storytelling - Express Writers

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Storytelling Tips for Brands in 2019 with Carla Johnson

June 19, 2024March 8, 2019 by Rachel Moffett

“Storytelling” is quite the buzzword these days when it comes to brands and creators… But what do you really know about it? Are you well versed in the art of storytelling? Or could you use some tips to enhance your skills? If you’re ready to weave powerful storytelling into your brand’s strategy, dive into this recap of #ContentWritingChat for some amazing tips! #ContentWritingChat Recap: Storytelling Tips for Brands in 2019 with Carla Johnson Welcome to #ContentWritingChat! Today, we’re talking all about storytelling with keynote speaker and author, @CarlaJohnson! Make sure you give her a warm welcome. pic.twitter.com/l4LTLDOfua — Express Writers (@ExpWriters) March 5, 2019 Our guest host for this month’s chat was Carla Johnson. Carla is a world-renowned keynote speaker and an author. She knows a thing or two about storytelling and had some great advice to share with us during the chat. Q1: What is storytelling and why is it so important for brands today? To kick things off, we asked everyone to share their thoughts on what storytelling is why it’s so important. Here’s what a few of them had to say: A1. Storytelling is an interactive art that uses words and pictures to convey messages that we want people to remember and affect how they remember us. #ContentWritingChat — Carla Johnson – Keynote Speaker (@CarlaJohnson) March 5, 2019 A1. Stories pick you up at one place and leave you at another. They take you someplace that you haven’t gone before and leave an emotional impact on you – joy, fear, hope, etc. #ContentWritingChat — Carla Johnson – Keynote Speaker (@CarlaJohnson) March 5, 2019 Carla said that storytelling is an interactive art that uses words and pictures to convey messages. We use this to help people remember our brands. She went on to say that stories will take you to a completely different place afterwards because of the emotional impact they can have on you. A1: Storytelling is the idea of ‘pulling back the curtain’ to show a different side to a known entity. It’s crucial for brands because it can 1. Make the brand a known entity and 2. Make their cause more memorable (leading to more brand awareness organically) #ContentWritingChat — Stefan Palios (@stefanpalios) March 5, 2019 Stefan feels storytelling is a must because it helps the brand to become known and also more memorable. A1. Storytelling is an integral part of connecting with people, developing relationships, and building community. As that process unfolds people start to trust you more and want to spend their money with you (if they need the product or service. #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/b44yoR1S6U — Gene Petrov – Leadership Coach #SMMW19 (@GenePetrovLMC) March 5, 2019 Storytelling helps you connect with people, develop relationships, and build community. As Gene said, people will start to build trust with you over time, which ultimately leads to them spending money with you. A1 Storytelling helps brands connect with their target audiences a more personal level. Connecting leads to converting. #ContentWritingChat — Bill Skowronski (@BillSkowronski) March 5, 2019 Bill said storytelling helps brands connect with their audience on a more personal level. Those connections can lead to conversions. A1: Storytelling goes beyond selling and gives a more personable, in-depth view of a brand and a message/value they believe in. Storytelling tends to be more interactive and really aids in building a brands trust within a community. #ContentWritingChat — Tamara (@itstamaragt) March 5, 2019 Storytelling gives an in-depth view of a brand and the message and values they believe in. A1: It’s the same as it is when we were kids. Storytelling helps words come to life so that we can see a clear picture in our minds. For brands, storytelling is the lifeline between their co. & their consumer! #ContentWritingChat — Maria Marchewka (@_MariaMarchewka) March 5, 2019 Think back to when you were a kid! As Maria pointed out, stories help the words come to life and create a clear picture in our minds. That’s going to stick with your customer for a long time. A1 How can brands use #storytelling? They can use it to share their purpose goals values message vision unique value in a way that humanizes them is engaging builds trust creates community builds leadership builds brand rep.#ContentWritingChat — Bentley University (@bentleyu) March 5, 2019 Brands can use storytelling to share their purpose, goals, values, message, vision, and unique value to the world. Not only that, stories will humanize a brand, encourage engagement, build trust and leaderships, and create community. Q2: Why are people so responsive to stories? And how can marketers use that to their advantage? But what exactly makes stories so effective? And how does a brand take advantage of this? Here’s some advice: A2 People respond to stories because it gives their brain a way to create context for information. Brands try to prove they are right with data but that is too overwhelming for people at the early stage of a relationship. #ContentWritingChat — Carla Johnson – Keynote Speaker (@CarlaJohnson) March 5, 2019 A2 Research shows when you start with facts, it puts people in judgement mode. Can they believe/trust you? Activates cortisol. Starting with a story relaxes them and builds trust – activates oxytocin. Storytelling is the feel-good drug of business! #ContentWritingChat — Carla Johnson – Keynote Speaker (@CarlaJohnson) March 5, 2019 Carla said people respond to stories because it gives their brain a way to create context for information. Data can often be overwhelming, while stories relaxes your audience and builds trust with them. A2. Our brains are wired to remember stories. We have a hard time remembering facts and figures. But a great story puts context behind why we might need something in our lives. That’s huge for the modern marketer. It cuts through the clutter of other messages #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/JY7FhmQo29 — Gene Petrov – Leadership Coach #SMMW19 (@GenePetrovLMC) March 5, 2019 Gene mentioned that we often have a hard time remembering facts and figures, but we’re wired to remember stories. The key here is to … Read more

