Do Newbie Copywriters Need More Skinned Knees?

I think the answer is very similar to teaching any kid to ride a bike.

It's simply "whenever they're ready".

I know I've rebelled against the idea of swiping from the get-go, but that's also a personal preference. I'm not a fan of copying/modifying in general, as opposed to pure creation.

Plus, on a more selfish note, if it succeeds, I'd like to know that was all me. If it flops, I'd also like to know it was all me so that I can figure out how to course correct.

But the skinned knees definitely need to happen. Unless, that is, you're comfortable with a life of coasting. Nothing necessarily wrong with that either.

Uh oh, Mark used the "p" word.

A collective shudder just went up the spine of every newbie across the globe and 99.9% of them don't even know why.

I've been writing about this whole hook biz in my new book.

Having worked in the music biz a little, I can tell you that having a good hook can literally turn four pizza delivery drivers (sorry, that's what most amateur musicians do) into million dollar rock stars.

I think most studied musicians would agree that most of what's played on the radio is garbage compared to the stuff being written by real composers with college degrees.

But it's making millions and millions of dollars for the "artists."

Why?

Because it's catchy, fun, interesting, and it has a way of getting stuck in your head. Hell, you don't even have to LIKE the bloody song to get "hooked."

I'm sure you've had those days when you want to take an icepick to your prefrontal cortex to knock that friggin' Katie Perry song out of your head.

...and don't tell me that's never happened to you because we both know it has.

"Hooks," in music and in writing, are psychologically designed (whether the artist knows it or not) to get into your head, lay eggs there, make babies and colonize your consciousness.

An average writer who can come up with good hooks can run squares around a great writer who can't.

Fair?

I don't think that matters. That's how it is. In copywriting, the hook is JUST as important as it is in popular music. If ya' got it, it's money in the bank...EASY money. If ya' ain't got it...we'll you'd better get used to playing those hole in the wall bars where there's two people and your mom in the audience.

SO few people understand copywriting, but even fewer have a clue about positioning. Swiping definitely inoculates a person to developing that knowledge. That might be a good tip for any newbie reading this.

Your hook is the yeast in the dough of your marketing strategy. It's the magic wand welded into the fists of the Gods of copywriting.

With enough split testing, any monkey can find something that works. Hell, even a broken watch is right once a day. But if you don't know why it worked, it could stop working. Then, you can't just reinvent the hook. You have to go back to shaking the magic 8 ball and hoping for a good answer.

"The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources."


I think I'd add that you need to learn how to give it your own hook too.

Dammit. I need to stop visiting this forum. Every time I start a conversation on here I want to write another book lol.