Why The World Needs Less Copywriting

toy soldiers

Update: this post has been updated to better reflect the author’s intent.

It’s no secret that copywriters can be exquisite with words. They’re downright crafty when it comes to selling the sizzle.

But what about social interaction? The thoughtful, unscripted dialog between company and customer that demands our humanity and rejects the skillfully manicured sales pitch?

Our blossoming social space demands true authenticity, and this leaves little room for traditional ‘hard sell’ copywriting. It’s actually more suitable for anti-copywriting: fearlessly engaging with others through natural, transparent conversation. [Read more...]

7 Steps to Blog Post Perfection

taj_mahal

I want you all to know I suffered at the ruthless hands of time and atrophy to bring you this.

We’re talking countless hours spent thinking, writing, scribbling, procrastinating, rewriting, deleting, groaning and starting over—all for a blog post.

Nowadays it’s better. I developed an easy 7-step system that helps me power through my blog writing. I now get it done not just in record time, but with much better efficiency and competence.

So here you go:
[Read more...]

How to Overcome Writing Anxiety

rinaldi

Allow me to be honest with you: I frequently suffer from writing anxiety. When I sit down to write a blog post, I usually stare at the screen for about ten minutes, thinking of the most effective opening line. When I finally squeeze that out and revise it a few times, I move on to the second line and do the same. Then the third, and fourth, and so on. 

When I get a little momentum going I’m able to write a few lines without stopping, but not often. Usually I go over each phrase or word I just wrote and revise it until I feel it’s perfect, though it never is. This constipated form of writing produces about one blog post every four days. 

Pretty pathetic, I know. But this time is a little different. Instead of setting out to write yet another predictable, prescriptive blog posts (something like “10 Tips to Make Life Better”), I decided to be transparent with you and reveal my inner angst. I think you’ll find it a more compelling read, and easier to relate to.

The way to overcome writing anxiety is very simple: [Read more...]

Blogger = Writer + Editor

In several of my very early posts I kinda sorta touch on the subject of writers and editors. The gist of my message is that it’s very important to consider not only creating your own content (as writer) but also setting the tone and direction of your blog (as editor).

I notice that many bloggers out there are prolific and can crank out one post after another, up to several times a day. Their ability to create a steady flow of content is certainly impressive, but is it editorially effective? Let’s take a look at the following definitions as it pertains to blogging:

[Read more...]

A Little History on Wordful

Since for now I’m enjoying this loose, free flow writing, which is clearly not authoritative, I’d like to go into how Wordful evolved.

Writing is my predilection, but I tried for years to avoid that calling out of insecurity and job security. I figured that writers were important but highly undervalued people. And once I started a family, the hopes of making it big as a writer were quickly replaced by the need to make money. It happens to a lot of us.

In college I got an English degree with a 4.0 GPA, but also pursued “the holy grail” of careers at the time: the web industry trade. The internet was blowing up and I wanted a piece of it.

[Read more...]