In Early to Rise issue #2261, Charlie Byrne wrote:
“In films and books, it’s sometimes known as a “deus ex machina” … You may think of it simply as a plot twist … But in copywriting, it’s defying what Michael Masterson has termed the ‘Categorical Imperative.’ When readers start knowing where the copy is going … they tend to dismiss it – tune it out …
You see, the mind tends to simplify its work by slipping incoming ideas into pre-existing slots (“categories”) it has already created. It does this so it can shift its attention to something else (anything else). … In order to circumvent this tendency of the mind, strong writing – and, in particular, good sales promotions – must avoid a straight-line, logical approach. Instead, use ‘indirection.’”
