Cuno’s Rules for Stronger Writing
  1. Write to communicate, not to impress with your writing. Good writers disappear behind the subject they bring to life.
  2. Short sentences are usually stronger than long ones. Weak: She was so confused, she didn’t know what to do. Stronger: She was stumped.
  3. Small words are better than big ones. Weak: Masticate. Stronger: Chew. Weak: Expectorate. Stronger: Spit. Weak: Inebriated. Stronger:Drunk.
  4. Active is stronger than passive voice. Weak: He was being watched by everyone in the neighborhood. Stronger: Everyone in the neighborhood watched him.
  5. Beware “is,” “are,” “was” and “were.” They usually suggest passive voice, and therefore an opportunity for better writing. Weak: She was well-liked. Stronger: People liked her.
  6. Forget what your English teacher said about avoiding “you” and its derivatives. In real writing, use “you” freely, but intelligently. Addressing the reader as “the reader,” or a customer as “the customer,” is punishable by death. Weak: The reader [customer] will appreciate… Stronger: You’ll love…
  7. Edit like mad. Throw out anything you can without changing meaning.Weak: He told everyone present that his motive for killing the late canary was the inescapable result of a considerable number of mishaps during his childhood. Better: He blamed killing the canary on his childhood.
  8. Don’t use adverbs. They usually signal the need for a stronger verb. Weak: He walked slowly. Stronger: He lumbered. Or: He crept. Or: He shuffled. Or: He moped.
  9. Show, don’t tell. Weak: He was mad. Better: His face reddened, his fists tightened, and his jaw trembled. Smoke curled out of his left ear.
  10. Avoid “got,” “get,” etc. They signal a need for a better verb or better sentence structure. Weak: He was getting hungry. Stronger: His stomach growled.
  11. Avoid cliches. Weak: He settled into bed, snug as a bug in a rug, and lived happily ever after. Stronger: He slipped into bed and turned off the light.
Steve Cuno
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About the Copy 09/03/2009
 
Funny how easy it is to sell copy short.

It begins with the way the advertising industry presents concepts. Before computers, we represented copy with a bunch of ignominious horizontal lines. Today, we plop gobbledegook where the copy will eventually go. (Said gobbledegook, which we usually refer to as “Greek,” is in reality an excerpt — inLatin — from a treatise on ethics. But I digress.)

It makes sense to agree on a concept or strategy before incurring the expense of writing copy. Yet in doing so, we risk creating the impression that as long as the layout, headline and driving concept are strong, it doesn’t much matter what the copy says.

Judging by the copy-light work many shops produce, that fear is not unfounded. A number of highly-praised ads sport but one or two lines of copy against a backdrop of a large visual. Sometimes there’s a headline, sometimes not. I would be the first to agree that at least some of these ads are arresting. But it’s important not to mistake being arresting for being persuasive. Yes, yes, I know: If it doesn’t get noticed, it won’t sell. But drawing notice is no assurance that you will sell anything. Your high school class nerd drew all kinds of notice, but never got dates. (Apologies if you were said nerd. So was I. That’s how I know.)

Copy matters. The best evidence that copy matters is the fact that long copy sells more goods and services than short copy. This runs counter to the folkloric belief that “no one likes to read long copy,” but in every carefully conducted test, well-written long copy has always outsold well-written short copy.

Copy does things that layouts and headlines can’t do on their own. It goes into detail. It presents benefits, explains features, makes promises, reasons, offers guarantees, persuades, pleads, warns, asks for the order, and makes taking action mindlessly easy.

Good copywriters build an irresistible, persuasive message that moves readers to action. They avoid the trap of believing that being glib or entertaining will charm people into buying. Copy sparkles when it calls no attention to itself, and instead rivets attention on what’s for sale and on why readers must, simply must, buy or inquire now.

Smart clients know great copy when they see it, willingly pay top dollar for it, and have the sense to leave it alone. They understand that, preliminary layout aside, copy does more than fill the space once occupied by lorem ipsum dolor.

Don’t sell great copy short. Without it, your ad might make a statement. Might. But if you want to create action, you’re going to need some dang brilliant copy.

Steve Cuno

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