Comments on: How To Become A Respectable Word Slut http://www.john-carlton.com/2005/01/13/how_to_become_a/ insight, tactics, advice and mutterings on copywriting, marketing and living life deep... from the most ripped-off world-class ad writer alive... Thu, 04 Dec 2008 01:35:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: Copywriting Kid http://www.john-carlton.com/2005/01/13/how_to_become_a/#comment-209110 Copywriting Kid Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:19:04 +0000 http://www.john-carlton.com/2005/01/13/how_to_become_a/#comment-209110 Thanks for pointing out those great resources!# See - English is my second language. I "learned" it in school but couldn't speak or write or understand it. (In fact, my final English note was an F - totally dismissed). It wasn't before I got into Charles Bukowski that I wanted to learn something about that language. I started reading those books, with a dictionary next to it looking up every third word or so, making vocabulary lists that I would carry around with me. I'm pretty proud of how much I mastered the language in less than ten years (and it was fun along the way, I just read books I loved, translated some lyrics and did a lot of transcribing movies and parroting, just purely because it was INTERESTING to me). Now I realize - my English isn't proper, and there's a lot to clear up. But I wonder whether those limitations might actually be an advantage at some point - because I won't be as tempted to use the fancy 10-dollar words. Thanks for pointing out those great resources!#

See - English is my second language. I “learned” it in school but couldn’t speak or write or understand it. (In fact, my final English note was an F - totally dismissed).

It wasn’t before I got into Charles Bukowski that I wanted to learn something about that language. I started reading those books, with a dictionary next to it looking up every third word or so, making vocabulary lists that I would carry around with me.
I’m pretty proud of how much I mastered the language in less than ten years (and it was fun along the way, I just read books I loved, translated some lyrics and did a lot of transcribing movies and parroting, just purely because it was INTERESTING to me).

Now I realize - my English isn’t proper, and there’s a lot to clear up.

But I wonder whether those limitations might actually be an advantage at some point - because I won’t be as tempted to use the fancy 10-dollar words.

]]> By: garth http://www.john-carlton.com/2005/01/13/how_to_become_a/#comment-19 garth Sun, 30 Jan 2005 09:24:46 +0000 http://www.john-carlton.com/2005/01/13/how_to_become_a/#comment-19 As a writer for a blog called the Real Estate Pimp and also from South Florida needless to say your Word Slut article caught my eye. Dave Barry is just as good of example of Word Slut as is when I called Donald Trump the greatest Real Estate Pimp alive. yOU KnOW once Dave Barry made the comment about the irony that Ralph Nader wants big business to pay more taxes yet he runs a million dollar business that pays NO taxes. I like how you bring out the irony that to make good copy you need to talk more like the high school drop out than the college english professor. As a writer for a blog called the Real Estate Pimp and also from South Florida needless to say your Word Slut article caught my eye.

Dave Barry is just as good of example of Word Slut as is when I called Donald Trump the greatest Real Estate Pimp alive.

yOU KnOW once Dave Barry made the comment about the irony that Ralph Nader wants big business to pay more taxes yet he runs a million dollar business that pays NO taxes.

I like how you bring out the irony that to make good copy you need to talk more like the high school drop out than the college english professor.

]]> By: Matt Adams http://www.john-carlton.com/2005/01/13/how_to_become_a/#comment-14 Matt Adams Thu, 20 Jan 2005 13:58:13 +0000 http://www.john-carlton.com/2005/01/13/how_to_become_a/#comment-14 John, first off I want to say thanks for all the information you've handed to rookie copywriters such as myself...it's such a huge leap in education. My challenge is getting over the obstacle of starting to write and then mumbling all the way through the copy. I attempt to lay out the points I want to cover and talk about...and then inevitably find myself muttering and saying the same crap over and over again. Does clearer, laser focused copy come with diligent practice? And is there any tip for improvement? Thanks again. Matt Adams By the way if you haven't seen it yet, go check out urbandictionary.com John, first off I want to say thanks for all the information you’ve handed to rookie copywriters such as myself…it’s such a huge leap in education. My challenge is getting over the obstacle of starting to write and then mumbling all the way through the copy. I attempt to lay out the points I want to cover and talk about…and then inevitably find myself muttering and saying the same crap over and over again. Does clearer, laser focused copy come with diligent practice? And is there any tip for improvement?

Thanks again.
Matt Adams

By the way if you haven’t seen it yet, go check out urbandictionary.com

]]> By: Harlan http://www.john-carlton.com/2005/01/13/how_to_become_a/#comment-12 Harlan Mon, 17 Jan 2005 00:52:13 +0000 http://www.john-carlton.com/2005/01/13/how_to_become_a/#comment-12 Hey John, You never cease to amaze me with what you read. At the DK copywriting bootcamp, you ran through a list of what you read in a day, could you give an update on that. And, give a list of the top 20 books you think people should read that are NOT related to copy or marketing. Thanks. Harlan Hey John,

You never cease to amaze me with what you read. At the DK copywriting bootcamp, you ran through a list of what you read in a day, could you give an update on that.

And,

give a list of the top 20 books you think people should read that are NOT related to copy or marketing.

Thanks.

Harlan

]]> By: Matt Gallant http://www.john-carlton.com/2005/01/13/how_to_become_a/#comment-11 Matt Gallant Sat, 15 Jan 2005 15:46:22 +0000 http://www.john-carlton.com/2005/01/13/how_to_become_a/#comment-11 John, You have definitely helped bring my passion for the english language to the next level... You're certainly one of the master of "killer word combos"... such as "shock and delight"... It's a lot of fun to find weird interesting ways of putting words together... Such as calling your friends "Good Vibe Merchants." Enjoying the blog John, Matt John,

You have definitely helped bring my passion for the english language to the next level…

You’re certainly one of the master of “killer word combos”… such as “shock and delight”… It’s a lot of fun to find weird interesting ways of putting words together… Such as calling your friends “Good Vibe Merchants.”

Enjoying the blog John,
Matt

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