On the wall next to my desk I’ve pasted some tips on how to write well from three of my heroes: Ernest Hemingway, George Orwell – and Hollywood legend Billy Wilder. I write every single day, whether I feel like it or not. That’s how I get better.
Sometimes it can be a real grind to get the words out — it’s part of the gig. But I always have these simple rules to follow to help me get back on track.
Billy Wilder wrote 79 screenplays for movies like Casino Royale, Ocean’s 11 (the original versions), The Apartment and Some Like It Hot. In that time, he learned a thing or two about writing and how to hold an audience’s attention.
What is amazing to me about Billy Wilder’s rules for writing is how well they translate to marketing.
At the end of the day, whether you’re writing a screenplay or copy for a landing page, you’re writing for an audience. And if that audience isn’t interested, you’ll either end up with no one at your movie, or no prospects converting into customers…
