Using Advertising Lessons to Make Your Story

You know the good ads. They stick in your head, draw a tear, make you laugh, entertain you even after the thirtieth time you've seen them. Even once they're a common household mention, you think, "That was so cool."

That is how you want to write.

Novel, blog, short story, children's story, porm, sci-fi, you name it. The same rules apply. After studying copywriting sites, mainly Copyblogger, I ran across these three rules that seem to say it all.

1. Make them see what you see. In other words, SHOW don't tell, one of the biggest block in reader communication on the planet.

2. Make it personal. While you can't write something that appeals to everyone, your market needs to sink into your story and wrap it around them, feel like they're an active player. They have to relate, which means serious, colorful, hard core reality.

3. Use emotion. Which classes did you like in school? The facts-only professor or the one who made it real and knew how to laugh, groan, bounce enthusiasm off the walls? Make the reader taste the tears, grip the chair, and die to hop in bed with your character.

There. Simple. Add these hints to yesterday's lesson on writing with your fear, and you're unstoppable!

(NOTE: the above three rules were the brainchild of Marcia Hoeck who helps entrepreneurs create businesses that will run without them. You can find her at My Breakthrough Business.)