Skip to main content

Home/ LumpysCorner/ Group items tagged tips a

Rss Feed Group items tagged

Filter: All | Bookmarks | Topics Simple Middle
John Lemke

How I Make a Living as a Writer (and You Can, Too) - 0 views

lifehacker.com/ter-and-you-can-too-1525380428

2014 writing WriteLink copywriting freelance tips writer author Altucher advice living guide

shared by John Lemke on 19 Feb 14 - No Cached
  • If you sit down at a blank screen every day and simply do nothing then you are a writer. If you write one word, even better. Some people will disagree. Maybe you will disagree. That's fine. We also can all disagree. Meanwhile, our DNA is telling us we are pretty much exactly the same.
  • I try to read pieces or chapters in 3-4 books a day or more. I read at least from one non-fiction, one or two quality fiction, and one inspirational. I try to read at the level I want to write. I do this in the morning before I start writing.
  • Destroy every gatekeeper.
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • Do what you want. Self-publishing simply means you write a book and you figure out how to get it into the hands of other people. It might just be you sell it on your email list. Congrats! You're then a published author. In my post "How to Self Publish a Bestseller" I write about the details and the numbers.
  • This seems opposite of what I said above. But blogging is not such a bad idea. How come? Because it makes you write every day. And it also is fun to build friends and community around your blog. But if you want to blog, don't just register a domain name and start blogging. You won't get any traffic.
  • There's a thousand ways to build community and practice writing on the Internet. Blog is one of them but there are many others. My #1 suggestion: first practice on Quora (cc Marc Bodnick) If you go there, follow me and say "Hi!".
  • If you don't write every day, you won't know what your potential skill level is. You will be producing sub-par work. And in a world where 15 million books will be published this year, your book will have little chance to shine.
  • Do the math: if you just write 1,000 words a day that are publishable then you have a book every two months. 1,000 words a day is not easy. But it's not hard either.
  • No. You used to be able to make a living writing articles. Just a few years ago. In 2005 I made a good living writing about 3-4 articles a day for different publications while I was running my fund and before I started and sold Stockpickr. But those days are over. People just don't pay for content. And there are too many writers. It's a supply and demand thing.
  • ou have to write more than one book. And for most people, you have to write dozens of books.
  • John Lemke on 19 Feb 14
     
    A great article of advice from a published author.
John Lemke

How To Write Well: 10 Essential Self-Editing Tips | Write to Done - 0 views

writetodone.com/o-write-well-self-editing-tips

2014 writing WriteLink freelance copywriting tips list writer editing re-write

shared by John Lemke on 11 May 14 - No Cached
  • The easiest way to write well is to edit your writing. The best person to edit a manuscript, article or blog post is the author herself.
  • Leave your writing alone for a while
  • Pay attention to what jumps out at you as awkward.
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • You’ll catch clunky sentences, missing and repetitive words, and misspellings.
  • Make a list of your most common offenders. Then search for those words and see if you can take them out without altering your intended meaning.
  • Take a look at each sentence and see how many words you can cut out.
  • Check to make sure you put commas before direct address in dialog.
  • The most mutilated verbs are lay, sink, drag, swim, and shine.
  • Flowery verbs such as quizzed, extrapolated, exclaimed, and interjected, stick out. Instead, use said and asked, with an occasional replied or answered.
  • When sentences begin with “it was” and “there were,” readers are left wondering exactly what “it” is. These words are vague. “It was hot today” can easily be replaced with “the sun baked his shoulders,” which paints a clearer picture. Think: strong nouns and verbs.
  • John Lemke on 11 May 14
     
    A good list of tips to help you with your re-writes.
John Lemke

Most Popular Clever Uses and MacGyver Tips of 2013 - 0 views

lifehacker.com/cgyver-tips-of-2013-1484868813

2013 LL-Pub tips list lifehacks useful GTD

shared by John Lemke on 18 Dec 13 - No Cached
  • John Lemke on 18 Dec 13
     
    It is time for all of those end of year lists. I did not get to check all of these out but lifehacker.com is a daily read for me in my feeder. Feel free to share your thoughts and tips in the comments here.
John Lemke

