Becoming a better writer and speaker is just like moving. You do it everyday. But what separates the excellent from the average ones are the ones who perform really impressive feats. And The Copy Cartel will show you how to become a better writer and speaker in 6 easy steps.
I remember the first time I did a one-handed push-up. And even though that was really impressive for me…I think what was more impressive was how much time and effort I dedicated just to pull that off.
I had to:
- Plank everyday for 2 minutes straight for 2 months
- Do a 100 push-ups everyday for a month
- Do 10 pullups every day for 3 months
All for a single one-handed push-up.
Without putting that time and effort in, I wouldn’t have been able to get to that level.
And if you want to become a better writer and speaker, you’ll have to dedicate that same energy to building your craft every day.
So here’s how you get started quickly.
Write Your First Draft Without Editing
The point is to get the words out quickly. Just get your thoughts out there. You don’t want to waste time thinking about the perfect sentence. Just focus on building out the template.
Trying to always edit while you write is like being that annoying DJ that never lets the song play. You disrupt the flow because you’re trying too hard.
Just let it rock!
It doesn’t have to be perfect now. You’ll come back to edit everything once it’s all written down.
Write in the Active Voice
“The Sheriff was shot by me!”
Bob Marley never said that. If those were the actual lyrics, that iconic song wouldn’t pack as much impact. Now…
“I SHOT THE SHERIFF!”
Do you feel that? That sounds assertive and final. That’s because…
Subject + Performing Verb + Object = Impact.
Use the active voice exclusively for this purpose.
Tell a Story
I remember when I was 16 playing FIFA against an opponent online and when he scored against me, I threw up my hands in frustration and yelled…
“THAT. IS. SO. GAY!”
“Kuuku! Why are you talking like that?” My older sister demanded.
“Talking like what? All I said was that was gay.”
“Kuuku, that’s rude and insulting to gay people.”
“How? I don’t have anything against gay people. It’s just slang for lame. What’s the big deal?”
“Okay.” My sister quickly exhaled and put her hand to her forehead as if she just experienced a sharp headache. She looked intently at me and said…
“What if someone also experienced something lame and they were like ‘Oh, that’s so Black or that’s so Kuuku?’
Do you see how offensive that is? You wouldn’t like that if everyone started talking like that, would you?”
Immediately, it all clicked…
“Ohhhh…” I said in enlightenment. “Aight, my bad.”
That moment really stuck with me. I’m glad my sister challenged me to think critically because I literally did not know any better.
Sometimes, you need to have the shoe on the other foot.
Stories like that make your writing more engaging and a little funny. And it can leave your readers with a valuable lesson.
Good writers aren’t good writers because they know how to string words together flawlessly on a page.
They are good writers because of the experiences they have and share. And if you can get your readers to connect with that, it makes reading more fun.
So the more unique experiences you have…that readers can relate to or learn from, the better your writing will be.
Use Metaphors and Ideas
Metaphors or big ideas really drive the point home. That’s because they take a complex or boring concept and give it a visual impact your reader can grasp.
For example, I used the metaphor of tug-of-war between bulls and bears to explain the really boring topic of the head and shoulders chart pattern for a trading newsletter I wrote.
Or if you tell me your romantic partner is the sunshine in your life. That shows me how much you care for this person.
It tells me that your partner really BRIGHTENS up your day! (Ha, see what I did there?)
You could have said, “I really like my boyfriend or girlfriend,” but that doesn’t carry as much impact.
Metaphors or unique ideas are great and give your writing some spice. They essentially season your words with flavor.
But don’t overdo it.
Read Out Loud
After you write your final draft, read it out loud. Make sure you are not tripping over long and awkward sentences. If you do, just fix it until you can read everything with ease.
You want to create a nice flow for the reader. Think of it as a rap verse or song. It’s got to have good pace and rhythm.
When you have a piece of writing you can easily read throughout, it will help you become a better speaker as well. And it also lends itself to other forms of content. A well written text can become a:
- new video
- podcast
- speech presentation
If possible, share your writing with someone else and ask them to read it out loud. If they can get through it without stuttering or awkward pauses, then your writing is ready for mass consumption.
Edit and then Edit Once More
Now that you have written your final draft and read it out loud, you’ll realize where you need to make your edits. Go on to edit this two more times. You’ll notice little things you missed before.
A missing comma here, a period there, or anything else that needs correction.
You can also use writing apps like Grammarly or Hemingway to speed up this process.
Bonus: Practice Every Day (Yes, Every Day)
Once you stick to these basic fundamentals, you’ll become a better writer and speaker. You’ll communicate more valuable lessons and ideas that connect to your reader.
Because better communication equals more sales.
So aim for practicing these tips every day. Yes, every day. Nothing bad happens if you can’t.
But I’ve never heard of anyone suffer for perfecting their craft as much as possible over time.
And if you need help auditing and improving your sales copy, then reach out to The Copy Cartel.
Work with us to discuss what you need and how we can generate more profits to your business.
Until then, stay blessed.
~K
P.S. – If you want to improve your copywriting skills and jump-start your freelancing career, sign up for AWAI’S Accelerated Program For 6-Figure Copywriting course.
