I Suck – and Now
Everybody’s Going to Know It!
(How to overcome negative emotions
and write copy that sizzles!)
So you just landed that cushy copywriting assignment.
Still can’t believe it, but you actually convinced the client you’re the best writer for the job. They bought your sales pitch – hook, line and sinker …
… Sent you a check for 50% of the advance (which you already spent) …
… And now UPS just delivered your copywriter research kit.
Now, what do you do?
Well, if you’re like me, you start to develop a knot in the pit of your stomach …
… Then more knots – big, heavy, METAL ones – start growing … and growing in your chest. And it gets harder to breathe. Your chest hurts so bad, you can only take short breaths — anything deeper would probably kill you …
… So you head for the kitchen cabinet searching for your emergency stash of brown paper bags ‘cause you’re starting to hyperventilate …
… And as you sit on the cold, tile floor … breathing in and out of the bag … that little cassette (or CD if you’re under 30) in your head starts to play that familiar song …
“… You’ve gone and done it now, girl. Talking all that trash and taking on a job you can’t handle.
Now everybody’s going to know you suck! You suck! Yeah, Yeah, YOU SUCK!”
Sound familiar?
I can honestly tell you that despite my 20 years in direct marketing. 8 years as a freelance copywriter …
… Numerous multi-year controls for clients like Health Resources, True Health, Healthy Directions, Frank Cawood & Associates, Soundview Publications, Sun Chlorella USA, and Weiss Inc …
… And oodles of moolah in royalties …
… I still experience that “deer in the headlight” feeling every time I start a new project.
Fortunately, I’ve discovered a few tricks to help me overcome this phobia. Hopefully, they can help you too:
Embrace the fear!
Most professional therapists would help you erase the failure tape, prevent it from playing at all, or encourage you to create a new, positive tape. Me?
I say, embrace the fear. Why?
Because fear is a good motivator.
I fear being homeless, so I get up to work every day. I fear the law of gravity, so I don’t jump out of 5-story buildings.
So, fear of failure can also motivate you to success. Next time the negative tape kicks in, try this:
Go ahead and let the tape play. But this time, listen to it like a typical teenager – arms crossed, head bobbing from side to side and rolling your eyes. In other words, with ATTITUDE!
When the tape is over, say, “Ok, you done? Because I’m going to prove you WRONG!”
If you already have a successful promotion, find it and re-read it. Then ask yourself: “Hey, who wrote this killer copy? Oh, yeah, I DID – and I can do it again!”
Then get your butt in gear and move on to …
Baby step your way to success!
If the project overwhelms you, then set some small goals. For example …
Day 1: Just open the start kit box and peek inside. Don’t take out the contents. Just see if anything immediately grabs your attention. If not, that’s ok. You’ve accomplished your goal for the day.
Day 2: Remove contents and organize your material.
Day 3: Read just one thing. After that, stop. If you’re starting to get excited, then go ahead – you can read another thing … and another … get the picture?
Baby steps help you break down a large, overwhelming job into small, manageable tasks. If you’re an organized person, then schedule out the project. For example …
By week 1: I plan to write an outline.
By week 2: I will work on sidebars.
Me? I’m more of an eclectic writer – I just start reading and when I get an “aha” moment – you know, when you read something that just grabs your attention – I type up my thoughts on the computer. For example …
… I just completed a project for a major health mailer for a book on diabetes. As I read the book, I typed up interesting factoids and bullets. I also jotted notes for possible sidebars and came up with three potential headlines.
By the time I finished reading the book, I had the guts of the package already written. All I needed to do was organize my thoughts, add some additional connective paragraphs, fine tune the copy and finalize the sucker!
A project that originally overwhelmed me was now painlessly completed!
And several times throughout the reading process, I purposely took the time to …
Dream … Dream … DREAM!
I would read about 30 pages of the book, and then take one of many fantasy breaks. Imagine this:
Your client calls you on the phone and says, “Carline (YOUR name goes here, by the way) we LOVE the package! We think it’s killer copy and we love working with you!”
Then imagine so many royalty checks coming in the mail that you have to buy a mailbox the size of a Bull Mastiff dog house to handle all that moolah! (Ok, – I said FANTASIZE!)
Now, as you reach your daily or weekly goals, make sure to …
Reward yourself often!
In other words, treat yourself with presents!