5 Tips for Turning Drab Information Into a Tantalizing Tutorial - Copyblogger - 0 views

www.copyblogger.com/tantalizing-tutorials

2014 writing tips list writer WriteLink writing tutorials

shared by John Lemke on 06 May 14 - No Cached
  • To get people interested, you need to start with the Why — even when the Why seems obvious.
  • A great destination postcard is inspirational, taps into emotion, and paints a clear picture.
  • Good tutorials mix straightforward how-to’s with stories and examples to both educate and entertain.
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • Which are the most common mistakes you’d like to warn your readers for? And help them avoid? Sprinkle these mistakes — with advice on how to avoid them — over your tutorial, to keep readers captivated.
  • Your word choice has to be sharper and harder-hitting than the words you use when you talk because in writing you can’t scream, sing, or use wild gestures. Your words have to capture attention, express emotion, and get your message across.
  • To make your writing voice stronger and more dynamic: Choose sensory words like creepy, bland, or dazzling Pick emotional words like mesmerizing, mind-numbing, and captivating Religiously tighten your text; and tighten it more
  • There’s one more thing you shouldn’t forget: A good teacher or mentor inspires her students to implement her ideas. Consider what might stop your reader from following your advice … and take away that final obstacle. When you encourage your readers to overcome their doubts and take action, they’ll hang on to your lips to hear each word.
  • Metaphors help readers visualize an abstract concept by relating it to something concrete. They help people understand a new idea by relating it to something they know already.
  • Problems are like speed bumps — they slow your reader down. They start paying attention again, because everyone is keen to avoid glitches, hassle, and mistakes.
  • John Lemke on 06 May 14
     
    While they seem like common sense, think about how often you see tutorials written that ignore these tips... especially number 1.
John Lemke

20 Rules for Writing So Crystal Clear Even Your Dumbest Relative Will Understand - 0 views

boostblogtraffic.com/crystal-clear-writing

2014 writing freelance copywriting tips list writer WriteLink

shared by John Lemke on 15 May 14 - No Cached
  • Spreading an idea means getting it from your brain into someone else’s. It means putting together the essential facts, the logical arguments and your insightful conclusions together in exactly the right way to recreate your brilliant idea in the mind of your reader.
  • Try to describe your audience with this simple formula: X who Y. For example: “Bloggers who want to get more traffic”.
  • If you can’t explain what your post is about in one simple, short sentence, it’s probably too complex or unfocused.
  • ...16 more annotations...
  • Make sure a clear connection exists between the opening of your post and the headline.
  • If a sentence, phrase or word is particularly important or significant, use bold or italics to add stress. But don’t overdo it.
  • Always be consistent with your terminology.
  • If a point is worth making, it’s worth making twice. Or even three times.
  • Only tell them what they need to know to follow your argument. Share the minimum you need to convey the desired message.
  • Clear examples help readers understand difficult concepts.
  • Concrete language describes something detectable by the senses. Something you can see, feel, hear, smell or taste. Abstract concepts are much harder to imagine.
  • When you provide specific detail in your writing, there’s less room for ambiguity. Your reader is far more likely to end up with the same idea in their head as you have in yours.
  • Clarity does not tolerate “might,” “may” or “possibly.” If you can’t say something with certainty, perhaps you shouldn’t be writing about it at all.
  • if you’re in the business of spreading ideas, you must make friends with bullets.
  • Bullets are a valuable tool, but you should never drop your reader into a list without first setting the scene.
  • make sure each point is recognizably related to the others.
  • If you were giving your reader a list of steps, you’d present them in the order they needed doing, right? Obviously. But if the items in your list aren’t steps, they often still have a natural order – even if you didn’t have one in mind when you wrote them.
  • always supply everything the reader needs to fully understand your points within the post itself.
  • You think you’re being generous but truthfully you’re being greedy. Greedy with your reader’s time, their attention, and their patience.
  • include a clear call-to-action. Tell your reader what you want them to do.
  • John Lemke on 15 May 14
     
