I’m so excited to share that I’ve put together a dozen of my best writing secrets in a very special report.  These 12 techniques are the very same ones I’ve used for over 20 years to write copy for some of the biggest brands in the world, like Wendy’s, HP and Restoration Hardware.

With my 12 Shortcuts to Get Great Copy, you’ll find out how to break writer’s block, jump-start any writing project and inspire the creative process in you — even if you’re a non-writer who needs to write for your job.

And, because I value my blog readers so much, I’m making this $12.95 PDF offer available to you for just $6.95 today through this Friday ONLY. It’s such an early release that I don’t even have a shopping cart page ready to go, so you must contact me to order. Remember, this special offer is available only through Friday, Dec. 5, 2008.

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Get Great Copy Shortcut #4

Writers are frequently told to “write what you know.” Okay. Great advice if you’re writing a book, an article or an essay on the topic of your choice. But when you’re a corporate writer, marketer or small- or medium-sized business owner, you’re more likely to be responsible for writing about things far less personal than, say, your passion for cooking, your experience in homeschooling or your advocacy for open adoption.

You can, however, adapt the “write what you know” philosophy. Begin with a brain dump of all that you know about your topic. (I suspect you’ll be surprised at just how much you do know.) Then roughly organize the copy into categories. Next, give each category a subhead. You’ll probably think of an additional category or two for which you have no copy. No problem. Just create the subhead and leave some blank space below for filling in.

For example, if you’re writing a history of your company for your web site, you might begin with how the company was founded, what transitions it has gone through and where it is today. Your subheads might look something like this: The Early Years, The Growing Years, Today and The Future. Or like this: History, Products & Services and Leadership.

At this point, it doesn’t matter what you write, only that you write. By using this Get Great Copy Shortcut, you’ll not only have a solid start on your potential copy, you’ll identify specific knowledge gaps. And only then will you know what you don’t know. And only then can you decide whether to investigate it and include it or leave it out altogether.

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What’s your biggest, baddest, ugliest communication/copy challenge?

What, specifically, would you like to know about getting great copy or communicating more effectively?

What can’t you seem to accomplish with your communication/copy?

Post a comment here and I’ll answer the best questions in future issues of my Get Great Copy e-newsletter.

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Another Get Great Copy shortcut …
For years, direct mail copywriters have suggested that in order to become good at writing direct mail copy, you should find a stellar copy example and then handwrite the copy verbatim — day after day after day. The most touted direct mail piece to copy is Martin Conroy‘s world-famous 1974 control letter.

So why not find a bit of web content you consider great and do the same? What about a clever headline? Or a brilliant tagline? Handwriting the great copy you aspire for yourself will help you truly understand and embrace the nuances of what makes it great. (An old friend used to call this “knowing it in your knower.”)

Use this technique, too, to overcome writer’s block. Putting pen to paper and writing out longhand copy you consider worthy will immediately shift your mindset to help open up your creativity in very short order.

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