October 12, 2015 // 9:00 AM

17 Books Every Copywriter Needs to Read Written by Jami Oetting | @jamioetting

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Writer, poet, and entrepreneur Margaret Atwood said, “A word after a word after a word is

power.”

And for those whose main responsibility is writing promotional communication, this

power is paired with a high level of responsibility -- to your employer, your clients, and

your clients' customers. 

Copywriters must serve the goals of many people, all while also being true to the

product or service being marketed. It's a job that requires a person to transform bland,

boring information into insightful, intriguing copy that delivers a core message and/or

sells.

And while you can study the fundamentals of writing and master the grammar

mandates, this field's mastery comes from studying the creative masters of the craft,

psychology, and storytelling. 

If you want to become a better writer or simply have a love of learning about the way

words work, check out the below syllabus for copywriters. 

17 Inspiring & Educational Books for CopywritersD&AD Copy Book

This volume from global creative association D&AD, which was recently updated to

include examples from the past 15 years, is a must-have for copywriters. It includes

tons of examples of work and essays from 48 copywriters and creatives, including David

Abbott, Steve Hayden, and Dan Wieden. While many of the essayists are famous for

producing more traditional advertising, the lessons on writing clearly and persuasively

apply to all marketing formats.

Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This

The title was inspired by a series of terrible ads for Charmin featuring grocer Mr.

Whipple, who scolded and tried to prevent women from squeezing Charmin toilet paper

rolls -- these were recognized as some of the worst ads in TV in the 1970s, but Procter

& Gamble didn't want to give Mr. Whipple the "pink slip" because he drove sales. Luke

Sullivan's goal with this book is to teach people to come up with great ideas that also

sell. He covers coming up with ideas, how to approach your work, how to create visual

stories, getting into the business, and collaborating with clients. It's the perfect

foundational book for those looking to make a career of writing words that sell. 

Words That Sell

A thesaurus is an invaluable tool for a writer, but oftentimes, I struggle when trying to

find not just another word but a new way or phrasing for something. That's when you

turn to your Words That Sell resource and laugh in the face of boring, commonplace

copy. This book contains more than 6,000 words and phrases and lists alternatives for

each. For "exciting," it contains 100 variations alone.

Ogilvy on Advertising

This book details David Ogilvy's advice for creating B2B ads, writing headlines and body

copy, travel and tourism marketing, and non-profit advertising, in addition to providing

insights on running an agency and landing new clients. His advice makes you realize

that while the number of outlets for communication have grown, the copywriting

methods that worked 50 years ago remain relevant. 

Wired for Story

Storytelling might be a modern buzzword, but that doesn't mean the ideas behind it

aren't valid. And with modern advances in brain science and decision-making, it is even

more important that writers -- really anyone -- understands how our minds respond to

the written word. 

Author Lisa Cron writes:

Research has helped decode the secret blueprint for story that’s hardwired in the reader’s brain,

thereby lifting the veil on what, specifically, the brain is hungry for in every story it encounters.

Even more exciting, it turns out that a powerful story can have a hand in rewiring the reader’s

brain -- helping instill empathy, for instance -- which is why writers are, and have always been,

among the most powerful people in the world.

The book covers how to hold the attention of an audience, how emotions can be used to

increase meaning and engagement, why details matter, and how to craft a narrative that

seduces readers, among other topics. It's a must-read for both short-form and long-form

writers that will teach you how to use words to subconsciously connect with your

audience.

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

This a book to be treasured and opened when the words fail to come and you become

disheartened by the act of writing. It's more targeted for creative writers and novelists,

and it won't help you write copy that sells, but it will inspire you to keep creating every

day. Ever been jealous of that rival creative director's award-winning ad? Feeling

uninspired and not sure about how to get the copy going? Lamott's advice on silencing

the inner doubt and self-loathing, listening to our intuition, and working past creative

block is necessary for anyone's whose task is creating something every single day. If

anything, remember this quote: “I don't think you have time to waste not writing because

you are afraid you won't be good at it.”

The Adweek Copywriting Handbook

Joseph Sugarman is a legend in the copywriting and direct marketing field. His

company JS&A Group was formed to market the first pocket calculators. He later

introduced digital watches, cordless telephones, and other products to the masses

through direct marketing, specifically infomercials. Sugarman was the first person to

accept credit card offers by phone, and he pioneered the idea of a toll-free number --

still a staple of in the industry. This book is based off of seminars Sugarman gave in the

1970s, but much of the advice remains relevant -- triggers that influence buying

behavior, writing tips covering style, sentence length, and comprehension, and how to

sell your concepts. You should also check our Sugarman's Advertising Secrets of the

Written Word. 

