How to write copy you and your client will love - without taking all day about it

So you write advertising copy for your company?

Let's say you have an idea. It's trying to get the Clever First Line - or headline - that puts your train on a siding, with a full head of steam, but nowhere to go.

Here's the answer: Get a pencil and a legal pad and just start writing. Write in stream of conscious, even if your first line is "I don't know what to write." Pay no attention to style. Write without stopping until you fill at least two pages. Most importantly, don't care in the least about what you're writing. If you start caring or editing, it will restrict the flow, slow you down, trip you up. Make no judgments whatever. Just write.

I'm going to demonstrate this technique right as I'm writing this post. First, a topic. Let's see - PetsMart is having a sale on all its dog and cat toys. After this sentence, I'll be in Streaming Mode - ready, go:

PetsMart loves your dog or cat the same way you do. They can't stand the idea of your pet getting bored for even a second, so they're putting every last one of their toys on sale through this Saturday for one-third off. Yep, a third off whatever's marked on the sticker. Don't tell me you can possibly resist. If you can, you have a heart of stone and you don't love your mother. So give your pet a hug, get in the car, and get down there right now, because everyone else listening to this is walking out their door this minute, and you're going to feel really dumb getting to the store late and finding that the wonderful toy Fido could have been enjoying within maybe two minutes of your return home has been snapped up by some intrepid buyer who had the good sense to roll on down to PetsMart before you did.

I wrote that in the amount of time it took to type it. I didn't give a rip about what was usable. I just had fun. Now, do you think you could take the above and write a thirty-second commercial from it? I think you could.

I write and produce commercials. Visit me at MichaelHolmesAdvertising.com