I’ll sometimes buy a book to reserve the option of reading it in the future. I read slowly and thoroughly, so I have to be selective about what I read. I’ll often read the introduction and conclusion of a book when it arrives, then shelve it for a proper read later on. I’ve had Robert McKee’s book Story sitting on Read Full Article

I teach my copywriting students to plan stories by mapping 5-7 key events onto a timeline. You can do this on a plain piece of paper, napkin, post-it note, or whatever you have to hand.This rudimentary planning method would be too simplistic for say a novel or a play, but it’s reliable enough for most Read Full Article

I’ve been reading an excellent book called Uncommon Measure, by Natalie Hodges. Hodges is a former violinist who dedicated herself to music until performance anxiety forced her to quit. I have much to say about this book, as well as much I am still processing. But something that stood out was her thought that the act of writing Read Full Article

One of my first marketing mentors was and is Perry Marshall. I’ve subscribed to Perry’s emails since about 2006. Within Perry’s community a long standing critique has been that his ongoing emails are too ‘salesy’. For a few years you only heard from him when he had a webinar to promote. Well, a year ago Read Full Article

I noticed the other day that a large chunk of the ‘broadcast’ emails I receive are now delivered by Substack… Substack describes itself as an ‘online platform that provides publishing, payment, analytics, and design infrastructure to support subscription newsletters.’ As a subscriber the experience of Substack is similar to Patreon. You subscribe to follow people Read Full Article

On a recent Story Copywriter Community call we discussed some books I’ve read recently. At the risk of over-extending your reading list I thought I’d share the conversation: [video_page_section type=”vimeo” position=”default” image=”https://storycopywriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/books.png” btn=”light” heading=”” subheading=”” cta=”” video_width=”1080″ ]https://vimeo.com/783964013[/video_page_section] Recommended books I read last year (that relate to writing): – The Story of the British Isles in Read Full Article

I follow Caitlin Johnstone’s writing. Every year she publishes an update of who she is and what she stands for. For those who sell based on trust and expertise this struck me as a good idea. After all, you can’t understand anyone better than you understand yourself. The beliefs, values, ambitions and goals that make Read Full Article

I have an email template in my template pack called the re-engagement template. This is the email I suggest you sent to a stagnant list that hasn’t been mailed for a while. The truth about this template is it works in any format – not just email. One of my community members used it to Read Full Article

I’m currently making plans for next year. Perhaps you are too. The run up to Christmas seems to stimulate both reflection and forward thinking. Story Copywriters has two halves to the business. One is my training course and community. The community is growing slowly but nicely. It’s a collaborative environment where we delve into writing topics Read Full Article

I’m reading a book called The Man Who Broke Into Auschwitz.The book tells the story of Denis Avey, a British soldier captured by the Nazis in North Africa. Avey eventually wound up at a POW labour camp at IG Farben’s Buna-Werke plant near Auschwitz. At the plant, British POWs were forced to work alongside Jewish prisoners.After watching the way Jewish prisoners were treated, Avey Read Full Article

A ‘lead magnet’ is something you give away in exchange for somebody’s information and permission to contact them. Lead magnets are the single marketing topic that all marketers lose sleep over. Crafting engaging stories is one thing, but attracting new contacts into your world is a steeper challenge. For one thing, media costs are crazy. Read Full Article

I was at a party last weekend. “So what do you do?” somebody asked. An innocent question with genuine interest behind it.Even now, aged 37, the ‘what do you do’ question still gives me mild heart palpitations…At a glance I have to suss out the person I’m speaking to. What would they likely most like Read Full Article

I’ve read a number of excellent books recently that can best described as a collection of essays. These include Words Are My Matter (Ursula K. Le Guin), which I recommend. Vesper Flights by Helen Macdonald, which I’d recommend if you like bird/animal watching. And I’ve just started A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century, by Read Full Article

I’ve heard a lot in recent years about AI-driven copywriting tools. You input a minimum amount of input, provide the tool with guidance on style and tone, and BAM – watch the words appear magically on screen!Too good to be true, right?I’ve been a sceptic for a long time – and honestly, I still am. Read Full Article

I’m updating my email sequences at the moment. Every 12 months or so I take a retrospective glance over the automated email sequences that go when a new contact opts-in.It’s the type of task I’d ideally take to a hotel on an overnight retreat to complete. But in reality, it’s slow progress working through each Read Full Article

I spend a lot of time converting stories into emails, book chapters and other forms of prose. In listening to somebody’s story I’m really listening for changes; small or large events that indicate a movement from one phase of life to the next. On a personal level we feel these changes as they happen, although Read Full Article

One of the few marketing podcasts I follow is Chris Davis’s All Systems Go podcast. A few years ago Chris published an episode on ‘the Creator’s Curse’… As soon as I heard those words I knew they contained inherent truth. My archive of work is littered with half completed lead magnets, book ideas, courses and products. Kind of like a collection Read Full Article

The stories you believe to be your ‘best’ stories are rarely the ones that get the best response. More often, it is stories about ‘routine’ events often seem to perform better. The ones you almost didn’t send. Usually these are your ‘untold’ stories. Untold because you think nobody will be interested in them. In selecting Read Full Article

First, an announcement. The latest updated version of Simple Story Selling is now live on Amazon! The updated book contains: An expanded section on roles, and the critical interaction between business owner and copywriter A deeper discussion of the 4 story types and how they should be used across the customer journey A deeper examination Read Full Article

I’m a proponent of telling stories about routine everyday events. The things you’re up to on a daily basis. The other evening I was trying to sneak five minutes to read a book. I often find myself reading while the toaster is on, or while the kettle is boiling. Many days it is simply the Read Full Article