What My 2023 5-Star Reads Can Teach Us About Writing Better Copy

Getting a Kindle changed my life. 

No, I’m not being dramatic, and yes, I have never been so sure of a single statement in my whole life. 

Okay, maybe the second part is a bit dramatic. But on Christmas Day in 2022, I unwrapped an Item I Swore I’d Never Use, claiming that I was a Paperback Gal through and through. 

“I like the feeling of holding a physical book!” I’d say to anyone who didn’t ask.  

“I’m building a library!” I’d tell my fiance when he asked why I was hoarding boxes of books in our closet. 

“There’s just something about flipping through the pages!” I’d remind myself when another targeted ad for the newest Kindle came across my social feeds. 

Based on this article’s title, you can probably surmise that I was wrong in my anti-Kindle rhetoric. So, so wrong. 

By Christmas Day the following year, I was closing in on 47 books. 

Out of those 47, some struck me to my core, some brought forth emotions that should be illegal for a single book to do and others were, well, fine. A good addition to the reading roster, nonetheless. 

As a full-time copywriter, so much of my reading inspires my writing. So as I inched closer and closer to my reading goal, I found myself employing new storytelling strategies in my work. Between my job and the fictitious dream of becoming a full-time BookTok influencer, there are few things I know to be true, and this is one hill I will die on: To tell a story takes skill, but to captivate a reader takes artistry.

Many of my 2023 five-star reads showcased this level of craftsmanship, but, as someone who is incredibly particular about her book-rating system, only three novels went above and beyond anything I had ever seen. 

[Insert note here about how reading is subjective!] 

Regardless if you’ve DIY-ed your whole site, have worked with a professional copywriter, or are just a book nerd like me and are here for the book recs, there’s a lot that these three books can teach us about writing better copy and telling better stories in general.

Book 1: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Genres: Novel, Romance, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, War Story 

Synopsis: A tale of gods, kings, immortal fame, and the human heart, The Song of Achilles is a dazzling literary feat that brilliantly reimagines Homer’s enduring masterwork, The Iliad. An action-packed adventure, an epic love story, and a marvelously conceived and executed page-turner, Miller’s monumental debut novel has already earned resounding acclaim from some of contemporary fiction’s brightest lights—and fans of Mary Renault, Bernard Cornwell, Steven Pressfield, and Colleen McCullough’s Masters of Rome series will delight in this unforgettable journey back to ancient Greece in the Age of Heroes.

Purchase this book. 

There are only a few books that have made me sob uncontrollably. This was one of them. When we feel a deep connection to a character, understand their tribulations, and root for them to triumph, we buy in. Big time. 

How can this apply to storytelling? I’m not suggesting you make your clients or leads cry. I personally don’t think that would have a positive effect on conversion rates but maybe that’s just me. What I am suggesting is that you up your game with emotion-driven storytelling. Potential clients want to feel seen and heard in your copy. They likely found you because you have a solution to a problem they’re having. Acknowledge that! Before someone reaches out to you, they’re probably stalking your socials and website.

Tip: Rework your About page to make sure it leads with being human. There’s a common misconception that we should treat our About page as a resume or LinkedIn 2.0. Don’t get me wrong, credentials are important.

But they shouldn’t be the first thing a potential client/customer learns about you.

If someone is considering hiring you, it’s important that they feel connected to you through your words.

At The Coveted Copy Studio, you know we’re all about personality-packed copywriting. Lead with what makes you, you.

If you look at my About page, you know it leads with the story about how I wrote a college essay for six jars of peanut butter. I could’ve easily led with credentials here, but as a writer who preaches captivating, conversational copy, it was important to me that I made my readers laugh and captured their attention.

But I didn’t choose to lead with this for no reason, I tied it back to my love for writing and how grateful I am to write for a living.

Lead with the personal then the professional.

Your future clients will appreciate it.

Book 2: Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau 

Genres: Coming-of-Age, Humorous Fiction, Urban Fiction 

Synopsis: Almost Famous meets Daisy Jones & The Six in this “delightful” (New York Times Book Review) novel about a fourteen-year-old girl’s coming of age in 1970s Baltimore, caught between her straight-laced family and the progressive family she nannies for—who happen to be secretly hiding a famous rock star and his movie star wife for the summer.

Purchase this book. 

Entrepreneurship, just like this book, feels like a coming-of-age story. If you’re just starting your own business then odds are you’re experiencing many firsts, lots of transitions, and maybe a few tears (happy and frustrated ones!).

You’re not expected to know everything, whether you’re in year 1 or 10 of your business. But in the very beginning, when you’re just figuring everything out, you need support.

When I knew I wanted to launch this sweet little writing studio of mine, I joined a networking group for other female entrepreneurs called Entreprenista.

Starting a business was BRAND NEW to me.

I was an English major for God’s sake.

If I wanted this thing to be successful, I needed to surround myself with likeminded people.

Uh, Gab, how does networking connect to writing better copy?

Depending on the networking group you join, you will be exposed to hundreds to potentially thousands of people.

What do all of these people have in common?

Stories.

When I first started The Coveted Copy Studio, I offered free web page copy for three people in exchange for a testimonial.

I was able to connect with female entrepreneurs, tell their stories, and practice my skills.

Tip: You guessed it! Join a networking group.  

Book 3: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus 

Genres: Humor, Tragicomedy, Political Fiction

Synopsis: Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel–prize-nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with—of all things—her mind. True chemistry results. But like science, life is unpredictable.

Purchase this book. 

As the title suggests, there are many lessons to be learned, both from covalent bonds and the author’s craft. Since I only took one science course in college and passed by the skin of my teeth, I’m going to refrain from speaking about the role that chemistry plays in craft, though I don’t hate the idea of someone (not me) publishing an article on that next. 

This book’s main character uses her chemistry background to connect with and empower other women. During her tenure as a cooking show host, Elizabeth takes a complex subject and makes it applicable to something we all know and love: Dinnertime. 

When writing copy, especially for blogs, emails, or websites, KEEP IT SIMPLE.

Copy is not where you break out the SAT-level words you spent hours studying when you were 16. Your copy should be clear and concise. BTW, it can be clear, concise, and creative.

Don’t mistake this for being boring. Clear is not boring.

Tip: Simplify your copy. Are there any sections where you go a little overboard on the language? Where can you simplify? What words would go over a 7th grader’s head? Revise those!

Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools we have at our disposal. It’s The Thing that allows us to truly set ourselves and our clients apart from their peers. Services and products can be replicated; people cannot.