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Using Storytelling & Other Tactics for Successful Personal Branding in Content Marketing with Tara Clapper

December 31, 2020March 24, 2017 by Rachel Moffett

In our latest #ContentWritingChat, we talked all about storytelling and personal branding. If you’re ready to take your personal brand to the next level, this is the chat for you. Keep reading for the recap! #ContentWritingChat Recap: Using Storytelling & Other Tactics for Successful Personal Branding in Content Marketing TOMORROW: It’s another #ContentWritingChat at 10 AM Central! Join us as we chat storytelling and personal branding with @irishtara! pic.twitter.com/brJyiPBgrQ — Express Writers (@ExpWriters) March 21, 2017 Our guest host this week was one of our own team members, Tara Clapper. Tara is our talented Content Development Specialist. In this chat, she shared some helpful tips on personal branding that you’ll want to put to use for your own brand. Q1: What is personal branding and who needs to develop their own personal brand? To kick off the chat, we wanted to hear how our chat participants defined personal branding. We also wanted to know who they felt needs a personal brand. To find out what some of them said, check out these responses: A1: A personal brand is a curated (but hopefully genuine) expression of who you are, online and off. Everyone needs one. #ContentWritingChat — Tara M. Clapper (@irishtara) March 21, 2017 Tara said your personal brand is an expression of who you are, both online and off. It should also be genuine. There’s no need to be fake, so keep it real and true to yourself. And as she said, everyone needs one! A1 If you’re in mktg/run a biz (even if it’s just a blog for now), YOU have a brand statement! Develop it = stand out. #ContentWritingChat — Julia McCoy ? (@JuliaEMcCoy) March 21, 2017 Great answer from Julia! She said if you’re in marketing or running a business, you have a brand. You need to develop that brand in order to stand out online. A1. Everyone has a personal brand! It’s just a matter of genuinely reflecting that brand to the outside world. #contentwritingchat — Kristen Dunleavy (@KristenWritesIt) March 21, 2017 Kristen agrees that everyone has a personal brand and that it’s all about reflecting that brand to the outside world. A1 Personal branding is important if you’re in a public-facing role at your company. You’re an extension of the brand. #contentwritingchat — Cristy (@lacristysalinas) March 21, 2017 Cristy brought up a great point for those who work as part of another company. If you have a public role within that company, you have to be careful about the image you put forth, as it reflects on the company as a whole. A1 Anyone who is serious about career development, digital marketing, or wants an online presence. #contentwritingchat — Chris Bell (@riskycontent) March 21, 2017 Chris feels anyone who is serious about career development, digital marketing, or who wants an online presence should be focused on personal branding. Q2: What are the key steps someone should take when developing their personal brand? Now that you know why personal branding is so important, you need to know what steps to take in order to develop a brand of your very own. Here’s some advice straight from Tuesday’s chat: A2: 1) Define brand; 2) Clear messaging on social media; 3) Consistency in branding; 4) Make it multi-faceted. #contentwritingchat — Tara M. Clapper (@irishtara) March 21, 2017 Great response from Tara! When developing your personal branding, you need to define your brand, have clear messaging on social media, consistency within your branding, and you should also make it multi-faceted. A2.#Branding: -Define purpose -Discover value -Develop voice (tone, personality) -Deliver message consistently#contentwritingchat pic.twitter.com/2w31Z0C3am — Gabriela Cardoza (@CardozaGab) March 21, 2017 Gabriela shared some helpful steps to ensure you effective craft your own personal branding. She recommends the following: define your purpose, discover the value you can provide, develop your voice, and deliver your message consistently. A2 a) define what you want to stand for (mission, MVP) b) develop into slogans, social handles c) logo + color palette! #ContentWritingChat — Julia McCoy ? (@JuliaEMcCoy) March 21, 2017 Julia’s advice is to start by defining what you want to stand for. You should create a mission statement for your brand so you and your audience know exactly what you represent. You can then develop that into slogans and share it on social media. Don’t forget to have a nice logo and color palette to create a great brand image as well. A2. Look at brands you admire, make a list of things you love about them. Use those keywords to shape your own brand. #contentwritingchat — Kristen Dunleavy (@KristenWritesIt) March 21, 2017 Kristen knows you can learn a lot from other brands that are already established. Make a list of the brands you look up to and ask yourself why you love them so much. While you don’t want to copy them exactly, you can implement what you love about those brands into the creation of your own. A2: No matter what you do, be authentic. Being fake only hurts your brand. #ContentWritingChat — Cathy Iconis (@CathyIconis) March 21, 2017 This tweet is a very important reminder from Cathy. As she said, you need to be authentic in everything you do. Being fake will hurt your brand because people will see right through you. Q3: What is storytelling and how can brands use it to their advantage? You’ve likely heard all about storytelling by now, but what exactly is it? And how can brands use storytelling to their advantage? Check out these great tips from the chat: A3: At its core, storytelling is the TRUTH and the WHY behind your brand. #contentwritingchat pic.twitter.com/PgPs6suHTR — Tara M. Clapper (@irishtara) March 21, 2017 Tara feels storytelling is the truth and the why behind your brand. A3/a: Storytelling = is using a narrative to give context to your message!!! #contentwritingchat — Gabriela Cardoza (@CardozaGab) March 21, 2017 A3/b Storytelling + #branding makes content -memorable -relatable -builds trust -communicates brand tone/personality#contentwritingchat — Gabriela Cardoza (@CardozaGab) March 21, 2017 Gabriela said storytelling is using a … Read more

