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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.

She weaves sarcasm, humor, solid advice, poignant personal experiences, and marketing genius into one big ball of blogging greatness. Naomi’s blog immediately caught my attention the very first time I visited, and I’ve been returning to her classroom daily since then. Her humor and honesty is refreshing. If you haven’t visited Itty Biz, stop in and prepare to laugh your way though some solid marketing teaching and street-smart advice.

Enough of my jabber, on to Naomi’s interview.

What writing habits do you practice daily?

Well, I blog between three and five days a week, and I’ve always got a couple of books on the go. At this point, most of my writing is what I’m professionally obligated to do. Not much time for Morning Pages anymore, although they were nice while the lasted.

What is your process for improving your writing?

If I feel like I’m starting to lose my voice, I read Dooce. Preferably the really old posts. Also Amalah and The Bloggess. If I feel like something sucks, I cut 35%. I read stuff out loud to make sure I’m not repeating words. (“Bunch”, “stuff”, “bazillion” and “shit” in every conceivable part of speech are big culprits.) I refuse to write when I’m tired because I’ve finally learned that whatever I come up with when I’m sleepy sucks and I have to redo it the next day anyway.

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

Heart, yes. Mechanics, no. I have absolutely zero time for mechanics. If I die under the wheels of a bus tomorrow, I don’t want to have spent today worrying about my grammar.

There are the usual suspects – Writing Down the Bones, The Artist’s Way, Bird by Bird — but those are obvious. I really liked Making a Literary Life: Advice for Writers and Other Dreamers by Carolyn See. (No! A book about writing novels by a person who’s actually written novels? Say it ain’t so!)

Also, if you want to write fiction of any genre, there are two fantastic and totally underutilized resources that come to mind. JA Konrath’s website, and the community and lessons at eHarlequin.com. (Romance editors are vicious when it comes to things like characterization, so if you can learn to please them, you can pretty much please anyone.)

“If I die under the wheels of a bus tomorrow, I don’t want to have spent today worrying about my grammar.” That ’bout says it all.

Thanks Naomi for letting us pick your brain. You’ve given me enough information and resources to occupy my brain for the next month.

Up to bat next week is Leo Babauta, of Zen Habits. Mr. Babauta will provide us with his insight on how he improves his writing. You won’t want to miss it.

(Just a note, while the books listed in Naomi’s interview are linked to Amazon for your convenience, these are not affiliate links. Feel free to click away.)

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.

“Pick your gigs wisely, and with integrity. Don’t whore yourself out for a fast buck.”
written by Bob Younce

In a recent post on Freelance Folder, Bob reminds us that conducting business with integrity is an admirable quality.  When I first began writing, I took every single job that came through the door. (Hey, I needed the money and the experience.) For awhile nothing I wrote clashed with my personal code of business ethics, but eventually I was asked if I would write adult content and/or misleading sales copy. The answer to both was a resounding, “No thank you.”

I could have accepted the jobs. After all, my name would not appear with the content, nor would my business be linked to the clients’ websites. Who would know? Well, I would. I have nothing against the writer who did accept these jobs, in fact, I recommended him, but my personal code of ethics is to only do during the day what I can live with at night. If my conscience won’t let me sleep, it’s not worth it. Do I always follow my own advice? Of course not. Sometimes I have to beat my head against the wall until it’s bloody to learn a lesson. Occasionally I just seem bent on torturing myself for no apparent reason.

Change Your World for the Better

“One of the sad facts of the Internet is that the vast digital landscape is frequently marred with all sorts of substandard work. There is a case to be made, for example, that most Internet content would never make it past the editorial gatekeepers of the print world. I won’t discuss the merits of that argument here, but I will say there’s plenty of crap online. If it bothers you like it does me, the best way to fix it is starting with your own commitment to standards and to quality.” -Tom Chandler

One of my pet peeves is crap content producers. These writers churn out scum-sucking content faster than a team of professional dumpster divers. Their keyword-stuffed, incoherent articles clog the Internet and frustrate all of us. Now, there is quite a bit of terrific content on the Web, but sometimes it’s hard to find when wading through the muck.

I like Tom’s challenge to each of us to take an honest look at our own content and see what could be improved. (That’s partly why I will be interviewing the Net’s Top Bloggers to Pick their Brains about how they improve their writing!) My own writing is constantly in a process of change, hopefully for the better.

Making a Difference

“if you want to make a difference with your business, you need to see the larger picture. You need to figure out what the positive change you wish to effect on your world is, and then work towards it.”- Tom Chandler

Making a difference may not seem like a viable business goal, but on the Internet, it’s surprisingly easy. If you gather a following of loyal readers who come together to socialize, share, and grow together (like Men With Pens), you’ve made a difference. If you help fledgling writers or business owners along their journey, you’ve made a difference. If you help support the writing community, or help raise the standards of online work, you’ve made a difference. Let me ask you, how are you making a difference?

Thanks to Tom for the inspiring post. It stimulated me to think deep and evaluate my own content. Change is a good thing.

PS. If you want a feel-good story about how blogging can make a difference in someone’s life, watch this YouTube video. 

Glenda’s Story

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajqq9bHomn8[/youtube]

Beginning Your Journey

We’ve all experienced a similar situation with a poorly plotted movie or book, or when someone spills the beans and tells you that the bomber is really the main character suffering from multiple personality disorder, right after you read the first chapter of Three by Ted Dekker. (Oops! If you haven’t read the story, it’s still well worth the read.) To continue with our Clearer Writing Steps, this same principal of logical flow holds true for your writing.

Your writing must have a destination (focus), but it also must have a means to get to that destination. Every article, blog post, or story is a journey. There are no short cuts and you must know where you are going. In order to write clearly, your writing must follow a logical flow.

Step Two:Keep It Flowing

Just as in the movies, your writing needs to have a clear cut beginning, middle, and end. Your beginning should captivate the reader’s attention and compel them to keep reading. Attention spans are short on the Web, and if your opening is dull, your readers move on.

Introduce Your Destination

Introducing your writing should ease the reader into the point you are trying to make, and if possible, present some kind of tension. This tension can be in the form of two opposing view points, a controversial statement, or a question posed to the reader. Tension is not an essential element for every piece, but it does help draw your readers in and keep them hanging on until the end.

Writing the Body: Digging Into Meat and Potatoes

The body of your article is the meat and potatoes of your writing. This area presents facts supporting your argument, informs the reader, or tells your tale. The body should be streamlined, just like a trip on the highway. This means every point should carry your reader closer to the destination. The scenic route may be great for a country drive, but it is not pleasant in writing. No one wants to read a meandering, winding story with no real destination.

Each paragraph has its own theme or point to make. Sentences should be short, as should each paragraph. Online content is not the same as a college thesis. Each idea should flow logically from one idea to the next, with transitioning sentences where necessary. Break the flow and you lose your reader.

Wrapping It Up: The Fortune Cookie of Writing

Clear writing also includes a conclusion. This does not mean that you can copy and paste your opening paragraph at the end of the piece. Repetitive facts are boring and not worth the time it takes to read them. One way to create a nice wrap up is to read each paragraph of your body and ask yourself what four words summarize each paragraph. I call this this the fortune cookie method. Each paragraph is condensed into a short and sweet Chinese proverb to be listed in your conclusion.

Keeping your writing flowing from beginning to end helps make your posts pleasant instead of painful to read. For clearer writing, hug the curves, check the map often, and put up a few roadsigns along the course to help others find their way.