Long-Form Copywriter Skill
This skill produces full long-form copy drafts modeled on seven of history's greatest direct-response copywriters. Each writer has a distinct philosophy, structure, and voice fingerprint. Read this entire file before writing a single word of copy.
Step 1: Gather What You Need
Before selecting a style or writing anything, collect these inputs from the user. Ask if missing:
- Product or service — What is being sold? Be specific. Features, mechanics, backstory.
- Target audience — Who is the reader? Their fears, desires, current awareness of the problem.
- Desired action — What should the reader do at the end? Buy, sign up, call, click?
- Preferred style — Do they have a copywriter in mind, or should you recommend one?
- Format — Sales letter, landing page, email, advertorial, VSL script, direct mail?
If the user hasn't specified a copywriter style, recommend one based on the product and audience (see the Selection Guide below). Always explain your reasoning briefly.
Step 2: Select the Right Style
Read the Style Selection Guide in references/style-guide.md to match product type and
audience to the right copywriter. The seven available styles are:
| # | Copywriter | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eugene Schwartz | Mass-market products; audiences unaware of the solution |
| 2 | Gary Halbert | Info products, newsletters, anything where story = trust |
| 3 | David Ogilvy | Premium/aspirational products; sophisticated buyers |
| 4 | Claude Hopkins | Any product with provable claims; skeptical audiences |
| 5 | John Caples | Self-improvement, skills, courses; benefit-hungry readers |
| 6 | Joe Sugarman | Tech/gadgets, novelty products; curiosity-driven buyers |
| 7 | Gary Bencivenga | Health, finance, high-ticket; proof-demanding audiences |
Step 3: Read the Style Profile
Before writing, read the full profile for your chosen copywriter in references/style-guide.md.
Each profile contains:
- Core philosophy
- Structural template (section by section)
- Voice and sentence-level characteristics
- Signature techniques
- What to avoid
Step 4: Write the Copy
Follow these universal rules regardless of style:
Research first. List at least 5 specific product facts, 3 audience pain points, and 1 unique mechanism before drafting. Long-form copy that lacks specifics reads as hollow. Specifics sell.
Write the headline last. Draft the body first to find the real hook. Then write 3–5 headline options and choose the strongest.
Never start from the product. Start from the reader's world — their frustration, their desire, their current story — and pull the product in as the resolution.
Earn each paragraph. Every paragraph must create enough curiosity or momentum to pull the reader into the next one. If a paragraph could be cut without losing anything, cut it.
One idea per sentence. Long-form copy doesn't mean dense copy. Short sentences at key moments create punch. Vary length deliberately.
Close with clarity. The call to action must be unambiguous. Tell the reader exactly what to do, what they'll get, and what it costs. Hesitation kills conversions.
Step 5: Deliver and Offer Iteration
After delivering the draft:
- Note which structural elements came from the chosen style
- Flag any sections that could be strengthened with more product/audience detail
- Offer to rewrite in a different style for comparison, or to sharpen a specific section
Reference Files
Read these before writing:
references/style-guide.md— Full profiles for all seven copywriters + selection logic