#ContentWritingChat February 2 2016 Recap: How to Use Periscope and Live Video in Content Marketing with Christoph Trappe

January 1, 2021February 5, 2016 by Rachel Moffett

Did you miss this week’s #ContentWritingChat? Not to worry! We have you covered with our weekly recap of our third-ever Twitter chat, on Tuesday, February 2nd at 10 AM CST. #ContentWritingChat February 2 Recap: Periscope & Live Video with Christoph Trappe Join us Tuesday, February 2nd at 10 AM CST for another #ContentWritingChat. Guest host: @CTrappe. pic.twitter.com/PTBY16g1sl — Express Writers (@ExpWriters) January 26, 2016 Our guest host this week was Christoph Trappe, the creator of the Authentic Storytelling Project, content marketer, a global keynote speaker, frequent Periscoper and blogger, and recipient of The Content Marketing Institute’s 2014/ 2015 Top 100 Most Influential Content Marketer award. We were thrilled to have him on! And, exciting times – once again we became a trending topic in the USA, ranking in at #47 this time! #ContentWritingChat is now trending in USA, ranking 47 — TT Mobile US (@TTMobile_us) February 2, 2016 Known as The Authentic Storyteller™, Christoph is a frequent Periscoper and shared his expertise with us specifically on live streaming video. Q1: Why should marketers join the trend of live streaming video? @CTrappe #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/CDuG0IMTiT — ContentWritingChat (@writingchat) February 2, 2016 People are really engaged with people sharing their expertise on apps likes @periscopeco, @MeVeeApp and others. #contentwritingchat — Christoph Trappe (@CTrappe) February 2, 2016 A1 Simple: it’s huge. Periscope had 1 million users 10 DAYS post launch. Now it’s >10 million. Massive audience #ContentWritingChat — Julia McCoy (@JuliaEMcCoy) February 2, 2016 A1: Livestreaming is an event. People get excited about events. It’s a shared experience by appointment #ContentWritingChat — Michael Kinney (@michaelkinney) February 2, 2016 With the growth of live streaming apps such as Periscope, MeVee, and Blab, many marketers are feeling the pressure to join these platforms. As a marketer, it’s important to be where your audience is if you want to reach them! Live video allows you to better connect with your audience as a brand and on a personal level. Plus, it provides such a great way to engage them when you can get immediate feedback. Q2: What are the best/hottest platforms for live video streaming? @CTrappe #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/MpIHmUHX9F — ContentWritingChat (@writingchat) February 2, 2016 . @MeVeeApp is latest app. I love @periscopeco personally. https://t.co/YTrZXmCVg5 #ContentWritingChat — Christoph Trappe (@CTrappe) February 2, 2016 A2 @periscopeco and @blab are top, IMO #ContentWritingChat — Julia McCoy (@JuliaEMcCoy) February 2, 2016 Our guest host, Christoph, mentioned that his favorite live streaming platform is Periscope. However, you shouldn’t count out the others. You should definitely give MeVee a try and Blab. Blab is great if you’re feeling a little nervous and want to have someone co-host with you. Grenae is right: live streaming is a great way to put a name with the face. Q3: How can live video streaming fit into content marketing? @CTrappe #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/x40vHvGc5s — ContentWritingChat (@writingchat) February 2, 2016 A3: Live video is great addition to a the suite of content