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#ContentWritingChat Recap: Writing Tips to Take Your Content to the Next Level with Michelle Garrett

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#ContentWritingChat Recap: Writing Tips to Take Your Content to the Next Level with Michelle Garrett

Has your writing been feeling a little lackluster lately? Wondering how you can take it to the next level to create online content your readers will truly love? Well, you’re in the right place! This #ContentWritingChat recap is packed with helpful writing tips that help you improve your skills and create the best content possible. #ContentWritingChat Recap: Writing Tips to Take Your Content to the Next Level with Michelle Garrett Welcome to #ContentWritingChat! Today, we’re joined by @PRisUs! Michelle is a writer, blogger, and PR consultant. She’s here to share some writing tips that we can all use to take our online content to the next level! pic.twitter.com/aATvDPWGQW — Express Writers | Your Content Writing Team (@ExpWriters) August 6, 2019 Our guest host for this month’s chat was Michelle Garrett. She’s a writer, blogger, and PR consultant. Michelle has guest hosted #ContentWritingChat previously, so we were thrilled to have her with us again! Q1: When building a brand, why is great writing so important? Let’s face it… Some people just don’t see the value in high-quality content! Luckily for this Twitter chat community, we know just how powerful our content truly is. Here’s why: A1: The brand’s voice should carry through in writing across ALL channels – owned, paid & earned – so it’s important to be consistent and employ skilled wordsmiths who can bring that voice to life. #ContentWritingChat — Michelle Garrett (@PRisUs) August 6, 2019 The content you publish online communicates your brand’s voice. And as Michelle pointed out, you want to make sure it’s consistent across all the channels you’re using. Having guidelines for you and your team to follow can ensure everything is up to your standards and resonates with your target audience. A1) Writing is a major part of your brand; the voice, the tone, how people will find you, decide if they want to associate/do business with you, and so much more.#ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/U86R24seke — Jason Schemmel – Speaker & Podcaster #GSDChat ️ (@JasonSchemmel) August 6, 2019 Jason also feels your writing sets the voice of your brand. It also plays a role in how people find you and whether or not they decide to do business with you. A1: Great writing can: – Influencer your audience – Persuade them to take action – Educate them – Boost visibility on search engines and social media – Prove your authority and knowledge within the space#ContentWritingChat — Tamara (@itstamaragt) August 6, 2019 Tamara knows great writing makes a difference. She said it can help influence your audience, persuade them to take action, educate them on a topic, boost visibility in search engines, and position you as an authority in your field. A1 Why is great writing important in #branding? It helps ✏️define your voice ✏️share your message ✏️convey your values ✏️share your purpose ✏️tell your story ✏️communicate your USP ✏️engage your audience ✏️build thought leadership ✏️establish trust + more#ContentWritingChat — Bentley University (@bentleyu) August 6, 2019 Quality writing not only define your voice, but it’s essential to sharing your message, conveying your values, telling your story, and so much more! A1: Your writing can possibly be the first impression someone has of you and your brand. You don’t want to turn them off by sharing poorly written content, social media posts, etc. #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/e5DQx27NAV — Netvantage Marketing (@netvantage) August 6, 2019 As Lexie mentioned, your writing is likely going to be the first impression someone has of your brand. If your content is of poor quality, that’s going to be a major turn-off. A1: Great writing is the first point of introduction of your brand’s ‘personality’ to the world. Poor writing, miscommunication, errors in spelling + grammar, and tone-deaf writing will alienate you from the readers or customers you want to reach. #ContentWritingChat — Rebecca Reynoso (@G2Rebecca) August 6, 2019 You want to make sure your writing is always top-notch. Make sure you’re effectively communicating your message and correcting any errors before publication. Don’t risk pushing your readers away due to mistakes that could be easily fixed. Q2: What makes a piece of online content so captivating that it grabs attention and keeps people reading? We know the content we publish is important. But how do we make sure that things like our blog posts are truly captivating to our readers? Keep these writing tips in mind if you need some help crafting appealing content: A2: I’d say you have to grab them early with a strong lede – you should spend as much time on that as anything. If you don’t draw them in early, they’ll move on to the next piece of content. #ContentWritingChat — Michelle Garrett (@PRisUs) August 6, 2019 Michelle knows that a strong lede is key to grabbing attention early on and drawing people into your content. You need to hook them from the start if you want them to keep reading. A2: First and foremost, the headline. Has it resonated with me? Piqued my curiosity, struck a cord of, “Whoa. That’s relevant!”? Once clicked in and reading, it has to deliver on the promise it stated in the headline that got me to click in the first place. #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/7AzNwYmHRi — ThinkSEM (@ThinkSEM) August 6, 2019 A great headline is always crucial. Since it’s the first thing someone will see from your content, you want to make sure it strikes a cord with your target audience. Just make sure you always deliver on what your headline promises. No clickbait! A2: Relevance. The topic has to be something that matters to the audience. Also, it has to be something different. Don’t just rehash information. Show me a new way of thinking or give me a piece of information I haven’t heard before. #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/Ot2DEKV4G8 — Jared Meade, MPS, APR, MPRCA (@Meadepr) August 6, 2019 And of course, one key to captivating content is to always create with your audience in mind. Make sure the topics you write about are relevant to your brand and appealing to those who will be reading … Read more

