If you had all the time the learn and implement...

[davidrosa9]

if you had all day to learn to write copy what would you do?

...I mean all day every day.

how many hours, what steps or systems to get better?

would you write over sales letters till you start bleeding through your veins?

would you break up half the day to try and get clients and other half putting in the work?

what say you?

[BudaBrit]

Currently I spend about 1.5h-2h on existing work. I spend about (on average) 1.5-2h on menial tasks around the house and on admin. I spend 2 hours reading and about 3 hours writing. Sometimes more reading and writing.

Oh, and I read at night and whenever I'm on public transport.

For me, it's about 2 things:

1) the technicalities: what works and what doesn't. What layout? Placement? Word choice.

2) writing style. It's a huge difference going from wordy fiction and business/politics journalism to sales copy. Your sentences look different.

Getting these two right means I'm spending a lot of time absorbing others advice.

[davidrosa9]

but just listen, I'll go CRRRRAAAAAZZZZYYYYY!!! can't I write... or is writing for losers?

lol

[Raydal]

I remember when I started I had a similar dedication to
learning the skill and I read and practiced. I read the
classic books and then I got a swipefile and went through
each letter to see how the copywriter implemented those
strategies I read about from the book and how they could
also improve.

So education and practice is the way to go. I still have
binders of those marked up letters.

Also hanging out with a group of other copywriters helped
a lot because they mentioned books and resources I
didn't know about.

-Ray Edwards

[copyassassin]

Ray. Which 3 letters have you spent the most time reading, rereading, and breaking down? Thx. Adam

Originally Posted by Raydal

I remember when I started I had a similar dedication to
learning the skill and I read and practiced. I read the
classic books and then I got a swipefile and went through
each letter to see how the copywriter implemented those
strategies I read about from the book and how they could
also improve.

So education and practice is the way to go. I still have
binders of those marked up letters.

Also hanging out with a group of other copywriters helped
a lot because they mentioned books and resources I
didn't know about.

-Ray Edwards

[Steve The Copywriter]

Preparation - gallons of coffee, stacks of ice, and 25 pens...

Choose 5 of the all-star A lister sales letters (picking different categories of "pitches").

Write out each one by hand - 20 times.

(Helps if you can write with either hand).

A few minutes before your hands finally go completely numb.

Use the ice.

Drink more coffee.

And carry on.

Until the techniques are wired into your psyche.


Steve

[BudaBrit]

Originally Posted by Steve The Copywriter

Preparation - gallons of coffee, stacks of ice, and 25 pens...

Choose 5 of the all-star A lister sales letters (picking different categories of "pitches").

Write out each one by hand - 20 times.

(Helps if you can write with either hand).

A few minutes before your hands finally go completely numb.

Use the ice.

Drink more coffee.

And carry on.

Until the techniques are wired into your psyche.


Steve

So, where would you go for these?

[Steve The Copywriter]

Ice you'll get from the fridge. Pens from any stationary shop. Coffee from the store.

Seriously...

It's a good question, most of us have our favourites stashed away in the "swipe file" folder.

You could google a few A listers.

Or with a bit of luck the good people on the forum will give you some direct links.

Here's a link with an excellent collection - (Lawrence the owner of the site only ever posts the good stuff).

http://www.infomarketingblog.com/


Steve

[CharismaticMannequin]

Honestly,

one thing I see lacking here? Passion.

You've got to want to write. I see so many aspiring copywriters asking "what books should I read? What swipe files should I get?" and that's great - you need to learn.

But find areas you have a passion for, and enjoy the process. Copywriting isn't crafted in a day (the good stuff at least).

[davidrosa9]

writing is fun, I love it - but I rather not waste time twiddling my thumbs you know.

the threads in the 1000 post sticky have helped tremendously in every way...
They've got mindset, strategy and all..

Only thing left is to mmmmake it happen

[maximus242]

I think I would spend most of my time doing research. In copy results are determined by:

1. List
2. Offer
3. Copy

So first I would research who the ad would be sent to. The better I understood them the better I would know how to motivate them to take action.

Next I would focus on a very compelling offer that would be extraordinarily irresistible.

Finally I would mostly think about what I should say, and spend very little actual time writing.

Knowing what to say is whats most important.

The power of all words comes from the person who reads them, if you understand them, you always know what to say.

People are not carbon copies. They are fingerprints, understand what all the fingerprints have in common and you know what to talk about to your audience.

At the end of the day, people are people. Your not shooting out salesletters, your communicating with a person.

Id spend my time understand who I was selling to and what would motivate them to take action, and **** the rest of this shit

[Raydal]

Originally Posted by copyassassin

Ray. Which 3 letters have you spent the most time reading, rereading, and breaking down? Thx. Adam

I love Gary Bencivenga's seminar DVD letter:

Bencivenga 100 Seminar

Also the Gary Halbert's "water ad":

The Gary Halbert Letter

And also the gold old Wall Street Journal "Two Young Men" ad.

I've also gone through a ton of Boardroom and Angora publishing
ads.

-Ray Edwards