    20 tips on writing with clarity.
John Lemke

5 Quick Ways Busy Freelancers Can Keep Marketing - 0 views

www.makealivingwriting.com/freelancers-can-keep-marketing

2014 writing copywriting tips marketing business

shared by John Lemke on 06 Apr 14 - No Cached
  • The clients are “not there” for all freelancers, until we go out and proactively market and find them. Take responsibility for your business success and realize it’s up to you to get out there and look for new clients (or new projects from current clients).
  • Don’t have a writer website? It’s time to get one. You really can’t present yourself professionally these days without a site.
  • Tweaking your site copy is something you can do 10 minutes a day on, and it’s well worth it to up your odds of drawing prospects to you.
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • The writer who sent this comment may be missing out if they’re not active on LinkedIn, the one social-media platform where self-promotion is more acceptable.
  • My experience is LinkedIn connections are happy to recommend and refer you, if you’ll only ask. And it takes just a few moments a day to reach out. You can even mass-mail your LinkedIn contacts 50 people at a time, but use this option with caution to avoid coming off spammy.
John Lemke

Attention: You're Now a Storyteller - Get Used to It » SEO Copywriting - 0 views

www.seocopywriting.com/...youre-now-storyteller-get-used

2014 seo copywriting attention tips tricks howto writing content freelance

shared by John Lemke on 28 Jan 14 - No Cached
  • You have to go above and beyond your keyword list to get a reaction. There has to be a general theme – or story – that runs through the entirety of your marketing. People are getting the story in pieces from different platforms so it has to be consistent.
    • John Lemke
      John Lemke on 28 Jan 14
       
      Have things changed?  What happened to the not-so-old-but-old-as-the-Internet saying "Content is King"?  All Google did was bring it back to what great authors have been saying since the beginning of stories.
  • You’re a storyteller now – whether you like it or not.
  • The “just the facts” approach to your website may cover all of the bullet points you need covered, but it’s not engaging enough to keep people around.
    • John Lemke
      John Lemke on 28 Jan 14
       
      This means finding your voice.
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • Your role is to sell your products or services – but in order to do that you have to engage and encourage your audience. Your content can’t read like you’re in it for the sale. Your job is to be an advocate for your audience. You’re there to help. Learn how to engage on each platform you’re using for marketing, and then be present as a helpful, encouraging voice to guide your audience to the right decision.
  • Unlike the early days of SEO copywriting, you can’t keyword stuff and get great results. You can’t even rely on customers to visit your website before they make a decision about company.  They are connecting with you on Facebook, following you on Twitter or reading a landing page.
John Lemke

SEO and content writing tips: Week ending March 4, 2014 » SEO Copywriting - 0 views

www.seocopywriting.com/...-tips-week-ending-march-4-2014

list 2014 WriteLink content tips freelance copywriting writing writer SEO online website

shared by John Lemke on 05 Mar 14 - No Cached
  • John Lemke on 05 Mar 14
     
    This is a good long list of links to other articles.
John Lemke

So, How DO You Promote a Blog Post, Anyway? - 0 views

www.makealivingwriting.com/how-to-promote-a-blog-post

2014 WriteLink writing freelance copywriting bloggin promoting post blog

shared by John Lemke on 12 May 14 - No Cached
  • Comment on their posts.
  • If you want to build a blog, the reality is that Twitter is one of the most important platforms for sharing, probably followed by Google+, at this point. If you’re in a home/food/how-to niche, Pinterest may be important to you as well. If Facebook seems like a place people talk about your topic a lot, it might be useful, too.
  • There are plenty of tools out there — among the most popular are AddtoAny, ShareThis, and Sharebar (which is what I’m currently using).
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • Reverse-engineer your social-media success by noticing what sorts of posts get shared a lot in your niche, and writing something along those lines.
  • the key ingredient: Write a strong headline
  • Use hashtags
  • Use a scheduler
  • Don’t just keep retweeting your headline and link. Instead, vary what you say.
  • Be sure you share other things inbetween the repetitions of your new post. Do some scanning, find some interesting stuff, and lace it into your schedule as well, so you don’t start looking like an obnoxious salesman and continue to appear to be putting out useful, varied info.
John Lemke

