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A Simple Contest with a Strong Message for All Writers: Wake Up Your Writing Spirit
The Blogfest 2005 Writing Contest has only been running for two weeks and already the results are overwhelming. And not because were getting far more entries than we expected. Its because along with entries, were also getting heartfelt messages...
About Writing
In this free email course, I'll tell you everything I know about improving your writing, publishing it electronically and in print, and promoting it after the sale.
Two questions you should ask:
(1) What will it cost me?
(2) What does...
Freelance Writing on the Internet
So, youve decided to take up a career in freelance writing. Youve hooked up the computer, installed the printer, and learnt the nitty-gritty of your word processor. Youve maybe even been published a couple of times. Youre all set to conquer the...
Phases of Instructional Design/Technical Writing
The development of a project is typically done in four different phases. In the project analysis phase, a market research is conducted to determine the courses that need to be developed and the information that they should cover. In the design...
The online writing business requires constant and regular writing
Many writers do not understand that the online writing business is very different from the offline writing world. The economics are totally different and no amount of lobbying and noise will change that. Sadly, because of this reason, many good...
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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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| Writing.Com: Writers, Writing, Poetry, Creative Writing, Fiction ... |
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| www.writing.com |
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| grammar.ccc.commnet.edu |
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| Writing lab and resources. Email newsletter available. |
| owl.english.purdue.edu |
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| OWL at Purdue University: General Writing Concerns Handouts |
| This page contains important links to the writing: planning/writing/revising aspects of the OWL website. |
| owl.english.purdue.edu |
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| en.wikipedia.org |
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| www.writing.org |
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| www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu |
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| www.nanowrimo.org |
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| Poynter Online |
| Apply by Dec. 11 Reporting and Writing the Untold Stories Apply by Dec. 11 ... Reporting & Writing for Multi-Platform Newsrooms. Apply by Jan. 10 ... |
| www.poynter.org |
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| del.icio.us |
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| www.bbc.co.uk |
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| Menu of articles on writing written by professional SF/F writers. |
| www.sfwa.org |
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| A concise guide to some of the most frequently violated rules of writing, punctuation, and grammar. |
| www.junketstudies.com |
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| nces.ed.gov |
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| www.ipl.org |
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| Dictionary.com: Writing Resources |
| Free online English dictionary and reference guide. List of sites writers can use. |
| dictionary.reference.com |
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| WritingFix: Home of Interactive Writing Prompts and 6 Trait ... |
| Daily and interactive writing prompts. |
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| www.utoronto.ca |
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