Copywriting is the most underrated skill in business. And something that I enjoy studying/failing at.

Started dipping into the Basic Writings of Bertrand Russell, the polymath/philosopher.

As his 'basic' writings are large enough to kill a small horse if you hit it with them, it's no surprise he has something to say on what makes good copy.

Here are his top tips that I loved when it comes to writing…

• Put a comma every four words
• Never use ‘and’ except at the start of a sentence
• A writers style isn’t good unless it’s a reflection of their personality… and if their personality is worth expressing in the first place (burn)
• Never use a long word when a short one will do (echoing Mark Twain’s famous quote - never use a 5 dollar word when a 50 cent word will do)
• If you’re making a statement with a lot of qualifications, put some in separate sentences
• Don’t let the beginning of a sentence lead the reader to an expectation that’s contradicted at the end of the sentence

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