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A FEW THOUGHTS ON WRITING INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH
Here is my "dime's worth" (see learning "American English" , or at least your expressions already) on the subject of writing for an international audience on the world wide web. The Web offers you an opportunity, unique in history, to speak directly...
How To Find Freelance Jobs - Writing About Food
Did you know that jobs writing about food are available? These opportunities are available in a variety of areas. Employment in these fields is an exciting concept. For many, getting their foot in the door is the most important and most...
So you want to go into ghostwriting?
So you want to go into ghostwriting? A good way to get writing experience is by ghostwriting, that is writing for individuals and companies under their bylines rather than your own. With ghostwriting, you can test out writing for different genres...
Strategic Copywriting: So Much More than Text Optimization
So Much More than Text Optimization Because web copy is so important for achieving the results you want and expect from your website - and because so much stress is now placed on the use of WORDS by SEO companies - we want to explain the concept of...
Writing Article (Important tips)
1. Select your audience. 2. Try to be brief and clear (300-500 words). DON'T write a topic which you don't know by yourself. 3. Start your article with a sentence that grabs your reader's attention. People are bombarded with information on the...
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Business Writing: When Not To Be Professional
Its time to write your next ad or brochure. Maybe some web content. Youve done all your research, and youre staring at a blank computer screen. You want to look good in print. You want to put your best foot forward. And, of course, you want to make a barrel full of money.
Well, youre going to have to pick one, because you cant do all three.
Not, that is, if looking good in print means sounding like an educated professional. Or using perfect grammar. Because unless all of your prospects are English teachers, theyre going to respond better to more natural writing writing that reads like people actually speak.
Real people dont speak like professionals write. (Neither, for that matter, do most professionals.) Real people use sentence fragments. They start sentences with and, or and but.
Every now and then they kind of trail off like
One thing real people do not do is use big, fancy words when shorter ones will do. And neither should you.
Real people do not say things like, I am committed to finding the lowest cost alternative. Why, then, would you want to be focused on providing it?
Copywriting that uses stuffy, complex language just doesnt sell. You know what I mean: The verbose, impersonal, corporate-speak that sounds more like a mission statement (which nobody cares about) than a personal communication. The
kind that strokes the CEOs ego when it should be stroking the prospects.
With that in mind, here are some tips to help bring your writing back down to earth:
1.Picture your prospect. Get a mental picture of the one typical person youre writing to. If you have to, get a real picture from a magazine or even your family album and tape it to your computer screen as you write. Then write like youre talking to that one individual.
2.Read your copy out loud. If you stumble over anything, so will your reader. Rewrite until your words flow smoothly and sound natural.
3.Read your copy to someone else. Preferably a group of people. If, when you are finished, they tell you what a great job youve done, you have failed. Youve succeeded when they ask you how to get what youre writing about.
Never be afraid to be personal in your ads, web pages, sales letters any time you are communicating with a prospect. Make it sound like you are actually speaking to them.
If you still want to look professional, use the money you make and go buy some nice business clothes!
About the Author
Lisa Packer, author of "How To Dramatically Increase Your Business... Without A Blockbuster Budget" is an independant copywriter and marketing consultant. For more helpful articles like this one, visit www.dramatic-copy.com.
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| grammar.ccc.commnet.edu |
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| owl.english.purdue.edu |
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| owl.english.purdue.edu |
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| www.nanowrimo.org |
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