When it comes to employing hype in your copywriting, and whether or not you should, the answer is YES. The reason the answer is yes is worth looking at with some careful thought.

Properly defined, hype is technically the act of using hyperbole, which means to exaggerate an example for the purpose of making a point more clear. This can be a very useful tool, and is often found used in common everyday expression, such as “I told you a million times not to exaggerate!” This type of usage is fine, and actually lends credence and emphasis to the point the writer is attempting to make. What we need to talk about is where it goes over to the dark side, and becomes hype.

Keep reading: You SHOULD use hype in copywriting!

Okay… this one has rules attached to it!

There are indeed times when we need or want to communicate an idea that is better served by using grammatical tools and functions that are usually employed for other, (more correct) purposes. This won’t work in every copywriting scenario, but for many pieces where you are aiming for a more conversational, informal tone, these can work well like a charm to help you get across your meaning.

One of the ways this might be accomplished would be the use of the ellipsis. You’ve undoubtedly either seen or used this open yourself. It imitates how we converse… almost as if it were a rest space in a piece of music… It can be a useful tool to demonstrate the shades meaning of the speaker.

Keep reading: 5 Grammar rules it’s OK to break

When it comes to copywriting, there’s little doubt that we need to be our best, most cogent selves when attempting to compose our latest masterpieces, whether they be for a simple classified ad or a high-end technical piece. It just doesn’t fly to operate on two cylinders when we need to generate top copy. There are simply too many other copywriters who will to turn in second rate material.

Not that we set out to do that, but sometimes we don’t properly set ourselves up for success in this arena by trying to fit our most demanding task (copywriting) into our least productive hours.

Keep reading: Do you have copywriting schedule?

A good marketing buddy of mine asked: “Do you use copywriting on Twitter and all the other microblogs? Would that be microwriting?”

The answer is a sound “Yes” – But not in the way that copywriting is commonly perceived by old-school internet marketers.

Twitter has a strict limit of just 140 characters and that requires you to be concise… there’s no room for fluff or hype! So the real question should be: How do you use copywriting in a way that works for microblogs?

Keep reading: Copywriting for Twitter

If a copywriter sold $6 billion worth of products over the years, would you listen to what he had to say about headlines? I would think so.

One of the best ways to educate ourselves as copywriters is to listen to the advice of marketers who started selling products long before the internet age. And without a doubt, Ted Nicholas is one of the first names that should come to mind. When you look at lists of top 10 copywriters you don’t always see his name – he doesn’t seem to get quite the publicity as, say, Clayton Makepeace or Gary Bencivenga. But when he gives advice I pay attention.

Keep reading: Ted Nicholas on headlines