Rhythm in Writing

Most of my writing is not meant to be read aloud. 

But I do. 

I call it: aural editing.

Hearing my writing helps me check rhythm, flow, and if the reader will accept the words as part of a conversation they're having with the brand. 

Rhythm reduces friction for your readers. 

It lowers their effort in consuming your words and accepting your message. 

It can mean the difference between your target audience continuing to read or getting tripped up (or worse, bored) to a full stop.

Writing content and copy with good rhythm and flow starts with the nuts and bolts, such as:

• sentence length
• word syllables
• punctuation placement

Gary Provost famously wrote:

This sentence has five words. Here are five more words. Five-word sentences are fine. But several together become monotonous. Listen to what is happening. The writing is getting boring. The sound of it drones. It's like a stuck record. The ear demands some variety.

Now listen. I vary the sentence length, and I create music. Music. the writing sings. It has a pleasant rhythm, a lilt, a harmony. I use short sentences. And I use sentences of a medium length. And sometimes when I am certain the reader is rested, I will engage him with a sentence of considerable length, a sentence that burns with energy and builds with all the impetus of a crescendo, the roll of the drums, the crash of the cymbals – sounds that say listen to this, it is important.

So write with a combination of short, medium, and long sentences. Create a sound that pleases the reader's ear. Don't just write words. Write music.  

So, consider reading your content and copy out loud. 

Or have someone else read it it, preferably cold (their first read of the material). 

Listen for the rhythm. 

Or lack of it. Identify tripping points.

Write this on a note and stick it where you'll see it:

Aural Editing Makes It Better

PS If you want to check out masters of rhythm in writing, read Shel Silverstein, Jack Kerouac, Truman Capote, Ernest Hemingway, or Dr. Suess.

PPS In my opinion, current copywriters who deftly apply rhythm when writing copy include Andrew Joliffe, Cole Schafer, Henneke Duistermaat, Eddie Shleyner, and George Tannenbaum. 

The Worst Halloween Treat

It shows up every fall.

Candy corn.

My wife loves the foul stuff.

Me? Not so much.

But I could write a helluva good ad for it.

or promo. or email. or social media post. or video script. or web page.

Why they like it and why they should buy it.

I'm a copywriter, and that's what copywriters do.

We don’t necessarily have to like a product or a service, we just have to tap into the target audience and understand why they want or need it.

What problem does it solve? What joy does it bring?

That being said, this week I turned down a nice piece of business because I was not morally comfortable with the product. I think I could've written a helluva good ad for it.

or promo. or email. or social media post. or video script. or web page

But I won’t.

Wish the offer had come from a manufacturer of candy corn.

Whatever Happened to Bobby Buntrock?

Something catches your eye and causes a flood of memories.

A truck passed me. The company name on the door was Hazel Construction.

Immediately I thought of Hazel, a TV show that, as a kid, I occasionally watched in re-runs.

Without effort, I remembered that the title character was played by Shirley Booth. Don DeFore was the dad. Bobby Buntrock played the young son. And I didn't particularly like the show.

How do I know that? Why did I know that?

There is a scientific explanation of how and why I stored that information and why it was immediately accessible even though I often can't remember a password I created yesterday.

But more importantly -- at least for this blog -- it happened. 

And it brought with it a happy, nostalgic feeling of being a kid parked in front of a TV set.

Reminding me that emotional nostalgic cues can be an effective tool when writing ads and other marketing materials. 

Here's an example from Fisher-Price:

Remember when ...

Often triggering a memory of a happy time can link that positive feeling with what you are promoting.

Tastes just like mom used to make it. 

And mom's home cooked comfort meals are just one of many ... consider

first car

kindergarten

first kiss

family vacation

college dorm

wedding

childhood games

first apartment

• If a graphic or video will be included with your writing, your target audience's ears and eyes can be a simple way to trigger nostalgic emotions.
• A song from a specific era. A car or clothing fashions from the past. A politician, actor, or other famous person. An out-of-vogue hairstyle.
• A thoughtfully chosen typeface can support these triggers as well.

