Why Great Copy Isn’t Written — It’s Thought
The Copythinking Approach
10X Writer #60
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You’ve probably read a hundred posts about copywriting formulas.
AIDA. PAS. The 4 Ps. BAB.
And yet, when you sit down to write, you still stare at that blank page.
You try to apply the formula, but something feels off.
The words don’t flow. The copy feels mechanical.
Here’s why:
You’re trying to write your way to good copy when you should be thinking your way there.
The Problem With Formula-First Copywriting
Most copywriters learn backwards.
They memorize structures.
They study swipe files.
They try to reverse-engineer success by copying surface patterns without understanding what made them work.
But great copy doesn’t start with structure.
It starts with understanding.
Understanding your reader’s mind.
Understanding what they actually want.
Understanding the gap between where they are and where they need to be.
That’s what I call CopyThinking — the cognitive process that happens before you write a single word.
What Happens When You Skip the Thinking
When you jump straight to writing, you end up with:
Hooks that sound clever but don’t connect
Benefits that are technically correct but emotionally flat
CTAs that ask for action without earning it
You’re playing copywriting Mad Libs:
“Are you tired of ___?”
“Imagine if you could ___.”
“Introducing ___.”
Sometimes it works. Most times, it doesn’t.
And when it doesn’t, you’re left guessing why.
The Universal Structure Hiding in Plain Sight
Everything changed for me when I stopped seeing copy formulas as templates to fill in and started seeing them as a map of how humans make decisions.
Every effective message — whether a sales page, ad, or tweet — moves through the same five cognitive shifts:
Hook → Capture attention by disrupting patterns
Desire → Reveal what they truly want (not what they say they want)
Solution → Position your offer as the bridge
Trust → Remove barriers to belief
Action → Make the next step obvious and easy
This isn’t another formula.
It’s the first-principles structure of persuasion itself.
Once you understand why this sequence works, how it mirrors how people think and decide, you can reason your way through any copy challenge.
From Copying to Thinking
The difference between an average copywriter and a great one isn’t talent.
It’s the depth of reasoning.
When you understand CopyThinking:
You know exactly what problem each section of your copy must solve
You can diagnose why something isn’t working (and fix it fast)
You stop depending on formulas and start using principles
You can adapt to any format, any audience, any offer
You stop guessing.
You start seeing.
What’s Coming
I’m building something I’ve wanted for years — a course that teaches copywriting from first principles.
No more formulas.
Not more templates.
A systematic way to think through copy so you can write messages that work — every time, for any project.
It’s called the CopyThinking Course, built entirely on the Universal Copy Framework:
Hook, Desire, Solution, Trust, Action.
But here’s the difference — I’m not teaching you to use this framework.
I’m teaching you to think through it.
To understand the cognitive mechanics behind each stage.
To see copy as a series of strategic thinking problems, not writing problems.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re guessing your way through copy…
if you’ve wondered why some lines hit while others fall flat…
if you’re done Frankensteining formulas and hoping for the best —
This is for you.
I’ll share more next week.
For now, sit with this:
The copy you write is only as good as the thinking that comes before it.
Start there, and everything else gets easier.
Your turn:
What’s one piece of copy you’re working on right now where you jumped to writing before fully thinking it through?
Hit reply and tell me. I read every response.