Copywriting for copywriters. I randomly chose a newsletter for post #1. The Weekly Spooky, by Brit McGinnis over at Black Bow Communications. She’s the Elvira of Copywriting. Dark, macabre, and damn good people. Give her a follow if you can.
Without diving too deep, I came up with 100 ideas, phrases & titles I thought could fit her theme. Mind you, Brit had no idea I was doing this and they’re not for any specific post. I’m just getting my feet wet here and this one didn’t come out quite how I planned—more of a blog brainstorm than a specific headline. But it’s a start.
I imagine there’ll be a lot of learning over the first dozen or so, and this should (hopefully) be the worst one I write. Sign up at the bottom to get the recap & follow along.
OK, enough stalling. I put a few of my favorites in bold.
Notes below the list.
1 | The Bride of Frankenstein’s hair was red – and 12 other facts you didn’t know |
2 | Copy to kill for |
3 | Bloggers! Are you scaring your audience enough? |
4 | Lessons from the chamber |
5 | Nightmare Copy |
6 | How to escape the pit & the pendulum |
7 | 13 things you didn’t know were true about these horror legends |
8 | These 6 items can help you survive any horror scenario |
9 | What they saw before they died |
10 | the ultimate guide to horror movie survival |
11 | Great copy that makes your hair stand on end |
12 | The story technique Hitchcock used in all 49 of his movies |
13 | The handbook for the undead business writer |
14 | Never underestimate a teenage girl with an axe |
15 | Why you should lock the door before you write |
16 | Freddy vs. Jason vs. You |
17 | Things the demons should always know about girl power |
18 | Lessons learned from Alfred Hitchcock |
19 | Slashing straight to the point |
20 | Blood spatter analysis |
21 | Stop thinking you wouldn’t have been killed. You would. |
22 | Lessons to keep you alive until the final credits |
23 | 9 gruesome details about your favorite monster’s face |
24 | Spine-tingling tales of writing |
25 | Tales from behind the bookcase |
26 | Bloody Business |
27 | 7 horror classics written by women |
28 | 4 secrets to killing a zombie |
29 | How to swing an axe like Jason |
30 | Lessons learned from the dead |
31 | The torture chamber |
32 | Sacrificial copy |
33 | Could “The Mist” actually happen? |
34 | Why cardio workouts don’t mean anything when you’re running from the dead |
35 | Tales from the dungeon |
36 | The dark art of copywriting |
37 | Life lessons learned from horrifically dead people |
38 | What the dead things can teach us |
39 | Burn these ideas into your brain |
40 | What would really happen if you got stabbed by Freddy? |
41 | The secrets buried in your basement |
42 | Here’s why you’ll never stop being afraid of kid ghosts |
43 | Scary stories to tell at work |
44 | Tales of black magic |
45 | The twisted path to the dark castle |
46 | After learning how movie guts are made, you may never want to eat this dessert again |
47 | Disturbing secrets of how we process copy |
48 | Sharp-witted tales that cut through your flesh |
49 | Science says you should watch more horror movies |
50 | Tales from the creature shop — insider secrets to building the perfect beast |
51 | Should you be more like Michael Myers or Jamie Lee Curtis? |
52 | Halloween shouldn’t be the only day you’re afraid of (what happened this week in horror) |
53 | Horrific lessons |
54 | The bloodstained writer |
55 | Voodoo & Witchcraft copy |
56 | I analyzed 6 of the scariest movies and here’s what I learned |
57 | The death knell heard ’round the internet |
58 | How the creature from the black lagoon saved cinema |
59 | 26 ways to kill monsters |
60 | What I learned about simple scare techniques from watching Stranger Things |
61 | Weekly bloodstain |
62 | Business secrets inside the screams |
63 | Dark words & black shadows |
64 | Weekly apparitions |
65 | Lessons from the dead / the other side |
66 | Copy tips for beating hearts |
67 | 6 reasons why I want to be besties with H. R. Giger’s Alien |
68 | How to increase your audience size by never showing the monster |
69 | Where to hide when the monsters come |
70 | How to outrun a demon |
71 | It was this one thing that made me fear sweat |
72 | Messages from the other side |
73 | Why watching horror movies make you smarter |
74 | Why we love to watch people die |
75 | Can you spot the editing mistake in this scene? |
76 | Newsletters to keep your business from dying |
77 | Strange & unusual secrets |
78 | The last thing he saw before his face was ripped off was this. |
79 | If Jason knew about this one thing, he would have made it to Saturday with both arms |
80 | Stabs, jabs & quick attacks you should you be doing with your business |
81 | How to survive the ______ experience |
82 | It’s tough to look back when you don’ t have a head |
83 | Words that go bump in the night |
84 | Lessons learned from Norman Bates / Freddy Krueger / Jason Voorhees |
85 | All the ooze that’s fit to print |
86 | abominable mistakes every movie victim makes |
87 | Mistakes made by the dead (series of villains & their downfalls / tragic hero lessons) |
88 | Interviews with ghosts |
89 | The true science of horror movies |
90 | The copy at the end of your bed |
91 | Why you should be terrified of mermaids |
92 | Dark words that watch you sleep |
93 | How to survive possession —and other secrets for moving beyond bad ideas |
94 | Why it’s OK to outwardly cheer for the bad guy |
95 | Forget the dark, these are the lessons you should really be afraid of |
96 | The fear-monger |
97 | Warning! Most characters are dead before the 2nd act |
98 | If you want to live, read this |
99 | Things movie victims wish they knew before they died |
100 | Don’t look back when running up the stairs (all the things you should leave behind when you advance) |
101 | How to beat the demon |
102 | 11 mistakes people make when running from ghosts |
103 | 13 things Edgar Allen Poe got right |
Overall: Meh. Though there are a few good post ideas here, this wasn’t what I was aiming for. I want to focus on key messaging.This turned into a smorgasbord of potential content. I wouldn’t mind reading a few of these, but I need to get focused on ONE idea. Brit (or anyone else), they’re all yours if you want ’em.
Lesson Learned: Try something more focused than a newsletter. Cut out the general blog headline formulas
Total time spent: 1:28 (all at once)
More tomorrow.
1/100
This is fantastic! I think it’s great how much you focused on the language of the niche and THEN sought out topics around it.
Thanks, Brit! I was hoping to do you justice. I really like what you’re putting out there. The world needs more decapitations. Feel free to use anything!
I gᥙess he iis PEᏒϜECT at it!? Laugһed Laгry.