Writing Compelling Copy That Catches A Reader's Eye
http://www.wealtheducationcentral.com/articles/35232/1/Writing-Compelling-Copy-That--Catches-A-Readers-Eye/Page1.html
Robert Starr
Robert Starr is a professional writer/editor with several published books and a degree in journalism. He's brought 20 years of experience in the craft to his own on line writing/editing service. You can reach him at
http://www.robstarr.org/index.php http://www.robstarr.org/index.php
By Robert Starr
Published on 09/13/2008
For many people attempting to write something they hope will be effective, getting a finished product that attracts the right kind of attention can be trouble. After hitting the delete button so many times they think they might never get it right, these people are usually more than willing to look for a little advice from writers who have learned a few of the tricks of producing compelling copywriting.
Writing Compelling Copy That Catches A Reader's Eye
For many people attempting to write something they hope will be effective, getting a finished product that attracts the right kind of attention can be trouble. After hitting the delete button so many times they think they might never get it right, these people are usually more than willing to look for a little advice from writers who have learned a few of the tricks of producing compelling copywriting.
One of the first things that you'll need to do is understand the nature of the game of writing for the world of ecommerce or the Web in general. One of the first rules that you'll need to understand is that the opening sentence may be the most important sentence that we write. The prevailing knowledge tells us that if we don't capture the readers in the first five to ten seconds, all the hard work that we put into the rest of the work may have gone to waste.
Be careful to stay away from long confusing and dull openings especially where business copy is concerned. Remember that although many business writers seem to feel that the prose they write needs to be stodgy to be effective, the rules of good writing make it clear again and again that the best openings are short and clear. It's also a great idea to stay away from the jargon that lies waiting for many writers and use the simplest and clearest terms and words possible.
There is a method that's been developed over the years to help fledgling writers keep their writing both simple and clear and it involves two steps. Number one has a lot to do with not trying to give off airs. You should always try to write the way that you speak. This makes it easier to arrange the thoughts in your head. Remember too that most of us speak in simple clear sentences. Writing as closely as possible to the way we speak will reduce the number of grammatical errors made.
As well, it's a good idea to proofread out loud. However, it's been proven that as we proofread, we rely almost exclusively on our eyes. Few people understand that our ears are just as reliable. You should read out loud from your text and listen to the way it sounds. Remember that the closer you can bring the written word to the spoken one, the more authentic and less artificial it will be.
One of the first things that you'll need to do is understand the nature of the game of writing for the world of ecommerce or the Web in general. One of the first rules that you'll need to understand is that the opening sentence may be the most important sentence that we write. The prevailing knowledge tells us that if we don't capture the readers in the first five to ten seconds, all the hard work that we put into the rest of the work may have gone to waste.
Be careful to stay away from long confusing and dull openings especially where business copy is concerned. Remember that although many business writers seem to feel that the prose they write needs to be stodgy to be effective, the rules of good writing make it clear again and again that the best openings are short and clear. It's also a great idea to stay away from the jargon that lies waiting for many writers and use the simplest and clearest terms and words possible.
There is a method that's been developed over the years to help fledgling writers keep their writing both simple and clear and it involves two steps. Number one has a lot to do with not trying to give off airs. You should always try to write the way that you speak. This makes it easier to arrange the thoughts in your head. Remember too that most of us speak in simple clear sentences. Writing as closely as possible to the way we speak will reduce the number of grammatical errors made.
As well, it's a good idea to proofread out loud. However, it's been proven that as we proofread, we rely almost exclusively on our eyes. Few people understand that our ears are just as reliable. You should read out loud from your text and listen to the way it sounds. Remember that the closer you can bring the written word to the spoken one, the more authentic and less artificial it will be.