Is there ever such a thing as pure, unadulterated creativity?
Probably not. Which is why even great writers like Shakespeare borrow ideas and plots. Hey, if Shakespeare wasn’t above a little non-plagiaristic stealing, who am I to argue?
The truth is, when you need to come up with a lot of great ideas fast, there’s no better tactic than to look at what’s worked in the past and reshape it for your purposes.
Shakespeare stole here
One of the first references to Shakespeare as a playwright is by Robert Greene, a contemporary who was on his deathbed when the bard was just getting started. Here’s what he had to say:
“There is an Upstart Crow, beautified with our feathers, that with his Tiger’s heart wrapt in a player’s hide, supposes he is as well able to bombast out a blank verse as the rest of you; and being an absolute Johannes Fac Totum, is in his own conceit the only Shakescene in a country.” (source: Shakespeare, by Germaine Greer)
While the accusation may not be immediately clear to modern readers, scholars agree that Greene was accusing Shakespeare of taking credit for other people’s work. In other words, outright plagiarism.
Shakespeare’s name was cleared, of course. But his habits lived on. Most of his plays were based on plots from Plutarch, Sophocles and other ancient sources.
Where his creativity shows is in his treatment of the stories and his skill as a wordsmith. What began as borrowed became uniquely original.
How borrowing can make your copy shine
No writer lives in a vacuum. We’re inundated with marketing messages, in print, online and over the air. Every creative idea is generally born out of something we’ve seen or heard.
That being the case, as long as we don’t stoop to plagiarism, it is acceptable to borrow ideas, structures, and even an occasional turn of phrase — as long as we take the time to make them uniquely original.
A few tips…
Keep a swipe file. Copywriting is often a strategic case of problem solving. When trying to solve particular copy challenges, it helps to see how other writers have handled similar situations. That’s where your swipe file comes in.
Wondering which headlines or big ideas are most likely to pull? How to transition from promise to proof and back again? How other writers are structuring their sales pages? Your swipe file holds the answers.
Keep it close and use it often.
Steal sales structures and templates. Sit down with your favorite pieces of copy and analyze their framework. How long are the headline and lead? What reader questions do they answer, and when? Where do they put promises, proof, pictures and other sales elements? How do they transition to the offer? Where are the call to action, guarantee and premium offers?
Do this for several successful promotions until you understand their similarities and differences. Then consider how these structures could work in your own promotions.
It’s not copying to reuse a proven formula. After inserting your own benefits and sales messages, you can end up with a completely different promotion.
Imitate the good; leave out the bad. Imitation is the primary method for learning music, art and, yes, writing. In fact, my World Lit professor told us that if we wanted to learn how to write a novel, we should copy long-hand Flaubert’s Emma.
As copywriters, we’re no different. To take our craft to the next level, we should never be above copying the techniques of the masters.
We just need to be careful not to camp out in imitation. That’s sheer laziness.
Here’s how jazz musician David Baker says it. “I think we always move from imitation to assimilation to innovation, but I can’t name you 20 people … who ever got to point three: innovation.”
To achieve innovation, imitation must be paired with imagination. When we imitate, our goal should be to understand what works and what doesn’t. Then once we grasp the underlying strategies and why they work, we must look for new ways to achieve the same goal.
That’s stealing with integrity. And if it worked for Shakespeare, it’s probably a good idea for the rest of us.
***
Are you happy with your marketing copy? Professional copywriting can often take your marketing from lackluster to blockbuster. Contact me today to learn more.
