Copy Workshop
School of Visual Concepts

Note: This is a general guide to material that may be covered.
Each instructor may cover these subjects in different order and with a different degree of emphasis.

 

Objectives:

Students should improve their skill at writing body copy for advertising and collateral.

Gain a greater understanding of the special requirements and planning that goes into writing long format pieces.

Appreciate the level of intensity and effort required to write well, whether for advertising, design, or the heck of it

 

Prerequisites:

By portfolio review or completion of Intro to Copywriting course.

Week One / Getting Started
Essentials of Good Writing
Writing Practice
Writing is Visual
Words to Avoid, Words to Seek
What about English?
Information & Narrative
How to begin?

Week Two / Writing: Tips and Techniques
Churchill’s rules
Writing (and concepting) Tips
What about style and "finding your voice?"
Finding the client's voice
Understanding marketing

 

Week Three / Breaking the Log Jam: Brainstorming
Build a creativity-friendly environment
Creating the proper mindset for creative exploration
Brainstorming ground rules
Brain-joggers: Look at things differently
What to do if you’re stuck

 

Week Four / The Music of Writing
Voice: Having a conversation with the reader
Lyricism: Moving beyond plain description
Melody: How do the words sound? The acoustic effects of writing
Rhythm: The meter of language

Week Five / Writing Authentically
Your own experience
Know the subject
The art of making sense: Organizing complex and lengthy pieces