Copywork Develops Skills

Copywork is a technique for learning writing by manually copying great examples, similar to how musicians learn by playing others' songs. Here's the detailed breakdown from Sam Parr's explanation:

Core Concept

• Hand-copy writing that you admire
• Make notes about what makes the writing special
• Similar to learning piano by playing existing songs before creating original music

Learning Process

• Start with copying basic pieces (like "Happy Birthday" in music)
• Progress to more complex pieces
• Eventually combine learned techniques to create original work
• Requires dedicated practice (Sam spent 6 months doing this daily)

Why It Works

• Helps understand what motivates people
• Teaches how to use written word to drive action
• Develops ability to influence thoughts and behaviors
• Can be applied to:
  • Selling products
  • Writing speeches
  • Recruiting
  • Dating
  • Any persuasive writing

Implementation

• Find great writing examples you love
• Write them out by hand
• Study the specific techniques used
• Make notes on what makes them effective
• Practice consistently over time

Modern Application

• Sam created Copy That (copythat.com)
• 10-day exercise program
• Makes the copywork process more structured
• Provides framework for learning writing effectively
• Can still be done manually without the program