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.

How can this be better?  How can I draw the reader in? What can I cut? Is my writing clear enough, catchy enough, good enough?

Weeks ago I started a series on the 9 Steps to Clearer Writing, and got sidetracked. I pulled this stub of a post out last Friday and breathed a little life into it for today’s schedule. This is step 5 in the clear writing process.

Dare to be Blue

One of the saddest things in life is watching a person flounder in their own lack of self confidence. For one reason or another, they believe they are insignificant, unloved, unworthy. For many, the solution is to adapt the behaviors of another- one he or she views as having it all. In essence, they trade the unique body, mind, and spirit God created, for the shiny bauble dangling from another’s hand.

Some find the truth later on. Sadly, many never realize the smoke and mirrors of image are only illusions of happiness and success for the majority. We were not created to be cookie-cutter pictures of perfection.

“If you want your writing to be crystal clear, you need to shine like the Son.”

God equipped each of us with unique talents, quirks, and flaws; each one adding beauty to the whole. You will only find success once you embrace your uniqueness.

Dare to be blue when everyone else is yellow. The paint will always chip off and show your true color underneath when you try to imitate others.

Finding Your Voice

We all have people who influence us greatly. It’s human nature. We assimilate the behaviors of others into our own lives and grow from those experiences. (Even that abrasive guy at the desk next to you can serve as sandpaper to smooth out a few rough spots in your personality.) Being influenced by others is a good thing, as long as you find your own voice in the cacophony.

Marching to the beat of your own drummer creates a good rhythm for the song you were meant to sing. The greatest achievers in history were avant-garde by society’s standards.  Jesus was considered a rabble-rouser and unconventional to the extreme.

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.”~ Romans 12:2

You matter.
You are loved just the way you are.
You are worthy of all the great things life has to offer.

Stop hiding behind the masks of others and let your strengths and flaws shine through in your writing. Imitating someone else’s style only muddles your own voice.

Why I Did It

My schedule has been insane for three weeks now. Knowing that I am not the kind of person who can skimp on sleep and think intelligently, I was faced with tackling everything myself and screwing up my grades, business, and marriage, or outsourcing. I took the obvious choice.

Elation

I curled up on the couch to read over my goodies like a child with a pile of Christmas packages. Some were terrific. In fact, at least four of them read as if I wrote them myself. “Put that writer on the repeat business list for sure.” I made a mental note and moved onto the next batch. Alas, my happiness was but short lived.

[Citation Needed]

I had high hopes for this large job, it was coming from a pool of the best writers on the Net. I read the first 100 words and waited for the bada-bing. It never came. I read on and began to get an uneasy feeling. Something’s off. The cadence and word choice just did a 360.

With a sinking feeling in my stomach, I ran a search for the ill-fitting sentences. To my utter amazement and horror, the words came back in a millisecond in the form of a SERPS on Google. I’d been deceived. Ripped-off. Duped. Snookered.

I wasn’t sure how to feel. Shocked, sad, sick, furious. I did what any red-blooded girl does on such an occasion. I cried- but just for a minute. (I actually found the words [citation needed] in one of the sentences. Anyone recognize where that came from?) Then I took a deep breath, prayed, and wrote an email.

Hell Hath No Fury Like a Manager Scorned

“Houston, we have a problem.” The manager on the other end was as gracious and shocked as I expected, and as angry. (For future reference, never cross a red-headed Canadian who believes in you and gives you a chance to earn a paycheck.)

So, in an effort to make this productive, I’m going to share a few tips with the new Net writers out there.

Blue Duck Tips for New Net Writers

• Use the Internet for research, not for copy/pasting. Add something of value to every piece you sell or take up another form of writing.
• Eliminate the word “that” from your writing. It’s filler and it drags your writing down.
• In fact, make a sweep and eliminate all the words you can. “The, that, in other words, sort of, in case” are all good examples of fluff words that have to go.
• Never use “etc.” It’s lazy and irresponsible writing.
• Use headings, bullet points, and white space to make reading easier.
• If you are sending your work to an editor, always ask about formatting. Otherwise, use something easy on the eyes like 12 point Helvetica. It makes editing easier.

And the ultimate tip for all writers:

Never send anything out the door without reading it. Every word you sell represents you and your business. I shudder to think what would have happened if I had sent those posts out without reading them. My reputation would be ruined, the client would have passed the files on to their clients, and 10 separate businesses would have taken a bad rap for one writer’s lack of integrity.

