The “John Grisham Strategy” For Writing Better Copy
Photo by Jilbert Ebrahimi on Unsplash
John Grisham is a wildly successful novelist.
Not only is he worth $350 million, he has also sold over 300 million books. So, whether you like popular fiction or not, you gotta admit…
The guy is onto something.
Any time someone can write something that earns them $350 million, I think copywriters have something to learn from it.
A few nights ago, I searched Google to find out what Grisham had to say about writing.
Thankfully, what I found was not only helpful for novelists — but helpful for copywriters and business owners too.
The brand-new, hot-off-the-press “John Grisham Strategy” doesn’t just help you write better copy…
It also makes writing easier and less stressful. It’s a win-win. Here’s how it works.
Step #1: Use A Template
“I don’t write the first scene until I know the last scene.”
- John Grisham, Our Champion
John Grisham outlines his books.
He knows exactly where he’s going before he starts the journey. As a Type A person, I find that very refreshing. And you should too.
Here’s why:
When it comes to writing a novel, an outline is a guide that tells you what you should write about and when you should write about it.
It gives structure to the writing and keeps it moving forward.
It keeps you from getting halfway through a piece and saying:
“Well shit. What do I do now?”
When it comes to writing copy — a template works the same way.
They help you structure a sales message so that it makes sense for both the writer and the reader.
So stick with what works and use a copywriting template.
And if you’re writing email copy and want some powerful subject line templates…
Click here for my email copywriting handbook, Subject Line Shortcuts. (It’s free AF.)
Step #2: Remember Your Goal
“When you write suspense, you cannot spend too much time with other elements of the story, such as setting, food, wine, relationships, etc. It’s a long list. You have to continually keep in mind that you are trying to make sure the pages are turning at a rapid rate.”
I love that last sentence for 2 reasons:
First, it illustrates one of the oldest writing tips in the book —
“Always think reader-first.”
Meaning that, when you write, you are doing so for your reader, and you should put their interests before your own. (I believe this is true even in sales copy. The best copy is written from a place of complete empathy for your reader.)
The second reason I love that sentence is because it applies not just to fiction, but to copywriting, as well. Although, I’d reword it just slightly:
“You have to continually keep in mind that you are trying to keep the reader’s eyes on the page.”
In general, most of the copy we write will be in digital format. So our challenge isn’t turning pages…
It’s keeping the reader’s eyes on the page, instead of Instagram, Candy Crush, or any of the other myriad distractions available on their phones or computers.
That’s why a lot of copywriting looks…
Like this.
With short sentences.
And plenty of line breaks that lead into:
“Quotes like this.”
That doesn’t mean that every sentence should be 3 words long. And it doesn’t mean that every paragraph should be one sentence.
It just means that you should remember your readers are busy and distracted…
And they’re probably looking for any reason to stop reading your ad.
So make your writing both compelling and easily digestible if you want to keep them engaged.
Step #3: Write About What You Know… Or Start Learning
Reminder:
John Grisham has sold over 300 million books…
Which is, in case you weren’t aware, A LOT of fucking books.
The only thing that I have 300 million of is… cells, I guess? (A quick Google search tells me I have 37.2 trillion cells, so take that, John.)
Anyway, biology aside, there’s an important lesson here:
Many of Grisham’s books are legal thrillers set in the American South. And that’s not an accident…
It’s because Grisham grew up in the South, and because he was a lawyer before he became a novelist.
He’s an expert on that setting and topic, so he’s able to write about them in a convincing, genuine manner. In addition to that, I believe he does a TON of research for each book.
Here’s the thing:
If you’re writing copy for a product — you should be an expert on that product, that audience, and that niche.
That doesn’t mean you have to start as an expert, but you should at least take the time to research and become an expert.
Step #4: Follow A Routine
Grisham writes one book per year.
He does most of his writing from January to March, then finishes the book by July.
He does all his writing in the same place, at the same time (7AM — 10AM), drinking the same coffee.
