Find your inherent drama
Dangerous Ideas To Write Like a Copywriter won’t make you magically start writing copy like a Pro copywriter with 20+ years experience. But think of it as a copywriting crash course to learn dangerous principles, techniques and formulas that can help you write copy far more believable, interesting and persuasive than anything ChatGPT puts out.
This post is just one chapter—think of it as a free peek behind the curtain. If it makes you smile (or feel clever), the full book is yours to steal for $14.99 (or more if you’re feeling generous) for the next 24 hours—normally $59.99.
Every product has that special little something that makes consumers keep buying it.
Ad legend Leo Burnett called it "inherent drama".
The copywriter's job is to uncover a product's "inherent drama", then transform it into something new.
When Comedian Ricky Gervais was 13, his English teacher gave him an invaluable writing tip, "Write about what you know."
In the beginning Ricky simply ignored it.
So whenever his teacher gave his class a new writing assignment, Ricky did the opposite.
He made up stories based on things he saw on telly.
Like silly stories about "a maverick cop who didn't play by the rules".
But his teacher wasn't impressed. And marked them as "too melodramatic."
Ricky was pissed.
All the other kids were writing about things they did...
And getting B's and A's.
So Ricky decided it was time to “teach his teacher a lesson”.
"I’ll write the most boring story in the World".
You see, Ricky's mom used to go over to their neighbor's house, a 80-something year old lady, to help out.
And sometimes Ricky would go there with his mom.
One day Ricky has an eureka moment, "I'll write a story about that. That is soooo boring!"
So Ricky starts writing about all the silly little details of the experience. "We came in and there was smell of tea. And lavender. And mold."
He wrote so detailed and vividly about the whole experience.
Then he hands in the assignment and thinks to himself, "That will show him."
The next day, Ricky gets his mark back and...surprise surprise... Ricky was shocked. He got an A.
Good copywriting is a bit like good satirical comedy.
It takes bare facts about the World around us. And presents them in a dramatic yet memorable way to make a point.
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Dangerous Idea:
The inherent drama is “the most direct route to the mind of the reader”.
If I was the copywriter behind Breeo’s website this is how I’d rewrite their hero headline “Smokeless fire pit” into something a bit more relatable to their audience.
1. Attention Grabber⇝ “Breeo Has 3 Words”
2. Emotional Reaction Of Using Your Product (Inherent Drama)⇝ “To Get Your Dad Senses Tingling.”
3. Clarify What They’re Buying ⇝“Smokeless Fire Pit.”
Before
After
Your pal,
🚀 Founder Teardwn | Fractional Copy Chief for DTC and eCommerce startups
💌 Newsletter: Creative Samba
🏂 Side projects: 🐶 Goob Hotels + ✍🏼 Nobody Reads Ads + 💭 I’m selling snackablecopytips.com. Make me an offer.