Read Me: 10 Lessons for Writing Great Copy

Read Me provides 10 easy-to-understand, yet harder to apply, lessons for aspiring

masters of the written words. It has a ton of images and examples from classic and

more modern advertising examples and there are thoughtful and inspiring essays from

people current working in the field. You can read an excerpt on lessons in copywriting

from George Orwell here.

Tested Advertising Methods

John Caples wrote two of the most famous advertising headlines: "They laughed when I

sat down at the piano, but when I started to play!" and "Do you make these mistakes in

English?" He  believed fervently in testing every variable to determine the effectiveness

of advertising and felt that too many ads were launched only because the advertiser or

the agency "liked" the ad. Tested Advertising Methods outlines Caples' 35 proven

headline formulas, information on how to test ads, and how to get a better response.

This book provides the fundamentals that can be applied to writing headlines, offers,

call-to-action copy, and more in this data-driven era of marketing.

The Idea Writers

The book was written for those trying to understand the realities of the creative business

today, but it also gives readers a deep appreciation of the past, detailing the work and

lives of greats such as David Ogilvy, Bill Bernbach, and Howard Luck Gossage. The Idea

Writers gives readers an in-depth understanding of how the advertising business works

and how creatives bring ideas to life today. It also includes some interesting interviews

with executives at leading advertising agencies, including David Droga, Mike Hughes of

The Martin Agency, Rick Webb of the Barbarian Group, the man behind @RGA, Chapin

Clark, and others. 

Made to Stick

Beautiful, clear, and compelling copy without a strong core message will do little to

produce results for a client. This book is the guide to understanding why some ideas

have staying power and others don't. And through the authors' memorable storytelling

and examples, it teaches you the principles of "stickiness" that you can apply to your

own writing and branding.  

Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting

This books pulls from the film industry, but its lessons are highly relevant for those in

marketing and sales. It details the qualities of the protagonist (the role your customers

should play in your brand's story), how emotions drive stories, and how to create drama

that will engage an audience. While our stories might be shorter -- though that's no

longer always the case -- it's important to know the rules and formulas that have created

the most memorable stories of our time. 

Everybody Writes

Ann Handley, chief content officer at MarketingProfs, wants to help content creators --

which now includes everyone -- become better writers and better communicators. This

book is more for content marketers as it includes chapters on creating trustworthy

editorial content, basic grammar and writing rules, and tools for writing, organizing, and

planning content. Handley gives us a modern view of creating online content that is

useful, empathetic, and inspiring.

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Stephen King is one of the most prolific writers, having published 55 novels and recently

even writing an op-ed in the New York Times on the subject of whether a writer can write

too much. This book is part autobiography and part writing advice that ultimately reveals

how writing and life are inextricably intertwined. He gives advice on plot, structure,

dialogue, and descriptions, and he emphasizes routine and giving critiques. He's also

not afraid of an opinion. “The road to hell is paved with adverbs,” King writes.

One of the best reasons to read this book is to absorb King's conversational,

entertaining, yet straightforward style of writing.

Scientific Advertising

Claude C. Hopkins believed that advertising's job was to sell.

You are writing on a serious subject -- the subject of money-spending," he wrote.

Scientific Advertising is a quick read that details his advice for writing effective ad copy.

He outlines tips for writing headlines, why you should not ask people to buy in your ad,

why general statements are harmful to the success of your copy, why you should only

focus on new customers, and other timeless suggestions for making the most of the

attention you've garnered from your audience. 

The Tall Lady With the Iceberg: The Power of Metaphor to Sell, Persuade & Explain Anything to Anyone

Have you ever wanted to explain a concept in terms your readers could more easily

understand? Have you struggled with finding the perfect metaphor that would help an

abstract concept just "click"?

Anne Miler's book is all about how to create metaphors that grab the attention of, inform,

and convince people to buy. It's focused on sales-oriented copy but will apply to anyone

wanting to make their reading more fun, engaging, persuasive, and even visual for

readers. 

Copywriting: Successful Writing for Design, Advertising and Marketing

This book from Mark Shaw covers writing for different types of copy such as advertising

and branding, internal communications, retail, and direct. He provides case studies and

interviews with experts for each section, making it a practical guide to learning the art of

copy creation.