Okay, you’re seriously thinking about getting into copywriting, or you want to deepen your basic knowledge of how to write copy.
One easy way you can do that is by reading books by awesome copywriters. There’s nothing more than I like but to curl up with a good book before I go to sleep.
So here are 5 of the best copywriting books for beginners to get your creative juices flowing!
You might be surprised that some have less to do with the bare bones of copywriting and more about psychology and storytelling.
I firmly believe that as a copywriter, I need to understand other people’s stories, to truly help them.
So let’s dig in.
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The Copywriting Sourcebook
I love the Copywriting Sourcebook, as it really demystifies the layout of how copy should be arranged, how it should flow and what needs to be in each type of copy.
The details are made explicit in a step-by-step, easy to follow format
Details
Author: Andy Maslen
Format: Paperback, Kindle
What’s great
- Andy provides shortcuts to creating great copy, so you can make your deadlines easily.
- Easy headline creation
- Covers a variety of copy – sales emails, landing pages, ads, brochures, press releases, client case studies
- Templates
- Easy to read
What’s not so great
- Not an in-depth guide
Summary
If you’re wanting an in-depth copywriting guide, this is not it, but what the Copywriting Sourcebook does is lay out the basics in a very easy way. The templates make it easy to write copy when you are a beginner.
Copywriting For The Rest Of Us (Marketing For The Rest Of Us Book 2)
Copywriting for the Rest of Us gives a very clear process that we can use to learn how to write a sales letter or email. The brilliant thing about this peach of a book is that Mike gives actionable steps for beginners. He makes it easy and gives strategies to improve your copywriting.
This is one of the best copywriting books for beginners because he keeps information overload to the minimum, and helps you implement this in your business, or for your clients.
Details
Author: Mike Shreeve
Format: Kindle
What’s great
- Easy read
- Clear action points
- Breaks down key information with great examples to follow
What’s not so great
- Some people find Mike’s writing style off-putting.
Summary
A really fantastic little gem of a book for beginner copywriters and CEOs of small businesses. Copywriting for the Rest of Us is easy to read and not overly long. Full of great strategies to help you move forward with your skill level as a copywriter.
The Copywriter’s Handbook
The Copywriter’s Handbook has so many tips for new copywriters, I was blown away. It gives you dozens of copywriting techniques that can help you write both print and online ads. Also covered are emails, and how to write for websites so that they are clear, persuasive, and get more attention―and sell more products.
Details
Author: Robert W. Bly
Format: Paperback, hardcover, Kindle, Audible, AudioCD
What’s great
- Easy read
- Clear action points on creating and also improving the conversion rates of your copy.
- General introductory guide to different forms of copy.
- Helpful checklists
- Short and simple examples to read
- Easy to go back and reference
What’s not so great
- Some later chapters I skipped as I felt the information was outdated.
Summary
A must-have book for beginner copywriters to have on the shelf to refer to throughout your career. The Copywriter’s Handbook is full of great worked examples and is easy to reference as you work on client projects.
Marketing Made Simple: A Step-by-Step StoryBrand Guide for Any Business
Marketing Made Simple gives an idea of how to craft a business story. It teaches you how to craft and implement a sales funnel for a business. It’s a great insight into why unclear messaging leads businesses to miss out on onboarding clients or selling more products.
The details are made explicit in a step-by-step, easy-to-follow format – I especially love and have used the wireframing exercise for a website.
Details
Author: Donald Miller
Format: Paperback, hardcover, Kindle, Audible, AudioCD
What’s great
- Brilliant section on crafting a highly-converting home page
- Clear 5 point plan for creating a sales funnel
- Takes a difficult topic and makes it fun and easy to learn
What’s not so great
- Needs more how to support than it gives. Use to complement your training, not on its own.
Summary
The home page wireframe in Marketing Made Simple is worth the cost alone. Perfect for using when you are landing your first projects such as a home page refresh.
Pre-Suasion by Robert B. Cialdini
Pre-suasion details how we can apply psychology to the buyer’s journey, so they are ready to buy when we ask them to.
It’s another one of the best copywriting books for beginners because it is easy to read in small chunks and the author gives examples of different contexts where his theories work.
Details
Author: Robert B Cialdini
Format: Paperback, hardcover, Kindle, Audible, AudioCD
What’s great
- Easy read – jargon-free language
- Fascinating read but full of points you can action and help your clients action.
- Breaks down key information with great examples to follow
What’s not so great
- Could have done with practice activities included so you can apply the strategies you have learned..
Summary
An in-depth, research-backed book, great for beginner copywriters and CEOs of small businesses.
Pre-suasion is easy to read and will change your perspective on the psychology of selling. Be aware there will be at least 100 pages of references (after the book content finishes).
Okay so there you have it. These are the 5 best copywriting books for beginners in my opinion. Now your turn.
Do you have a favorite copywriting book for beginners? Comment below 💖
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