advice
Confusing your readers
There’s nothing worse than prose that confuses. Good non-fiction writing is supposed to explain, clarify, entertain, and educated. The same can be said for fiction, too, I assume. But sometimes writing just confuses readers.
This post looks at the ways in which you can confuse your readers. Chances are you’ve read examples of writing like that. [...]
Writing a lot, in a hurry
I’ve been known to bang out decent (and better-than-decent) work in a hurry. Like what? I’ve written 1,200 word articles in 45 minutes, and have on several occasions plowed through a week’s worth of blog posts (for three blogs) in just over an hour.
But all that pales in comparision to what Laura Spencer recently did. [...]
Give them something more than words
As freelance writers, we tend to think in words. For obvious reasons: without words, we can’t write. If we can’t write, then we can’t make a living.
But there’s more that we can offer client, according to this article. Even if you’re not the most visual person (I know I’m not!), you can still expand your [...]
Research, research
The other day, I was idly leafing through my copy of The Copywriter’s Handbook when one heading really leaped out at me: Become a research fanatic. The thrust of that section of the book was that in-depth research brings more credibility to your writing. To quote the book:
[W]hen copywriters don’t bother to dig [...]
Writing distilled, in around 1,000 words
All advice should be simple. This is especially true for writing advice. And Dustin Wax has done a great job of distilling the keys to writing in this blog post.
He offers 16 succinct pieces of advice that every writer — beginning or experienced — should follow. I’ve covered a few of those in this space, [...]
Staying sharp
It’s easy, especially for the busy freelancer, to fall into a rut. You’ve probably been there before (and will be there again). Everything you write — from articles to corporate work to blog posts — is done quickly. While (to paraphrase Harlan Ellison) it doesn’t burst into flame seconds after it’s published, your work lacks [...]
Repetition with modifiers to improve your writing
Generally, I have trouble dealing with repetition — repetition in my own writing as well as in the work of others. But, as this post at CopyBlogger points out, repetition using modifiers can strengthen your writing.
Like any other power tool, though, you should use modifiers sparingly. But when they’re used properly, modifiers can add punch [...]
Ever think of podcasting?
Some people call podcasting blogging out loud. But podcasting is more than that. It’s a fairly easy and fairly inexpensive way of presenting your ideas and opinions. And it has the potential to open a few career doors.
Becoming an expert, or just a better writer
The other day, I saw a great bit of advice in a book on advanced programming by a man named Herb Sutter. No, the book isn’t mine; it belongs to a friend of mine and I just happened to be idly leafing through it.
The advice?
Shut up and pound yer keyboard!
With apologies to Frank Zappa …
Last week, I read a post at Deb Ng’s Freelance Writing Jobs site that got me thinking. In the post, Deb discusses the reaction of several writers to lower-paying jobs that are posted on her site (and, by extension) elsewhere. The storm of indignation is a sight to behold.