As I watched the 2006 remake of Charlotte's Web earlier this week, it occurred to me that Charlotte is not only a spider but also a talented copywriter. I mean, her words saved Wilbur from the slaughterhouse! How's that for impact? Here, some of Charlotte's lessons for writers.
Pithiness has power. Phrases like "Terrific" and "Some Pig" created a stir, because they were short and upbeat (plus, they fit the allotted space). A carefully constructed fragment can be effective.
But it has to be true. The other animals try to pressure Charlotte into using empty superlatives, but she insists that whatever she writes in the web has be to true. And she's right. Meaningless puffery doesn't pay off in the end, so it's best to make sure that your copy is grounded in reality.
Everyone's contribution counts. Charlotte knows she needs help brainstorming, so she enlists the other barnyard animals. They even convince Templeton the Rat to bring back scraps of packaging for inspiration. Sometimes creativity comes from unexpected sources.
You're only as good as your last project. Each time Charlotte completes a web, she has to worry about how to top it so that Wilbur won't get sold for meat. Good copywriters know that excellence is an ongoing process, and for Charlotte and Wilbur the stakes are high.
Have you learned a writing lesson from an unlikely place? Can you think of other children's books or movies that speak to this topic?
Flickr photo courtesy of missy & the universe