The Scientific Guide to Creating Sticky Headlines - 0 views

www.steamfeed.com/uide-creating-sticky-headlines

2014 writing WriteLink freelance writer list tips headlines guide

shared by John Lemke on 22 Jun 14 - No Cached
  • According to Social Triggers and Wired Magazine, George Lowenstien, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University developed a theory called “the information gap theory of curiosity.” Lowenstein says “curiosity is rather simple: It comes when we feel a gap ‘between what we know and what we want to know.’” (source) He goes on to say “This gap has emotional consequences: it feels like a mental itch, a mosquito bite on the brain. We seek out new knowledge because we that’s how we scratch the itch.” That’s why these headline formulas increase traffic.
  • Imagine again that you’re a blogger looking to leverage Facebook.  You begin to click on multiple posts titled “How to get more traffic using Facebook” and bunch of other variations. What happens?  All of the posts begin to run together becoming indecipherable to your brain.  Psychologists call this cognitive overload and you passively read post after post after post.  You never truly connect with the blogger or the message.
  • By adding a quantifiable benefit, you’re accomplishing two things.  First you’re laser targeting the type of reader you want to see the post.  And second, you’re giving them a realistic goal to strive for.
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • When a person can see the finish line, they’re far more likely to start.
  • Take a look at what happens when you google “From 2,500 to 1 million fans in 2 years”.
  • Ask yourself if you can add either a quantifiable benefit or a specific time frame to your post.  Can you tell the story about how you got more readers to your blog in 30 days?  Or can you tell the story about how you helped a friend drop 15 pounds without starving herself?
  • John Lemke on 22 Jun 14
     
    This is a good list and also explains the "whys" of it.
John Lemke

The New Year's Writing Resolution You Can Actually Keep - Copyblogger - 0 views

www.copyblogger.com/just-write

writing resolution 2013 freelance copywriting WriteLink

shared by John Lemke on 30 Dec 13 - No Cached
  • Every day in January, write for 20 minutes. By every day, I mean every day. Including weekends. Including the Martin Luther King holiday. Including the days that get crazy.
  • To become a better writer (whether it’s for text, podcast scripts, video scripts, or anything else that needs words to be strung together effectively), you need to write. And the best way to write more is to build the habit of writing every day. Give it a try for 31 days, and let us know how it’s going! And if you’ve ever tried a daily writing practice, we’d love to hear about it in the comments.
  • John Lemke on 30 Dec 13
     
    This is a pretty decent tip.  The reality is simple.  If you don't love to read, you have no business even considering being a writer.  Furthermore and more on the topic of the article, if you are not writing daily, you shall never be a writer.
John Lemke

How to Defeat Writer's Block | Writing Forward - 0 views

www.writingforward.com/...how-to-defeat-writers-block

how to writer block WriteLink writing 2014 tips freelance copywriting

shared by John Lemke on 11 Sep 14 - No Cached
  • Physical ailments:
  • Mental and emotional stress and distractions
  • Lazy days
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • You’d just rather do anything in the world other than work on your writing project
  • Avoidance and procrastination: Sometimes we go out of our way to avoid a difficult writing challenge.
  • Eat well, exercise, and drink plenty of water. Schedule time for rest and relaxation. Don’t run yourself down.
  • A Few, Final Writing Tips for Combating Writer’s Block
  • if you have two projects going, you can rotate back and forth to maintain your interest in both.
  • Get advice from other writers. Often, they’ll see a solution where you see no way out.
  • John Lemke on 11 Sep 14
     
    While different things work for different writers, I think this is a great look at writer's block.
John Lemke

Use This Simple Tool to Move Forward in Your Writing Career - 0 views

www.makealivingwriting.com/move-forward-freelance-writing

2014 writing freelance copywriting WriteLink GTD decisions trash motivation

shared by John Lemke on 26 Jan 14 - No Cached
  • It’s a trash can. Not a physical one, but a mental trash can. It’s for discarding advice that doesn’t feel right for you. It doesn’t seem like the right answer. Your gut tells you this advice isn’t for you. It just doesn’t resonate. If that happens, you should ignore that tip and move on. My teacher would say, “Use what feels right and discard the rest.” I think a lot of writers forget to take out their trash can when they’re learning about writing. But it really pays to keep it handy.
  • John Lemke on 26 Jan 14
     
    I see many folks not using this tip.  Truth be told, I am also slow to clean house.
John Lemke