Daily goal rewards should be small. For me, it’s a scoop (or three) of Baskin Robbins Pralines ‘n Cream ice cream. Edys Sundae Cone flavor is a close second.
Weekly goals can be a manicure … movie matinee … shopping at Wal-Mart with my 96-year old grandmother – whatever! These treats always motivate me to finish up a sidebar or premium copy.
In no time flat, you’re wrapping up your first draft. Make sure you follow this very important step:
Incubate … and then kill your babies!
Put away the copy for a few days. This is what I call the copy incubation period. Don’t even look at your copy. Give your mind and creative juices a break.
Then, pick up the copy and read it like you’ve never seen it before. Pretend you’re the recipient of that mailing piece. Since most writers treat their words like babies, this is the time to kill your babies!
Red line any unnecessary words. For example, “that” is probably one of the most overused and unnecessary words in the English language. Kill it whenever possible!
Mark areas in the copy where you laugh … cry … or even yawn. Watch out for double meanings that can sabotage your copy. Fix areas where copy flow is interrupted. And make sure to ask yourself, “Will this make sense to my reader?”
After you’ve finished this editing stage, you’re ready to send your masterpiece off to your client!
And if you’ve followed the basic rules of copywriting … developed your theme properly … talked “to” your reader instead of “at” him … presented him with an offer he couldn’t refuse …
… Then you’re well on your way to your next killer control!
Here’s to Creating Success Your Way!
Carline Anglade-Cole
Guest Contributor
THE TOTAL PACKAGE
Carline Anglade-Cole writes multi-year controls in the alternative health field for clients including Healthy Directions, Health Resources, True Health, Soundview Publications and Sun Chlorella USA. She also provides phone consultations and “mini-boot camps”. Put her 20 years of direct mail experience in mailing list strategies, new product development and creating kick-butt controls to work for your company!
Contact Carline directly by visiting her website at www.CarlineCole.com
Looking for resources related to this article? Try some of these.
Looking for more guest articles? Check these out.
Looking for past issues of The Total Package? Click here for our archives.
3 Comments »
Join the Discussion!
Let us know what you think. Or ask us anything. Or offer your own sage advice.
The only rule: RESPECT THIS HOUSE! Postings that contain abusive language and/or personal attacks will be cheerfully VAPORIZED. One cross word and – POOF! – your well-thought-out post will be gone in a puff of smoke.
– Clayton
Comment by Anthony Flores — May 24, 2007 @ 12:34 pm
What!? Weekly rewards? Are you crazy?
And sorry Carlene, I don\’t shop at Walmart.
(This little emoticon doesn\’t do justice to the snobby look on my face right now.)
Just kidding. Seriously, what a great article!
I especially love the part about embracing your fear with attitude, using it to spur you on. It seems like masters in any field, whether it\’s Michael Jordan… Tom Cruise… or you… all learned how to use the so-called \”negative stuff\” as powerful driving forces to success.
I may not be able to match your attitude, but I\’m going to have to try the whole \”arms crossed, head bobbing from side to side and rolling your eyes\” thing soon.
At the very least, it sounds like fun!
Also, I think your advice is priceless for when you start to freak out in the middle of a project, which happens to me sometimes.
Again, thanks for the wonderful insights.
Tony
Comment by Bruce Wedding — May 24, 2007 @ 12:45 pm
Carline,
Wow! I thought it was just me
Seriously, to see someone of your caliber write this is so beneficial for me. I\’m not sure if it took courage for you to write this but thank you from the bottom of my heart for doing it.
Knowing that you experience these feelings let\’s me know that they must be perfectly normal and natural and just knowing that makes them more bearable.
I question every home run I hit. I figure I must have gotten lucky and the pitcher served up a gopher ball.
I think I\’ll never hit another one but somehow manage to and the process starts again.
I guess that\’s just the way this business is.
Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
Bruce aka The Copywriting Maniac
Comment by Butch Farley — May 25, 2007 @ 8:49 am
What’s funny is in my previous lifetime I was an Air Force weenie…flew jets for a living…we were probably the most thoroughly trained, proficient group, at what we did, on the planet. And, every time I \”stepped\” out to the jet I wondered \”if I was up to it\”…jeez…same thing with my writing. Bruce, you\’re right…that\’s just the way it is.
Butch