Read me: 10 lessons for writing great copy

Most of us think we can write. Most of us are wrong. If that’s you then help is at hand. Read Me is a complete course in creative copywriting led by Roger Horberry, a highly experienced professional copywriter, and Gyles Lingwood, course leader on one of the UK’s top advertising degrees. Their combined knowledge and experience makes Read Me an essential resource for any ambitious copywriter. Each chapter is a self-contained lesson on subjects ranging from tone of voice to storytelling, branding to audience engagement, and meme-making to effective messages. Read Me also includes detailed contributions from 17 of the world’s smartest commercial writers, and practical exercises to help you pump up your powers of persuasion. The result is a high-energy ride through the world of creative copywriting that will help you craft persuasive, brilliant and effective messages for print and pixels. We’re too good to you, we really are

Four steps to copy heaven

Roger Horberry and Gyles Lingwood, the authors of forthcoming copywriting bible, 'Read Me', detail four steps to reach copy nirvana

Who killed long copy?

Long copy is of course long dead. The adverts of yesteryear featuring hundreds of carefully crafted words are clearly no more

Reasons to be cheerful

It’s sometimes said the world is ‘post words’. ‘Post words’ is an intriguing idea spoiled only by the inconvenient fact it’s utter rubbish

A catalogue of swindles and perversions: what George Orwell can teach copywriters today

In 1946 George Orwell published his now-famous essay, 'Politics and the English Language'. Although a critique of the blather and balderdash employed by professional politicians in the 1930s and ’40s, Orwell’s observations are remarkably perceptive and have much to say to copywriters today