The Unwritten Rules of Copywriting

Copywriting is not taught in schools, yet it influences everyday life far more than logarithms or crop rotation. Copywriting is not taught in marketing departments or ad agencies, yet a great deal of money hangs on its success or failure. But can a creative act be taught? Can you apply rules? Dominic Gettins believes so. In The Unwritten Rules of Copywriting he divides the process of writing copy into eight practical rules:

1. Know your target
2. Do your research
3. Answer the brief
4. Be relevant
5. Be objective
6. Keep it simple
7. Know your medium
8. Be ambitious

And they work. They are a proven success where used on courses and workshops, as well as in many successful advertising campaigns.

Now you can apply them to your own work. If you're a seasoned copywriter this is a valuable source of ideas, quotes and examples reflecting the modern role of copy in advertising. If you're entirely new to the skill, you'll find rock-solid principles and the guidance you need to survive. And if you simply want to improve your written communication in the office, apply these rules and you'll be amazed at the effect.

These rules are not intended as edicts. They carry no penalties; they're merely a useful way to structure material and endear it to memory. They have been adopted by a number of organizations without creating a breed of grey-suited creative people who crush free thinking and drink only in moderation.

• Introduction
• This guide
• Time
• Eight Copywriting Rules
• Rule One: Know Your Target Market
• Who are you talking to?
• Rule Two: Do Research
• Media
• Money
• Production methods
• Subject matter
• Rule Three: Answer the Brief
• Planning
• Tone of voice
• Campaigns
• Rule Four: Be Relevant
• Metaphor
• Rule Five: Be Objective
• Rule Six: Keep it Simple
• Twenty things to avoid
• Rule Seven: Know Your Medium
• Radio
• Posters
• Press copy
• Web sites
• Television
• Rule Eight: Be Ambitious
• End of restrictions
• Ideas on ideas
• Be Original
• Conclusion
• Using freelance copywriters
• Examples
• What counts as advertising?
• What counts as 'good'?
• Further Reading
  

This is an outstanding book in more aspects than copywriting!

If read with an open mind, his advice/rules could as well be applied to strategy or marketing in general. But he is making a very good effort on explaining the world of copywriting to the novice, and he does it with a mastery of writing that is very fitting to the title.

Clearly an outstanding book, that you won't regret reading, even if it is not your your chosen speciality.