There are famous writers who have contributed to the world of fictional and nonfictional writing. One of which is Stephen King, a renowned American author of horror, thriller, and sci-fi novels sold worldwide. He’s an inspiration both to his peers and to young, aspiring writers due to his high level of passion and motivation. Many regard him as one of the greatest writers of all time.
Among his standard rules for writing is drafting an interesting copy that readers will love, easily follow, and understand. Like King, you can market your brand through sharing great content online. Here’re some of his advice for crafting an effective copy that hooks the audience’s attention and keeps them interested:
Be Direct
Great ideas are the result of in-depth planning. You might not want to deliver a message without identifying which direction you wish to take and without considering what ideas would fit your audience’s needs and interests. Neglecting the brainstorming phase will only result in cluttered, disorganized content that will puzzle your readers.
Before deciding on what details to include in your draft, begin by looking for your big idea. Once you’re done, flesh out each idea then get straight to the point. King recommends removing noise in your text, such as lengthy introductions and unrelated information, which sidetrack readers from getting to your message.
Long and unwieldy sentences can confuse readers. Besides, your audience’s attention span can only last for a few seconds. Focus on the copy’s most relevant parts to convince readers to stick with the content and interpret the message correctly.
Make it worthwhile by making your content worth their while.
Be Authentic
King believes that realistic content enables readers to relate with what the writer is trying to say. If you’re writing about your brand’s features and benefits, concentrate on doing just that. Covering your core message with misleading facts will only undermine it. Overdoing things can also negatively affect your image.
Just like King’s approach in building up his characters, expound more on the positive aspects of your brand. At the same time, you don’t need to exaggerate and promise the readers things that you can’t really provide. Aside from being truthful to your audience, it’s important to use easy-to-understand words and to speak in a conversational tone. This helps you build a greater connection with them and avoid distractions.
Make sure that your copy clearly delivers your main point and stands out above the rest.
Be Patient
Letting your draft rest for a few minutes gives you time to take a new perspective when you return to it later on. This is because writing the same subject in one sitting can drain your energy and make you complacent.
Going back to your work enables you to remove irrelevant details that derail the content’s flow. Though editing your own copy can be difficult, it allows you to eliminate filler words and other information that don’t support your core message.
Giving yourself time to temporarily shift from what you’re doing lets you focus on other matters that can help you improve your content. Keep yourself from digressing and always go back to your main objective to avoid confusing the readers.
The Final Word: Don’t Rush, Focus on Quality
How you present your story influences the readers’ mind, thus affecting their overall perception of your brand. Whether you’re a writer or a presenter, your target audience needs content that easily captures their attention and keeps them interested.
Claim your competitive edge by being direct, authentic, and patient in writing. Convert the big idea into a great copy that readers will buy into!
Back up your writing skills with a visually appealing PowerPoint presentation and let our team offer you a free quote!
References:
“Killing the Filler: What Stephen King Can Teach Us About Copywriting.” Webcopyplus, June 9, 2010. www.blog.webcopyplus.com/2010/06/09/killing-the-filler-what-stephen-king-can-teach-us-about-copywriting
Featured Image: “write” by Sarah Reld on flickr.com