I came to the conclusion that plagiarizers make my job easier. I will eventually get their disenchanted clients and they will think I am a writing genius and appreciate original work all that much more. So go ahead, it’s a moot point.

(And Oktober, this post ran long, but since it’s part rant, it’s exempt!)

What Reputable SEO Execs Know

A good SEO company knows that quality counts. Building relationships with customers is important. And your business must be trustworthy to survive. (With the current economy concerns, many disreputable online companies will be closing their websites. Consumers want to hire a company they can trust. They are being more careful how they spend each dime.)

Busting Myths

“Outsmart the Search Engines with Keyword Saturation”

Many get rich quick bloggers claim to be able to outsmart search engines. While this may have been possible 6-12 months ago, search engines are getting smarter by the day. Google employs a whole team of geniuses who work night and day to improve algorithms and improve the validity of SERPS. If your website contains quality, relevant content search engines will value your website over keyword stuffed websites.

“Long Posts Increase Relevance”

When I first started writing SEO content creation projects, it was commonplace to write single articles of 1200-1600 words. Those articles were great for improving search engine ranking, but were awful for attracting regular traffic. No one reads a five page article online, no one. Web surfers are fickle with their time. They expect immediate gratification. They begin to skim the second a post loses their attention. Online content is more effective in bite-sized chunks of 200-400 words.

“Article Banks Draw Traffic”

Providing a smorgasbord of information for readers may seem like a good idea, and many bloggers claim to have made money using article banks and content carnivals. Consider this, the last time you needed quick information from the Net (good quality content and trusted facts) where did you point your Web browser? The number one answer is Wikipedia.

The chances are slim that you browsed through 800 pages of content topics on some website that ranked 150 on a SERPS. On-topic content is best. If your company sells pink flip flops, blog about flip flops, sandals, pedicures, and foot fetishes if you like, but don’t blog about snow shoes, hiking boots, or fan socks just because those keywords are ranking high this month.

Tomorrow’s post concludes this Blogging for Dollars mini-series. (Sorry, there’s no free iPod or tales of a sordid love triangle.) Read one, read two, or read them all~ Blogging for Dollars provides solid information for the serious professional blogger.

The Way of the Web

Websites that proclaim they make millions of dollars from a blog that is painful to read, is either lying or has very loose business ethics. But the sad fact is that websites who claim to make tons of money do get tons of traffic from poor souls looking for a better way to earn a paycheck. (Or not earn a paycheck, but collect one anyway.)

Blogging for Dollars

I’ve been blogging nearly exclusively for SEO companies for a couple of years now. (I could tell you which ones, but then they’d send out a team to waterboard you and your family in retaliation. ) What I know about SEO and marketing is from on-the-job experience. I’ve taken a few classes, read dozens of books, and had hands on training by SEO executives. I work for reputable companies that have been in business for many years and take pride in a job well done.

Can you use Black Hat SEO to increase traffic? Sure. Can you choke your blog full of flashy ads and affiliate programs to bring in a few extra bucks every week? Of course. The real question is, should you deceive the average Joe to line your own pockets.

Tune in tomorrow for Part Two of Blogging for Dollars.

We end this week with an interview with one of my favorite people on planet Earth; James Chartrand. James is the spunk and panache behind Men with Pens. He has heart and passion and occasionally breaks the rules, but that’s okay. He makes his own rules (he’s cool like that). James cares about the business of writing, but more importantly, he cares about people. He works hard to make the Internet a better place for us all. If you don’t believe me, just read one of his posts. In fact, read all of his posts, James writes terrific content.

Now that I’m done singing his praises, let’s get on with the interview already, jeesh.

Now Live:  James Chartrand

Like everyone else, James received the same three thoughtfully constructed questions as the other bloggers. Here’s what he had to say.

What writing habits do you practice daily?

I don’t have any particular writing habits beyond my routine schedule – daily emails, daily content writing, blog posts for clients, ebook writing…

I mean, my keyboard is always rattling away, so the writing habit I have is writing!

What is your process for improving your writing?

I love to analyze and pick things apart. I look towards certain writers that I admire and I read over their work to see what they do, what their strategies are and how I can apply the same to my work.

If I decide to try something myself, I focus on that one thing for a little while and I analyze the results. Did I achieve what I wanted? Was it a hit and miss? Did I enjoy this type of writing?
If I have a bad habit (and I’m always picking up one or the other), once I recognize it, I work daily to eliminate it with conscious effort.

Then of course, another bad habit crops up

What books or blog posts have influenced the mechanics and heart of your writing the most?

