Who are you?
I am a freelance commercial writer of some repute, works in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, and San Francisco. I’m an opinionated closet socialist… a former Christian… a LIBERAL… and a loyal servant to the U.S. Constitution. I am also fearful of people who write my paycheck (often Christian Conservatives) – so I remain anonymous. Funny thing is, many of THEIR clients are Liberal. Go figure. My pen name is “Matthew Underwood.” Gamers know me by one of two screen names: “Munderwood” or “Underwood” although I don’t really have much time to play games anymore.
What does “superbole” mean?
I coined the word in the last century by accident while arguing with another copywriter about the uselessness of copy laden with superlatives and hyperbole. My observation is that people enjoy a great story, even in ad copy and one can accomplish this task without hype. Branding and reinforcement is not accomplished by touting “the best” and emphasizing “new and improved.” Consumers want to know how, when, where, and why. They yearn for the imagination of story play that elevates a product. service, or ideal that will improve the current situation; makes things better than they are today. Yet, marketers (and many political enthusiasts) persist with adjectives and synonyms to project themselves into the media. In this way, superbole is embroidered into our culture. We haven’t the word skills anymore to navigate away from it – takes too much work.
What do you do – what’s your work?
As I mentioned elsewhere, I’m a professional freelance copywriter. I have been writing freelance long enough to yearn for another life in writing. My clients know me as a master wordsmith – a ghost writer to the celebrities. You will know me as a frustrated anti-hyper who hides his true identity so he can save his own ass.
What do your really want to write?
Novels, poems, lyrics… I might even write a sermon for my brethren Atheists.
What’s next?
Write about current events and politics – the places where superbole thrives – expose the hype for what it is – pure manipulation. When they say “new” they really mean labeling. When they say “change” they really mean to say that they lack original ideas. But from the perspective of an expert superboler, there are degrees of hype – and not all is bad. Yes? But can we do better. My goal is to shine a little light and hopefully trigger an idea.
Why not put yourself out of your misery?
I prefer gratuitous ranting (cry baby, cry; make your mama sigh). Besides, I’m lazy and suicide is way too much work.
So, you’re just another blowhard hypocrite.
Yep. That just about sums it up.