copywriting

Words that Sell, Revised and Expanded Edition: The Thesaurus to Help You Promote Your Products, Services, and Ideas
$16.95
The book is a collection of words and phrases (probably could say that about any book), but seriously, the book offers about 10 pages or so of advice and then the rest of the book is comprised of words and short phrases organized by category. The phrases are the most valuable, but overall, it's a good reference when you're looking for the best words and way to phrase headlines, messages, etc. I think the best value comes from reviewing the words and phrases and added them to your vocabulary.

The Copywriter's Handbook, Third Edition: A Step-By-Step Guide To Writing Copy That Sells
$18.00
If you make a living as a copywriter, and you haven't obtained a copy of Robert W Bly's definitive handbook on the subject, it would behoove you to make the purchase now. Every critical piece of information necessary to become a professional copywriter is contained inside the pages of this book. Follow the instructions carefully, and you too could become a professional; chances are, a very good one.

Bly takes you inside the copywriter's business and gives you examples of how to write the most effective ads---from print, direct mail, and catalogues to public relations copy, tradeshow articles and newsletters. He even covers the best approaches to delivering great speeches, and mentions why some television commercials may "entertain", but not necessarily "sell".

In essence, the business is about sales. It's not an artistic endeavor; it's about taking a pragmatic approach to swaying a consumer's loyalty from brand X to brand Y. No frills included.

To say that Robert W Bly is the Guru of Copywriting, is like saying Rembrandt could paint a bit. What are you waiting for? Hurry; get this book now. You can thank the author later.

Copywriting: Successful Writing for Design, Advertising, and Marketing
$24.95

I liked this textbook. I found it to be well outlined and well written. It has an introduction, eight chapters, and an appendix that provides options for further reading. If you are interested in creative writing as it applies to business (ad copy, Web site copy, direct marketing copy, newsletter copy, etc), then you will find this to be an excellent book to read and work through.

Except for the first two wonderful chapters, each chapter included two interviews and two case studies. I found these chapters to be very helpful in covering different aspects of business creative writing. Also included were good checklists, exercises, and roundups.

I would have liked the book better if the text fonts were a little larger and not nearly as thin. As a result of what I was provided it took me a little longer to read this book than it should have. It was hard to sail through this book because of the type fonts. Also, I didn't find the appendix material to be very impressive.

But the book provides valuable insights into copywriting and I honestly believe any entrepreneur or small business owner would do themselves a favor to get a copy of this book in order to help them make their copywriting better which will make more things happen for their businesses. 5 stars!

The Adweek Copywriting Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Writing Powerful Advertising and Marketing Copy from One of America's Top Copywriters
$21.95
As I began to read this book, I realized something very significant.. I already had the book on my shelf collecting dust. This read however grabbed me like no copywriting book has in a very long time. I was never a joe Sugarman fan, but I must admit I have been converted. If you buy this book and you don't like it, you are either already a genius copywriter that couldn't learn anything OR you are so new that the content is to advanced to absord. I believe the first time I tried to read it I was one of the ladder of the two. I read it twice the second time I bought it and it really changed how I write. Definately one of thebest books on writing a solid sales piece.