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Writing Tips for Freelancers

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#ContentWritingChat Recap: Writing Tips for Freelancers

This week, we had our second community edition of #ContentWritingChat! In case you aren’t familiar, that basically means we allowed our participants to be the guest hosts for the hour. After all, they’re a pretty smart bunch with some amazing advice to share! Our latest chat on Writing Tips for Freelancers was no exception! #ContentWritingChat Recap: Writing Tips for Freelancers TODAY: Join us for #ContentWritingChat at 10 AM Central! Our topic is Writing Tips for Freelancers. ? pic.twitter.com/PQLb517Jbt — Express Writers (@ExpWriters) August 8, 2017 We asked our audience to vote on the topic for this week’s chat and Writing Tips for Freelancers won by just a few votes! Considering we have so many writers in our community, it’s no wonder this topic was chosen. Everyone who participated shared some helpful tips, which we’re sharing in this recap! Let’s dive in! Q1: What are the first steps to creating high-quality content? To kick things off, we asked everyone to share the first steps they take when it comes to creating high-quality content. Here’s what a few of them had to say: A1: Step 1 — Know Thy Audience Step 2 — Plan It Out (what/when/where) Step 3 — Execute (write/publish/amplify)#ContentWritingChat https://t.co/XvPELGLeUb — ThinkSEM (@ThinkSEM) August 8, 2017 Sarah has three steps she follows when it comes to content creation. Knowing your audience is the first step. Then, you plan it out by determining what, when, and where. And finally, it’s time to execute by writing and publishing your content. A1: High quality content=Understanding of the market, top notch writers, and designers who understand your brand. #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/N81m9AGfQP — Maureen Jann (@MaureenOnPoint) August 8, 2017 Maureen knows it’s so important to understand your target market when creating content. You also need to have top-notch writers and designers that understand your brand. These are all essential elements to creating amazing content! A1: The first step in creating high-quality content is understanding your audience. You want to write with them in mind. #ContentWritingChat — Rachel (@redheadrachel) August 8, 2017 As mentioned, it’s crucial to know who your audience is and what they want. You should always create content with them in mind. A1: Step one is to learn about your audience. Find out what content they want & need & how they want to receive it. #contentwritingchat — Netvantage Marketing (@netvantage) August 8, 2017 Not only do you want to know what your audience is interested in, but you should also determine how they prefer to receive content. What format resonates with them the most? A1 research to see what’s already been written, where the gaps are, and what can be added to the conversation #contentwritingchat — Susan Moeller (@SusanCMoeller) August 8, 2017 Susan offered some great advice for this question. She suggests conducting research to see what’s already been written and figure out what the gaps are. What can be added to the conversation that you are capable of writing? A1: Knowing how to write helps xD But high-quality