Writing. It's hard.
And don't worry, we all feel it. Whether you write for a living or just had a last-minute request to write a report that was needed yesterday, we all face the worst part of writing at some point - the dreaded, horrifying, soul-crushing (gulp) blank page.
Even if we know what we want to say and can articulate it perfectly through speech, there's something about that flashing cursor and white expanse that can send a shiver down the spine of even the hardiest copywriter.
So, how do we face it head-on and get writing?
Well, it depends on what kind of copy you're writing.
As a freelance writer, I take on all kinds of copywriting jobs. From websites to brochures, social media posts to presentations, and a whole bunch of others in between, I'm happy to look at many types of copy projects. And though each one usually requires some planning, research and actually just getting started (I'll talk about crap drafts in a later post), I have different first steps for the various types.
I've mentioned just some of these in this article, but if there are any I haven't mentioned, feel free to give me a shout by popping me an email or sending me a DM on LinkedIn, Facebook or Instagram.
Ready? Let's go for it!
Website Copy
Without a doubt, this copywriting requirement often takes the longest. You're usually dealing with quite a lot of information all at once, plus you've usually got moving parts to contend with as the back and front end of a client's new website begin to take shape.
So, when it comes to where to start with a website copywriting project, you're going to need some clear direction. And what better direction is there than a carefully considered map?
Start with a Site Map
"Do you have a site map?" is the first question I ask any potential client looking to build or redevelop their website. Not only does it give me a good guide for quoting, but it's also vital for the flow of the finished site.
When someone is using your website, they shouldn't hit a dead end (if you can help it). This means that no pages should exist in a vacuum, and each one should flow onto another part of your story.
When your copywriter knows about the roads, paths, shortcuts and significant points of interest, they can use that map to take your website users on a journey. They can then start deciding what information will be necessary on each page, giving them vital outlines that will give essential prompts when they come to actually write the copy.
Blog Articles
Blog articles can serve many purposes for your business. They can be how-to guides. They can be opinion pieces. They can provide more detailed information about your latest release.
But the main thing they SHOULD do - answer your audience's questions.
When a potential customer meets you face to face, they can ask you questions about your product or service. But with blog articles, or any copy for that matter, your customer isn't there in front of you. So, instead, you need to pre-empt what they would ask you if they were here.
Start with your Audience's Questions
Identifying your audience and their hesitation points (e.g. cost, trust, etc.) is a vital first step before you put pen to paper (or hands to keyboard) for a blog article. And you can get a good idea of these hesitation points from many different sources, including:
Your past and current customer queries - what questions are they asking/did they ask?
Commonly asked questions on search engines relating to your product or service
Using a keyword planner or a free (to a point) resource like Answer The Public
Get a sense of what your audience is interested in knowing about your product or service, and often, this will give you an ideal first step - your title.
Then, you just need to think of your blog article title as a question and provide the answer.
Newsletters
Mailer, bulletin, newsletter - whatever you choose to call it, sending direct communications to your mailing list can be a powerful sales tool.
And though there are multiple programs to help you with style and structure, we sometimes struggle to know what we want to actually speak about, particularly if we've committed to a weekly, fortnightly or monthly blast.
So, how about taking a cue from news programmes?
Start with a Feature Story
Switch on any news bulletin, and they'll begin with their "top story". Yes, other stories pad out the programme, but the top story is often given the most attention and airtime.
So, if you could share just one thing with your customers about what's been happening recently, what would it be?
A new client case study?
Moving to a new location?
New hires?
A popular blog article from your site?
A comment on a significant development in your industry?
Whatever it is, make this your main feature and go from there. That way, if you really have nothing else to share (and I highly doubt that), you can stick with that one feature as a standalone piece.
Video Scripts
You might be surprised to hear that the first step here, for me, doesn't involve any writing or planning whatsoever.
Instead, when it comes to writing a video script, the first thing I do is remind myself to relax.
Start with Some Perspective
Videos, whether animation or live-action, inevitably have many moving parts. They can comprise visuals, voiceovers, music, sound effects, captions, etc. Therefore, the video might shift over time and evolve into something completely different from the initial idea.
For example, you could include a pitch-perfect, absolutely brilliant line in your video script. But when the voiceover artist comes to record it, it might sound a little...off. Or maybe one of the parts you've written has inspired the graphic designer in a way you never imagined, so the script needs to slow down or needs more detail to make the visual work. So, the first step here is to relax and remember that creating a video is a collaborative process.
Don't get me wrong; your script often provides a valuable starting point for the designer/s to get their creative juices flowing. So, take a breath, outline the essential information that needs to be included, and get comfortable with the fact that the script will likely need changes down the line.
The first step is always the hardest. And that is true for any copywriting project.
So make a start, and if all else fails, remember, you can always go back and edit. It's such an obvious point, yet we can easily fall into the trap of believing that the first thing we write needs to be perfect.
Let that go, and get writing. And if you need more help, feel free to get in touch.