Author: Michelle Troutman

1. Write regularly – It’s not always easy to motivate yourself continually, which can lead you to lose confidence in your writing. If you set aside a certain day or time to write, it becomes easier to make it a habit and get into the rhythm and flow.

2. Study writing – If you know basic spelling and grammar rules, you have the foundation for solid writing. An understanding of the fundamentals not only provides you with the basis for good writing, but putting them into practice can set your work apart from a sea of subpar content.

3. Don’t obsess over it – Ruminating over the quality of your writing, or continuing to edit it when it’s no longer necessary can stall its completion. As the Nike slogan goes, “just do it.” Once you’ve sweated it and edited it, you can forget it (unless someone requests a rewrite). 🙂

4. Keep up with trends – Stay on top of changes in the type of writing you do. Some writers are more “old school” or traditional, like me — but sometimes modern words and styles can add flair to your writing. In the process, you’ll feel like you’re achieving command over your craft.

5. Maintain a healthy perspective – No writer, no matter how much experience he or she has, is flawless. Our paths may be unique, however, many of us go through similar challenges. Never think of yourself or your writing as beneath that of others’ work.

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Quotes

“Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit.” ~ e.e. cummings

“At one time I thought the most important thing was talent. I think now that  — the young man or the young woman must possess or teach himself, train himself, in infinite patience, which is to try and to try and to try until it comes right. He must train himself in ruthless intolerance. That is, to throw away anything that is false no matter how much he might love that page or that paragraph. The most important thing is insight, that is….curiosity to wonder, to mull, and to muse why it is that man does what he does. And if you have that, then I don’t think the talent makes much difference, whether you’ve got that or not.” ~ William Faulkner

Comments? Suggestions? Need help? Feel free to contact me.

Michelle Troutman
classywriting.com

1. Focus – As Shakespeare once wrote, “Brevity is the soul of wit.” It’s also one of the best writing resolutions. Learn how to condense your wording in my article, 5 Ways to “Write Tight”.

2. Think – Sometimes it helps to plan your writing process ahead of time. Here are 5 Reasons to Think Before You Write.

3. Freshen – Look for more creative turns of phrase. Turn your writing from trite to enticing with
5 Ways to Avoid Clichés.

4. Clarify – When your writing is easy to understand, it holds readers’ interest. Untangle messy lingo in 5 Steps to Clear Writing.

5. Go jargon-less. Read about 5 Ways to Write in Plain English and toss the terms that bog down your verbiage.

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Quotes

“New Year’s Day: Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual.” ~ Mark Twain

“The start of the New Year is an especially relevant time for journaling and reflection.” ~ Journal Buddies

Comments? Suggestions? Need help? Feel free to contact me.

Michelle Troutman
classywriting.com

1. Not posting often enough – I’ve been guilty of this social media mistake. If you’re coasting on organic reach rather than paid traffic, it might not make a difference. Even if you don’t get a lot of interest in your posts because of the push toward paid traffic, posting regularly makes your business look current and reminds people that you’re still open.

2. Not asking questions – It helps to ask questions to not only increase your reach but “engage” with your audience — yes, it’s that “hip” buzzword again. If you want to talk to your customers, this is a good way to get a response.

3. No “personality” – Showing some emotion — in a positive way — is a great way to get attention. But, if you don’t show any personality, your posts can come across as bland, and they’re less likely to help your reach.

4. Not “checking in” – On Facebook, you can “check-in” to show people where you are (or where you’ve been) recently. If it will help your business, take advantage of this and make it a focal point of your post to get more interest from others who follow the site connected to where you were.

5. Not referencing other people or pages – One of my most popular organic Facebook posts received more than 200 views and “likes,” mostly because I named the people involved in an article I wrote for a local paper. This is all organic traffic — I didn’t pay for the post. So, sometimes, it takes a little creativity to get a boost.

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Quotes

“You are what you share.” ~ Charles Leadbeater, We Think: The Power of Mass Creativity

“How different would people act if they couldn’t show off on social media? Would they still do it?” ~ Donna Lynn Hope

Comments? Suggestions? Need help? Feel free to contact me.

Michelle Troutman
Classy Writing
classywriting.com