I find it amazing that people who understand the need for graphic designers think that words leap magically onto the page without a companion copywriter.
This came to light as I was instructed to turn two non-writers into skilled copywriters literally overnight – assumption being that anyone who can hold a pen or move a mouse must be able to write. I quickly learned that economists and figure skaters just don’t find the same joy in words as they do respectively in numbers and ice.
In the process, I was asked what I meant by “editorial writing” vs “copywriting.” That forced me to be succinct. Quickly I said that editorial writing informs while copywriting persuades. Copywriting tends to be short, punchy, and pithy – with an intent sell. Editorial writing is usually longer, narrative, and evolving. In media, editorial writing is objective unless conceived as “Opinion.” In novels, it’s more personal and passionate. Scripting is a different animal.
The best copywriters are joined at the hip with designers. A copywriter creates with execution in mind, adhering to deadlines and supporting the production chain. Try these tips if you’re expected to be an “instant copywriter:”
Get clarity about the process before you start
Are you writing to the design or designing from the writing? Who is responsible for the creative direction? Who will attend the set-up meeting? Who has the final say? How much liberty can you take? How much can you push back? What is the expected number of revisions? What is the time frame? What resources (like researchers) are available to you? What intellectual rights do you retain? How will you be paid? I personally like a three-tiered approach: $X for concept and rough draft. $X for in-depth writing. $X for final revisions and delivery. That protects both you and the client in case the project is shelved.
Determine the voice
For a blog such as this, first person is dandy. It’s casual, conversant… heck, you can even use “it” to start a sentence. For anything corporate or professional, third person is more fitting. Occasionally, a first person outreach will work as in “We invite you to join us.” However, the danger in first person is that your message can sound condescending: “Our solution is the best in the world and to meet your goals, you should do XYZ.” Turn those phrases into third person and you have something more commanding and less annoying: “This company offers exceptional quality and service and by enhancing your program with their technology, you will reach your goals.”
Agree on a style guide
Standard or customized. Bibles of the industry are The Chicago Manual of Style and the venerable Strunk & White: Elements of Style. Some companies have their own style guides with unique words and preferred spellings. Whatever you do, be consistent. Learn your editing/proofreading marks for hard copy revisions. If you are using Microsoft Word, use the Track Changes option. As a courtesy, give your client both the edited version so they can see where changes were made and the “Accept All” version so they can review clean copy.
Copywriting 101
Date and initial everything you write. Use revision numbers (v1, v2 etc) not only in your e-mail subject line but on the doc itself, because e-mails get separated from attachments. When going through a fast review process, time-stamp each incarnation. Match your copy to the layout: A,B,C if working from a hard comp. If writing abstractly, spell out “Front top,” “inside back cover,” “OGE” (that’s “outgoing envelope” for the economists and skaters among us). “FPO” means “for position only” and denotes a placeholder. And don’t forget Spell Check. Back your work up on an external hard drive, USB stick, or just e-mail it to yourself.
Production prep 101
Don’t indent for style. Your designer will handle that. Don’t worry about font, size or type face, unless for emphasis. Put comments to your designer in parentheses [“parens”] using italics. But don’t cramp their style. Instead of instructing, suggest “Pull quote? Call-out? Low-line?” Type everything you want set. Don’t write “address” and expect the designer to look it up. Chances are you’ll get “address” set into your text. Lose the m-dash (2 spaces /2 clicks) after the period. It makes designers crazy. That’s a hold-over from typewriter training. Not kosher for computers. Use Google Docs for collaborative edits.
Tricks of the trade
Don’t use the same word twice in close proximity. A “book company that serves book lovers” would be an exception because the repetition is intended. “A book company that offers readers books to read so when they take a book from between the bookends, they like it” would just be painful. Source your data. Get permission to quote. Verify facts. Ideally your client will have fact-checkers..Use keywords for SEO. Learn the lingo: “mouse type” refers to a “footer”; “lead cap” is that big, honkin’ letter that starts a “graph” (paragraph) usually inset with “wrap around” type. “Widow” is a single word that sits alone on a line. That’s bad typography. Either change the words or have your designer “force the line” or “kern the letters” – i.e. “squeeze it.”
Approval agony
Some collaborators are wonderfully responsive and informed in their feedback. Others are unqualified people who want to “help.” Just bite your tongue. Chances are, if you’re a good copywriter, the final revision will revert to what you initially wrote. The only thing lost will be time and patience. If the approval process gets nasty or you simply can’t please, request an editor. If you’re stuck in a room full of writer “wannabees,” lose your ego and forfeit a few words – as long as accuracy prevails. If you’re a freelancer, you owe it to your client to explain that every revision costs money. If they persist, then Ka-ching! Ka-ching! Good for you. But do make it clear you are no longer responsible for the deadline.
Adding a gorilla or what to do with an insufferable nit-picker
Add a “gorilla.” I borrow this term from an annual report designer. He had an exceptionally demanding client who altered something at every turn. Finally, the designer pasted a small headshot of a gorilla onto the group photo. The client said, “Everything looks great; just take out the gorilla.” Lesson learned: if you feel strongly about particular wording or if you have “had it” with incessant changes, then throw a typo or missed punctuation in somewhere else. Your nit-picker will seize on that – be happy to have caught it – and will leave the rest intact.
Tags: adding a gorilla, advice, voice
Categories: Copywriting, Tips