Brian Clark has a way of rocking my boat every now and then with very powerful posts. They’re not just ones I admire, they’re ones that get me thinking, that make me go, “Hmmm…” I toss around his ideas for days and find myself thinking in new directions. His Crossroads post sticks with me still today after months of its being posted.

And Stephen King’s On Writing. I picked that up recently and found myself hating adverbs after reading it.

One heavy influence has been RPG gaming. Creative writing in this style was a true joy for me. Why was that scene good? What made it dramatic or beautiful? What could have been done better? How about this dialogue? I wrote many pieces of indulgence that had no more focus than a post-it note in a scene. When I managed to stop time for a reader by drawing the person into that world for a moment, the feeling was awesome.

And from that, I wanted to keep getting better and replicate the experience.

“When I managed to stop time for a reader by drawing the person into that world for a moment, the feeling was awesome.” The power of words continues to amaze me daily. Your words matter to many, brother. Never forget that. You inspire many to achieve their dreams.

James, your wisdom is timeless, your friendship is priceless. Thanks for agreeing to this interview.

Next up on the interviewee list is Charlie Pabst of Men with Pens/ Charfish Design.  Charlie recently joined the Pen Men and has been fairly quiet thus far. We’re not sure if he just can’t get a word in edgewise, or if he’s playing up the whole man of mystery thing.

Mr. Pabst is a self-taught web designer and writer with loads of style. He’s got a street-smart way about him and he fits in nicely with James and Harry. Charlie has a background in architecture, which brings an interesting and pleasantly unique style to his web designs. He also hails from Seattle, Washington and may find me on his doorstep some day if I get the time to travel to the West Coast. (If only JP Beaumont were a real person, I’d look him up, too!)

Charlie’s Responses

Charlie received the same three questions for the mini-interview, and these are his responses.
What writing habits do you practice daily?

My only real writing habit is to be sure I do it every single day. Not necessarily a blog post, or a story or even something remarkably literate, but something.

What is your process for improving your writing?

Part of it is just doing it and doing it and doing it. Another part of it is actually reading the things I write. Not in a critical fashion, but from the viewpoint of someone who may be reading my work for the first time. Being able to see your writing from another’s viewpoint is really important.

As a writer, when you put ideas down on paper, you do so with a concept in your mind already. I mean, you’re writing what you’ve already envisioned in your mind. Your readers don’t have that same concept. You, as the writer, have to GIVE it to them.

Some new writers I know have that problem and wonder, “Why don’t people get my writing? It seems so clear to me.” It’s much easier for us to understand what we’ve written ourselves.

Another thing I do is practice. I don’t like to be lazy with my writing. Say, if I’m just writing an email and I want to say something funny, I’ll purposely try to write something really funny. If I’m in a bad mood and writing a friend or associate, I’ll explain it in a way that’s more creative than just saying, “I’m grumpy.” Once you start practicing like this, it starts to feel like your repertoire is starting to grow. You’ll start to have more confidence that you can convey moods and ideas more successfully.

What books or blog posts have influenced the mechanics and heart of your writing the most?

One person I’ve learned from is Seth Godin. He’s got a very punchy style. His writing doesn’t have that, “I’m going to talk about this now. Now I’m talking about it,” sort of rigidness to it. He just gets right into stories and concepts, and he really makes it work. He’s my go-to guy for seeing how to make really succinct writing work, without losing your reader conceptually, as I brought up earlier.

Another is Nick Cernis of PutThingsOff.com. My interest in his writing is not with his choice of topics or subject matter. I just like his style. It’s loose, humorous and it often involves regional patois that, again, he just makes work.

Bill Bryson, who’s not a blogger as far as I know, is an incredible non-fiction essayist. He can write about anything and make it luscious, funny and vividly real. I feel like I know him personally just from the heart and honesty he puts into his writing. That honesty is something that is ultra-necessary, regardless of the type of writing you’re doing.

Honesty and heart make a writer’s work vividly real.  It sounds like those two qualities deserve active development and nurturing in writing if we want that lucidity and lusciousness that Charlie talks about.

Great responses, Charlie. Thanks for letting us pick your brain!

In case you’re just tuning in, we’ll be posting mini-interviews with top bloggers here at Blue Duck over the next few weeks. You’ll have the chance to get a sneak peak into how these bloggers improve their writing and what inspires them to do what they do so well. I’ve had a blast reading the answers to these mini-interviews and can’t wait to share them with you!

Here’s Harry!

