down the road in ways you can’t yet see.

* Focus on a different target audience. Stop thinking about customers and website visitors. Write to a family member or close friend. Tell them about your topic; much the same way you would in a verbal conversation.

Don’t allow yourself to write to strangers. Write to someone you know and to whom you can relate.

* Don’t try to edit while you write or you will never be done. When you write, write and when you edit, edit. Avoid anything that disrupts the flow once you have it started.

As aggravating as writer’s block seems at the time, it is usually not terminal and will pass in time. The worst thing you can do is beat yourself up about it. It only exaspirates the problem and it’s worse than ever.

Maybe the best thing to work through writer’s block is to walk off from it totally for a while. Read a book or go to a movie or take a long walk.

Unless you are working for a professional writing service under deadline, who cares if your write today or tomorrow? And if you are a professional writer, no worries. There seems to be something magical and powerful in an editor’s boot when properly applied to the posterior.

If you write for enjoyment, only write when you  enjoy it. If you must write for your business, practice makes perfect (or at least passable). You will either improve over time or find a good professional writing service to outsource your work. Either way, the job gets done and that’s all that really matters anyway.

Mike Lawson is a freelance writer, entrepreneur and internet marketing professional. Learn more about effectively marketing your business here:

Cutting-edge internet marketing information, products and services: <a href=”http://www.bluegrassmerchants.com”>Bluegrass Merchants</a>.

Custom web content, articles and copywriting from an established professional writing service: <a href=”http://www.bluegrasssolutions.org”>Bluegrass Solutions</a>.