Eliminate Adverbs and Improve Your Writing

© Ugur Akinci You can improve your writing right away by eliminating all the unnecessary adverbs. 1) Eliminate adverbs by using a correct verb instead. EXAMPLE: “He walked into the room cockily.” BETTER: “He swaggered into the room.” EXAMPLE “She walked into the room confidently.” BETTER: “She sashayed into the room.” EXAMPLE: “He looked threateningly.”…

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A Top Copywriter on the Importance of Loving What You Do

by Bob Bly www.themillionairewriter.com In his book “Confessions of an Advertising Man,” David Ogilvy quotes an old Scottish proverb about happiness: “Be happy while you’re living, for you’re a long time dead.” The idea is that you should do everything in your power to be happy now, because tomorrow you might not be here. Given…

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What's the Difference Between Copy and Technical Writing?

© Ugur Akinci There are four different goals of writing, depending on the writer and the assignment in question. Writers try to 1) sell 2) teach 3) move emotionally, or 4) administer others. And these goals give rise to the following four types of writing: 1) Copy writing (sell) 2) Technical writing (teach) 3) Fiction/Creative…

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International Audience

How to Write for an International Audience

Introduction Writing for an international audience is a task that many technical and business writers face every day. You’d better have a firm grip on the contemporary American slang if you are a screenwriter drafting the sequel to “Easy Rider.” But if you are a technical or business writer, get into the habit of writing…

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How to Write Like an "Insider"

It’s a common writing mistake – a head-on and high-handed criticism which leaves the “insiders” with the impression that “this writer has no idea what’s going on in here…” Imagine you’re the head of security at the Fortune-100 ABC corporation. You have worked for the last 15 years for this same company, developing many of…

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updating charts

3 Universal Rules of Writing

Introduction Universal Rules of Writing… There are so many different types of writing that it’s futile trying to list them all. Yet, there are some principles that hold true in almost every writing situation. I’m tempted to call them “Universal Rules” of good writing, in ANY language. Here are three such rules: Brevity If you…

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Envelope Blurbs to Increase Direct Mail Response Rate

Introduction Envelope blurbs have been a part of direct mail campaigns for at least half a century. Direct mail is a type of marketing that involves sending postcards, letters, or other items to potential customers through the use of the postal service. It is one of the most effective methods for getting in contact with…

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great headline

How to Write Great Headlines

Introduction A great headline is important because people make up their minds within seconds of reading your headline. Writing great headlines is a true art. Some people I suspect are born with the knack of whipping up drop-dead perfect headlines at the drop of a hat. But then, to some extent, writing good headlines can…

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Good Copy Illuminates and Delivers (the Truth)

Introduction Good copy has two important functions. 1) It brings up “the world” alive. And once our attention is engaged, 2) It also delivers the unvarnished truth. Delivering the truth without aesthetics, without illumination, would be like that proverbial tree falling down in the forest and nobody noticing it. Does a tree really fall if…

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Importance of Testimonials in Copywriting

Introduction Testimonials are the best way to present the credibility of a product. A good testimonial will provide a personal account of how the product helped them. A testimonial may sound like an advertisement, but it’s actually written by someone who had a good experience with your product or service. Testimonials are proven to have…

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