First off in this series is an interview with Harrison McLeod of Men With Pens. Harry is a gifted graphic designer with all the bells and whistles of a fancy degree to back up his work. He also writes thoughtful and entertaining blog posts for the company’s website, as well as content for clients from time to time. His style brings readers back for more day after day. 

Let the Brain Picking Begin

To be fair, I asked each blogger the same three questions. Here are Harry’s responses- unedited.

What writing habits do you practice daily?

I have to say there aren’t any writing habits that I practice on a daily basis. I used to be in the habit of writing every day, but the demands of our business keep me occupied with graphics.

Having gotten away from writing on a daily basis, I find that when I do sit down to do some serious writing, it shows. It’s like jumping back into an exercise routine; the muscles don’t respond the way they used to. You get sore and tired quickly at first.

Writing every day, even when you don’t feel like it, is important on so many levels.

What is your process for improving your writing?

 

The more I read, the more reading stimulates my brain. Sometimes it helps with style. Other times it helps with new ideas and perspectives, or I’ll see a new technique to try or hit on a method to use.

 It’s the same as when I was in art school. Critiques and the studio atmosphere do more than foster social interaction. You get ideas from the way other people work. You need the constant give and take of discussion and debate.

 You might see what another person is doing and want to try it yourself. It may work, it may not, or it might lead to something better that no one has ever seen before. The world is your studio; use it.

 

 What books or blog posts have influenced the mechanics and heart of your writing the most?

 

The one book that has influenced me the most is Stephen King’s On Writing. The book was incredible and it helped me see that there isn’t anything wrong with the way I write – I have my own style and that’s fine.

 King’s methods and mine are very similar. I may not be the greatest writer on the face of the earth, but I have a knack for connecting with my audience and I’m a very good storyteller.

 

“The world is your studio; use it.” That just may become a personal mantra for writers, web designers, and bloggers around the world. Yes, Harry, you do have a knack for connecting to your audience, and your responses are… well, they’re classic Harry. Thanks for letting us pick your brain!

If you would like to read more of Harry’s musings, you can visit Men With Pens to read more. You can also view some of Harry’s stunning handiwork on the MwP website. He also designed the banner and logo for Blue Duck Copy. We love it, but we’re a little partial.

I am constantly looking to improve my writing, and have been struggling with attaining just the right amount of crisp, clean prose while maintaining punch and a flowing cadence. This is my ever-elusive goal. Frustrated by my bang-head-against-wall approach lately, I had a late night/early morning conversation with James Chartrand of Men with Pens yesterday about the issue. (I asked James for help because that’s kind of guy he is. He’s passionate about his profession, cares deeply for others, and is an all-around nice guy. But don’t spread it around that I said that!)

The Wheels Start to Turn

During our email conversation, I began thinking about what other professional writers do to evolve their writing. How do they achieve their writing goals? What motivates them to excel in their craft?

Harebrained Ideas Always Begin After Midnight

So late last night, I came up with a harebrained idea: I would interview top bloggers with distinctive writing styles that others emulate. Whom did I contact? Well, that’s the crazy part. I emailed bloggers like Sean Platt, Darren Rowse, Susan Johnston, Sonia Simone, Bob Younce, and Tom Chandler. Then, a crazy thing happened- they agreed to my interview! (I emailed a few other interesting surprise personalities, too!)

Let the Brain Picking Begin!

I am champing at the bit to read these exceptional writers’ answers! Keep an eye out in the next few days as the responses to my mini-interviews come in as the bloggers’ schedules allow. I will post them, unedited, giving you a chance to pick the brains of top bloggers in the online copywriting and freelance industries.

Does this sound like fun to you? If you would like to see responses from a particular blogging favorite, drop us a line and we’ll see what we can do!

Let the brain picking begin!

Big is Beautiful!

“Big is Beautiful!” may work for plus-sized underwear ads, but it fails miserably in the world of online writing. Clear, concise writing is best. You have 500 words or less to take your reader on a journey with a destination of your choosing.

The Challenge

Your goal is to transport readers from point A to point B in a manner that inspires them to continue following your lead.  Most readers aren’t that picky, they’ll follow nearly anyone that piques their interest for a short time; the challenge is to keep their interest.

Step Three: Cutting the Fat

Cutting the fat is a painful process for many writers. Laboring over a creation only to trash your beloved words in a pile on the floor is unnatural. However, the trimmed up product is often a creation more beautiful and valuable than the first draft.

The Trimming Process

Cutting the fact begins with eliminating or revising any confusion in your writing.

