How to gain confidence in copywriting

Writing with confidence is easier said than done, eh? Here are some ways to boost your confidence and get comfortable writing.

>> If you're going to write, you have to read. Ready EVERYTHING!

Every genre and medium to familiarize yourself with different styles ,conventions, and voices. Stay active on social media and follow a wide range of accounts. Sign up for newsletters, and actually read them. Read books and magazines. Read everything, and take notes on the things that stand out to you, like sentence construction and word choice

>> The first draft should be quick and dirty.

Always begin with a quick, crappy rough draft. It’s the easiest way to start a piece without getting bogged down and overwhelmed by details. This helps you get your ideas out all the way and lets you physically see how long your piece of writing might be. Absolutely no editing or finessing until the second draft.

>> Find the story.

Look for the story in everything. It’s always there if you’re looking for it, but we often aren’t. Practice turning everything into a story. You can make even the simplest events engaging using the basic elements of storytelling.

Storytelling can turn this:

“I had a stressful morning because the heavy traffic almost made me late for an important meeting."

Into this:

As soon as I saw the line of cars stretching into the distance, I knew I’d chosen the wrong exit. How could I get around the chaos? My palms were sweating as I looked at my watch. Potentially the biggest meeting of my career was set to start in 10 minutes. In my adrenaline-fueled hyper focus, I noticed a side street that I thought might lead to a shortcut. Call it destiny or dumb luck, but that street came out exactly where I hoped it would. I usually like to be 10 minutes early, but I was happy to make it there on time at all!

>> Know your voice

We all have unique life experiences that influence the way we look at the world. This, in turn, informs how we tend to express our thoughts and ideas. These tendencies, our environments, and the media we consume all come together in each person to form their unique voice. Get familiar with how you speak and write. Do you tend to use a formal or casual tone? Longer or shorter sentences?Statements or questions? Learning this about yourself will help you cultivate a necessary sense of self-awareness. You can utilize your voice where it’s helpful and appropriate, but you can also intentionally mask or change it when it doesn’t serve your communication goal.

>> Relax

Using correct English is important, but many writers get too caught up in the pursuit of perfection. You may have insecurities about grammar, spelling, and syntax, but don’t let those stand in your way, especially in the age of the Internet. Relax! You’re writing for the 21st century, and in a creative marketing capacity at that. You can forget a lot of what your strict middle school grammar teacher drilled into your head. It’s OK to write in the second person. It’s OK to end a sentence with a preposition. It’s OK to use slang. It’s OK to start a sentence with a conjunction. You’re writing for potential customers, not textbook editors.

So turn on spellcheck and write with the confidence you’ve earned over years of expressing yourself in words. Starting now, let’s drop the idea of “good” or “bad” writing. There is writing that says something and writing that says nothing. Aim for the former, and keep any judgments of worth out of it.

Download our "Secrets to Successful Copywriting" eBook here!