you release on a topic. #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/IKSDBEyAKu — Maureen Jann (@MaureenOnPoint) February 2, 2016 A3. An opportunity to connect, build on customer relationship, put name w/ face. More personal #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/58luWNQGWn — Grenae Thompson (@DGGT) February 2, 2016 As Maureen pointed out, live video is just another layer to the content you’re already producing. It provides a whole new way to connect with your audience and get to know them. Strengthen your relationships with your customers, as Grenae said, and your audience is sure to love you. Q4: What are the best practices of “scoping” on Periscope? @CTrappe #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/VA2kDUYMJO — ContentWritingChat (@writingchat) February 2, 2016 Best practices: Be real, share something of value, don’t be annoying. #ContentWritingChat — Christoph Trappe (@CTrappe) February 2, 2016 Best practices are a good starting point, but don’t be married to somebody else’s alleged best practices. #ContentWritingChat — Christoph Trappe (@CTrappe) February 2, 2016 A4: Promote, promote, promote in advance if you want a decent audience. #ContentWritingChat — Michael Kinney (@michaelkinney) February 2, 2016 Do you want to do a better job on Periscope? Take Christoph’s advice: be real! It’s so important to be genuine and show your audience your true personality through your live video broadcasts. When your audience gets to know you and like you, they’ll start trusting you! Michael’s tip of promoting your Periscope broadcasts in advance is fantastic if you want to get more live viewers. If you have a broadcast coming up on a popular topic or are just talking about something you really want your audience to hear, let them know ahead of time so they know when to tune in. Q5: How often should you scope or do a live video? Are there best times or days? @CTrappe #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/X2EllaDcws — ContentWritingChat (@writingchat) February 2, 2016 As my friend @greggweiss has said: The best times to Scope are when you have something of value to say. #ContentWritingChat — Christoph Trappe (@CTrappe) February 2, 2016 A5 I HAVE heard that daily scopers see great results growing an audience base. But again, it’s about sharing quality #ContentWritingChat — Julia McCoy (@JuliaEMcCoy) February 2, 2016 A5. Guess it depends on your audience & message, client availability. Be flexible #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/XHeQjGQgaf — Grenae Thompson (@DGGT) February 2, 2016 Broadcast on Periscope or do a live video stream when you feel like you have something to say. If you have quality material you want to share with your audience, go live. Our CEO, Julia, mentioned that daily scopers are seeing growth, so you may want to ramp up your presence on the platform when you’re just starting out. It will help you be seen and grow your audience quickly. However, you should also keep your audience in mind, as Grenae mentioned. Think about what time it is before you broadcast because you don’t want to go live when a majority of your followers are likely in bed. If you want live engagement, you have to give people the chance to join! Q6: How can you interact with and grow your fan base through live video? @CTrappe #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/AAl48yGpi3 — ContentWritingChat (@writingchat) … Read more

