Writing style and tone of voice – What’s yours?
How would you describe your writing’s style and tone of voice, and do you vary it for different clients/publications?
I used to write features for two UK national newspapers: The Guardian, whose Wednesday Society supplements were written in a ‘flat / semi-academic’ style, and The Daily Telegraph, whose Week-end editor repeatedly asked for ‘lyrical and lively’ text.
Writing a business book – Some benefits
Recession, what recession? More and more people are self-publishing books, not just on familiar topics like fiction, family history and children’s books, but also business books.
“Business books work very well for consultants and others – they can raise their profile and enhance their brand,” says Richard Burton, co-director of the publishers Infinite Ideas Ltd. Despite the recession, he says the market for business books is “more buoyant than it has been for some time.”
The Self-publishing magazine – October 2007
Why write a book? – The business benefits
WRITING A BOOK is a great way to grow your business.
To some this may sound a whaky idea, to others it’s a ‘MUST DO’. For those in doubt, have patience and allow me to explain.
First, let’s debunk three myths…
A business book DOESN’T have to be long… you DON’T have to be a great writer … I bet you ALREADY HAVE half a book written in notes and other material.
Writing good web content – Top 10 tips
During the last 18 months I have reviewed around 100 websites for companies across the UK (as part of around 20 training courses I have run in ‘Writing for the Web’ for 4 different clients). I say it myself but this makes me well placed to know what makes good web content, and to share with you some top tips.
Elsewhere I have written on How to improve your website’s homepage.
In the meantime, here are my ‘Top 10 Tips’ for writing good web content – and the most common web writing mistakes. My 10 top tips on good web content cover issues such as website structure and style, language and layout.
Writing longer documents – 10 ways to finish
You can do it
1.) There is no need be afraid of writing longer documents – they are a series of well-written short documents. But use a theme, eg conveyed through the headings, to provide a coherent whole.
2.) And you don’t have to be a great writer to write a book – you are not aiming to write a literary work, or the biggest seller ever. If you have passion for your subject it will show through in your writing, and that will make it an interesting read.
… just be sure to plan
Writing tips and techniques
As a freelance writer, let me give you some useful writing advice, drawing on my years’ of experience…
Computers have made it too tempting and too easy to jump on a keyboard and start typing. They even encourage us – after just a few minutes there are lots of words on the screen and we feel we are making progress.
But are you? And is that the best way to start your writing?
‘Fail to plan and plan to fail’ is a famous proverb used by Churchill and others – and can be applied to writing as well as to military strategy.
Before you start writing – however short your piece – think first what your audience needs to know. Then write down a list of things you want to say, working out an overall structure and connections between your points.
Only then should you start writing.
It’s just the same as our teachers’ advice for doing exams: plan what you are going to say before you start writing.
It only takes minutes – and you will save time in the long run.
By contrast, if you fail to put things in the right order first, you will have to spend a lot of time editing later.
And here comes the analogy with cooking….
If you don’t plan beforehand, you sometimes discover, just when people are getting hungry and time is running out, that you don’t have a key ingredient… or worse still, the next stage of the recipe is ‘Leave for 24 hours.’
Only by then it’s too late.
Writing web content & SEO – ‘How readers differ’
Tips and Techniques for writing web content and writing SEO text, and how it differs from writing for print… below I share some ideas, spelt out as the Six C’s:
I have also written other web writing blogs on these topics:
- how to write a good homepage,
- web writing secrets
- 10 top tips of good web content – based on several years’ reviewing where websites go Right … and Wrong.
1. Curiosity
Web users are driven by particular needs and desires. So, when planning and writing your web copy, think what do they want, rather than what you have to say… they really don’t care when you were set up – unless it is more than 30-40 years ago.
Write web content for your users’ needs, not to flatter yourself!
2. Context
Computers sit within today’s hectic lifestyles, which means people have little time, and want the information quickly. They are also global: some users may not be able to read English well, and many not understand your jargon. And can be viewed by competitors as well as clients.
People visiting websites just want to ‘Grab and Go.’ Write web content with this in mind.
BOOK writing help – Successes this year
6 small businesses attended my last Book Writing course.
For those of you who don’t know…
Writing a book can be a great way to raise your individual/company profile and profits.
It creates a ‘Wow Factor’ with potential customers and clients; it helps you stand out from your competition; and it provides you with credibility and extra income.
The book doesn’t have to be long and you don’t have to be a great writer – it’s the impression that counts.
The feedback on my January course was overwhelmingly positive
- 100% praise for content and delivery
- 100% praise for course administration, catering and venue
- 100% met their objectives for the day
READ THEIR COMMENTS …
“Invaluable – honest, open, and practical information”
“Good day – will help spur me to start my first business book”
“Has helped me focus on what I need to do to get started on my project”
“You presented it professionally and I’m all motivated to develop my writing potential!”
“Robert is very knowledgeable and I’m looking forward to working with him – I certainly recommend him”
IN FACT, they were so inspired that they are meeting again.
Make your dream come TRUE…
Get your book started … Book a place on a course in 2012…
30th January – 7thMay – 22 ndOctober
£115 + VAT – includes lunch and 40-page workbook
- 100% of the above delegates encouraged others wanting to write books to attend
- 100% of delegates said it was a fair price – not expensive!
On the last course:
Guarantee your place with a 15% deposit
To book, Email: rbullard@fsmail.net
Agenda
– Why write a book
– Characteristics of successful business books
– Planning your cover, title and content
– Tips for writing longer documents
– A guide through the publishing maze
– Marketing – – 10 ways to sell your book
– Setting a timetable and next steps
You will also hear from a published author about how it has benefited their business, and a publisher will explain the market for business books, and the do’s/don’t of writing proposals.
What you will gain
– Course especially for writers of business and other non-fiction books
– Develop your book’s outline and a writing plan
– Get answers to your queries
– Meet and quizz a publisher, and a published author
– Meet others also planning to write books
– Stimulating country-house setting
Dates for your diary
‘Get Your Book Started’ – £150 + VAT
30th January
7th May
22nd October
BOOK NOW – Email: rbullard@fsmail.net
Harry Potter WORDcraft
Remember the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry? Well it can show you how to write good copy. Here’s how:
H – The importance of good H’s – Headlines, Headings and sub-Headings.
O – One, two, three. A good rhythm helps. You can achieve this, for example, by citing things in 3’s and varying your sentence length.
G – As editors always say “Get a Good quote.”
W – Use ‘Word pictures’ to convey images, smells and sounds. These tap into the reader’s emotions and imagination and help your work come alive.
A – Always remember who your Audience is – think who are they and what do they need to know?
R – Repeats. Begin 2-3 adjacent words with the same consonants. Sing a song of sixpence, etc.
T – Tell a story. It helps a piece flow and keeps the reader interested.
S – Don’t forget to plan your work, ie have a good structure. If necessary use what are called ‘signposts’ to alert the reader as to what is to follow.
See my web site for my training and copywriting services.