He has a routine.
So instead of worrying about things that don’t matter — he can direct all his energy toward his writing.
He also does all his writing on a laptop that is not connected to the internet. So he’ll never get interrupted by email, Slack, or any other nonsense.
If you can’t find 3 hours to completely unplug like Grisham does — shoot for 25 minutes.
My bet is that you’ll get much more done than you expect, and you might eventually find a way to carve out those 3 hours.
Regardless, establish a routine around your writing, and create cues that tell your subconscious brain:
“Hey Brain, it’s time to write.”
As a personal example, if I need to bang out some writing, here is a practically foolproof way that I get “in the zone.”
Put in headphones
Put on computer glasses
Put on a hoodie and put the hood up
Start playing UTAH on Spotify
Write
Whenever all these things are happening at once, my brain knows it’s time to put words on the page.
See if you can develop a routine or cues around your own writing. It’s much more dependable than waiting for “inspiration.”
Step #5: Write Often
When he’s working on a book, Grisham writes roughly 1,000–2,000 words per day.
“On a good day, I’ll write probably 2,000 words. A slow day is probably 1,000.”
He advises aspiring novelists to shoot for 200 words per day (about one page), five days per week.
He’s a big fan of bite-sized consistency, which makes sense, considering that he wrote his first novel, A Time To Kill, over a 3-year period while working full-time as a lawyer.
Early in his career, he heard that “the big guys come out every year,” meaning that the best authors write one book per year. So that’s what Grisham did.
With over 300 million copies sold and at least 28 number one bestsellers, I’d say he’s onto something.
Insert all the cliches you want about “repetition being the mother of all skill” and “practice makes perfect,” but the reason they’re cliches is because they’re true.
If you want to become a great copywriter, you must write often.
But if you don’t have the time to do that, and you still want to benefit from having great copy in your business…
Step #6: Skip The Thesaurus
If you haven’t read my article about the first copywriting project I ever worked on, here’s the lesson:
The thesaurus wields incredible power. Use it wisely.
This is a lesson Grisham believes in, as well. As evidenced by the fact that he said so directly in this article he wrote for the New York Times…
And by this quote about reading Faulkner in this article :
“… I never got on with it that well. I do appreciate his genius. No one can do the sights and sounds of that part of the world quite like him. His description of the smell of walking into a country store is perfect, but I also thought he was intentionally vague and obtuse. Maybe I just don’t think reading a book should actually be hard work.”
Read that last sentence again.
Reading a book — and especially reading copy — should NOT be hard work. In fact, that may be the simplest way to tell if the copy you’ve written is good or bad.
If it’s hard to read, it’s bad.
If it’s easy to read, it’s good.
If you’re reading this, you’re probably not Faulkner. So you can safely avoid the long run-on sentences and complicated wordplay.
Keep it simple.
Step #7: Cut Like An Angry Butcher
Grisham encourages writers to “Read each sentence at least three times in search of words to cut.”
I’d encourage writers to “read your work 3x and cut extra words.” ;)
The point is:
No matter what you’re writing — your first draft probably has too many words. So re-read it and cut those words out.
It will make your writing tighter, simpler, and better.
Oops, meant to say:
It will make your writing better.
(Bonus) Step #8: Don’t Be A Dick
Last week, I knew nothing about John Grisham.
But after digging into the man’s life and his writing philosophy, I’m struck by the fact that, more than anything, he is just a good man doing work he loves to do.
He doesn’t brag about his success.
He doesn’t profess to be a literary genius.
He supports the causes he believes in.
He lives a simple, quiet life.
And he seems to be incredibly grateful for the success he’s achieved.
“I find myself taking long walks on my farm with my wife, Renee, wondering what in the world happened.”
So if you follow Steps 1–7 of The John Grisham Strategy…
I’d recommend adding in Step 8 as well — not just because it will make you a better writer, but because it will make you a better human too.
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