• Take out any parts that do not move the reader toward the destination. If it is not related to your topic, get rid of it.
• Organize your thoughts to create a logical flow. (We mentioned these first two steps in Focus and Keep it Flowing.)
• Break up long paragraphs into smaller chunks of related information. This creates a little more white space and is easier on the eyes. It also allows readers to scan for information quickly before they decide to invest the time it takes to read an entire post.
• Replace flowery prose with powerful descriptions. Long-winded descriptions are nice for poetry and story telling, but are not a good fit for most online content.

Step Four: Choosing Words Carefully

If you are a writer, you already know that word choice can make all the difference. All writers have a love for words, and sometimes we have a difficult time choosing which words to romance for a post. One way to select the right words for a post begins with determining your tone for the piece. Let’s say you are writing a sample blog post for a website that sells lightning rods. What emotions underlie your post on lightning storms? Are you conveying wonder, fear, fascination, or fast and hard clinical facts?

Once you identify the tone of your writing, brainstorm words that express your thoughts and evoke the emotions behind your tone. For example, words such as sizzling, singeing, ear-splitting, ground shaking, hair raising, and white hot invoke images of a lightening storm that convey power and fascination. In contrast, charring, electrified, scorched, random, split-second, and life threatening convey an attitude of fear.

Once you have a word bank to draw from, you can replace dull or incongruent words with selections from your brainstorming list.

Focus, flow, and lean writing are essential elements of clearer writing.  Next up in the Clearer Writing series: Originality. Stay tuned to learn how marching to the beat of a different drummer can be a good thing.

Got Focus?

“I want my sexy!” screamed my four year old from the bathtub. I could hear his older brother patiently going through a list of possible words, other than sexy, that might placate the little guy. With each incorrect guess, duckie?, cookie?, Saltie?, wedgie?, the demand got louder and louder. I put a stop to the screaming by sliding open the shower door and explained to the toddler that demanding the same thing over and over, only louder, was not helpful. After a series of descriptive inquiries similar to a 20 questions game, I picked up a plastic Jet Ski from the toy basket and handed it to a now beaming child. Who knew that Jet Ski and sexy are the same things when you’re four?

Clear communication is elusive for many of us, even as adults. We each come to the table with different experiences and ideas that shape the way we communicate. Writing is no different. However, clear writing is crucial on the Web. Internet readers expect fast facts, clear communication, and instant entertainment- all within the first paragraph. Post unclear copy and you’ve lost the reader (a.k.a. the potential customer).
So begins our series on 9 steps to clearer writing. This nine part post will hopefully help new writers create better content and maybe give those seasoned veterans among us a refreshed perspective on clear communication.

Step ONE: Focus- Your Writing Foundation

Focus. A clear focus serves as the strong foundation for your writing. What is your article about? What idea are you conveying to your readers? When you lose your focus your writing tends to wander around aimlessly, resulting in confusion and frustration in your readers.

Finding a Goal

Each article, blog post, page of sales copy, or website content page should have an obvious goal. This goal may be to express an opinion, provide step-by-step directions, review historical facts, inform the reader, or entertain an audience.

Where to Start

Many professional copywriters recommend beginning with your title. You can revise the title once the article is finished, but having a brief summary of your writing helps keep you on track. Every sentence in the article should relate back to the subject of the title. If you need help writing better titles, you can visit CopyBlogger or ProBlogger for terrific tutorials.

Building a Framework

Keeping focus also requires a logical flow to your writing. Each piece should have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. These three portions of your article need to be interesting, not repetitive. The introduction determines whether readers continue to the end of the page, the body should be easy to skim, and the rest of copy must support the conclusion.

Read Like a Visitor

One of my pet peeves is a professional writer that is too busy to read over their own work before posting. Taking a few minutes to read over a post eliminates 99% of errors in any content, as long as the reader has an adequate understanding of grammar and a good spell checker. Some writers recommend reading your wok out loud to help uncover any unclear or awkward phrasing. You should strive to read the content from the viewpoint of the reader, not the author.

Anything that does not related back to your title needs to go. Editing can seem like a brutal process, but pruning out the dead branches of redundant copy is essential to a healthy article.
Merriam-Webster defines focus as the center of activity, attraction, or attention; a point of concentration. Focus provides the solid foundation for your writing. Determine your purpose, set a goal, and build the framework for great content. Review what you’ve written before posting and don’t be afraid to edit out unfocused phrases. Focus provides clearer communication between you and your readers.

Next up in the clearer writing series is Keep it Flowing: Reaching Your Destination. See you soon!