Is the following sentence correct?
This book is well written.
Yes? You're right. It's perfectly correct. No broken rules there. Now check out the following sentence. Is it correct, too.
This is a well written book.
No, it is not correct. But why? It's basically the same sentence as the first, except that the phrase "well written" comes before "book" rather than after it. But that is precisely what makes the difference. Here's the rule:
* Hyphenate the elements of a compound modifier only if that modifier precedes the noun.
I don't know about you, but whenever I read a grammar rule like that, it takes me back to public school days when well-meaning English teachers crammed our minds with undecipherable rules. "What in the world is a compound modifier?" I should have asked. But of course I didn't because the bedazzling Priscilla Price sat right next to me. It's not that I didn't want her to think I didn't know what a compound modifier was. No one knew. It's just that I didn't want her to think I cared what a compound modifier was. That would not be cool.
But I assume you care because you're reading this, and you're not ashamed of caring. So let me explain. A modifier is a word or phrase that describes another word. Modifiers can be adjectives or adverbs, but for our purposes, that doesn't matter. So if you say, "That's an adjective," or "That's an adverb," I'm happy for you, but I really don't care.
A compound modifier is a modifier made of more than one word. That's why it's called a "compound" modifier.
So, what the rule says is that if the compound modifier comes before the noun it modifies, hyphenate it. But if it comes after the noun, don't hyphenate it. On that basis, the sentences we grappled with earlier should be written as follows:
This book is well written. (The compound modifier comes after the noun, so no hyphen.)
This is a well-written book. (The compound modifier comes before the noun, so it gets a hyphen.)
Who comes up with these rules and why? No one knows for sure, but I have a personal theory that a group of Nazi war criminals eluded capture, went underground and decided that creating rules like this would be the most cruel thing they could do to the guys who beat them in WWII.
It gets worse. Look at the next sentence. Is it correct?
This is a beautifully-written book.
I hate to tell you, but it is not correct. "But why?" you say. "The phrase 'beautifully written' is a compound modifier, right?" Right. "And it precedes the noun it modifies in the sentence, right?" Right. "So it should be hyphenated, right?"
Wrong. It should not be hyphenated because of yet another rule perpetrated by the underground war criminal group that states ...
* Don't place a hyphen after a word that ends in "ly" - even if the word is part of a compound modifier that precedes the noun it modifies. The exception is if the "ly" that ends the word is part of the core word itself, as in "family" (a family-run business).
At this point you have probably either stopped reading in despair or are hopelessly frustrated and confused. It is helpful at times like this to remember what the Buddha said: "Life is suffering." It would also be helpful to commit the three sentences we have discussed to memory and use them as guides or templates when you have questions about hyphenating compound modifiers. This will keep you out of trouble 98.7 percent of the time. When you memorize the following correctly written sentences, pay special attention to the presence or absence of hyphens:
1. This book is well written.
2. This is a well-written book.
3. This is a beautifully written book.
Finally, here are a few examples of these rules in action. All these sentences are correct, and hopefully you now know why.
He is a well-known actor.
He is an actor who is well known.
She received a $5,000-a-year bonus.
She received a bonus of $5,000 a year.
It was a naturally flavored food.
The food was naturally flavored.
About the author: Steve Osborne is author of "Writing Tips for the Real World," a blog at http://www.thewritersbag.com. He is an award-winning freelance writer and writing instructor. His blog teaches writing tips, techniques and strategies designed to help people from all walks of life turn the written word into a powerful success tool in their careers and personal lives.
31.8.13
Debunking the Myths of Copywriting Course
What does it take to make a good freelance copywriter? You can learn the ropes by taking copywriting courses or perhaps you are a gifted writer.
According to copywriter Jason Leister, one can be the world's greatest copywriter but without clients you will probably be starving. For those starting out as a freelance writer, it's prudent not to try to run before you can walk.
In this guest article, Jason hands out five copywriting course myths that you should know before jumping into the water.
Five Things Every Freelance Copywriter Must Know
by Jason Leister
Almost 12 months ago, I began my career as a freelance copywriter. When I started, I had zero clients and zero income. To develop my skills and get a fast start, I bought most of the copywriting courses available on the market.
If you haven't noticed, there are a lot of them.
And while most of them are pretty good--filled with proven secrets for turning words into wealth--virtually all of them were missing something huge.
They were missing any helpful advice about HOW to make money as a copywriter. As I quickly found out, it doesn't matter how good your writing skills are if you can't make money using them.
Over the past 12 months, I've learned a lot about what it takes to make it as a freelance copywriter.
Here are a few things I wish I had known when I got started. These are some of the things that most copywriting courses don't talk about. I call them, the 5 Copywriting Course Myths.
Myth #1: If Your Copywriting Sells, You Will Make a Lot of Money Making money writing copy has a whole lot more to do with HOW you deal with clients than how to string words together.
You could be the world's greatest copywriter. But without clients to pay you, you'll be hard pressed to put food on the table.
As a business owner, your number one priority is to sell your product. And your product is your copywriting service. Without knowing how to attract clients, you'll never even get the chance to put your skills to use.
Work on your copywriting skills. But more importantly, work on your business acquisition skills.
Myth #2: You Need to Start at the Bottom and Work for Peanuts
You will hear this a lot from old school copywriters. The ones who put in years as a copy cub for a big name. Or the ones who honed their chops in an agency working for well known copy chiefs.
Most of them started at ground zero and worked their way up. But you don't have to. What do you have they don't have?
They didn't have the internet.
And since the internet has come along, the demand for copywriters has gone way, way up.
And the fact that there is DEMAND means you can potentially charge more for your services. Because they are more valuable.
