Copy That!

"You don't need to be a great writer, you just need to create a vision and people will buy from you."

    ~Advice from Jim Camp, the feared negotiator.

Writing is one thing, but being able to sell your writing is another, and that's why copywriting is important.

Some people think that copywriting isn't "real" writing but there are plenty of millionaire copywriters who would disagree. AND the most amazing thing is most of them only work 3 or 4 hours a day.

Copywriting should be crucial to all writers because if no one knows how great your books are, no one will buy them.

I've been studying copywriting for years and I still do because it really is THAT important. It's true what they say that writing a book is easy. Selling it is hard.

So learn all you can about copywriting, and make sure you learn from the best.

I found that I can definitely sell more books with better copywriting, and here are a few things I've learned.

Sell an experience, not a product. People only want to know "what's in it for me?"

So don't write about you and your book (unless you have an incredible pedigree), instead tell your readers all the benefits of reading your books.

Use emotion so that your readers are eager to buy.

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Wanting to Be a Writer Yet Not Writing

"Success doesn't come from what you do occasionally. It comes from what you do consistently." 

    ~ Marie Forleo

So many people who read my blog say they want to write yet never start. It just doesn't seem to be on their to-do list ever.

I give so much information and direct links to courses and books and ebooks as well as give away free ebooks, all of which can be used to start writing and publishing immediately.

Many people do actually click through to see what's on offer, but so few download anything and make a start.

So I have to ask... if you want to be a writer yet no matter what's on offer you never write or even do one thing to begin, do you really want to be a writer?

It's irrational and illogical to always say you want to write but never do it.

The same goes with wanting to earn more but never putting in the extra effort to do anything about it.

So, do you want to write and earn more or are you lying to yourself?

Go to my website at https://ruthiswriting.com/books.html and see how much writing you SHOULD be doing.

Remember, those books and articles aren't going to write themselves no matter how much you'd like them to.

Writing From Theme and What It Really Means

 Have you ever heard of writing from theme?

Theme is the part of your story (or novel) that has an overall message. 

Some people get confused between topic/subject and theme.

Topic/subject is what your story is about (freedom), your theme is the message you want to deliver to your readers (freedom is an illusion). Or it could be a story about a haunted house (ghosts) and your theme is that ghosts don't exist, and your story is how you prove your theme, without actually stating it.

There are many ways to deliver a theme through your characters, symbolism, environments, character interactions with others, and many more ways besides.

But either way, as we all know, by the end of the story there must be change for your main character, either emotionally, psychologically or physically.

As the writer, your job is to demonstrate your theme to the reader throughout your character's journey through your story.

If you want to understand writing from theme more, and how to use it, I've written an article about it and you can read it at:

https://ruthiswriting.com/articles/2020/Writing-From-Theme.html

Why I Don’t Enter Writing Competitions

It can be every writer’s dream to win a writing competition and I even know one writer who once won an insignificant competition and then called herself “an award winning writer.” Haha.

Don’t get me wrong, winning a writing competition, or any competition, is a great feeling, and even when I’ve won something really small, I’m still happy to have won.

The problem with most writing competitions though, is that they cost money to enter, and I’ve known writers who spend hundreds every year to enter these comps without winning a thing or even getting on the short list.

And it can be demoralising.

The trouble is, you see, that there are usually thousands of entrants so chances of winning are slim, plus it depends who the judges are and their reading preference.

So this is why I don’t enter writing competitions. 

I’d rather use the money to buy a lottery ticket then at least if I don’t win, it’s just the luck of the draw and not because someone who’s probably never even been a writer or has never achieved anything great from their writing, has judged my work as not good enough in their opinion.

I do, however, love submitting work to paying markets because it’s free, I get paid if accepted, and rejections simply mean it wasn’t right for the market (which I’ve sometimes been told).

AND I’m free to submit my work elsewhere. Which I usually do.

But you do what’s best for you.

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