'The Copywriter's Handbook' - another helpful book by Robert Bly

About a week ago, I posted a review of Robert Bly's The Online Copywriter's Handbook. When I picked up the next of my stack of library books to review, I realized it was another of Bly's books: The Copywriter's Handbook. It's the third edition, just out last year.

If I was impressed by the previous book, I can't even begin to tell you what I thought of this book! It contained some of the same information, sometimes even word-for-word, but it also contained a lot of new information.

Oddly enough, I thought the chapter on writing for an online format was more helpful, in some ways, than The Online Copywriter's Handbook - although that may have to do with the fact that The Copywriter's Handbook is several years newer, and therefore more up-to-date. For instance, Bly tackles the relatively new realm of SEO writing, and gives some tips that you won't hear from anyone else online - particularly the article factories who want SEO articles.

Bly also goes into great detail about things that were not covered in the Online Handbook at all, such as writing ads, press releases, and direct marketing materials. Another chapter covers how to find a job with an advertising agency - oddly enough, Bly doesn't seem to think too highly of freelancing - and the final chapter tells non-writers how to work with copywriters. (I know of several past editors and employers of mine who need to read this...) All of the information is very thorough and helpful.

It's a great book to have on your shelf for easy reference - there are so many pages that I stared at for quite some time, desperately trying to memorize the information there for future reference. There was just too much to take in, though, so I'll probably be buying the book myself just as soon as I have a little extra money - and I'd recommend the same to just about any other writer.

Writers Weekly's article about signs you've been scammed!

Angela Hoy is one of the strongest advocates I know of freelance writing contracts. She is always emphasizing the importance of having a contract to protect yourself. This week's article, "Top 10 Signs You've Been Scammed Into Writing for Free," is a quick-and-easy list of the most common excuses scammers use to keep the writer's they've scammed at bay. I haven't yet heard any of these myself, but I've heard enough horror stories to recognize the lines!

A definite reading must for freelance writers who think they might have been scammed, and a great warning for those who want to know what kinds of scenarios to avoid!

Not all good reading for writers is in book form!

Every week I follow the ezine Writers Weekly, and I often post to my blog with links leading back to the ezine. I usually post on my other blog, Swan's Blog, but it occurred to me that this is actually perfect Reading For Writers material! It's not a book, but Writers Weekly is one of the best resources for freelance writers that I know of.

No, I take that back - it is the best. Writers Weekly is information and tips for freelance writing; it's also a support group and a source of job leads. Nope, I can't imagine a better site for my fellow freelance writers to read.

Now that I've explained my justification for posting this here, let me tell you about today's feature article! Richard Hoy has been running a six-part series of articles on online marketing, and today's was the fifth in the series. This article addressed the advantages to posting to online forums and discussion boards.

I'd like to encourage comments on this blog, as well as on Swan's Pond. Therefore, if you have - or know of - a website, blog, or ezine that is directed at freelancers, go ahead and post it in the comments to this post!

I look forward to seeing what you have in your Favorites folders!

'The Online Copywriter's Handbook,' by Robert Bly

First of all, I apologize for neglecting this site for the last week. I've been unexpectedly busy with many writing assignments, which is both a blessing and a curse. :o)

During this past week, however, I've been reading, whenever I've found the time, a book by Robert W. Bly called The Online Copywriter's Handbook. It seems to be pretty well-known, as I know I've heard the author's name bandied about in other copywriting books.

It's quite obvious why I've heard Bly's name before. His book is fantastic. He presents a very thorough how-to, which appeals to entrepreneurs and beginning copywriters alike. His writing is so engaging that it's easy to see he must be a very successful copywriter - although I normally skim major chunks of these books, I found myself slowing down and reading this one in detail.

In chapter one of the book, Bly talks about the factors that have molded the nature of the Internet and the habits of its users. To quote Bly: "According to Dan Poynter, author of The Self-Publishing Manual, 80 percent of U.S. families did not buy or read a book last year. He also notes that 70 percent of U.S. adults have not been in a bookstore in the last five years, and 58 percent of the adult population never reads another book after high school."

Those statistics are positively staggering. Can you imagine never reading another book after graduation? Ever? In your entire life?

With hooks like this, Bly's book really draws you in, makes you understand the audience that online materials must be written for. After reading that first chapter and all its shocking revelations, I was committed: there was no way I wasn't going to finish that book.

The rest of the book is quite useful, too. Bly walks you through webpage creation, banner and newsletter ads, direct mail, and ezine publishing. The book is written so that readers with absolutely no knowledge of copywriting will be able to follow it, yet I - with my whole year-and-a-half's worth of experience - didn't feel talked down to or offended.

Most of the writing books I've read and reviewed, I would recommend checking out from the library before making the decision to buy. The Online Copywriter's Handbook, however, is different - I firmly believe that this is a book every writer needs in their library.

'The New Publicity Kit'

The New Publicity Kit: A Complete Guide for Entrepreneurs, Samll Businesses & Nonprofit Organizations, by Jeanette Smith, is a little outdated (1995) but still contains some pretty good starter information. In particular, the book has several chapters to help first-timers write press releases in newstory and feature formats. The book also explains press kits and other forms of free or low-cost publicity available for do-it-yourselfers.

There are two things to remember when reading this book:

1) The book is geared toward the small business owner, and

2) The internet technology mentioned in the book is so far outdated, it's practically from another world; these days, so much more news is on the Web that any writer of publicity materials will probably be writing directly for an online audience.

There is an awful lot of information for beginners in this book, such as how to format manuscripts and what a press release consists of, but it would probably be helpful for a writer (or, as the book was intended for, an entrepreneur) who wants a little guidance writing publicity materials for the first time.

Introduction

Welcome to Reading For Writers, a blog dedicated to reviewing books on the art and craft of writing! I first set up my website, www.katharineswan.com, almost exactly a year ago; about six months ago, I started my first blog, Swan's Blog. Tonight, I was getting ready to post a review of a book when I realized...as many books as I review, I might as well have a separate blog dedicated solely to that purpose!

Thus, Reading For Writers was born. Once the blog is established (i.e. once I get several reviews posted) I'll back off and start posting only once a week. For right now, though, I have a couple of books that need to be reviewed, and I need to get some content going if I want to start establishing a readership!