A Tale of Crazy Good Marketing Storytelling: Poo~Pourri

December 31, 2020January 11, 2016 by Adam Oakley

We’ve got a pitch for you. Imagine this: a tiny bottle of magical mist you can spray into the toilet to cover up unpleasant bathroom odors. People will love it, right? If you’re like most people, you’re probably thinking, “That’s a crazy idea.” You’re probably also thinking, “Aren’t there already 10,000 products identical to that on the market?” You may even be thinking, “There’s no way that would ever sell.” You’d be right on the first two and dead wrong on the last one. Here’s why it would sell. Let your mind be BLOWN… Be introduced to Poo~Pourri, a wacky “spray before you go” bathroom mist that’s gone viral and sold millions of products. “How,” you ask? Because of its incredibly creative use of brand storytelling. I’m going to dissect just how this crap “made it” (so well, in fact); and five essential lessons you can learn from the way they’re winning. Let’s proceed! Who (or What) is Poo Pourri? Head to the Poo~Pourri website and you’ll find a page that immediately resembles something from Alice in Wonderland, complete with an embedded video of a pretty princess who is, presumably, squatting on her porcelain throne. The entire page, from the font to the color scheme is decidedly elegant and playful. And, at first glance, the only thing that really clues you into what the product is all about (besides the name, of course) is the slogan beneath the brand’s logo: “Spritz the bowl before you go and no one else will ever know.” Before we hop down the rabbit hole of what makes Poo Pourri such a genius brand, it’s important to understand where the brand came from in the first place. At the top of the page, beneath a header titled “The Magic of Poo,” there’s an “About us” section (it’s called “The Story of Poo”). We must warn you, though, this “About us” is likely different than any you’ve ever seen. It starts out innocent enough: the founder’s name is Suzy and she started the brand as the “first natural, truly effective solution to a universal problem.” In her words, “Poop happens, and it stinks!” She goes on to encourage you to “Take a shift!” and allow Poo Pourri to liberate you from “toxic thoughts and ingredients” because, hey, you’ve “got more important crap to worry about!” Does this introduction have the six-year old inside of you giggling and blushing? Good, because we get the distinct feeling that that’s exactly what Suzy is going for. We’re willing to bet, however, that you’re also silently acknowledging that Suzy is indeed right. This is a universal problem. And therein lies the first stroke of genius. Since its inception, Poo-Pourri has sold more than 4 million products and that number only continues to climb. These products are neat little 2 – 4 oz spritz sprays, all natural with essential oils and no parabens or chemicals (which I personally love!), and start around $9.95 without shipping per bottle. The products even have cute little names, and the product descriptions themselves maintain the storytelling vibe. Even if you agree that nicely-packaged bathroom spray is a sensible idea, it still seems almost unbelievable that such a company should experience such runaway success. It’s happening though, and the brand owes it all to storytelling. Something we talk a lot about (here, and here, for instance.) How Poo Pourri Rocks Storytelling Remember that embedded video on the main page of Poo~Pourri’s website? Well, they made a few original stories with the same lovely British redhead – 12, to be exact. Delight yourself in the crappiness of their entire channel, here. Hilarious, right? Hilarious and slightly cringe-worthy, as well. The latter part owes largely to the fact that that video may be the single most daring and honest marketing video you’ve ever seen. Honesty is a theme that runs throughout the website. From the unique section titled “Let’s Talk Crap” at the bottom of the home page (where you’ll also find the below “Hey Girl” gem) to the attractive product photos throughout the site, the brand’s home page manages to be hilarious, bawdy, and just sophisticated enough to pull it all off. How does Poo~Pourri pull it off, though? And how do they take all of that storytelling and transform it into something that genuinely helps the brand make sales? The answer is that they use a series of tried and true marketing tactics that they infuse with their own individual flavor. 5 Marketing Lessons to Learn from the Storytelling Genius of Poo~Pourri Here are the top 5 things we could all learn from Poo Pourri. 1. Know your audience You’ve heard this before and you’ll hear it again but, come on, is there a brand out there that knows its audience better than Poo-Pourri? Doubtful. It’s clear from the get-go that Poo-Pourri is aimed at young, eco-conscious females everywhere that are having a hard time bucking the social norms associated with bathroom business. If you need extra evidence of this, consider the video titled “Girls Don’t Poop.” The video underlines the product’s quality by boasting that Poo-Pourri has more 5-star ratings on Amazon than the iPhone 5. It also offers a good-natured nudge at self-consciousness that generally surrounds bathroom visits. As Entrepreneur points out in their article on the company, “Everyone has a use for a spray that makes bathrooms smell fresh, but Poopourri did not target every Tom, Dick, and Harry.” Because of this, the brand is dominating while other bathroom spray brands are…stinking. 2. Be bold If there’s one thing Poo-Pourri doesn’t do, it’s tread lightly. Phrases like “dirty little secret,” “tiny astronauts,” “chocolate éclair,” “intestinal cigar,” and “heaping dump” are prevalent throughout the brand’s advertisements. And, yes, while we know that the majority of those phrases are enough to make you blush, they’re also bold. One of the best things this brand does is remove the timid language that often surrounds the topic of bathroom use. In doing so, they make the topic relatable and create an … Read more