content starts with a defined purpose. #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/kAzEf9ataL — Sarah Nelson (@Blogging_Geek) August 8, 2017 As Sarah mentioned, it’s important to know your purpose. Why are you producing this piece of content? What is your end goal? When you’re creating, keep that purpose in mind. A1. Know your audience, what you want to say, how you want them to feel, and what you want them to do next. #contentwritingchat — Kristin Huntley (@seekristintweet) August 8, 2017 Kristin suggests knowing your audience, what you want to say, how you want readers to feels and what you want them to do next. A1 SEO keyword + user intent research! You have to know what your reader wants before you start thinking about content. #contentwritingchat — Lex (@estherproject) August 8, 2017 For Lex, she starts with conducting SEO keyword and user intent research. This helps her figure out what her audience wants so she can create content for them. Q2: How do you know when a piece is good enough to be published? Too many people hold themselves back from hitting publish on a piece because they worry it’s not “good enough.” So, how exactly do you know when a piece is ready to go live? Here’s some advice: A2: When it fulfills the goals you’ve set for writing it — purpose, questions answered, tone, etc. #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/vQDgONXGpT — ThinkSEM (@ThinkSEM) August 8, 2017 Sarah said a piece of content is good enough to publish when it fulfills the goals you set out to achieve. Consider your purpose, the questions you’ve answered, your tone, etc. A2 a) It speaks 2 Qs & needs of your TA b) It’s structured & well-researched c) You got your SEO & KW right d) Clear CTA#ContentWritingChat https://t.co/VltAw1wt2n — Zala Bricelj (@ZalkaB) August 8, 2017 Zala said to make sure your content: addresses the needs of your audience, is structured and well-researched, is optimized with the right keyword, and has a clear call to action. A2: Ideally when someone else proofs and edits. Or wait a day between writing & editing yourself. Fresh eyes help.#ContentWritingChat — Danielle Bullen Love (@daniellewriter) August 8, 2017 For Danielle, she feels a post is ready to go after someone else has proofread it and made edits. If you don’t have someone to edit for you, wait a day after writing before editing it yourself. This allows you to review the content with fresh eyes. A2: It’s never as good as you want it to be. You need a second & third pair of eyes you trust. ??#ContentWritingChat https://t.co/j9L5H1jVje — Bruce Kennedy (@BruceKennedy1) August 8, 2017 Bruce also suggests having a second and third pair of eyes looking over your content if possible. A2: make sure your coworkers approve! We have a system of 3 people editing & checking articles prior to publication! #contentwritingchat — Independent Retailer (@indretailer) August 8, 2017 For some, you might have a team that a piece of content needs to go through prior to publication. If you do, make sure … Read more

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Writing Productivity with Pamela Rosen & Forrest Bryant of Evernote

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#ContentWritingChat Recap: Writing Productivity with Pamela Rosen & Forrest Bryant of Evernote

