The title of this post really isn’t all that profound, but it’s easy to miss the obvious, so consider this a little review of the obvious.
Whether your writing copy to market a service for web masters or personalized gifts to Christmas shoppers, never forget that the focus of your writing MUST be the customer, not the browser, and certainly not the merchants you may be working with or for in your writing. Everything you say and the way you say it must be aimed at people who want to buy or need to buy the product or service. Your job is to speak to them in a way that will make them WANT what you or your merchant is offering.
Read more on Writing to market a service or product? Focus on customers…
If your writing involves writing content for a website, and especially if it involves writing content for an affiliate marketing website, I assume you understand the need for early planning and preparation related to the annual shopping holiday — I mean, related to Christmas.
Read more on Affiliate marketer? You understand the need for holiday planning…
Your character walks into a room, takes a look around, goes over to the counter, and sits down. He looks quickly along the counter, evaluating the people sitting in the room, apparently looking for something or someone.
Read more on When you write, always be aware of the need for details, clarity…
I’m pretty good at following directions, I think. My wife could probably judge that better than I, but I really don’t believe I fit that old stereotype of men who are unwilling to ask for or follow directions. In fact, when we’re traveling I generally love to have a map or road atlas along and check it frequently.
Read more on Are you good at following directions? How about writing out directions?…
I know some of you have been far more successful at freelance writing than I, and I suspect an important part of your ongoing success has to do with the “branding” you’ve done.
Read more on Importance of ‘branding’ to sustain your writing career…
As I sit here watching political speeches and ralliess on various cable channels, I am reminded again of the challenges of learning to speak, read, and write the English language effectively. (I also feel a great deal of thanksgiving that I learned it “naturally” as a native speaker — and that the U.S. elections are almost over.)
Read more on Polls, poles, and polling — more challenges for those learning English…
When you see or hear the word “hardcore,” do you think of bricks or p*rn?
This is one of those words which fascinate me, both in it’s origin and in it’s changes in meaning. If you “Google” the word or trace the word’s etymology in a dictionary, you may be surprised the origin goes back to stone masonry, brick laying, etc. The “hardcore” was a layer of broken stones or bricks which could be compressed into a sub-foundation or footing for a building project. I gather “hardcore” wasn’t preferred to solid rock, but was considered a reliable alternative if done carefully.
Read more on Interesting word history, usage — ‘hardcore’ meant bricks and stone…
If you do any Internet writing, I’m sure you’ve heard about Squidoo — which I mentioned in a post a few days ago and encouraged you to visit.
But perhaps a lesser known website which lets you write about your interests and put that writing on the Internet is Hub Pages at hubpages.com. Have you looked at Hub Pages? Do you write for Hub Pages?
Read more on Do any of you write Hub Pages? Have any tips to share?…
Do you Squidoo?
Has a funny sound to it, I know. But if you use or visit Squidoo, you’ll know how interesting the place can be. They have “experts” and would-be experts on just about anything you might want to know. And the beauty of Squidoo is that anyone can go there and create a really nice web page FOR FREE.
Read more on Do you Squidoo? Go take a look at this fascinating community…
What is your plan for “NaNoWriMo” this year?
I’m in a position where I have both the motivation and some extra hours available to try the November challenge this year, and I’m determined to reach their one-month 50,000+ words goal.
Read more on Are you gearing up for the big ‘NaNoWriMo’ challenge? Sharpen those pencils…
Be specific when you pick a domain name for affiliate marketing. Try not to use a domain for an affiliate marketing website that which is too broad, too general.
One of the affiliate marketing sites I run is related to baby stuff and general stuff for kids. And the real problem I have trying to write content for this site is exactly reflected in that statement: baby stuff and general stuff for kids. It is so widely defined that it really isn’t a niche site at all — it’s a general sort of online shopping mall.
Read more on Be specific when you pick a domain name for affiliate marketing…
Wow, “NaNoWriMo info” — I love speaking “acronym-ese,” don’t you? The title of this post really isn’t intended to be jumble or jargon, it just sort of worked out that way, I guess.
Read more on Care to share your ‘NaNoWriMo’ info so we can look for you there?…
Every year as November approaches, I’m excited by the concept of National Novel Writing Month — otherwise known as “NaNoWriMo,” and something I bring up each year.
Last year was the second time I took the plunge and signed on (it’s absolutely free and completely voluntary). It was also the second time I failed to write the goal of 50,000 words of a novel between November 1 and November 30. But I press on and maintain high hopes again this year. I’m going to sign up one more time, and this time, by golly, I intend to do it. I even have done some rough initial plotting on a novel I’d like to write for the project (it involves Eskimos, puffin birds, a little old lady in a wheelchair, and a pawn shop).
Read more on It’s almost ‘NaNoWriMo’ time again — are you up for the game?…
I confess that my education is sadly lacking in any language besides English. I took a couple of years of Spanish in high school, but that was long ago and far away. So I don’t even know if other languages have something like a “homophone” — but I’m aware of them in English. I suspect homographs are just one more challenge for those who seek to learn spoken and written English.
Read more on Homophones: Another obstacle for those who would learn English…
What’s the most interesting writing or writing related job you’ve ever held? What’s the worst or the least interesting writing or writing related job you’ve ever held?
I ask those questions because I want a better idea of the experiences and interests of you, my good readers. I originally started this little gathering on the Internet hoping to share some of the writing experiences and writing knowledge I have with people interested in knowing it. I can only do that effectively as I get feedback from all of you out there.
Read more on What’s the most interesting writing job you’ve ever held?…