How Creative Writing Has Changed the World for the Better

December 31, 2020August 3, 2015 by Adam Oakley

From Chaucer to Rowling, creative writing has often been the boon to our stressful, busy world. It started as a way to maintain folklore tradition and tell us tales of knights in shining armor who brought whole countries together (King Arthur). But creative writing has now become an absolutely powerful force for good. We see the wisdom of Gandalf and Baggins (Lord of the Rings)… …The humor of Bridget Jones, and the horror that only Stephen King (The Shining) can produce. Whether you read or write a high fantasy novel or an epic crime drama, there will be an amazing impact. Creative writers of all types have brought about amazing results for the world and all they did was grab the nearest pen, typewriter, or computer and got down to writing. I want to take a look at just how powerful creative writing has been for our society and just how it has changed the world for the better. 7 Amazing Instances of Creative Writing Impacting the World Creative writing has been a huge part of making the world a better place. Here are some awesome instances of just how powerful it is. 1. It Captured Oral Tradition Giving Us Amazing Stories to Look Back At. When you think of creative writing, one of the first things many think of is the stories of the Brothers Grimm. They are dark and full of terrors, but those stories are also incredible for many reasons. One reason these stories are so immensely powerful isn’t just because they provided us with great fairy tales that influenced our popular films, but they also captured history. The Brothers Grimm traveled around, learning some of the popular folklore that was told in one way and one way only – orally. We all know how much impact those stories had (just look at all the Disney films we have). What would have happened if the Brothers Grimm hadn’t stored these stories? What would the world look like now? What a fascinating, and slightly terrifying thought to think. By writing down these creative folk stories, the Brothers Grimm opened a whole new world of creative possibility. 2. Creative Writing Has Shown Immense Power in Physical Health. When the Brothers Grimm popularized creative literature, they probably didn’t realize what this would mean for the world. A huge impact that all creative writing has had, no matter its age, genre, or format, is that of improving physical and mental health. There are so many amazing health benefits when you read creative literature, and that is a pretty awesome impact if you ask me. When you write creatively, you can see some health benefits such as the ability to improve your memory and have a great format to release pent up emotions. Reading creative literature also gives you immense health benefits including better cognition, relieving stress, and helping you sleep. That’s right, if you have a hard time sleeping, reading a good book might just be what you need. The great thing about this is that creative writing and literature doesn’t have to be one type of thing – it can be anything. It can be a comic book, a science fiction novel, the latest study, or a great nonfiction book. 3. A Simple Novella Can be a Letter to a Loved One. Another way that creative writing has made the world a better place is actually something rather small. But, as well all know, those small things add up to something major in the end. Neil Gaiman is an amazing author with an impressive range of works including The Ocean at the End of the Lane. While this seems like a jaunt into urban fantasy, there is something much deeper. This story started out as a simple, small letter to his soon-to-be-wife, Amanda Palmer. He wanted to make sure she knew things about him, and he wanted to share his life with her, and creative writing was what helped him achieve this. It ended up turning into an absolutely gorgeous novella, but his small action was something Amanda greatly appreciated. It might not have made a worldwide impact, but a small gesture through creative writing can change someone’s world for the better. And Amanda experienced something that many of us would absolutely enjoy. 4. Creative Writing Might Send You to San Francisco with Flowers in Your Hair. When you look at the world of creative writing, there are so many facets. There are books, ad campaigns, music, and more. The 1960s and 1970s were a powerful decade when it came to moving and emotional creative writing. The United States was at war with Viet Nam, with protestors calling for peace. America and the entire world were also on the cusp of major social change. And music and creative writing had an important role to play. We had songs about peace, encouraging people to avoid war and work together to meet a resolution without the shedding of blood. People marched singing these songs, hung around in large groups with these songs, and many were backdrops to some of the most intense and saddest moments in American history. Not only did we have songs about peace, but we also had songs about racial problems around the world but specifically in America. We had books such as To Kill a Mockingbird that highlighted these problems and a speech no one will ever forget: “I have a dream…” 5. Fiction and Creative Writing Help Create Literate Children and Adults. I’ll admit, when it comes to creative writing and literature, my go-to author is Neil Gaiman. He has great wisdom about creative writing and its importance and he often illustrates that importance himself. In an article for The Guardian, Neil talks about the importance of creative writing, specifically that of fiction. He points out how fiction can improve someone’s life, no matter if they are reading to escape, learn, or have fun. He believes, and rightly so, that with literature, we open the door to … Read more

