ONE trick to infuse more of *you* in your copy
Wooooooooooo GIRL.
Okay, first. Pause for the most shameless plug because — if you’re asking this question — you need what I got …
(My mom says it’s the best writing course on the planet.)
So go nab it! And after you nab it, come back here because I have something important to tell you:
That was your first lesson in infusing more of YOU in your copy.
Note the:
elongated words
capitalization
difference in sentence length
improper English
mom
You can *hear* me saying this. Like we’re at a bar, three martinis in, and I just realized I have the perfect solution for that neck hair you can’t get rid of. THAT’S how I said wrote it.
And that’s what you want to do, too.
Now …
I don’t throw out unhelpful shit like “just write like you talk” around here. But … that’s basically what I’m saying.
Your copy will sound like you when it — quite simply — sounds like you.
That’s not the most intuitive directive, though. So here’s the (*actually doable*) ONE trick to do it, too.
YOU’RE GONNA FAKE A FRIEND
As I, personally, am easily insecure, I lock myself in a closet for this exercise so no one — not even my dog — can hear me. Do with that what you will.
Here are your 6 steps.
1. Write your outline.
2. Fake your friend.
3. Record your conversation.
4. Listen to it back.
5. Write it exactly how you hear it.
6. Get a drink and revisit
If you’re brave enough to continue, let’s do this.
1. WRITE YOUR OUTLINE
What do you want to write about? Keep it short and keep it casz. We’re talking bullet points, incomplete thoughts. Just jot a few down to get to your main idea.
(I did this exercise for this blog. All I wrote down were my 5 steps above. Then I just chatted about it outloud and got the copy you just read.)
2. FAKE YOUR FRIEND
Bring back the imaginary friend!
Pick a real person. Or conjure a mystical being with horns.
Your fake friend just has to be someone who:
Never judges you
Always supports you
Loves literally everything you say
You want to be uber comfortable when you’re talking to this fake friend, so make them someone who you’re *actually* not afraid to be yourself around.
3. RECORD YOUR CONVO
With your fake friend in mind … hit record and just. start. talking. Tell your friend about the outline you wrote.
Have some fun. Get a little crazy. A little creative. A little inappropriate.
No one is going to hear this, so if you think you fuck it up — who cares. Your fake friend doesn’t.
4. PLAY IT BACK
I’m not gonna lie. This is the cringiest step. But once you get good at doing it, it gets easier. Like … shaving your face.
Hit play and do not run out of the room.
5. WRITE IT EXACTLY HOW YOU HEAR IT
Did you emphasize something? Put asterisks around it.
Did you pause somewhere? Use … an ellipsis.
Did you get really excited when you said a particular word? Write it in all caps.
Did you draw a word out? Put extra letters in it to make it loooooong.
All you’re doing is transcribing a court record. Don’t judge it as you’re writing it.
6. GET A DRINK AND REVISIT
Once you write it down, take a break. Walk away for a sec, or a day. Clear your mind (I recommend wine for this).
Then sit back down and — moment of truth.
Read your copy.
What do you think?
What do you like?
What sounds like you and what doesn’t?
Is the message clear or does it need heavier editing?
Do you like the fun formatting?
Were you authentic with your fake friend or could you open up more next time?
I LOVE THIS EXERCISE FOR TWO REASONS.
The obvious reason:
YOU’LL NATURALLY BECOME A BETTER WRITER.
Writing is a muscle. A habit. Something to practice. This particular exercise makes it easy. Because all you’re doing is writing what you hear.
And … the more you write, the better you get.
The sneaky reason:
YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT YOURSELF
When I work with business owners on their copy, our first hurdle is often:
“I don’t KNOW what I sound like.”
And that’s okay. Authenticity is the hardest part of writing. But it’s well worth the time to work on it.
And when you do this exercise ^ — when you give yourself room to play, room to try things, room to reflect … you start to uncover things about yourself you otherwise wouldn’t have.
And then you can spend the money I just saved you on therapy on The Writer’s Room instead.