How did I end up here?

As I hurtled towards the ground, completely out of control, at 120 miles an hour I thought:

"Shit."

"I've fucked up."

I was tumbling backwards towards the earth, spinning this way and that, arms and legs waving in the wind like a cartoon who's just realised he fell off a cliff.

You see, I'd learned just enough about skydiving to be

Really.

Fucking.

Dangerous.

I'd qualified as a solo jumper over the course of just a few days. 8 almost perfect supervised jumps. I'd passed my assessment first time with flying colours, if you will. ??

But this jump wasn't going to plan...

Let's rewind a little. The AFF (Accelerated Free Fall) course I'd done consisted of 8 levels. Complete each level and you move on to the next. Complete them all and you can jump solo.

Most people take 10-12 jumps to get signed off.

I did it in 8, so naturally, I thought I was Mr Big Bollocks.

Now, as a general rule, the more experienced skydivers jump out of the plane first, and the less experienced you are there later you go. Trainees on supervised jumps go last.

Up until this point I had always been last out the door. Including my first few solo "consolidation jumps" after passing my assessment. I was still the least experienced guy on the plane.

But on this day? I was on my 5th or 6th consolidation jump and there were 2 guys with even less experience than me.

I was so fucking excited!

As we climbed to 12,000 feet I racked my brain for how I could impress these noobs who had no idea I was barely 2 steps ahead of them.

And then it hit me. Something I'd seen the night before on the big screen in the Drop Zone bar where they showed skydiving videos on loop.

We reach altitude. The door opens. Everyone in the plane high fives each other. It's a real atmosphere in there. The experienced jumpers fly out the door in mind boggling formations.

I approach the door, but instead of getting into the proper exit position I'd been trained to take up

I turn around

Shout "Have a great jump!"

Wink

Give the two noobs "the double guns" with my fingers ????

And jump backwards into nothingness.

It was a bad, bad idea. (See above).

But why am I telling you this?

Well, because this might be you, too.

You've read just enough books, or watched just enough videos to think you're the nuts at writing copy.

You're throwing yourself backwards out the plane with the latest "hack" or "trick" or "shortcut."

But there's something missing...

Anyway, there I am. Falling ass backwards towards the ground at terminal velocity.

Wondering what the fuck to do so I don't end up dead or worse – embarrassed and shamed and ridiculed all night in the bar for triggering the automatic emergency reserve parachute as I plummet through the cut off altitude.

And then I realised.

It's amazing the mental clarity that can come in life or death situations.

Arch

Your

Back

That's all I had to do.

It's all I could do.

It was so simple.

But it wasn't easy. Oh no. Just doing that one thing in that situation took all my strength and will.

I strained and strained trying to get the perfect arch.

And eventually...

Bloink!

I was back in the proper position. And safe.

I checked my altimeter. 4,000 feet.

Shit! That's the height I'm supposed to pull at at my level of experience!

I grab for my throwaway and pull, my 'chute opens, and I parachute down to the landing zone, where Geoff, my instructor, is waiting to sign my log book.

"Good jump?" He asks with a smile on his face, binoculars hanging on a rainbow lanyard round his neck.

"All good. Did a couple of flips and spins for practice." I say.

"Uh huh..."

Ok. Back to you, and why you're reading this long ass post.

THE BASICS

If you're at risk of fucking everything up by trying to be too clever focus on the basics.

Clear language.

A real solution to a real problem your audience has.

A clear call to action.

Arch

your

back.

It's simple (but it isn't easy).

And if you need someone to swoop in and point out the obvious...

Book a copy critique with me. I’ll find areas to improve, cut and add whatever needs to be done. We talk about it on Zoom or whatever flavour of online meeting you like. I’ll help you see the easy wins to get your copy up to scratch, then you go and fix your copy… You can record the call, too!

It's ￡375 but could save you a lot of time and energy.

Contact me to book in.