I’ve ran across some comments by copy-master, John Caples, from 1961. Here’s his formula for writing good copy.
“If you want a good ad, you should write a lot of copy and then boil it down.
For example, if you want 500 words of copy you should begin by writing 1500 words. Then go over it and cut out all the non-essentials. Omit unnecessary sentences and weak phrases. Make it telegraphic, fast moving and fact packed. A piece of copy is like a pot of broth–the more you boil it down, the stronger the flavor gets.”