Let’s face it… Writing is no easy task. From brainstorming ideas, to actually getting them out on paper (or on your computer screen), and then editing everything, it can sometimes be a stressful process that takes a while to complete. Fortunately, in this week’s chat, we shared some amazing tips for writing productivity that will help you tackle your writing tasks with ease. #ContentWritingChat Recap: Writing Productivity with Pamela Rosen & Forrest Bryant of Evernote TODAY: Join us for #ContentWritingChat at 10 AM Central Time with @pambieworld and @fojazz from @evernote! pic.twitter.com/O9cwclhbs8 — Express Writers (@ExpWriters) April 18, 2017 Our guest hosts this week were Pamela Rosen and Forrest Bryant, who are both part of the amazing Evernote team. Pamela is a Senior Copywriter for Evernote and Forrest is their Director of Content. Since they’re both experienced writers and content creators, they were the perfect fit to share some writing productivity tips with everyone in the chat. Q1: What does writing productivity look like to you? To kick off the chat, we asked everyone to share what writing productivity looks like to them. Check out their responses and see if any of these resonate with you: A1a: For me, it’s a state of flow. That requires clarity, purpose, direction. ? #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/f6FaDKBCcB — Forrest Dylan Bryant (@fojazz) April 18, 2017 A1b: It’s not just a matter of output. The quality and value of what I write are equally (more?) important. #ContentWritingChat — Forrest Dylan Bryant (@fojazz) April 18, 2017 For Forrest, writing productivity is a state of flow. He said it requires clarity, purpose, and direction. And of course, it’s not all about how much content you’re able to create. It’s more important to focus on the quality and the value of the content you’re writing. A1a: It’s being able to get in the zone. When words flow freely without interruption. #ContentWritingChat — Pamela Rosen (@Pambieworld) April 18, 2017 Pamela said writing productivity is being able to get into the zone. When you get to that state where the words are flowing freely and you don’t have any distractions, it’s always a great place. @ExpWriters A1: Productivity isn’t just about how much you get done, it’s about how well you do it. Set a sched that works for you. #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/x15a0eDjsP — Jeff Reno(e) (@Renoe) April 18, 2017 Jenn is absolutely right that it isn’t about how much you get done, but how well you do it. You have to come up with a schedule and processes that work for YOU, not anyone else. A1: I write in productive phases: Research, draft, edit, publish. #ContentWritingChat — Tara M. Clapper (@irishtara) April 18, 2017 Tara, our Content Development Specialist, writes in productive phases. These phases include researching, drafting content, editing, and then publishing. A1 Being able to get writing assignments done at a good time, knowing there will be a first draft & editing to be done. #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/dlWIzza3a6 — Tony Stephan (@OmnipoTony) April 18, 2017 Tony feels productivity is about getting his writing assignments done at a good time. This means there’s no time to procrastinate! @ExpWriters A1: Blocking all distractions and creatively plowing through hour(s) of time writing without multitasking. #ContentWritingChat — Jeremy Murphy (@jeremypmurphy) April 18, 2017 Jeremy knows it’s helpful to block out distractions when you have writing to be done. If you just focus on your writing, as opposed to multitasking, you’ll be much more productive. A1 Productivity to me is not spending 3 hours binging on Netflix during a deadline and actually doing work. #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/9fqphvPJvX — HeyOrca! (@HeyOrca) April 18, 2017 Sorry to say it, but writing productivity also means ditching Netflix for a while as you get work done. A1 Productivity is a balancing act: passion, focus and efficiency. It helps that excitement is a great motivator. #ContentWritingChat — Olivia Dello Buono (@oliviadello) April 18, 2017 Olivia knows that passion, focus, and efficiency are three very important factors of the writing process. And she’s right that a little excitement about the task at hand helps too! Q2: Which strategies do you implement when writing content for your brand? When it comes time to write content, which strategies do you rely on to get things done and do them well? Check out what some of our chat participants do when writing: A2a: Remember above all, it’s still people talking to people. Be human, be real. Be engaging. Don’t try to sell. #ContentWritingChat — Pamela Rosen (@Pambieworld) April 18, 2017 A2b: I ask myself, ‘do I want to read this?’ If not, I start over. #ContentWritingChat — Pamela Rosen (@Pambieworld) April 18, 2017 Pam shared a great reminder that everyone should keep in mind when writing content. You always need to be human and real because you are speaking to actual people. Another human being is going to be reading your content and you want to create something that resonates with them. To do that, focus on engaging your audience and adding value. It’s helpful to ask yourself if you would want to read the content you’ve created. If not, you should start over. While everything you write needs to appeal to your audience, it also needs to appeal to you as well. A2a: Every piece of content should deliver real value to the reader and/or generate excitement. That’s priority one. #ContentWritingChat — Forrest Dylan Bryant (@fojazz) April 18, 2017 Forrest said you need to make sure every piece of content delivers value to your reader and/or generates excitement. Before you hit publish, ask yourself if it’s serving your audience in some way. If not, you probably need to revisit what you’ve written. A2. Ideation (inspiration) Research (topic, audience, etc.) Outline/Visualize Scribble thoughts Write Edit#ContentWritingChat https://t.co/plzofTnGvu — Gabriela Cardoza (@CardozaGab) April 18, 2017 Gabriela’s writing process looks something like this: getting inspiration, researching the topic and audience, outlining the content, scribbling down her thoughts, writing, and then editing. A2: Ask yourself: does this benefit my readers? Does it fit with our goals? Is it … Read more

