A Salesperson Behind a Typewriter
“A copywriter is a salesperson behind a typewriter.” When I first came across that quote, Bob Bly was attributing it to Judith Charles of Judith K Charles Creative Communication in The Copywriter’s Handbook. Since then, I’ve seen in many variations of the quote with many different attributions. Either way, the sentiment sticks because it’s true. Every writer has a point. Bloggers, novelists, kids writing book reports–they all have a final thought they’re trying to get across to the reader. Copywriters persuade readers to take action. They want you to click “Buy...
Read MoreWhen a Copywriter Takes the Subway
For the past few years, I’ve been a straphanger. I’ve never enjoyed driving and moving to metropolitan areas (first Chicago, then NYC) meant I rarely had to drive again. While many people find public transportation frustrating, I enjoy it. I don’t have to pay for gas, I can read the whole trip and I don’t have to spend 20 minutes attempting to parallel park. It’s also the perfect opportunity to catch up on what’s new in ad copy. For you drivers out there who don’t know, buses and subway trains have ad copy all over the inside of them. For the companies and...
Read MoreGreat Expectations
I love a good resolution–New Years or otherwise. Although I call them “expectations,” the idea of deciding to make a change for the better is intoxicating. I know that New Years Resolutions get a bad rap but that’s mostly from people who say that it’s not worth trying at all. I say that’s like claiming condoms don’t work because you don’t open them. It’s illogical at best. This week my piece on New Years Resolutions, Great Expectations, is on Moxy Magazine. If you have a moment, go over and read...
Read MoreInvisible Friends Are For Kids and Crazy People
When I was kid, I discovered that if you put an envelope in the mail without a stamp, the mailman brought it back to your house with the rest of the mail for that day. So I would write letters to myself from famous people (Princess Diana, Salt N Pepa, the guy from Reading Rainbow), put them in the envelope without a stamp. Then I would get the mail a couple of days later and brag that Princess Diana wanted to hang out with me because we had so much in common. (I didn’t realize that my scam was super obvious because of the envelope was addressed from me to those people. As a freelancer, I...
Read MoreYou Just Won’t Be Happy Until Some Chinese Kid Breaks Your Shit, Will You?
I believe in safety. I believe in seat belts, smoke detectors and backups. My reasoning is that maybe it takes you a few more minutes to get down to business, but no one ever says “Oh thank God I wasn’t wearing my seat belt.” Not setting up a backup system for your site is a mistake you need to correct immediately. Over on Marian Schembari’s blog, I guest posted about getting off your duff and protecting your website whether you’re a big publisher posting multiple times a day or a teeny tiny blogger who only posts once a month. If you get a moment, read You Just Won’t Be Happy...
Read MoreWhen DIY is a Don’t
As a fan of HGTV and saving money, I know a little something about do-it-yourself projects. From sewing projects to computer repair to plumbing projects, I’ve done it. When it goes right, I save money and headaches. When it goes wrong. . . well. . . it really goes wrong. Recently I wrote a piece for Moxy Magazine about the rise of do-it-yourself projects and how to tell when it’s don’t. If you have a moment, head over to Moxy Magazine and read When DIY is a...
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