Your Copy Is Missing Something You Can’t See
It’s the invisible layer that makes people feel something and act.
10X Writer #40
Welcome to 10X Writer, the weekly newsletter designed to help writers, copywriters, and freelancers achieve 10X results with expert insights and actionable strategies.
The Invisible Layer That Separates Good Copy from Great
If you’ve been writing copy for a while, you’ve probably felt it.
You do everything right.
You follow the frameworks.
The copy flows.
The structure holds.
On paper, it’s solid.
And yet—
It doesn’t land.
It doesn’t move people.
It just… sits there.
You start questioning yourself.
Was the hook weak?
Should the CTA be stronger?
Maybe the offer isn’t irresistible enough?
But here’s a thought you may not have considered:
What if the copy isn’t missing a tactic… but missing life?
There’s a layer to writing that most never learn.
Not because it’s advanced.
But because it’s not obvious.
It doesn’t show up in swipe files.
You won’t find it in templates.
And it can’t be reduced to AIDA or PAS.
It’s the layer where copy stops being clever…
And starts being charged.
That’s what we’re going to explore today.
But first, let’s talk about the trap most writers fall into without realizing it.
The Trap of “Good Copy”
You followed the rules.
The headline had curiosity.
The opening set the stage.
The transitions were smooth.
The CTA? Clear and actionable.
It was everything you were taught to do.
And maybe it even worked on the surface—
A few opens, a few clicks, maybe even some sales.
But something still felt off.
It didn’t move you.
It didn’t move the reader.
It didn’t create that unmistakable feeling of:
“This is for me. I need this. I want to act—right now.”
It checked every box.
Except the one that matters most: emotional charge.
This is where a lot of writers get stuck.
Not because they aren’t skilled.
But because they’ve learned to write to the structure
Instead of writing to the soul.
You’re not just building a persuasive argument.
You’re trying to move a human being to make a decision.
That takes more than structure.
It takes something deeper.
Something you won’t find in swipe files.
Let’s talk about what that is.
The Pattern Trap
When you’re learning copy, you need patterns.
You need to know what a good hook looks like.
You need to study how offers are framed.
You need to see examples of what works.
So you start following the pros.
You copy their structure.
You borrow their voice.
You start to sound a little like them.
And that’s okay.
In the beginning, imitation is how we learn.
But here’s where it gets tricky.
At some point, you stop experimenting.
You stop asking what you want to say.
You stop playing with the edges of the form.
You become a pattern writer.
Everything sounds polished.
Everything looks “right.”
But nothing surprises the reader.
Nothing shakes them up.
Nothing feels truly alive.
You’re writing someone else’s copy in your voice.
And you don’t even realize it.
This is the hidden trap.
It’s comfortable.
It’s safe.
And it keeps you stuck at a level that looks successful but feels flat.
To break out, you have to write past the patterns.
You have to stop aiming for clever.
And start aiming for connection.
Let’s look at what that next level actually looks like.
The Hidden Layer
Most copy lives on the surface.
It talks about features.
It paints benefits.
It uses triggers like urgency, scarcity, FOMO.
And it works.
To an extent.
But great copy does something else.
It doesn’t just inform.
It doesn’t just persuade.
It moves people.
It bypasses logic and goes straight to feeling.
Because the truth is, we don’t buy with our heads.
We buy with something deeper.
A pull. A charge. A moment of “this is what I’ve been looking for.”
That doesn’t come from writing clever lines.
It comes from writing with something few people talk about.
Symbolic energy.
Some phrases hit harder because they carry more than meaning.
They carry emotion, memory, history.
Take this one:
Now is the time.
It’s not just urgency.
It’s a call. A turning point. A line in the sand.
Or this:
It’s still possible.
That’s not a headline.
It’s a second chance. A quiet reassurance that hope isn’t gone.
These aren’t just words.
They’re symbols.
Symbols compress emotion into language.
And when used right, they unlock something powerful in the reader.
They do what swipe files can’t.
They create a shift.
You feel it in your body when you read it.
And that’s how you know it’s working.
Now let’s look at how to write from that place.
How to Write from Energy, Not Just Structure
This isn’t about throwing structure away.
It’s about going beyond it.
Think of structure as the scaffolding.
It holds things up.
But once the building is ready, you don’t leave the scaffolding there.
You remove it.
You let the shape stand on its own.
That’s what writing from energy looks like.
It starts with asking a different question.
Not “Is this persuasive?”
But “Does this move anything?”
Here’s how you begin.
1. Collect phrases that stir something in you.
When you hear a line in a movie, a speech, or a book that makes you pause, note it down.
That’s language charged with something more.
2. Say it out loud.
Writing that moves people often feels different when spoken.
If a line sounds flat, it probably is.
If it moves you, it will likely move them.
3. Strip away the clever.
Clever often hides emotion.
Take the best line from your last piece of copy and rewrite it in plain words.
Then add the feeling back in, without the polish.
4. Use symbolic phrases as anchors.
Try:
Now is the time
It’s still possible
You’re not broken
The old way is over
This is how it begins
Use them in your CTAs, your openers, your transitions.
Not because they’re poetic.
But because they carry emotional weight.
Even one phrase like this can change the feel of your entire piece.
Let’s look at how that plays out on the page.
Examples of Symbolic Triggers in Copy
Let’s bring this to life.
Below are some ordinary lines.
They’re clear. They follow the rules.
But they don’t do much.
Now watch what happens when we rewrite them with symbolic weight.
Original:
Start your business today.
Symbolic:
Now is the time to build what you’ve been putting off for years.
Original:
You can improve your health in just 30 days.
Symbolic:
It’s still possible to feel strong again. Even if you’ve tried everything.
Original:
Learn how to write high-converting copy.
Symbolic:
This is how it begins. The shift from writing to truly moving people.
Original:
Break free from old habits.
Symbolic:
The old way is over. A new rhythm is waiting for you.
Same message.
But the second version speaks to something deeper.
It meets the reader where they already are—tired, hopeful, unsure, ready.
Symbolic phrases work because they collapse logic into emotion.
They let the reader fill in the blanks.
They don’t just say what the product does.
They point to what it means.
The Shift from Technician to Master
Most writers stop at what works.
They find a framework.
They stick to the formula.
They polish every line until it sounds right.
And that gets results.
Sometimes even great ones.
But mastery starts when you stop asking,
“What’s the right way to write this?”
And start asking,
“What would move someone right now?”
That’s when your writing changes.
You stop obsessing over perfect structure.
You start listening for emotional truth.
You write fewer words.
But each one lands harder.
You begin to trust your instincts.
You let go of what sounds impressive.
You aim for what feels real.
This is not about breaking the rules for the sake of it.
It’s about knowing which ones matter and which ones no longer serve you.
It’s the shift from technician to master.
Where you write not just to get attention.
But to earn trust.
To stir action.
To leave a mark.
You may not feel ready.
You may think you're not there yet.
But mastery doesn’t come all at once.
It begins with a single shift.
And that shift can start now.
Now is the time.