Out For Lunch. Be Back Soon
November 25, 2008
If you’re expecting a Blue Duck special today, we’re out to lunch. I’ve been invited over to have lunch with Sean Platt, otherwise known as the wildly popular Writer Dad. You can catch my guest post about parenting a couple of crazy kids there.
We’ll be back with coffee and doughnuts tomorrow, as usual.
OBS Tips: Tackling the Impossible Task
November 24, 2008
OK, if you’re new to Blue Duck, let me fill you in on a little secret. We’re a Christian company, but not like in that stuffy, rigid, turn-or-burn, in your face, you suck, kinda way. I don’t expect everyone to be like me, nor is my mission in life to convert you to drinking my brand of Kool Aid. 
However, I am passionate about my faith and share my experiences with anyone who cares to pull up a chair and a coffee. With that in mind, my OBS tip for this week comes from the Bible. The Old Testament in fact.
The Broken Walls of Jerusalem
After living in exile in Babylonia for 70 years, the Jews were finally allowed to return to a broken and burned Jerusalem. They were instructed to rebuild the city walls and the temple, and settle into life as a united people. The temple construction went well, but by the time the people started on the city walls, they were listless, slow, and tired.
Defenseless and Tired
The city was vulnerable to attack without fortified walls, but the people were too pooped to pop and became disorganized. Work ground to a halt.
Nehemiah: One Smart Cookie
Nehemiah was the Persian king’s cup bearer, and a Jew. He heard that the walls were still not finished and became greatly distressed. King Artaxerxes had pity on him, and sent him to Jerusalem for 12 years as a governor to oversee the rebuilding of the city walls.
Read this account of what happens next and see if you can pick out Nehemiah’s business strategy.
“When Nehemiah arrived at Jerusalem, he spent three days surveying the lay of the land before taking any action. Then he made a night trip around the city to assess the situation. It was only after this trip that he approached the leaders of the community with the job he had in mind. As he did so, he presented it as a problem of which he was part and proposed a common solution. He gave evidence that his solution would work by showing what God had done to that point.
Once he got agreement on the proposed solution, Nehemiah organized the forces in such a way that each of the groups felt an identity in their part of the project. Each family or professional group worked on the section of the wall closest to their houses or places of work. The different groups appear to have been set in competition with one another. As the work progressed and opposition arose, Nehemiah never lost sight of the objective. As a result, they were able to build the walls in 52 days.
First, let me point out that rebuilding the walls of the city was no small task. For two years, the work on the walls crawled along with little progress. He was able to turn the situation around in just over 6 weeks.
Nehemiah’s Business Strategies
I could tell you what strategies I see hidden in these words, but what fun would that be? In nursing school, we were taught the best way to learn something is with hands-on experience. With that in mind, I’m going to post my take on Nehemiah’s strategy on Friday and give you a few days to think it over.
If you’re brave or like a challenge, leave your ideas in the comments, or email them to me if you’re not so brave. I’ll add them to Friday’s post and we’ll see what our collective brain soup looks like.
*By the way, as a double disclaimer, the above quote came from the Promise and the Blessing by Michael A. Harbin. And this blog and the OBS tips contained therein are not endorsed by Naomi Dunford or Itty Biz in any way. In fact, I doubt she knows we are doing this. So if you hate my tips, please direct all hate mail to me, not Naomi or Jamie Dunford.*
Blog Nirvana: White Bread, To-Do Lists, and Deep Thinking
November 22, 2008
This week’s blog nirvana is a mish mash of sorts. But that’s just the kind of week it’s been. I’m working diligently on my book, an article for the local paper, and a special 12 days of Christmas blog series. I may need to be medicated before the week is over.
“I’m making my life an open book because I’m sick of being the only one who sees it.” Matthew Dryden http://www.matthewdryden.ca/2008/11/17/i-didnt-know-if-youd-do-it-or-not/
“There isn’t a kid on the whole planet that doesn’t love squishy white Wonder Bread. So naturally, it’s your duty to BAN IT from the household at all costs. Only serve Dempsters Ultra Colon-Blow Fibre-Bread, made with 28 kinds of grain, including chunks of actual hay, topsoil, and un-shelled sunflower seeds.” Deep Friar http://deepfriar.wordpress.com/2008/11/17/how-to-suck-all-the-fun-out-of-your-kids-childhood/
“One trick I’ve practised is to take an opening sentence from another writers book, and construct a possible plot from it. You too could try using other authors opening sentences as a springboard to unlocking your own creations.” William Meikle http://theadventurouswriter.com/blogwriting/archives/112
“When you start your new business, especially one in an area of high competition like writing or design, you need to think beyond the product you sell. Before that product hits the virtual world shelves, you have to decide on the image you’re going to portray to the public.” Harrison McLeod http://menwithpens.ca/what-do-you-selli
“Today’s women have daily to-do lists as long as their arms. It’s difficult to concentrate on deepening friendships—or even developing them—when our idea of fun is crossing items off that list. Also, those endless lists make us feel alone even in a crowd. Women need each other, but often it takes special effort to form those connections.” Sandra Aldrich http://thedabblingmum.blogspot.com/2008/11/interview-for-one-womens-friendship.html
“When you sit down to write a blog post, what’s your purpose? Are you just trying to fill space so your blog doesn’t go without being updated for more than 24 hours?” Jason Katzenback http://www.copyblogger.com/purposeful-blogging/
“I’m a freelancer now. I thought I would feel more free. But I’m still mostly a workaholic trapped inside corporate skin. Only difference now is I’m the one trapping myself there.” Amy Derby http://amyderby.org/1
Update On Lori Hall-Steele
November 21, 2008
I just received notice that freelance writer Lori Hall Steele has passed away.
