How to write better copy

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How to write better copy

By The Guardian Masterclasses

Date and time

Wednesday, September 17, 2014 · 10am - 5pm GMT+1

Location

The Guardian

Kings Place 90 York Way London N1 9GU United Kingdom

Refund Policy

Contact the organizer to request a refund.

Description

How to write commercial copy that's engaging, effective and – whisper it – sells more stuff

We can't legally offer courses in bribery and blackmail, but we can teach you the next best way to get your point across. This one-day masterclass in copywriting isn't a course in the hard sell, but simply in knowing how to make your message clear, concise, memorable, and even entertaining. Through a range of practical exercises, you'll learn how to spot relatable stories in a mass of dry facts, how to target a message to a specific audience, how to craft clickable headlines and most importantly, how to make yourself understood.

This course is for you if...

  • You run a website and want to give your content a more professional edge
  • You want to improve the quality of campaigning or marketing materials or press releases
  • You'd like to know about best practice for writing for a variety of audiences

Course description

This course is for anyone interested in learning how to improve their commercial writing, whether it's for websites, advertising, press releases, newsletters or posters about a lost cat. It mixes seminars with practical exercises to help attendees produce copy which suits their own needs.

  • Making engaging stories out of the driest facts, or finding hooks for your copy in the news
  • Boiling your story down to the essentials
  • Different structures and styles for web copy, product descriptions, ad copy, social media etc
  • The essential components: headlines, standfirsts, subheads, captions, furniture
  • The importance of first and last sentences
  • How to read your audience, and tailor your content to them
  • Tone and language: how to establish a readable, memorable style
  • When (and when not) to use humour
  • The best policy: maintaining the trust of your audience

Tutor profile

Eddy Lawrence is a copywriter at the Guardian with over 20 years of writing and editing experience. He has written for and edited publications including The Face, Select, Melody Maker and Jack, and even some which are still going, such as Q, NME, Shortlist and the Guardian. He has also worked on the Glastonbury festival daily paper, and taught journalism as part of the Time Out Trashed outreach project during his six years as Music Editor for Time Out.

Full course and returns information on the Masterclasses website

Organized by

Welcome to Guardian Masterclasses – a unique programme of learning embedded within one of the world's most forward-thinking media organisations.

We offer a broad range of short and long courses across a variety of disciplines from creative writing, journalism, photography and design, film and digital media, music and cultural appreciation.

Harnessing the expertise and specialisms within the organisation, our courses are led by first class and award winning guardian professionals whilst also drawing on the skills and expertise of other leading figures at the forefront of the creative and digital industries.

The programme is aimed at anyone interested in personal or professional development whether that be refining your skills, focusing your ambition or simply broadening your mind and gaining inspiration.

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