Add Personality and Voice to Every Blog Post You Write - 0 views

thewritelife.com/nality-and-voice-to-blog-posts

freelance copywriting tips 2014 WriteLink writing list voice blog

shared by John Lemke on 23 Apr 14 - No Cached
  • write a post specifically for that ideal customer. Narrow it down as much as possible, and write as if they are sitting right across from you learning from you along the way.
  • using words that evoke images:
  • Every post you write should be a complete thought.
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • It should be able to stand alone
  • John Lemke on 23 Apr 14
     
    A nice collection of tips for getting your voice into your blog post.  Arrangednicely in several bullet-ed list.
John Lemke

9 Things I Did To Become A Full-Time Writer - 0 views

thewritepractice.com/become-a-full-time-writer

2014 writing WriteLink freelance copywriting tips list

shared by John Lemke on 26 Jul 14 - No Cached
  • John Lemke on 26 Jul 14
     
    A great list!  9 great tips for any aspiring author.
John Lemke

How To Become A Prolific Writer While Holding Down A Day Job | Positive Writer - 0 views

positivewriter.com/prolific-writer-day-job

2014 WriteLink freelance copywriting tips positive how to tip howto

shared by John Lemke on 03 Jul 14 - No Cached
  • The author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll (real name, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson), continued to work day jobs throughout his life.
  • Other authors who held down day jobs throughout their writing careers include Bram Stoker, Philip Larkin, T.S. Eliot, and Virginia Woolf, among many others.
  • she wrote the bestselling book Interview With The Vampire while working her day job as an insurance claims examiner.
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • Anne Rice
  • Having a day job makes it imperative that I allocate time for writing. I insure I write at least 2 hours before I go to work come rain or shine. And I do this by following my rituals every morning without fail.
  • Regardless of what time I work (shift work), I wake up at least 3 hours prior and like clockwork, 1) I brush my teeth, 2) make breakfast, 3) sit down at my desk, 4) check emails, 5) check in on my social connections and finally 5) after stretching my legs for a moment, I write on cue for at least two hours.
  • ake note of the things you do consistently every day before and after work.
  • Create a space of time within your current daily rituals for writing every day. Make sure it’s at a time of day that works best for you.
  • Commit.
  • I highly recommend creating a writing sanctuary for yourself, somewhere you only go to write, and therefore, your mind will associate being there with writing.
  • John Lemke on 03 Jul 14
     
    A good PMA oriented article.
John Lemke

A Strategy for Pumping Your Writing Full of Creativity - The Write Life - 0 views

thewritelife.com/our-writing-full-of-creativity

writing 2014 freelance WriteLink writer list tips

shared by John Lemke on 05 Mar 14 - No Cached
  • John Lemke on 05 Mar 14
     
    I like the idea of an "artist date". All in all, a good list of tips.
John Lemke

You Got a Freelance Writing Assignment! Now What? - 0 views

www.makealivingwriting.com/ce-writing-assignment-now-what

2013 freelance writing assignment howto tips tricks writelink copywriting gigs review

shared by John Lemke on 26 Dec 13 - No Cached
  • John Lemke on 26 Dec 13
     
    This article offers writers tips on what to do once they get the gig. While they may seem obvious, I bet you have missed a few.
John Lemke

Color My World | The Word - 0 views

www.asja.org/...color-my-world

2014 writing WriteLink freelance copywriting tips writer

shared by John Lemke on 03 Sep 14 - No Cached
  • My trade magazine features can require up to dozen sources, which means many interviews and lots of quotes. Sometime early in my freelance life, I realized I needed a way to keep the sources and their material straight, especially during the cutting and pasting part of the editing process. The solution?  Type the notes from each interview in a different color.
  • The colors facilitate turning an overwhelming mishmash of perspectives, examples and quotes into a coherent article.
  • John Lemke on 03 Sep 14
     
    Some tips on how this author uses colors to keep her work straight.
John Lemke

Ben Bova Writing Tips - 0 views

www.benbova.com/tips.html

2014 authors writer WriteLink tips advice list bova

shared by John Lemke on 28 Jan 14 - No Cached
  • John Lemke on 28 Jan 14
     
    While many haven't a clue who this author is, he is one of the best science fiction authors ever.
1 - 20 of 91 Next › Last »
Showing 20▼ items per page