I know this will sound like heresy, coming from a longtime professional copywriter like me. In fact, it’ll probably get me drummed out of the swanky and ultra-exclusive Copywriter’s Club. I humbly submit that you, the business owner, are far more qualified than I am to write the copy for your website. Why? Lots of …
Tech jargon, boulders and other jive
Vague, jargon-filled buzzwords are like boulders in old TV westerns. They’re really great to hide behind.
Beat writer's block — with a kitchen timer?
For me, it’s not really “writer’s block.” It’s more like a reluctance to apply the seat of my pants to the seat of my chair. Sound familiar? In his awesome book, The War of Art, Stephen Pressman nails it on (practically) the first page. “There’s a secret that real writers know that wannabe writers don’t, …
Hourly rates or flat fees?
I don’t believe in charging hourly rates for my work. First of all, real value can’t be measured in hours – only in quality and results. Paying hourly rates for creative work is upside-down and counterproductive. Sometimes they’re even a ripoff for the client. Suppose you needed heart surgery. Would you shop around for the …
Upgrade your emails in three easy steps
Sometimes we forget that it’s OUR job to write letters, emails and business communications so they’re clear and understandable. It’s not the poor reader’s job to try and puzzle out what we meant. That way, my friend, lies heartbreak (and possibly Chapter 11). Author and blogger David Silverman offers some good advice on how to …
Writing is easy. Unless, of course, someone has to read it.
An Australian study has found that txtngs fstr till sum1 trys 2 rd it. Um, I think they mean that using abbreviations and shorthand makes it much faster to write text messages — but twice as long for the poor recipient to read and understand them. Writing can be a lot of fun. That’s why …
Are you annoying people when you speak?
We all do it. We spout shopworn cliches and mindless crutch phrases that make our victims listeners roll their eyes and grind their teeth. Cliches are just as bad in the written word, of course. But at least a reader can turn the page and skip over them. But when you’re in a business meeting …
Info-marketing catapults first-time author into Amazon Top 100
Is information marketing effective? Does it really work to attract clients and income? Let’s look at Steve Pavlina, one of my favorite bloggers. For almost four years, Steve has been writing about “personal development for smart people” and posting the articles on his blog. Today, his first book is among Amazon’s Top 100 in sales …
Writing secret #3147
Just do it. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Most wanna-be writers think they have to save up a year’s salary, quit their jobs and flee to Tahiti to write their novel (or move to Nashville to become a songwriter). Not true. Here’s all you have to do: write a little every day. Maybe a half-hour, or …