#ContentWritingChat June 14 2016 Recap: How to Write for Difficult Industries & Make it Fun

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#ContentWritingChat June 14 2016 Recap: How to Write for Difficult Industries & Make it Fun

Did you miss this week’s #ContentWritingChat? If so, you missed an amazing discussion! There’s no need to worry though. We have a full recap so you can catch up and learn all about how to write for difficult industries. Do you need proof that Tuesday’s chat was amazing? Take a look at this! We trended at #11! Guys… seeing what I’m seeing?!? We’re in #11 spot for trending! #itwasgonnahappen #ContentWritingChat #partytime pic.twitter.com/zoX6Lpo7UZ — Julia McCoy (@JuliaEMcCoy) June 14, 2016 #ContentWritingChat June 14 2016 Recap: How to Write for Difficult Industries and Make it Fun Join us for #ContentWritingChat Tuesday, June 14th at 10 AM CDT with guest host @itskgarvin! pic.twitter.com/LehTo665jP — Express Writers (@ExpWriters) June 7, 2016 This week, our guest host was Kathleen Garvin. This was Kathleen’s second time guest hosting our chat and we always love having her share her expertise. As an editor for The Penny Hoarder, she has loads of great advice to share on writing. Q1: What are some of the craziest/most difficult industries you’ve written for? To start off the chat, we wanted to see what kind of writing experience our chat participants have had. While some of them haven’t written for any crazy industries, quite a few had. Let’s just say their answers didn’t disappoint! A1: Craziest? An EXTREMELY niche healthcare product. #ContentWritingChat — Kathleen Garvin (@itskgarvin) June 14, 2016 A1: Most difficult? Personal finance. Mostly b/c I assumed it would be, you guessed it, BORING. #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/uX9mtOUrHl — Kathleen Garvin (@itskgarvin) June 14, 2016 Kathleen has had to write for an extremely niche healthcare product before, which she found to be pretty crazy. She also said that personal finance was the most difficult for her because she found it boring. A1: The hardest web copy I ever wrote was for a rock hauling company. (Was writing small biz websites for @hibuUS). #ContentWritingChat — Tara M. Clapper (@irishtara) June 14, 2016 Tara had to write for a rock hauling company. That sounds pretty weird, right? A1: Weirdest: Anal itching cream called fire in the hole. Wonder if its still around. #contentwritingchat — Danielle Antosz (@dantosz) June 14, 2016 It’s safe to say that Danielle may have had the craziest answer of all. A1: We happen to be well versed in different grades of steel #contentwritingchat — Netvantage Marketing (@netvantage) June 14, 2016 Different grades of steel? That sounds interesting. A1. a Craziest: Trash bags. (Is that an industry?) Strangling my muse for ideas after the 10th article. (Back in 2011) #ContentWritingChat — Julia McCoy (@JuliaEMcCoy) June 14, 2016 Our very own CEO, Julia, had to write about trash bags. Does it get more fascinating than that? A1: My first paid writing gig was writing product descriptions for batteries. Yeah, that was challenging. #ContentWritingChat — Zachary Fenell (@zacharyfenell) June 14, 2016 Zachary had to write product descriptions for batteries! Q2: How can you still maintain