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“Good writing makes us feel something. When you over-explain something, you lose us. Every time,” says Patrick Hamilton, partner, We Write Good.
As the husband-and-wife team of We Write Good, Becky Wilson and Patrick Hamilton are truly partners in every sense of the word. Their love for words is revealed in their on-air work for CBS, E!, Fox and The CW as well as radio campaigns and upfronts.
The couple sat down with PromaxBDA and “used their words” to express what matters to them the most…words. Here are some of We Write Good’s best practices for penning eye-catching writing.
Hamilton: “If you were to put together a list of the best way to make eye-catching writing for TV, where would you start?”
Wilson: “I would start with words. Words matter.”
Hamilton: “Shocking.”
Wilson: “As a writer, that’s weird.”
Best Practices:
WORDS MATTER.
We have low tolerance for promos that are so stuffed with copy that it’s just word salad instead of a call to watch. Nothing wrong with good grammar, either. We’re not writing the next great literary novel, true, but every spot should still have structure—a beginning, middle and end; concise, clear writing and a point of view.
WHAT’S THE HOOK?
A good promo is like a good pop song. You’ve got to find the hook that not only draws you in, but brings you back. It’s got to be catchy. A great tagline can do that.
MAKE US FEEL. SOMETHING. PLEASE.
It’s so important, we’ll say it again: Emotion over exposition. Promo campaigns are not lost in the ethers of time anymore. It all exists online, so you might as well leave a lasting impression.
When crafting a spot, choose words wisely. Words are wonderful. You can convey wonderful attitude with the right twist on an old expression or a delicious adjective. When launching a new show, nobody needs to know every plot point. Just because we haven’t heard of the show before doesn’t’ mean we want you to tell us everything in an exhaustive run-on voiceover. Nor does it mean we just want to see clips smashed together with music cues resulting in a spot with no structure or art to it. Give us an experience. Instead of: YOU WON’T BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT for the thousandth time, concentrate on copy or graphics or imagery or a tagline that sells the feeling the viewer’s going to have. Everyone will thank you for it.
For more information on their work and current projects go to: http://wewritegood.com/
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