By Kevin D Browne
I can't imagine that there's a regular among us who doesn't want to write great articles. And by constantly sharing writing techniques that we know to be valid, we'll all become even stronger with our writing and our articles will, over time, approach greatness. (Which is why I like it in here so much!)
Okay, let's get to a juicy piece of learning that will definitely help your articles and find out how jury duty could possibly help anyone do anything.
Many writers, especially those who are new to the game, get into the habit of finding comfortable formats for their writing. Four sentences per paragraph. Three sentences per...you get it. Similarity.
The problem is: while this may be their comfort zone, one format is NOT how people read comfortably. And more importantly, it's not how people 'hear' writing.
When people speak, they start and they stop. They have long winded moments. They say something small. They have a medium amount to say...then they say next to nothing and MEAN a lot.
In essence vary their 'copy.' And you can take great writing clues from this varying of copy.
It's very easy to know if you fall into this group. Just bring up your articles on your screen and if they all LOOK the same, without getting into the content, then you'll need to make an adjustment.
If you REALLY want to know how people speak, get yourself JURY DUTY. Yes, dreaded jury duty will clue you in as to EXACTLY how people 'vary their copy.' Once you sit in that jury room with your cold coffee you'll have access to the court transcripts. This is where you'll see for yourself how people REALLY SPEAK and how people really listen. You will see in a flash just how varied people's speeds are of their 'copy.'
In fact, many new copywriters that I have taught are given jury transcripts as a way of making them well aware of how people REALLY speak and how their readers really 'hear' that copy. It has a tremendous effect on the honesty of their copy.
So a great way to continue to find ways to write great articles is to vary your copy speeds. Sure, get into it for a paragraph or two, but then give yourself much needed relief. Follow up long paragraphs with very small little ones. Then follow two short ones with a medium length one.
It works.
Not only does this make your copy easier to read (it does) but it more accurately approximates the way people listen to the written word.
Enjoy.
I can't imagine that there's a regular among us who doesn't want to write great articles. And by constantly sharing writing techniques that we know to be valid, we'll all become even stronger with our writing and our articles will, over time, approach greatness. (Which is why I like it in here so much!)
Okay, let's get to a juicy piece of learning that will definitely help your articles and find out how jury duty could possibly help anyone do anything.
Many writers, especially those who are new to the game, get into the habit of finding comfortable formats for their writing. Four sentences per paragraph. Three sentences per...you get it. Similarity.
The problem is: while this may be their comfort zone, one format is NOT how people read comfortably. And more importantly, it's not how people 'hear' writing.
When people speak, they start and they stop. They have long winded moments. They say something small. They have a medium amount to say...then they say next to nothing and MEAN a lot.
In essence vary their 'copy.' And you can take great writing clues from this varying of copy.
It's very easy to know if you fall into this group. Just bring up your articles on your screen and if they all LOOK the same, without getting into the content, then you'll need to make an adjustment.
If you REALLY want to know how people speak, get yourself JURY DUTY. Yes, dreaded jury duty will clue you in as to EXACTLY how people 'vary their copy.' Once you sit in that jury room with your cold coffee you'll have access to the court transcripts. This is where you'll see for yourself how people REALLY SPEAK and how people really listen. You will see in a flash just how varied people's speeds are of their 'copy.'
In fact, many new copywriters that I have taught are given jury transcripts as a way of making them well aware of how people REALLY speak and how their readers really 'hear' that copy. It has a tremendous effect on the honesty of their copy.
So a great way to continue to find ways to write great articles is to vary your copy speeds. Sure, get into it for a paragraph or two, but then give yourself much needed relief. Follow up long paragraphs with very small little ones. Then follow two short ones with a medium length one.
It works.
Not only does this make your copy easier to read (it does) but it more accurately approximates the way people listen to the written word.
Enjoy.
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