readability and creativity when writing for difficult industries? When writing for a difficult industry you still want to make sure your writing is easy to read and creative. Check out these tips from the chat: A2: Remember the basics first: Good grammar, spelling + information. Anything less can kill your credibility. #ContentWritingChat — Kathleen Garvin (@itskgarvin) June 14, 2016 No matter what, you always need to keep the basics in mind. Kathleen said to ensure you have good grammar, correct spelling, and the right information. A2: Write how people talk (no robot speak?), use images to break up text + interview interesting industry peeps. #ContentWritingChat — Kathleen Garvin (@itskgarvin) June 14, 2016 A2: Write how people talk (no robot speak?), use images to break up text + interview interesting industry peeps. #ContentWritingChat — Kathleen Garvin (@itskgarvin) June 14, 2016 Kathleen and Alberto were on the same page with their responses. Remember that you’re writing for people. Write how people talk, not like a robot. Kathleen also suggests using images to break up the text in your article and interviewing people in the industry you’re writing for. A2: May be boring to you but useful and informative to the reader. Address their interests and questions. #contentwritingchat — Netvantage Marketing (@netvantage) June 14, 2016 @writingchat A2: Know thy reader! When you write to solve their problems, your writing becomes more interesting #ContentWritingChat — Jacob Rouser (@J_Rouser) June 14, 2016 Address the interests and questions of your reader. You want to make sure you’re adding value for them. @ExpWriters A2. Before writing, take a deep dive into particular industry and understand the business. #contentwritingchat — Hardik Oza (@Ozaemotion) June 14, 2016 Hardik said to make sure you get to know the industry and business you’re writing for. The more knowledge you have, the easier it’ll be to write. @writingchat A2 infuse a conversational aspect – don’t be overly technical, but still state the facts. #ContentWritingChat — Amanda Vera (@amnda_vera) June 14, 2016 Amanda said you shouldn’t be too technical in your writing. State the facts, but make sure it’s easy for the reader to understand. A2c) If you give you content personality, you’ll pull in readers for even some of the more dull topics. #ContentWritingChat — Jeff Reno(e) (@Renoe) June 14, 2016 Jenn said to give your content personality. That’s a sure way to pull readers in. A2: Try to understand what your target audience is interested in. And stop thinking you are writing about boring stuff #ContentWritingChat — Zlatka Larsen (@palkoviz) June 14, 2016 As Zlatka said, understand what your audience is interested in. Also, quit thinking you’re writing about boring content. It’s all in the mindset! A2: They say there are no boring topics… only boring content creators. 😉 #ContentWritingChat — Kathleen Garvin (@itskgarvin) June 14, 2016 As Kathleen said, there are no boring topics… Only boring content creators. Q3: Industry content can require extra research. Tactics/methods for best research? If you’re writing for an industry that requires you to do some research, implement these tips from the chat: A3: Ask lots of questions + find out what other people are … Read more