What Fantasy Literature Can Teach You About Great Storytelling For Your Content Marketing

December 31, 2020June 23, 2015 by Adam Oakley

Content marketing is absolutely incredible when you use a story in it. A storyline gives you the ability to create excellent content whether you are writing blogs, landing pages, product descriptions, and more. You can then send out this content, and convert people into leads, helping to grow your business and make it epic in whatever your industry is. While developing a story in your content marketing is super awesome, it can be difficult, especially when you are running out of inspiration. I want to take a look at how you can actually gain some amazing content marketing inspiration from one of the leading genres in the fiction world, and one of my favorite genres to pick a book to read – fantasy. Fantasy is a Leading Genre For a Reason All you have to do is go to any bookstore or cinema and you can tell the constant theme in entertainment – fantasy. The fantasy genre has been around for quite some time with J. R. R. Tolkien being a huge influence, and “father,” of the genre. Fantasy is a genre that encompasses more than just trolls, orcs, and elves fighting a great evil. You have boy wizards fighting dark lords, a young man finding out he is from the land of faerie and falling in love with a star, and a whole realm fighting each other over a throne made of iron swords. You can even have fantastical elements set in large cityscapes, stories that mix fantasy and horror, and a lot more when you look for a fantasy story. This wide range of topics and the ability to feel like good will win out over evil is often a huge draw to this genre, and it provides us with a unique take on content marketing. I want to take a look at how you can learn from fantasy to create epic, out of this world content that your clients are sure to love. 7 Great Lessons You Can Learn from the Genre “Wait. My business isn’t in Middle Earth and we definitely don’t have any fairies flying around, so how will fantasy help?” Glad you asked! Here are some great ways I feel that fantasy can inspire your content, helping you create something absolutely incredible. 1. Give People Something Great that Fights Something Evil. When it comes to fantasy stories, you know the classic aspect that will be part of most any story whether old or new – the battle between good and evil. This is something that many people really enjoy about fantasy literature, and can be great for escaping when things get a little too overwhelming, especially when good wins in the end. But how can the classic good versus evil inspire your content? While you don’t have to go the direct route of fantasy, you can still give your clients this good and evil battle, helping them know how to win. When you write your content, whether blogs, product descriptions, or anything else, you can give you clients a common problem and answer it with your product or services. For example, if you know that social media is the way to go when it comes to content marketing, you might find it hard to follow suit. Social media can be troublesome for many people, and if you don’t use it right, you won’t be able to get the outcome you desire. What would the answer to that be? Hiring a social media manager. When I write social media blogs, I give people a common social media problem, and I always answer what they can do when it comes to creating an effective strategy with an excellent solution. Therefore, I show people the “evil” side but then illustrate how good will win in the end, giving them a top of the line social media strategy. 2. Connect With Reader Emotions and Create Something Powerful. Fantasy does something that many genres aim to reach, but they don’t quite reach the mark of fantasy. So many fantasy stories are absolutely powerful and they connect with the reader’s emotions. This creates an amazing connection between the reader and the book, which leaves a major impact on their minds. Just think of your favorite fantasy story. How well do you connect with it? How do you feel when it is time to reread it? That feeling is what you want to happen with your content and you can do so by connecting with your clients and readers’ emotions. Connecting with emotions is a powerful way to create content that converts, and help make your business an absolute success. You can create content that reaches emotions perfectly when you research your client base. You will know what they want to see, and also what makes them laugh, cry, or get angry. When you know this, you can write amazingly effective blogs and landing pages that will convince them to continue using your site and eventually buy your products. 3. Fantasy Tells Many Stories to Create the Major One. As you can see with fantasy, storytelling is amazingly powerful. People love stories, and this can make it a great aspect for your content marketing campaign. When you create a story, you are able to follow point two, and connect to the emotions of your client base, as well as visitors. Telling a story with your content isn’t as difficult as it may seem, however, so don’t let that worry stop you. Debbie Williams at Content Marketing Institute even gives some excellent questions you can ask to help you create powerful stories with your content, no matter your industry. 4. Create Evergreen Content for Something Familiar. Photo courtesy Lord of the Rings.net. The Lord of the Rings was and is, a huge influence on the genre, and you can see it in most pieces of fantasy literature you read. It is always wonderful to read something that is familiar, which is one of the reasons many people choose fantasy literature … Read more

What the Heck Are Internal Cliffhangers?

