LEARN TO BITE THE BULLET

In my last blog, I wrote about the need to break up long passages of uninterrupted text by the careful use of sub-headings. Another effective option is the use of bullet points.

 Bullet points are useful because they can: 

• Provide a different way of listing items, perhaps with a short description after each one. For instance:
  • Handkerchiefs – used to blow your nose; can be carried anywhere
  • Tissues – can be disposed of easily once you’ve blown your nose
  • Toilet paper – for blowing your nose when no other material available!
•  Identify individual points from a range of ideas, simply and powerfully
• Act as mini-headlines within a long article. 

If you’re using bullet points for lists, it’s advisable not to take this to extremes – a long line of bullet points can become very tiring and may not be easy to follow. 

The same applies if you’re using them to identify individual points or to act as mini-headlines. An article that is peppered by bullets looks as if it’s been written by a gunman who’s lost his specs and can’t hit the target (an appropriate analogy for a rambling and poorly structured article!)

If you look back over my past blogs (and this one), you’ll see that I favour bullets in groups of three. For some reason (I’m sure a psychiatrist could explain it!) groups of three are more powerful than groups of two, four or five. It’s a good rule of thumb to practise and will help to strengthen your copy. 

So, the rule with bullets is – use them but do so sparingly, otherwise they could lose their impact.

Right, I must shoot off! Bye for now. 

Phil

Freelance copywriter 

Web: www.phila.co.uk

Email: info@phila.co.uk

Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/philallcock

HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

I’ve often come across articles (and websites) that consist of a long block of text – and very little else. Sometimes, it will be broken up into paragraphs but that is the only concession made towards enabling the reader to understand the text.

Now, I know that I’ve spoken before about the need to let copy flow seamlessly from one idea to the next. However, that doesn’t mean it can’t be broken up a little. Indeed, anything of any length (as a rule of thumb, say, over 250-300 words) will benefit from being formatted into sections so that it is more attractive and more accessible to the reader.

One of the best ways of doing this is by the judicial use of sub-headings. They enable you to break up a long article into more easily digestible chunks. Sub-heads can help to strengthen the flow of your feature by highlighting different sections and acting as a powerful link between two different ideas.

How to use your head

You can use sub-heads in various ways:

• To indicate a distinct change in direction or a specific section of the article; or to emphasise individual messages in your feature.
• To inject some humour or light relief by using a pun or an amusing reference in the sub-head.
• To link the different parts of the article into a single, cohesive unit. For instance, your sub-heads can follow a common theme or style that ties everything together.

However, I would caution you against using too many sub-heads – because that WILL interrupt the flow of your article. There’s no hard and fast rule, but you may want to opt for three or four sub-heads within an article of, say 750 words. It’s your choice – just try and tread a fine line between too much uninterrupted text (which is usually boring) and too many sub-heads (which can make everything seem disjointed).

Have a good week.

Phil

Freelance copywriter

Web: www.phila.co.uk

Email: info@phila.co.uk

Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/philallcock

THIS IS THE MOST AMAZING THING YOU’VE EVER READ…

..or rather, it isn’t. That heading is there just to make the point that you need to avoid too many superlatives in your writing. Newspaper editors don’t like them; magazine editors don’t like them; and readers don’t usually like them (although there are still people out there who will believe anything you write…)

Spinning out of control

It’s okay to put a positive ‘spin’ on the products and services you write about, as long as you can back up any claims you make. After all, it’s your job to portray your company and its solutions in the best possible light – but without stretching the truth too much.

However, if you go overboard, you probably won’t get your press release or article printed – and if you do, most discerning readers probably won’t believe you!

Facing the facts

So, try to keep to the facts as much as possible. But that doesn’t mean boring people to death with lots of technical details! As I’ve said before, focus on benefits wherever possible – the reader wants to know how your solution will help them. Those are the details that will really grab their attention and make them want to know more…

Oh, and while I think about it, check out my new copywriting packages on my website Home Page. There could be one that’s just right for you. They are the most superb, astounding and utterly brilliant packages you have ever, ever seen…

Have a good week –

Phil

Freelance copywriter

Web: www.phila.co.uk

Email: info@phila.co.uk

Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/philallcock

Improving your writing

If you are a reluctant writer – for instance, if you don’t particularly enjoy writing but you need to produce material as part of your Marketing role – how can you improve?

I can suggest three ways (other than reading my blog regularly – or better still, employing me to write the material for you!):

1)     Rewriting: Make a rough draft of what you want to say, take a break and then go back over it, refining it as you go. Then take another break and do the same again. And again if necessary. Make sure you’re using short sentences and paragraphs and that you’re not resorting to jargon. Avoid complicating things. Explain anything technical that the reader isn’t likely to understand.

2)     Reviewing: Ask a colleague or friend to look over what you’ve written. Choose someone who is likely to be honest rather than someone who will just say nice things to please you! You could try asking two people to review it – one who knows the subject matter well and one who doesn’t. That way, you’re likely to get a more balanced assessment.

3)     Reading: This is a long term approach. One of the best ways to improve your writing is to read a lot. Notice how different authors use words. If there are words you don’t understand, check their meaning and extend your vocabulary! Try reading both fiction and non-fiction books and seeing the differences and similarities in the approaches of the authors. If at work you’re writing about a particular service or product, take a look at any other literature about it (if there is any). This could give you a different and more informed perspective.

Have fun.

Phil

Freelance copywriter

Web: http://www.phila

Email: info@phila.co.uk

Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/philallcock

A FUNNY THING HAPPENED TO ME…

Humour can be a very powerful way of making a point that will be remembered by your readers. However, everyone knows that humour is a subjective thing – so it’s also a dangerous tool if used wrongly. One person might find something very funny whereas someone else will find it boring, distracting or even offensive.

You need to be aware of:

·      WHEN to use humour – for instance, it’s usually inappropriate in product brochures being sent to large corporates. They might take a dislike to anything flippant – and could therefore dismiss the rest of your brochure out of hand. However, puns can be used freely in most press release headings as they help to attract the reader’s attention and may encourage them to read further.

·      HOW to use humour – use it carefully and sparingly (unless you are writing, say, an informal article, where more humour may be acceptable). Use it to bring home a point that underlines one of your main messages. Just be careful that the humour doesn’t become the main thrust of your marketing item – because then the key message can sometimes be lost. As William Hazlitt once said (whoever he was!): “Wit is the salt of conversation, not the food”. Hmm.

·      WHERE to use humour – it doesn’t have to be restricted to paper-based or web-based material. For instance, one great way of using humour is during a speech or presentation. Use it at intervals to attract and keep people’s interest. If you’re writing a speech for someone else, however, you need to be more careful! I’ve written one or two speeches in the past for people I’ve never known. The use of humour here is very risky, as you know nothing about the person’s own sense of humour or their delivery or timing.

Have fun!

Phil

Freelance copywriter

Web: http://www.phila

Email: info@phila.co.uk

Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/philallcock