50 Weak Words and Phrases To Cut Out Of Your Blogging

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50 Weak Words and Phrases To Cut Out Of Your Blogging

Could a few extra, unnecessary words in your blogs be costing you readers? We’ve all heard the commands “show, don’t tell” and “write what you know.” While these conventions are great advice for the everyday blogger, they don’t exactly address how you can go about making small tweaks that strengthen our writing and increase reader engagement. While its great to use descriptive words and write whatever pulls you into it, the easiest way to strengthen writing and blogging skills is to begin cutting out those weak words and phrases. Words and phrases that don’t add to the overall meaning of the writing only serve to clutter it up and make it difficult for readers to understand. Fortunately, this easy guide will help you learn which words and phrases should be cut from writing. Disclaimer: Some of these phrases may be essential to certain sentences or phrases of speech; if so, leave intact! My approach is more to show you which “overused” words and phrases could use a good shave to make your blogs tighter, more readable, and better. So, don’t throw these words in your sentences just to fill a word count, or to elongate a sentence: use as necessary only. Let’s dive in! 50 Words and Phrases That You Should Cut From Your Blogging (Now) 1) About: “About” is a vague, weak word and it’s wise to cut it out when discussing quantities. Get more specific by using the word “approximately” or giving readers a specific range, as in “15-20 cows got loose.” 2) Accordingly: Accordingly is a chunky word and it can make your text difficult to read. If you must use it, replace it with a simpler word, like “so.” 3) Actual Facts: Saying that something is an “Actual fact” is a little bit like saying something is a “new invention.” It’s redundant and clunky and you simply don’t need it. Remove “Actual” and stick to the facts. 4) Almost: Excess use of the word “almost” can spell a quick death for a blogger. Vague terms like this leave readers hungry for specificity and you’ll make your writing stronger instantly when you get rid of “almost” and replace it with specific terms. 5) All Throughout: “All throughout” is another one of those redundant phrases that can spell clunky, flabby writing for writers. Omit the word “all” and get to the point. 6) Amazing: Although “amazing” has some value as a descriptive term, it needs to be used sparsely if at all. Qualify your use of this word by specifying what, exactly, makes it amazing. 7) Better: How much better? Why is it better? “Better” is a vague and subjective appraisal unless you back it up with analyzed and summarized data. For example, “Susie was doing better” vs. “Susie was doing better after she began using an Asthma inhaler.” 8) Maybe: Do you know or don’t you? This is especially important when it comes to opinion pieces and authoritative writing. People are reading your words in order to learn something from you and use of the word “maybe” makes it seem like you’re really not that sure at all. 9) Perhaps: Unless you’re using this word to explore alternate endings on unknown topics (as in “Perhaps Amelia Earhart’s plane ran out of fuel and crashed”) then it’s time to get rid of it. It makes your writing seem unsure and nobody wants to listen to rambling musings for very long. Be confident in your writing and answer reader’s questions without beating around the bush. 10) Just: “Just” is a minimizing word and seldom adds value to a sentence. Get rid of it and streamline your thought process. 11) Literally: If something is literal, your readers should know it without you needing to use this word to clarify it. More often than not, the word “literally” makes writing sound flabby and juvenile, which is probably not what you’re going for. 12) Big: Once more, readers hate it when you’re vague and unclear adjectives like “big” only leave them asking “how big?” Instead of saying the horse was big, say it stood 5’6″ at the shoulder and weighed 2,000 lbs. This will give your readers a clearer picture and more satisfaction. 13) Really: Although you might use the word “Really” when you speak, you don’t want to use it when you write. It doesn’t translate into text and phrases like “really hard” only make writing seem half-finished. If the word “really” isn’t adding distinct specificity, cut it out and don’t look back. 14) Very: In the same boat as “really,” “very” is a word that offers little, if any value. “Very” is subjective, weak and best left out of your writing. 15) Stuff: Unless you’re aiming for an informal piece, stay far away from the word “stuff.” The bane of professional writing near and far, this word makes your writing seem informal and half-baked. In order to avoid this, be more specific about what the “stuff” is. Instead of saying “he grabbed his stuff” say “he grabbed his baseball bat and mitt.” 16) Things: Vague as can be, “things” leaves readers wondering. Instead of saying “10 Things You Can do to Get Better at Math” shoot for something like “10 Strategies for Acing Math This Year.” 17) That: This is a big one. Open a word doc on your computer and read through it once. Now read through it again without the word “that.” Did it detract from the meaning? Most likely, the answer is no. “That” is generally a filler word that adds no value to sentences and can easily be eliminated, especially when referring to people. 18) Went: “Went” is a vague word that describes only the action and not the method. Instead of saying “I went to class,” consider saying “I trudged to class through a howling blizzard.” Replacing “went” with more descriptive terms will do wonders for your writing and help your words pop off the page. 19) Always: Nothing is always true and nothing … Read more

7 Ways To Be A Successful Writer, No Matter How New You Are

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7 Ways To Be A Successful Writer, No Matter How New You Are

