writing advice Archives

5 Common Blogging Mistakes You Could Be Making

1. No “calls-to-action” – This is one of the most common blogging mistakes I see. And it’s easy to avoid. If you sell a product or a service, include a plug to contact you for help or a link for more information. It doesn’t always have to be at the end, either.

2. A boring title – The headline is usually the first thing your readers will see. Ideally, it’s short and spicy while it hints at the topic covered.

Example: “Things to Do in L.A.”
Revised: “8 Ways to Have Fun in L.A. for Less Than $200”

3. Not asking readers to comment – Besides reading (and writing) blog posts, I enjoy readers’ comments about them. Some posts don’t end with questions to encourage replies. Ask readers what they think, how they could do it better, or any number of questions that can’t be answered with a “yes” or a “no.” It helps build a sense of community.

4. A lackluster opening – Write an opening sentence that will entice people to read the entire piece. It doesn’t have to be terribly original — you don’t have to set the bar high — but, at least make it a true statement. Or open with a question. Surprise us a little.

Example: “Maine drivers are familiar with hazardous weather conditions.”
Revised: “Winter is no stranger to the 207. Raise your hand if you passed your driver’s test in a Nor’easter.” (The Law Offices of Joe Bornstein blog)

5. No subheadings – I like subheadings in posts longer than 600 words. They make the rest of the text easier on the eyes and add to the overall flow.

Read 5 More Blogging Mistakes You Could Be Making.

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Quotes

“Don’t focus on having a great blog. Focus on producing a blog that’s great for your readers.” ~ Brian Clark, Copyblogger.com

“For bloggers, the deadline is always now. Blogging is therefore to writing what extreme sports are to athletics: more free-form, more accident-prone, less formal, more alive. It is, in many ways, writing out loud.” ~ Andrew Sullivan, “Why I Blog,” The Atlantic

writing advice

5 Ways to Get Customers to Love Your Writing

1. Edit. Some of us don’t want others to see rings around our collars or dandruff on our shoulders because we want to leave a good impression. Likewise, the quality of your writing affects your business or organization’s image. Take care to rearrange jumbled words, remove unnecessary apostrophes, add any missing commas, and to downsize letters that shouldn’t be capitalized. It will make your writing easier on the eyes and the ears.

2. Be active. Sentences about actions done “by” someone or something are a sign of the passive voice.

You can’t always avoid the passive voice, but many times, your sentences will be shorter and people will read them more easily if you rework them. Too many sentences in this style can make people struggle to finish reading.

Example: The telephone pole was hit by a car.

Don’t be afraid to enliven and embolden your passages. “A car hit the telephone pole” is shorter and stronger.

3. Omit needless words. Don’t use two words when one will do. These days, for busy customers, the fewer words, the less time it takes them to read. You don’t need to write a novel to get your points across.

4. Junk the jargon. Or, at least, explain it to those who aren’t in your industry; to them, it is like trying to understand a foreign language. Plain English should be the official language of bureaucrats and businesspeople in English-speaking countries.

5. Maintain your balance. Too much information, especially if it’s disorganized, can confuse readers and turn them away. With a length in mind, it’s better to plan the scope of your piece ahead of time. Use headings and bullet points to separate large blocks of text or use a table of contents to guide readers through longer works.

Quotes

“Good sense is both the first principal and the parent source of good writing.” ~ Horace

“Writing is thinking. To write well is to think clearly. That’s why it’s so hard.” ~ David McCullough

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

Michelle Troutman
classywriting.com

arrogance in writing, arrogant writing, business communication, business writing, pompous writing, writing advice

5 Ways to Avoid Pompous Business Writing or “Business-ese”

Michelle Troutman

Have you ever felt like you were drowning in pompous business writing? You know, the kind that stuffs jargon into every sentence, burying simple ideas under big words?

It might sound impressive, yet it builds walls between you and your audience. Leave the robospeak to AI and learn how to speak with your audience one-on-one.

See every step outlined in this blog in this YouTube video playlist.

1. Watch your wording – Do you use a “five-dollar” word when a “ten-cent” term will do? Unless it’s appropriate for your audience, drop the formality. Speak in plain English.

Example: utilize
Revised: use

A study found that people see writers who use overly complex language as less intelligent. Simpler terms come across as friendly and approachable. They ease understanding, keeping your readers focused.

2. Trim the fat – Sentences without a period in sight can tire readers’ eyes. Keep them to 16 or fewer words or an eighth-grade reading level.

3. Your subjects matter – Are you writing for busy CEOs who value concise information or recent graduates who need more details? To connect with readers and avoid pompous business writing, step into their shoes. Hang out in forums or social media groups they frequent.

Questions to ask:

Which questions do they ask?
Which language do they use?
Which topics are they interested in?
How can you explain concepts clearly?

Consider surveying them. Anonymous options can encourage open responses.

4. Get feedback – Show your writing to friends or colleagues you trust who know your audience. They can pinpoint language that might go over readers’ heads to help you pitch pompous business writing and sharpen your image.

5. Lighten up – “Never use a big word when a little filthy one will do.” ~ Johnny Carson. Like writing, humor is subjective. Some could find that quote shocking, while others might laugh.

