25 Words or Less: How to Write Like a Pro to Find That Special Someone Through Personal Ads [Paperback]

Emily Thornton Calvo (Author), Laurence Minsky (Author), Emily Thornton Calvo (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Personal ads, for the most part, are boring and surprisingly impersonal. You know the type: "SWM into foreign films and Chinese takeout seeks SWF for romantic walks on the beach." Any ad with a modicum of originality stands out. Advertising copywriters Emily Thornton Calvo and Laurence Minsky approach personal-ad writing the way they'd approach writing a product advertisement. Not only do they encourage you to be more clever and creative, but they help you figure out exactly what kind of person and relationship you're seeking, and then they show you how to express that information in an ad. 25 Words or Less is too long for what it accomplishes (the way I figure it, you have to read about 3,000 words for every one that you'll write), but it will certainly help less-inspired writers pen catchier, more effective, more personal ads. --Jane Steinberg

Review

... 25 Words goes a lot further than just getting that ad written. In its insistence that you explore thoroughly who you are before you write your ad, and in an attempt to guide you in that direction, the book actually is a self-help manual....

Their helpful 12-page word catalog at the end, mostly adjectives, is alone worth the $12.95." -- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, December 16, 1998

...Who knows better how to make your ad stand out -- and attract the right kind of attention -- than a pair of professional ad copywriters? They offer composition tips, placement suggestions (thumbs down on cable TV) as well as safety tips. -- Dallas Morning News, July 19, 1998

Americans spend an estimated $500 million annually on personal ads in newspapers and magazines. For far less, Emily Calvo and Laurence Minsky will tell you how to write a good one. -- Adweek

Looking for love? Pick up a copy of 25 Words or Less. -- New Woman Magazine, November, 1998

Singles seeking their significant others can turn to executives Emily Thornton Calvo and Laurence Minsky for some excellent advice. They are the co-authors of a thoroughly entertaining and enlightening new book about the strategies of placing personal ads that actually work....Their 240-page book, 25 Words or Less: How to Write Like a Pro to Find that Special Someone Through Personal Ads, applies time-honored advertising techniques to help readers draw attention to the "benefits" that individuals have to offer. -- Screen Magazine

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Product Details

• Paperback: 221 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill/Contemporary (June 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0809228785
• ISBN-13: 978-0809228782
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #2,201,210 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A compass on the perilous journey of personal ads dating, August 27, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: 25 Words or Less: How to Write Like a Pro to Find That Special Someone Through Personal Ads (Paperback)

Finding a soulmate in a newspaper ad or out in cyberspace is dicey enough, but without a guide it's like trying to find a golf ball in a snowstorm.

After reading 25 words or less I feel all warm, fuzzy, and safe...no more barking up the wrong tree or running down blind alleys... this book helps you clarify your objectives and takes all the guesswork out of writing, and placing your ad, as well as helping you along once you decide to meet that special someone.

The thing that impressed me most was the personal "personals" experiences, they were honest, and fascinating. Having true-life excerpts made it very easy for the reader to feel comfortable. I felt like I was getting advice from a friend, unlike other how-to dating books that lecture or talk down to the reader making you wonder if the authors ever dated at all. Wonderful work! Kudos to Emily Calvo and Laurence Minsky!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I've seen and done it all, August 27, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: 25 Words or Less: How to Write Like a Pro to Find That Special Someone Through Personal Ads (Paperback)

Everyway you can meet someone I've tried and this covers just about all of them and all the good ones. Lot's of realy good examples of the real deal. It's like having a bunch of friends telling you how to do it.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Down-to-earth guide to making "personals ads" really work, July 19, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: 25 Words or Less: How to Write Like a Pro to Find That Special Someone Through Personal Ads (Paperback)

This book has way more information than you'd think possible about how to write (or answer) a personal ad. If you've tried meeting people through newspaper ads before, and failed miserably, this book will show you why--and what to do next time in order to succeed.

And it's also a quick read, because it's packed with real-life examples of actual ads, success stories, and not-so-successful stories.