Be careful though. Be sure your target doesn't have negative emotions associated with a past memory. Maybe mom was a terrible cook.

• Research your target audience. 
• When did they reach the age for school, dating, college, marriage, working, retiring, etc.? 
• What are emotional cues from those times? 
• How can you hit that trigger quickly and without sounding phony or manipulative?

If you think nostalgia might be useful to gain attention or trigger emotion for one of your clients, do your homework and then use your writing skills to transfer that positive feeling to a brand or purchase.

So ... whatever happened to Bobby Buntrock?

Of course, I had to check up on Bobby Buntrock. It's what I do, typically spending more time researching than writing.

Bobby started acting at age 7, landing some bit parts before a 5 season run with Hazel. After Hazel he made a couple of guest shots on the TV show The Virginian. Then he retired from show business and moved to South Dakota where he went to high school. Bobby died in a car accident in 1974 at the age of 21.

By the way, I also checked out Hazel Construction which was founded in 1964, the same time that Hazel was a first run sitcom on CBS. 

But enough about Bobby. 

Is there a child actor you watched when you were a kid whose name might come rushing back to you with the right cue? How 'bout

Lindsay Lohan?

Daniel Radcliffe?

Raven Symone?

Butch Patrick?

Corey Haim?

Hayley Mills?

Gary Coleman?

Frankie Muniz?

Alyssa Milano?

Corey Feldman?

Maureen McCormick?

Danny Bonaduce?

Selena Gomez?

Jonathan Ke Quan?

Haley Joel Osmet?

Dustin Diamond?

Malcolm -Jamal Warner?

Macauley Culkin?

Feeling nostalgic?

A Tale of Two Videos

These 2 videos -- made to promote a product on social media -- demonstrate some key principles of copywriting:

1. Target a a specific audience and speak directly to them
2. Get attention 
3. Identify pain that the target wants to alleviate (or pleasure the target wants to enjoy) and offer the product as the solution.
4. Choose words carefully (don't use more words than you need)
5. Direct the target to where they can buy the product 

OK, enough talking about it. Let's take a look at the videos and break down how they hit those 5 key checklist items.

1. The target is copywriters and the dancing man is identified as a copywriter
2. To get the prospect's attention, the dancing handles the heavy lifting with a little help from the command/suggestion: "Say hello to Jason."
3. Jason is a copywriter and he's doing a happy dance (to happy music) ... if I'm a copywriter, I want to be happy like that. It is revealed that the product is the cause of the happiness.
4. Only 7 words were used in the first 10-seconds of a 23-second video
5. The product is shown and the viewer is directed to where they can buy it. A stronger call to action (CTA) could've been used here even considering that the primary goal was awareness and the secondary goal was purchase.

1. The opening shot includes the words "Writer's Block" letting writers know that this video is for them
2. Writer's block strikes fear into the hearts and minds of writers and gets their attention 
3. Writer's block is the pain point and the point is driven home (poked at) with the images of an unproductive writer. The combination of the music and the "fast forwarding" effect adds to the experience of time going by without the writer being able to write anything. The product is offered as the relief, the way to "Say Goodbye to Writer's Block"
4. In the first 10-seconds of a 19-second spot, only two words are used.
5. Where to get the product and a call to action (Get Your Copy) is shown with the product itself.

The principles of copywriting align with those of marketing, selling, and persuasion. Develop the habit of reviewing your copywriting against key principles, such as asking:

• Am I addressing a specific audience and am I doing what it takes to get their attention? 
• Am I building interest and desire by identifying a point of pleasure or pain that they will personally identify with? Am I poking that pain or heightening the value of the pleasure? 
• Am I doing it with as few well chosen words as necessary?
• Am I telling them what to do next?

Your copy has a job to do. Make sure it delivers.

PS Can you guess which video got the most views, re-posts, etc.?