Honest Review: Indonesia's Bestselling Copywriting Book
I bought it. I read it. I was disappointed in exactly the way I predicted but still bought it anyway. This isn't a review to tear it down. It's a review to warn you.
Alan Sjahputra
Copywriter · 7 years of structured frustration
Why I bought it anyway
I knew what I was getting into. The cover screamed "marketing guru." The blurb promised "secrets." The reviews were suspiciously uniform in their enthusiasm.
But I bought it because I wanted to understand what most Indonesian copywriters are learning from. And now I do. That's the problem.
What's inside
Templates. Lots of templates. Fill-in-the-blank formulas that promise to make your copy "irresistible." AIDA explained for the hundredth time. PAS presented as if it were a revelation.
There's nothing wrong with templates as training wheels. The problem is when the book presents them as the destination, not the starting point.
What's missing
Any discussion of strategy before writing
How to research your audience beyond demographics
When NOT to use emotional triggers
How to measure whether your copy actually worked
Any acknowledgment that copywriting is hard and takes years to master
A book that makes copywriting look easy is a book that makes bad copywriters feel confident.
The verdict
If you're completely new to copywriting and need a gentle introduction, this book won't hurt you. But if you're serious about the craft, you'll outgrow it by chapter three.
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