Starting tomorrow, I’ll be contributing a week-long series of guest posts to the Futurismic blog, using my experience of commercial copywriting to lay out a few simple techniques that SF writers, magazines and publishers can use to communicate more effectively with their audience and increase their readership.

Paul’s introduction to the series is up today: http://futurismic.com/2009/01/10/introducing-guestblogger-gareth-l-powell/

My five posts will follow next week, one per day, starting tomorrow. If you’ve been wondering how to increase the response you get from your letters, adverts or emails, they could be just the ticket.

Since turning freelance, I’ve been reading a lot of books about the business and craft of professional copywriting, and below (in no particular order) are the ones I’ve personally found most useful, interesting and inspiring:

• How to Set Up a Freelance Writing Business by Jason Deign
• Gabay’s Copywriter’s Compendium by J.Jonathan Gabay
• Write To Sell by Andy Maslen
• The Copywriter’s Handbook by Robert W. Bly
• How to Write Sales Letters That Sell by Drayton Bird
• The IDM Marketing Guide Edited by Robin Fairlie
• Success… And How to Avoid It by Matt Coward

Plus, the following DVD is pretty good. I’ve seen Andy live several times and he has a series of online articles that will be of interest to anyone in the advertising or direct marketing industy.

• How To Write Copy That Really Sells (DVD) by Andy Owen

Do you have a favourite reference book that you always keep by the keyboard? Share it with us by leaving a comment.