Your copywriting income has little to do with experience or the number of years you've "put in." Your ability to make money as a freelance copywriter comes down to your ability to communicate the value your services deliver to your client.
Sure you have to deliver, but the first step is to get the order.
Myth #3: You Need to Work for Free to Get Started
If you need to work for free (or on spec as they call it), then it's not your copywriting skills that need work, it's your selling skills.
If someone is selling you on the idea of writing copy for them on "spec," then chances are, they're a much better salesman than you are.
Don't do it. Not because you won't get experience. But mainly because it's just not necessary.
Myth #4: You Can Get Wealthy Working for Clients
You can make a very good living writing copy for clients. But chances are, you won't become wealthy. Not really wealthy.
Wealth comes from income that requires little or no work. That's leverage. And with it, you can grow your income without investing an equal amount of time or effort.
Remember, the only reason your client can pay you $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 for a promotion is because they're making a whole lot more than that.
That's a clue about where the real money is hiding. Become your own client.
Acquire or create your own products and use your copywriting skills to build your OWN business.
Myth #5: Writing Copy is Easy
Being a freelance copywriter is real work. Often times a lot of work. Add to that the fact that a majority of the promotions written by even the most experienced copywriters either break even or lose money.
It's a little like baseball.
Copywriting is about a whole lot more than writing. You've got to connect the demand of your market, to the product you are selling. A promotion that worked 2 years ago might bomb today, and vice
versa.
Copywriting takes time, effort and a whole lot of guts to stick with it through thick and thin. The payoff can be huge, but there is a price you must pay. Just be sure you know that before you get started.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jason Leister is a freelance copywriter and author of the copywriting course, "The Independent Thinker's Guide to Becoming a Six-Figure Copywriter in 365 Days or Less" For a free sample of the copywriting course, visit his website at http://www.businessofcopy.com
According to copywriter Jason Leister, one can be the world's greatest copywriter but without clients you will probably be starving. For those starting out as a freelance writer, it's prudent not to try to run before you can walk.
In this guest article, Jason hands out five copywriting course myths that you should know before jumping into the water.
Five Things Every Freelance Copywriter Must Know
by Jason Leister
Almost 12 months ago, I began my career as a freelance copywriter. When I started, I had zero clients and zero income. To develop my skills and get a fast start, I bought most of the copywriting courses available on the market.
If you haven't noticed, there are a lot of them.
And while most of them are pretty good--filled with proven secrets for turning words into wealth--virtually all of them were missing something huge.
They were missing any helpful advice about HOW to make money as a copywriter. As I quickly found out, it doesn't matter how good your writing skills are if you can't make money using them.
Over the past 12 months, I've learned a lot about what it takes to make it as a freelance copywriter.
Here are a few things I wish I had known when I got started. These are some of the things that most copywriting courses don't talk about. I call them, the 5 Copywriting Course Myths.
Myth #1: If Your Copywriting Sells, You Will Make a Lot of Money Making money writing copy has a whole lot more to do with HOW you deal with clients than how to string words together.
You could be the world's greatest copywriter. But without clients to pay you, you'll be hard pressed to put food on the table.
As a business owner, your number one priority is to sell your product. And your product is your copywriting service. Without knowing how to attract clients, you'll never even get the chance to put your skills to use.
Work on your copywriting skills. But more importantly, work on your business acquisition skills.
Myth #2: You Need to Start at the Bottom and Work for Peanuts
You will hear this a lot from old school copywriters. The ones who put in years as a copy cub for a big name. Or the ones who honed their chops in an agency working for well known copy chiefs.
Most of them started at ground zero and worked their way up. But you don't have to. What do you have they don't have?
They didn't have the internet.
And since the internet has come along, the demand for copywriters has gone way, way up.
And the fact that there is DEMAND means you can potentially charge more for your services. Because they are more valuable.
Your copywriting income has little to do with experience or the number of years you've "put in." Your ability to make money as a freelance copywriter comes down to your ability to communicate the value your services deliver to your client.
Sure you have to deliver, but the first step is to get the order.
Myth #3: You Need to Work for Free to Get Started
If you need to work for free (or on spec as they call it), then it's not your copywriting skills that need work, it's your selling skills.
If someone is selling you on the idea of writing copy for them on "spec," then chances are, they're a much better salesman than you are.
Don't do it. Not because you won't get experience. But mainly because it's just not necessary.
Myth #4: You Can Get Wealthy Working for Clients
You can make a very good living writing copy for clients. But chances are, you won't become wealthy. Not really wealthy.
Wealth comes from income that requires little or no work. That's leverage. And with it, you can grow your income without investing an equal amount of time or effort.
Remember, the only reason your client can pay you $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 for a promotion is because they're making a whole lot more than that.
That's a clue about where the real money is hiding. Become your own client.
Acquire or create your own products and use your copywriting skills to build your OWN business.
Myth #5: Writing Copy is Easy
Being a freelance copywriter is real work. Often times a lot of work. Add to that the fact that a majority of the promotions written by even the most experienced copywriters either break even or lose money.
It's a little like baseball.
Copywriting is about a whole lot more than writing. You've got to connect the demand of your market, to the product you are selling. A promotion that worked 2 years ago might bomb today, and vice
versa.
Copywriting takes time, effort and a whole lot of guts to stick with it through thick and thin. The payoff can be huge, but there is a price you must pay. Just be sure you know that before you get started.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jason Leister is a freelance copywriter and author of the copywriting course, "The Independent Thinker's Guide to Becoming a Six-Figure Copywriter in 365 Days or Less" For a free sample of the copywriting course, visit his website at http://www.businessofcopy.com
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