Latest / The Copywriting Podcast with Fexingo: Sales Letters, Headlines, and Persuasive Writing / The Power of a Single Blank Line in Sales Copy
Transcript
- Lucas: So there's this classic sales letter from the 1960s, written by a guy named Gene Schwartz, for a book on how to get rich. It's, you know, typical old-school direct response. But there's one thing about it that's always stuck with me. Luna: What's that? Lucas: The blank lines. Not the headline, not the body copy, but the sheer amount of white space. Schwartz would write a paragraph, then leave an entire blank line before the next one. And he'd do it consistently, almost like he was forcing you to pause and breathe. Luna: Huh. I've seen old ads like that. They look almost airy compared to modern copy. Lucas: Exactly. And it's not just aesthetics. There's a psychology to it. When you hit a blank line, your brain registers a natural stop. It gives you a micro-moment to let the previous point sink in. That pause is where persuasion happens. Luna: So it's not just about readability, it's about rhythm. Lucas: Right. And that rhythm mimics conversation. Think about how you talk to a friend. You don't drone on in one long paragraph. You pause, you let them react. Good copy does the same thing. Luna: But most online copy today is so dense. Long paragraphs, no breaks. I feel like I'm reading a wall of text. Lucas: And that's exactly why a single blank line can be so powerful now. It's a contrast. In a sea of dense copy, a break stands out. It slows the skimmer down, just for a second. Luna: Have you seen any modern examples that get this right? Lucas: There's a landing page for a software tool I saw recently — I won't name the company — but they had a headline, then a blank line, then a single sentence: 'You've been doing it wrong.' Then another blank line, then a paragraph explaining what they mean. Luna: That pause after 'You've been doing it wrong' is brilliant. It makes you think, 'Wait, have I?' Lucas: Exactly. And then the next paragraph hooks you. That's the power of the blank line. It's not just decoration, it's a strategic pause. Luna: So where should we be inserting them? Obviously after headlines, but what about within paragraphs? Lucas: Well, the old masters would break up even short paragraphs. Schwartz's letter — I think he had, like, three-sentence paragraphs, but always with a blank line between. And then sometimes he'd use a single sentence as a paragraph, giving it even more weight. Luna: So it's a hierarchy of pauses. Blank line after a long paragraph, then a one-liner, then blank line, then back to a long one. Lucas: Yes. And that one-liner becomes the takeaway. The blank lines around it essentially frame it. You can't miss it. Luna: Now, I've also seen some copy that overdoes it. Like, every sentence is its own paragraph. That loses the rhythm. Lucas: True. There's a sweet spot. You want enough density to feel substantial, but enough breaks to feel conversational. I'd say the ideal is around two to four sentences per paragraph, and always a blank line between paragraphs. And use single-sentence paragraphs sparingly, for emphasis. Luna: That makes sense. And what about emails? I get so many that are just one giant block of text. Lucas: Emails are actually the perfect place to test this. You've got a subject line, a preview text, and then the body. If your body is a wall of text, people are going to delete it fast. But if you break it up, even just a couple of blank lines, you give them a reason to keep reading. Luna: And on mobile, it's even more important. Tiny screens, huge paragraphs — that's a recipe for a tap to delete. Lucas: Right. And there's actually some research on this. I remember a study that found that adding white space to a landing page increased conversions by, I think, around twenty percent. It wasn't the copy that changed, just the spacing. Luna: Wow. That's a concrete number we can mention to a friend. Lucas: And I'm sure the effect varies, but the point is: white space is a design element, and it impacts how people process your message. Luna: So let's talk about the psychology a bit more. Why does a blank line actually persuade? Lucas: I think it comes down to something called the 'processing fluency' idea. The easier something is to read, the more people like it. And blank lines make reading easier. They reduce cognitive load. So you're not just making it prettier, you're making it more persuasive at a subconscious level. Luna: That reminds me of that study about fonts. When people read in a harder to read font, they rated the content as less intelligent. Lucas: Exactly. And white space works the same way. It signals clarity and confidence. A wall of text feels like work. A well-spaced layout feels like a conversation. Luna: So when you're writing your next sales page, what's the one thing you should do? Lucas: Read it out loud. And pay attention to where you naturally pause. Those are your blank lines. Then go back and insert them. It's a simple edit that can have a big impact. Luna: That's a great tip. And it's something you can apply right away. Lucas: And speaking of applying things — if these copywriting conversations have sparked something you've actually used in your own work, that's exactly the kind of thing that keeps us going. We keep the show ad-free, and listener support is what makes that possible. If you've gotten value from what we do here, you can support us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. No pressure, just a way to keep the conversations going. Luna: Yeah, it's a nice way to say thanks if you feel inclined. But back to the copy — you mentioned reading out loud. I do that for everything now. It catches so many awkward phrasings. Lucas: It does. And the blank lines are part of that natural rhythm. If you're not sure where to put them, read it aloud and note where you take a breath. That's your guide. Luna: So to wrap up: blank lines are not just whitespace, they're pacing tools. They give your reader a moment to absorb, to feel, to decide. And in a world of constant content, that pause is a gift. Lucas: Well said. And I'd add that the next time you write a headline, a subject line, or a call to action, look at the space around it. Give it room to breathe. You might be surprised at how much louder it speaks.