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Sometimes, we just cannot seem to get our heads around a particular topic or pitch. No matter how many headlines you try to write, you’re pretty sure they have about as much pizzazz as a piece of lint. Or maybe you just feel like your senses are dulled and all of those interesting phrases you had in mind yesterday when looking at the product seem to have flown right out of your brain. Writer’s block can hit any writer, fictional or non-fictional, so it helps to have something you can use to help jumpstart your brain again. While many approach copywriting as a science, and it is on some level, part of it is also creativity. And creativity when you’re writing can be hard to get back sometimes.
Thankfully, a good tip for any writer who is known to suffer writer’s block is to come up with a swipe file. What exactly is a swipe file? Well, it’s essentially that piece of rope you grab to pull yourself out of the quicksand. When you feel like you’re sinking into a lack of creativity, you can use a swipe file to jumpstart and get your brain firing out ideas. In the physical terms, though, a swipe file for a copywriter means gathering advertisements or other articles that you found interesting and evidence of strong copywriting. By keeping these, you have a source to look over ideas on how to pitch something.
Your swipe file can be either physical or digital, and many writers use their bookmark’s folder or their “Favorites” folder on their internet browser to be the home of their swipe file. All that the writer has to do is swipe his favorite letters and advertisements online that he feels truly grabbed his attention and would be valuable to look over again later. This gives you a way to look over materials and pitch out different methods in style and word choice to help you later.
So, if you really feel like you’re starting to fade fast and your inspiration just isn’t going to come on its own, then having a swipe file can be a great way to get you started again. The fact is that looking at stronger work than yours will help you pick up the techniques of the other writers. A word of warning, however: a swipe file is not to be copied word for word. That is plagiarism and is a federal offense. I am encouraging you to see techniques in how someone pitches something and then try the technique yourself. Who knows? Maybe a new angle is all you need to succeed!
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