Call me biased, but writing is one of my favorite things. It doesn’t matter if I am writing up web copy, blogs, book reviews, or short fiction, writing is something I deeply enjoy and I am not alone. There are many people out there who love writing, but there are also many out there who want to get started to see just what it’s all about. However, it can be tricky when you’re a new writer, and looking for advice is one of the first things you do – hence why you’re here, right? If you’re new to writing, then this blog is perfect for you because I will be going over some great, first-time writer tips that can help you create excellent content, no matter what. Many of these are things I’ve learned over time and want to share my little bits of wisdom with anyone making their way in the writing world. 7 Ways A New Writer Can Be Successful There are many ways to be successful when it comes to writing, but there are a few that I think stand out from the rest. Let’s take a look at what you can do to have a successful writing career whether you are writing a book or focusing on blogging for your business. Write One Word, and Then Another and Another. This is incredibly common sense, but many new writers get so caught up trying to “be the best” in writing that they forget. When you are starting out as a writer and are looking for excellent tips, the best one to start with is simply to write. Write one word, then another and another until you have a sentence and so on. This is something award-winning author Neil Gaiman is known for saying, and it is incredibly helpful and true. When you focus too hard on getting the best short story, wanting the next Harry Potter franchise or having a stellar content campaign like Disney, you will get discouraged easily. However, if you just start to write and keep writing, you will find that you are able to come up with great content no matter what it is you are writing. Know Your Resources and Follow Them. Writers all need to have resources, no matter if they are writing fiction, non-fiction, or focusing on writing web copy. Resources help give direction for content and give great, useful information. If you don’t use resources, you can end up saying things that aren’t true or writing something incorrectly. For example, if you are writing a story based in the 1940s, you need to make sure you know the lingo they used. In addition, if you are writing web copy and want to rank with great SEO, you need to know what to do.Following SEO resources like Moz or Copyblogger can help provide you with the information you need. This will help keep you informed about SEO changes, as well as helping you create excellent content for your website or blog. No matter what you are writing, you will be able to find resources and you need to make sure you have access to them. Don’t Stress if Your Writing isn’t Top Quality Right Away. Writing is like playing an instrument or learning a new language, it takes time to master it. Even then, there will always be something new to learn, and you can’t expect to know it all. When you first start out writing, it isn’t going to be near as good as it could be simply because you are out of practice. Think of this; if you know a small amount of French but never practice it, you are going to have a hard time going around France, aren’t you? However, if you practice French, you will have an easier time traveling the country and understanding the people. The same can be said about writing. Keep practicing, and you will improve over time. When you first write and read your copy, don’t get discouraged if you feel it isn’t top quality or if someone gives you constructive criticism. Keep writing, and you’ll be epic in no time. Set Aside Time Each Day to Write. When I first started writing, I made sure that I set aside time each and every day to write. This is important because it helped with what I mention in point one – getting in the practice of writing and improving. Before I became a copywriter, I wrote short stories and little prose poems each day just to write, and that helped me work towards a goal of awesome writing. This helped immensely once I started in the content field, and since I was already in the practice of writing every day, there wasn’t much shifting to my writing schedule. Now, I write several thousand words a day, and it helps to grow my writing capabilities. Since you’re just now starting out, consider setting aside thirty minutes each day and bump it up to an hour or more as you get used to it. Work out that brain and your fingers, and you’ll be incredibly happy with the results. Stream of Consciousness Writing and Writing as You Speak Can Be Excellent. Stream of consciousness writing is a style of writing that is was popular amongst authors such as Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, and Virginia Woolf. It is even still a major part of modern American literature and is something you can expect to read when buying books or even reading blogs. While you don’t always want to write in a stream of consciousness manner, this can help you create excellent written work that flows and sounds natural. Another way to achieve this is simply to write as you speak. Basically, doing these two types of writing will help you write content that is easy to read, flows well, and makes more sense to a casual reader. However, if you do end up going the stream of consciousness route, always make sure to proofread … Read more

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