Through combined efforts of the online community, her friends were able to raise over $70,000 and pay off her house and her medical bills. If you donated or helped spread the word, thank you for your time and generosity.
Lori leaves behind a son, Jackson, who will continue to live in the home that you helped save. Please keep Lori’s son and her family and friends in your prayers.
3 Steps to Improving Your Writing
November 21, 2008
Okay, because I’m twit-tarded (as Michael Martine calls it), and set two posts to publish for yesterday and none for today, this is your bonus post. 
Ah, so what to talk about today? Good question.
I got an interesting email from a new writer this week. He asked what he could do to make his writing better. I think this is a question that haunts all even seasoned veterans (unless you are super-confident, cocky, and think your wordsmithing is brilliant, of unparalleled quality, and unappreciated by the masses.) I block out hours every week to dedicated to improving my writing, For me, it could always be better.
The answer I sent was a combination of preveious advice, my personal reading, and experience.
3 Steps to Improving Your Writing
Rewrite Great Authors
One of my favorite ways to improve my writing comes from James and Harry (I know, big surprise.) I think it was James who recommended choosing a writer you emulate, and rewriting their work. This makes you examine things like timing, word groups, adjective placement, and rythm. You take something great and change the tone, or transform it into a differnt creature of equal value. By picking apart an article or paragraph, you learn how the thing was constructed. Then you have a blueprint for constructing a similar peice in your own words.
This concept applies to nearly any trade; painting, Web design, car repair, teaching, music.
Read Like a Writer
Another way to improve your writing is to read like a writer. Don’t just read the words on the page, ask “Why is that sentence there? Is it a transition? Is it foreshadowing? What purpose does it serve in the journey the writer is creating?” Examine every line, every word, until you understand why it was written. Read for enjoyment, but also notice how your favorite author inserts a period of calm right before the big dramatic scene where the heroine is left dangling over a pit of snapping alligators.
Push Your Limits
Be well-rounded, even when it hurts. I hate sappy romance novels. I snorted at women who stood in the romance section and selected armfuls of books with bare chested men and dewy eyed women on the covers. “Get a life. Romance is self delusional, ” I thought. But then I was asked to write a romantic short story. So I ordered and read a box full of LoveSwept Novels by Iris Johansen.
And you know what? I didn’t puke and I only rolled my eyes on occasion. I actually enjoyed most of them because Iris writes good suspense and her stories were well structured. The characters were likable and the plot wasn’t too far-fetched (most of the time).
My venture into writing and reading outside my comfort zone lead to a book idea. I think it’s brilliant. I have the outline completed, and plan to start the hard-core writing in 4 weeks. It will be my first submission to print media, which is also outside my comfort zone.
The Bottom Line
The secret to improving your writing is to put words on paper (or the screen, if you prefer). There are no short cuts, no compter program can do it for you. You simply must write. Write everyday and write in ways that are outside your comfort zone. Push a little every week and you will see growth over time. If you stay in your comfortable rut your writing will only grow stagnant and dull.
Do It the Wrong Way
November 20, 2008
Sometimes, creating the wrong environment is exactly what you want.
If you read yesterday’s post about creating environments, this is a continuation of that concept. I’d like to take a look at presenting the wrong environment.
The Wrong Way
The best example I can find of this concept is ArticleAnnouncer.com. This program comes highly recommended by one of my best SEO clients, and I wanted to check out their website. When I got there, the word “WHOA” flew out of my mouth like a curse word. The header reads “Urgent, time-sensitive message” and the glaring red, over-inflated font screams “CHEAP INFOMERCIAL”. This is not at all what I expected to find when searching for a quality product priced nearly 4 times as much as its nearest competitor.
Now, the content reads like a typical, high-pressure, sales copy letter. “HURRY, HURRY, HURRY! Only three spots left. You must buy now because you can’t live without this product! The price goes up in five, four, 3 minutes!” And those types of ads have their place. (At least that’s what marketing experts say.)
For me, these pushy in-your-face ads are insulting. They assume that I buy things from late-night infomercials. They assume I can be convinced to part with my hard earned cash in exchange for their brand of trash. They assume I am naive and gullible. (My four year old wants to buy everything from every commercial and infomercial. I think I’m a harder sell than that, and I think most consumers are as well.)
Why Use It?
So why use this tactic? Because it works in some cases. For those consumers who are not immediately put off by the flashy-trashy sales pitch, it creates an air of mysterious value, the urgency of impulsive buying, perhaps the promise of untold wealth, popularity, or happiness. Deep down, people want to believe these sales pitches. It works on a select target audience.
Most of us, however, are smart enough to see through the smoke and mirrors. But can your target audience?
The Competition
In comparison, let’s take a look at a different product that promises the same benefits. Article Announcer’s semi-competitor, ArticleMarketer.com, does a nice job of presenting the opposite environment. Their header reads, “Massive Backlinks and Search Term Domination. Article Marketer.” They present the benefits to the consumer up-front, and tie in their product name for better imprinting. The website is clean, easy to navigate, and has a wonderful graphic of a door opening that reads, “Come Inside to See How Easy This Is.”
Think about which product you would buy. The one that comes highly recommended, has a huge price tag, and an obnoxious website, or a similar product with a smaller price tag (but an added monthly subscription), a quality website, but fewer consumer praises?
Which would your customers buy?
