How to write like the devil
Using the 7 deadly sins
When I was young, I used to watch a lot of Indian mythological shows. From there I pictured monsters and devils to look ugly and wicked.
I was sure, if a monster ever appeared in front of me, I would recognize him immediately.
But as I grew up, I realized that’s not the case.
The real devil is charming. Elegant. Patient.
He doesn’t lunge at you from the shadows or bare his teeth.
He waits.
He learns what you crave—power, love, escape, revenge—and when the moment is right, he offers you his hand.
He doesn’t argue or plead. He simply presents a choice.
A whisper in your ear. A deal that seems too good to resist.
"You can walk away, of course. But are you sure that’s what you want?"
The decision is always yours. But by the time you make it, you’ll swear it was your idea all along.
This is exactly how great writing works.
It plays on the desires already inside you —the need to be seen, the hunger to belong, the dream of being more.
For centuries, we’ve been warned about the 7 deadly sins—lust, greed, envy, sloth, wrath, gluttony, pride. We’re told to resist them. But they fuel our biggest desires. Once you have control over someone’s desire, you can make them do anything.
The only thing I cannot resist is temptation — Oscar Wilde
A well-placed word can make someone crave what they never cared for. The right sentence, at the right time, can rewrite someone’s reality.
That’s what we are going to explore today — the devil’s way of writing that influences the reader.
When you understand how to use these seven sins, you can seduce your reader into buying your idea, your vision and your product.
1. Lust – Sell the dream
Lust is related with sex and attraction — a deep craving. Your job is to make them crave what you have.
When you see an iPhone ad, it’s rarely about the technical aspects, what tempts the audience is the sleek design, immersive video experience and the feeling of exclusivity.
It makes them feel a longing that they can’t ignore. They aspire to have an apple product.
Lust in writing is about creating desire for an idea, a feeling or an outcome. The most powerful desires or cravings are the ones people are ashamed to admit. Speak to those, and they'll follow you anywhere.
How to use lust in your writing:
Use vivid, sensory language to paint a picture — make them feel it.
Show the transformation your product provides all while triggering deep emotions of nostalgia, curiosity, longing or hunger.
Create intimate moments. Make them feel like they’re already experiencing the benefits. "Only you will know the secret behind your newfound confidence...”
If I had to write a copy for a luxury watch, I would write something like: "When you extend your hand to close the deal, this is what they'll notice first.”
I will make them buy their fantasy.
2. Gluttony – Make them indulge
People love excess. More convenience, more luxury, more pleasure. Gluttony is about wanting more just because you can.
Netflix and Spotify use this brilliantly: "Unlimited movies, unlimited music—watch and listen as much as you want." The value isn’t in a single movie or song; it’s in the abundance of never running out.
How to indulge your reader’s gluttony:
Emphasize abundance. Use words like unlimited, feast, indulgence, overflow, endless.
Frame your product as something they deserve..
See how food delivery apps say things like "Craving something delicious? Treat yourself!" instead of "Order dinner."
Give them permission to want more than they need. The guilt only makes the pleasure sweeter.
3. Greed – Create scarcity & urgency
Greed is the shadow of abundance, the fear that someone else will take what could have been yours.
This desire runs deeper than money or things. It's the anxiety of lost potential and the terrible thought that a door might close forever if you don't move now. We call it FOMO.
How to leverage greed in your writing:
Create time windows: "Only available until midnight...”
Establish competition: "Last year, all spots filled within 43 minutes...”
Position your product as something rare or elite. Hint at privilege: "By invitation only...”
I watched this psychology work in real-time during a cohort launch: as we displayed "Only 3 spots remaining," purchase speeds increased by 7x. The product hadn't changed, only the perception of its availability had changed.
4. Sloth - Make it the easiest choice
People want results. They also want it to be fast and effortless. Sloth in action is the desire to avoid unnecessary work.
Food delivery apps (Swiggy, Zomato, Eatclub), rideshare services (Uber, Rapido, Namma Yatri) and one-click convenience ordering (Amazon, Flipkart, Blinkit, Zepto) show how much willing we are to pay for convenience.
How to make sloth work for you:
Focus on what people won't have to do anymore. "Never worry about backing up your files again" is more compelling than "Easy file backup."
Use words that suggest effortlessness: automatic, instant, seamless, done-for-you
Make complexity disappear: "We handle everything behind the scenes...”
People will pay premium prices not for what your product does, but for what they no longer have to do.
5. Wrath – Use the Power of Controversy
Anger and frustration are strong emotions. If you can validate the unspoken frustrations of your audience and make them feel understood — you’ve got them on your side.
Tapping into wrath can be highly impactful if your competitor has a customer segment that is dissatisfied with their service.
When Apple launched Macintosh TV campaign, they targeted the frustration office workers felt with traditional computers, specifically IBM’s complex systems and positioned Macintosh as the obvious escape.
Here’s how to use wrath effectively:
Name the enemy (never a person, always a problem or system)
Validate their frustration: "You're right to be annoyed..."
Position your offer as justice: "Finally, someone on your side..."
People love a good villain. Just make sure it’s not you.
6. Envy – Make Them Want What Others Have
We're social creatures. We look to others to understand what we should want, where we should go, who we should be.
We measure our progress by comparison. If someone else has something we don’t, it creates an itch—a feeling of being left behind. Your job is to activate that itch and make readers feel like they need to catch up.
Here’s how envy works in writing:
Show, don’t tell. Use testimonials, case studies, and success stories to show the benefits in real life.
Be specific with social proof. "Join over 20,000 professionals" is okay. "See why 82% of marketing teams have switched to our platform" is better.
Create exclusivity. Make your offer feel like something not everyone can have.
There’s a reason why every "limited edition" product sells out in seconds —because if everyone can have it, it loses its appeal.
People might need something, but they only want it when they think they can’t have it.
7. Pride – Appeal to Status & Identity
Pride is a wicked thing. When push comes to shove, people would rather reign in hell, than serve in heaven.
If you can make people feel smart, successful, better than others — you’ve tapped into the most powerful desire of all.
When people choose Apple over similar products, they buy into the membership of a tribe of "creative thinkers." When someone pays extra for organic food, they affirm their identity of being health-conscious and responsible.
How to appeal to pride:
Connect with who people want to be, not just who they are now. Speak to their sense of ideal self-image — intelligence, ambition, exclusivity.
Make them feel special and validate their superiority: "For the few who understand the difference..."
Acknowledge their good judgment: "You're reading this because you already understand the importance of..."
Even devil has a code of conduct
The devil’s code of conduct is quite simple — No arguments. No pleading. No deception.
Never lie to your audience for creating temptation. It would leave a bad taste after they've made the purchase. Make your offering sound irresistible but do not misrepresent it.
The offering is always the same – you simply frame it in its most compelling light.
And then you over-deliver in experience.
From the moment someone hears about your offering to every interaction afterward, they should feel good about choosing you. Make the experience so satisfying that they would make the same decision again, without hesitation.
The finest art Is invisible
The devil’s greatest trick lies in making you believe his suggestion was your idea all along. Any kind of influence becomes invisible.
Cheers to writing like the devil 🥂
I will see you next week,
Akanksha 🌻
This was excellent! Loved the use of imagery and literary devices in explaining to people why they should use imagery and literary devices - a real "practice what you preach" moment. This post seemed to be mostly geared towards professional/persuasive writing; I would love to read about how these rules may come into play for creative writing and blogging. Keep up the great work!
Insightful as always! Life-changing, even — I will be thinking about these concepts every time I write. Looking forward to revisiting from time to time.