January 1, 2021May 1, 2014 by Adam Oakley

Image credit: Tumblr Grammar Nazis: you have to love them, or hate them. When it comes to grammar phrases, clauses, conjunctions, and all that good stuff, this could bring images of nightmarish English teachers peering over a frosted set of glass to your mind. (However, if you’re one of these people, then it will probably make you think of rainbows and Skittles.) One phrase in the Grammar Nazi’s book that any typical layman would probably not understand is just what we’re going to talk about today: “internal cliffhangers.” Just what does this curious phrase mean? Let’s take a look at internal cliffhangers with those rascally Supernatural hunters Sam and Dean Winchester as our guides. Cliffhangers: Dean Might Be Going To Hell You already know what a cliffhanger is, especially if you are an avid TV watcher. Supernatural uses major cliffhangers throughout the show and always at the season finale. Is Dean or Sam going to hell? Are they getting out? This is a cliffhanger on the macro level; something we are very familiar with in movies, TV, and books but let’s take a look at the micro level of cliffhangers. These handy tools keep audiences reading your content instead of glancing through and forgetting about you. Internal Cliffhangers: Dean’s Going Downstairs but What’s Sam Doing? Internal cliffhangers are those little statements or sentences that keep the reader’s attention throughout the whole article or book. In the podcast episode for The Lede, Demian Farnworth defines internal cliffhangers as the sentences that piece your story, article, etc. together with emotion or shock to keep the reader interested. You don’t keep watching Supernatural because of the old, overdone cliffhangers of a character going to hell, you keep watching due to internal cliffhangers like wondering what Crowley is up to or if Castiel will ever stop being awkward. These are story arcs that piece the grand story together, but keep you interested until it is time for a massive plot twist and the season finale. Using internal cliffhangers will help cultivate long-term readers and customers, which will help your Google rankings and make your business successful. Utilizing Internal Cliffhangers In Your Content You need to be using internal cliffhangers in your content to help generate buzz and keep the reader’s interest. Cliffhangers can help in many areas and you can find ideas for them everywhere. Here are a few ideas to get you started: 1. They Can Help Your Storytelling. Storytelling is a perfect way to keep readers interested in your content. You don’t necessarily have to write a “Once upon a time” sentence, but you can outline your content in story format. Internal cliffhangers work wonderfully for storytelling, as they are major parts of stories already. Get to crafting some intriguing stories for your site and you will see that internal cliffhangers begin to come naturally. Don’t stress too much when it comes to writing these, though. You do not want your content to come across like you are trying too hard. Just write naturally and see what happens! You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to get these cliffhangers by just being natural. 2. You Can Gain Inspiration from Other Stories. If you are having a hard time coming up with great internal cliffhangers, try watching a few TV shows or films. This blog is inspired by the CW’s show Supernatural and that show really helped with the outline. The show is a great illustration of the use of major and internal cliffhangers; it also is a fairly popular show that many people enjoy, therefore, keeping the content relevant. 3. Internal Cliffhangers Keep You Relevant. The best way to learn how to use internal cliffhangers is by staying current. Relevant content is what will keep readers coming back and using relevant and fun cliffhangers will help. Stay Inspired, Young Hunter If Supernatural isn’t your thing, never fear; there are so many wonderful TV shows out there that can inspire your writing and give you great illustrations of how to use internal cliffhangers. You can even try to read the latest book series or look to some old, yet incredible, stories. Some great authors who are perfect with internal cliffhangers are George R. R. Martin, Stephen King, and Suzanne Collins. Pick up a book and see how many times you keep reading because you have to know more. Find different things that inspire you and help you craft excellent content. It doesn’t have to be a TV show or another form of entertainment. It can be something as simple as taking a walk or watching how people interact with each other. Stay in school and be willing to learn new tricks every day!