If you wanted to write a book would it help to be a good copywriter? Is there a big connection?

what makes a best seller?

Interesting idea. I certainly think it would help for self help or how to.

Would it for something else? For example, you put out a bunch of short stories. Only the popular ones get made into books. Working with the "customer base," you make changes.

Certainly almost anything would be an improvement over the classic model of the lone genius working in isolation. Unfortunately that's how IM products and how-to courses still get made.

I purchased "The Pandora Prescription".

The ad was great, but when I got the book, I tried, but could not force myself to read it

I don't have the patience to write a book but I have a lifetime to write copy so I have to think there is a disconnect somewhere in there. I do know a good book, and a good movie/tv show, has similarities to good copy like storytelling, continually building the stakes, using anchors, hitting triggers, contains surprises, suspense (what in music I call hanging notes, see Joe Satriani) etc.

I guess whatever you can do to become better, faster and stronger in those types of areas it's a good thing.

As a side-note, it's important to remember that the real purpose of a book is for lead generation, not to get rich. If you get rich that's a bonus. If you get a couple dozen rabid customers who will buy from you over and over again that's the real payoff. Cheers

Two of the best selling books in business history, "In Search of Excellence" and "Good to Great" follow the same formula/structure. Both their authors are powerhouse communicators. Both heavily use persuasion.

Come to think of it, the "One Minute Manager" and the "Greatest Salesman" also have the same underlying structure.

Furthermore, all have a strong "Promise" as the title. Whereas, "Pandora Prescription" offers no promise.

No points - just observations.

I think it helps enormously.

Bryce Courtenay was a copywriter most of his adult life and his
first fiction novel The Power Of One was a blockbuster international
bestseller.

His skill at setting scenes and writing compelling copy are really
evident when you read the book.

The list of bestselling non-fiction books written by good copywriters
is quite long.

Part of that could be due to the marketing knowledge most successful
copywriters get and the fact that good copywriters should be able
to write good press releases to get themselves free media exposure.

Kindest regards,
Andrew Cavanagh

I enjoyed the book.

Last summer, I had the fortunate opportunity to sit down with Ted Nicholas and talk business, copywriting, etc. And yes, I video taped it...

One of the most interesting things we talked about was books. Both books he wrote, and books he consulted on.

Often, book consultants/ ghostwriters are never known. And, I guess there's no real way to check on one's claims.

But who the hell am I to question Ted Nicholas? His integrity is IMHO above reproach.

Back to Bestsellers:

Ted told a story about Bill Phillips, founder of EAS (Experimental Applied Sciences, a sports supplement company, and Author of BODY FOR LIFE, (which sold 4+million copies).

Bill Phillips was/is a great business person -and he knew enough to hire the best: He hired Joe Polish to help run the contest aspect of the Body For Life challenge, and Bill hired Ted Nicholas to do the Chapter Titles in Body for Life.

Of Course Ted's success in writing direct mail ads to sell his own books is testament to the power of being a great copywriter and publishing non-fiction.

Finally, I've often heard Dan Kennedy describe Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich as a "Sales Letter" - which of course sold his courses.

While we're bull****ting, Dale Carnegie's "How to win Friends" sold his seminars too...

david

Kawiki,

You may not have the patience to write a book, but perhaps you have the patience to hire and work with an editor.

there's no way I would have ever envisioned putting together a 150+ page manual, but I hired an editor to compile & edit 2 years of blog posts. Now that I've got another 18 months of 12-18 page newsletters to add into the mix, I'm sure there's either a Volume 2, or a revised expanded version.

Your posts on this board are so detailed and well thought out, they are highly editable into a book or course. (I'd go with the course for higher $$ Value)

David