We throw around the word “kill” a lot these days. As in…

“She totally KILLED it!” (absolutely dominated)

“That burger and milkshake combination was KILLER!” (delicious)

“I’m getting KILLED out here!” (I’m losing in a big, big way)

“Jerry Seinfeld KILLED last night at The Improv!” (had ‘em rolling in the aisles)

I don’t know if you know this or not, but writers, and in particular COPYWRITERS, use “kill” a lot, too. As in…

“KILLER Copy” (writing that is so over-the-top great that it gets people taking action in droves — buying products, signing up for events, picking up the phone, etc.)

“Killer Copy,” of course, very rarely actually kills. At least not the kind of copy most people write.

But sometimes it can…literally. In fact, if you think about it I bet you can come up with at least a handful of instances (and probably more) where the written word actually stirred up enough passion, evoked enough fear, or stoked enough hatred to incite the reader to forever alter the course of their life, and the lives of others, through violence.

What does all this have to do with you, your books, and your success as an author?

Everything.

Let me explain…

I’m sure only a handful of people reading this will have ever heard of a man by the name of Savile Lumley. Yet something this man created nearly 100 years ago was at least partially responsible for tens of thousands of people, if not hundreds of thousands, willingly marching off to “kill or be killed” on the battlefields of World War I.

Lumley created a very simple, but now famous (some would say infamous) armed-forces recruiting poster for the British government.

It had only nine words.

“Daddy, what did you do in the great war?”

Lumley wasn’t a copywriter. He was an artist. And the idea for the slogan itself is also attributed to someone else. But it was Lumley who chose the exact wording and then illustrated the poster you see here.

All of the pieces coming together to create one irresistible, infectious image in the minds of millions of British men — an image that no doubt haunted them in the days and weeks after seeing it, and made the difference between enlisting to fight in the trenches and sitting on the sidelines.

The power of those words may be lost on those of you who aren’t parents. So let me assure you that as the father of three, I understand how deeply those words must have resonated with fathers at the time. Wanting my children to be safe, happy and have respect and admiration for me, as their father, is a primordial instinct that every sane man possesses.

The thought of doing anything to jeopardize their physical or emotional well-being is something we’d rather not have to live with — even if that means risking our own lives, or taking the lives of another to spare them harm.

So what’s my point with all of this?

I know you’re a very talented writer.

The fact that you’ve written a book tells me all I need to know.

But writing a book is far, far, far different than writing “copy.”

I’ve met and worked with many authors who could write me under the table in their sleep when it comes to writing books or articles, but who I’d “kill” when it came to writing copy.

A good copywriter knows how to persuade. A good copywriter knows how to MOVE people…and to make people move.

A good copywriter knows how to “enter the conversation already going on in your prospect’s mind,” to join that conversation, and to offer a resolution or solution to the prospect’s pain.

And here’s why this is important…

Bob Kiyosaki (author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad and mega-super-duper-blockbuster bestselling author) once made an ultra-important distinction to me during an interview many years ago that has stuck with me every since.

Here’s what he said…

“I’m a bestSELLING author. Not a bestWRITING author.”

This is such a deceptively simple observation that I think it gets lost on lots of authors. Some “get it.” Others are ambivalent to it. And for still others it stirs up a deep (VERY DEEP) anger (I’m a better writer than you, so why are you so successful and I’m not?!?!).

Kiyosaki admits he’s not the best writer. He criticizes his talent (or lack thereof) all the time. But he’s very, very astute when it comes to marketing his “mediocre” writing. (Note: I happen to love Kiyosaki’s books. I know some people feel differently. None of that means anything in terms of what we’re discussing here.)

My point here is not to say that copywriters are better or more valuable that non-fiction authors, novelists, poets, playwrights or anyone else.

My point IS that in order for the world to benefit from your great writing, they first have to know it exists. Then they have to be persuaded to buy it. THEN they have to be persuaded to read it.

A great book is not enough. Ever.

In The Author’s Edge Extreme System, I have an entire module dedicated to nothing but showing authors how to develop the “chops” to be great copywriters.

Last week I pulled every single piece of content from that section down off the site.

Why?

Because I decided it wasn’t good enough. This week I’ve been completely rewriting and revamping the entire section to add value for my members. To make them better at what they do.

And because this is one of the most important skills you will ever develop in your writing career.

(Note: If you’re a member of Author’s Edge Extreme, look for the “new and improved” training module early next week. I’m sure the other 15 hours of video training will hold you over until then )

So what I wanted to leave you with is simply this…

Spend at least as much time learning how to write great copy as you do learning how to write great books.

Understand how to make OFFERS to people.

Understand how to move and motivate people to take action.

Understand what motivates the people who would buy your work.

Lumley did this brilliantly with nine simple words.

And he wasn’t even a writer.

You are. How much better can you do?

Tagged as: book publicity, copywriting for authors, How to Market a Book, promote a book