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This advice is for you if you have ever procrastinated when writing copy or found yourself overthinking and restarting it over and over. A mentor shared a tip with me that helped me become a more efficient and fast writer.
The best copywriting advice that I have ever received
Procrastination, my friend. It seems so since she doesn’t leave when I give her clear signals.
It’s the bane for any copywriter, but I sometimes have to believe it’s my process.
Kevin Rogers, a mentor at Copy Chief, taught me that if I finally start writing, I will actually finish the task.
This nugget of advice will help you stop second-guessing what you are writing and to get it done. As a business owner, you don’t have time to waste writing copy. You must GET IT DONE so that what you’re writing can do its job and make more sales.
What brilliant idea will stop you from procrastinating and turn you into an efficient machine, allowing you to produce content like a machine?
It is important to get your worst ideas on paper and out of your mind.
Only then can you edit and tweak it.
Do you want to give your copy more personality?
This is the perfect solution if your copy has been lame, hasn’t started, or even made it to the finish.
The 7-point system for getting your thoughts written
How do you write your first draft of the Shitty First Draft?
Here are some tips:
1. Write down your intention, and do not back out
It’s easier than it seems, but you have to promise yourself that you WILL sit down to write what you said you wanted to write. This means you need to schedule time on your calendar for this. Choose the time when you are most productive. Let your family know so they don’t interrupt you. Turn off notifications on devices to focus.
2. Your idea can be broken down into smaller chunks
You’ll know what you want your article to be about. It can be difficult to eat an elephant, so break it up into smaller sections. Divide your message into smaller parts to make it easier to digest. You might think, “I have no idea what to write yet”. You may be someone who needs to start writing. It’s important to find a method that suits you.
3. Start writing
It sounds easy, but it’s not. If you have done these steps before, resistance is less likely. As they say, eat the frog. You might need a rewards system. Here’s a great article on how to trick yourself into becoming more productive.
4. Put a date on it
You can use a timer (an egg-timer works best, as it does not require you to use your phone and reduces the chance of you getting distracted), so you can give yourself a half hour or an hour for writing. It may take several sessions for you to finish, but I can assure you that you will get a lot of words out when you have a limited amount of time. It’s a trick to get your brain to do more in less time. The whole idea behind the Sh*tty First Draft is to not worry about whether it’s good.
Eugene Schwartz was one of the greatest copywriters in history. He used to swear that this Pomodoro method worked and would always give himself 33 minutes and 33 seconds to work. Then, he would take a 5-minute break before starting again. I find an hour is the best time for me. After that, I take a break of 15 minutes or return to it at a later date.
5. Be daring
Kevin Rogers shares another great tip. It can be not easy to maintain an objective view when writing copy. You may feel as if you are being too salty. The advice is to dare and sell. Write outrageously – in your tone, your subject and your claims. Imagine being able to write whatever you feel without any filters or sensors stopping you.
When you’re writing copy, there is an editing process. You can always take things back if they’ve gone too far. Once something is written, it’s harder to push it to the edge because it looks like you’re tagging on ideas. Be bold and daring and push the envelope.
6. Write without editing.
It’s one of the hardest things for me to do. But I try to keep it to a minimum. Rewriting the work you just wrote is a great way to stifle your creativity. This is the Sh*tty Draft. The whole thing is totally okay to be a complete mess. You should get the words on paper and not worry about editing as you write. You’ll have plenty of time for editing, but first, you need to finish your draft.
7. Do not delete anything you have written
Don’t remove anything, even when editing. Use the font strikeout feature if necessary to make sure you do not want to use any copy. The idea is to get it written quickly, but deleting it can hinder your progress. There’s another reason… you may discover that you actually want to use something you wrote that you initially thought was not very good. If you delete it, the deleted file is lost forever. Sometimes, the first draft is a mess, and other times, you will write gold. But it’s only apparent after the fact. So, don’t waste your creativity by deleting any of the important elements.
Want to boost your email?
The magic is in the first draft.
Here you go. Here’s my 7-point system to get the thing written. It’s okay to edit, but you need to start writing.
In this age of distractions, it’s easy to procrastinate. Follow this plan to write your first draft and set yourself up for success.
I am all in favour of systems and processes which make business and life easier. Automation is a great way to make life and business easier. This is an example of automation. You will trick your brain to automatically write out your first draft so you can edit it and make it perfect.
The next step will be the editing process.
