Commercial copywriting is very different from writing poetry and musings.
It is targeted and expects a definite outcome from the reader. In fact, its real value is judged by these results.
I’ve been writing commercials for over ten years and I still love it. But sometimes the summary is damn hard. It may be a poorly written report, or it may be because I’ve done a dozen similar reports before.
But when the clock ticks down, you don’t have to wait for the muse. It’s all about getting down and doing business. When all else fails, I turn to these ten basic steps:
1. Fake it till you make it:
It’s a cliché, I know! But my first step is always to start writing freely. Everything that occurs to me is captured on paper. Rude words or bright daydreams – everyone falls.
When I’m freewriting, I usually try to write as fast as I can. Sometimes I imagine that I am a computer programmer with 30 seconds to hack a maximum security system and prevent the world from exploding. Other times I’m popping bubble wrap on my keyboard. You get the idea: all the super silly situations that make my fingers fly across the keyboard. And about the obstacles in my mind.
What comes out of this is really of no consequence. But it’s incredibly energizing. It tricks the mind into thinking that creating something out of nothing is a piece of cake. I mean, just look at all the words on the screen? Good?! They weren’t there before! Good?! That means I must have created them! Good! I am Cre-a-Tor!
2. Cool weather:
After the mad race to save the world, I usually go straight to the fun stuff in the recap. Here I apply the same fast-forward approach as in Step 1, but I applied it to a word, phrase, or idea from the summary that I like.
And it gets even more forgiving than that.
I try to entertain myself with this word or idea. I freely write things that make me laugh, make me want to research a fact, or make me email a friend or share a cool link.
I look for things that inspire me, whether it’s related to the product, the story behind the product, the industry, whatever, it doesn’t matter. I go as far and off the page as I can, so this involves two to three hours of free writing and doodling on the net. But I limit myself: I wait for something concrete to appear at some point in the process and I stop after three hours.
3. Give me a break:
A while back I read a great article on how to stop emotional eating. I realized that one of the tips in the article worked just as well for a nonsense (since, in my case at least, getting a nonsense right leads to emotional padding). At this point I usually get out of my head and my space and take a breather.
I go for a walk / bike into town / call a friend / fall asleep / any or all of the above.
I think getting away from my desk keeps my mind from spiraling downward. Because when I’m feeling creatively dead, it’s easy to obsess over my abilities.
I try to avoid the self-talk where my mind tells me I’m just kidding myself, I suck at my job, I’m not joking with anyone, bladibla bla bla.
So I go on a study trip where I don’t think about the summary at all. Somehow my brain reflects on everything I’ve been rummaging through over the course of the morning and makes all the necessary connections. Phof. So.
4. That one thing:
Now I am relaxed and inspired. It can be the next day, or the same. It doesn’t matter. Now I have a clear vision of what to say.
And most importantly, I know HOW to say it.
I formulated my one clear and concise message and posted it on the wall. It’s the only thing I want to communicate. I do not note the tone of the message. Now it’s recorded.
5. Become the queen ant:
Now I give birth to as many ideas as possible and put them on the wall. Even if the ideas are rubbish, by allowing them to live on a piece of paper I still create. He tells my mind that I can. So I don’t detect anything. I put everything on the wall or on paper.
6. Screw Customer:
This is where I read the summary again. This time, consciously and critically. At this point I screw the customer.
I look beyond all the corporate language that real people don’t care and find out what they do. I wonder: What would make me act if I were them? No. Really ACT.
7. Kill your babies:
Then I analyze my ideas. Again, consciously and critically. To each of them I ask only two questions: Do You Say That One Thing? I believe you?
8. Polish the diamonds:
At this point I hope I have some ideas that I believe in. It’s time to polish them to a shine.
9. Become deadly rational:
After so much flapping in the wind, walking around and talking to myself, I understand that the client (whom I’ve decided to fuck with) may not be on the same page as me.
So this is where I turn on corporate speech and usually write a justification. In my justification I explain my thoughts, ideas, tone, and creative execution.
10. Check your spelling:
Again. Do it. For me, the only way to spell check is to print my work and read it out loud. Because I’ve been through hell and back for this damn recap and I’m not going to let a stupid spelling mistake ruin the pow-wow impact.
That’s all. 10 steps to answer the summary of the nightmare. It always works for me.