Like a lecture that drones on, bland text, especially the passive voice, puts readers to sleep. Speak to them directly: stop commanding and start chatting with them. If your writing feels as stiff as concrete, as appropriate, soften it with a lighter touch.

For more creative turns of phrase, read 35 Overused Business Words with Alternatives by Cathy Miller.

Which words do you find pompous or stuffy? Feel free to comment below.

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Quotes

“Clutter is the disease of American writing. We are a society strangling in unnecessary words, circular constructions, pompous frills, and meaningless jargon.” ~ William Zinsser, On Writing Well

“Boastful or arrogant writing is as repellent as a boastful or arrogant person.” ~Richard Palmer, Write in Style: a Guide to Good English

business newsletters, newsletter writing, writing a newsletter, writing advice

5 Newsletter Best Practices

1. Send regularly — If you have an email newsletter, it’s easy to click “send” whenever you have something to share. Online or not, if you issue your newsletter only a few times a year, subscribers can easily forget about you and your offerings. At best, you should send an online newsletter at least once a week and at minimum — print or digital — quarterly, four times per year. This will help ingrain your business or organization in people’s minds to build trust with them to boost sales and/or memberships.

2. Keep a schedule — I’m for testing newsletter delivery at different times of day, especially for e-news, and certain days, for the best open rates. Some marketing experts suggest mid-week is best, others believe weekends work better. Let the results be your guide. Unless your experience shows otherwise, it’s best to commit to a delivery day, even if you can’t always publish at the same time. It shows follow-through, and people like consistency, which boosts your image, and again, builds trust.

3. Publish “sticky” content — No one wants to stay subscribed to a dull diatribe. You don’t have to stun everyone with every issue, but your content should offer value to readers beyond pitches. People tend to gravitate to content targeted to their interests and demographics. Pay attention to their questions or poll them to find good subjects. Publish readers’ comments or articles, which can increase your bond with them. Listen to their responses; for e-news, watch your unsubscribe rates and your newsletter and link open rates — and tweak headlines to catch readers’ clicks.

4. Make it a marketing tool — A newsletter is also an effective content arsenal. If you archive back issues at your website, optimize them for search engines. Link to them in blog posts, in comments, or in online forums you frequent. Give out copies at events; email helpful articles to your leads when you follow-up with them, and gain more subscribers. Many of these methods have helped me, and they can help you, too. Newsletters, combined with social media, a blog, and a website, form a powerful marketing combo.

5. Recycle — Again, work your existing content into other marketing platforms; you can save time and see returns. Repurpose your articles into blog posts, eBooks, articles for publications, PowerPoint presentations, social media posts, or other means, or do the reverse and reprint content from those sources in your newsletter (with permission, if necessary).

Need help with your newsletter? Request a free e-news audit. No strings attached, and nothing required to buy. Just good, solid advice which can result in more leads and more money in your pocket.

Quotes

66% of Americans made a purchase as a result of an email from a brand — more than three times the number of people who bought in response to a Facebook message — 20%, or a text message — 16%. ~ Exact Target

…Marketers consistently ranked email as the single-most-effective tactic for awareness, acquisition, conversion, and retention…56 percent of respondents identified email as being most effective at retention, several points ahead of the second-most effective tactic (social media marketing). ~ Gigaom Research, Workhorses and Darkhorses: Digital Tactics for Customer Acquisition

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

Michelle Troutman
classywriting.com

writing advice

5 Commonly Abused Words and How to Respect Them

1. only — It’s known as a modifier. How you place it in a sentence affects its meaning:

I watched only the nightly news. (The nightly news was the only program I watched.)
I only watched the nightly news. (I watched the nightly news, and didn’t do anything else during the program.)

2. that/who — Sometimes, when referring to other people, some people use that in place of the pronoun who. Use that when you refer to objects.

The girl that drives the Porsche honked at me yesterday. — incorrect
The girl who drives the Porsche honked at me yesterday. — correct

3. what/which — It’s more grammatically correct to use what in sentences about something that needs to be identified. Use which when you refer to something that involves making a choice from a limited number of options, and what if you have several choices.

Examples:

What time is it? — correct
Which time is it? — incorrect

What color do you like? — You can use what, but it’s not as exact; “What colors…” or “Which colors…” work better. Which color do you like? This is a more specific, and more correct form.

4. affect/effect — These two words sound the same and can easily be misused. Affect often refers to how something has influenced something else.

High humidity and low pressure affect my arthritis.

In most cases, effect is more about the accomplishments or the results of something:

Larry’s “can do” attitude has had a positive effect on his employees.

Grammar Girl offers a trick to remember their differences: The arrows affected the aardvark. The effect was eye-popping.

5. impact — Some people use this word as a verb rather than as a noun. An example from the National Weather Service (NWS) website: “Severe weather is possible in the Great Plains and critical fire weather conditions continue to impact portions of the southwest.”

According to The Oxford English Dictionary, as a noun, impact means “The action of one object coming forcibly into contact with another.” Its meaning as a verb changes:

“To come into forcible contact with another object.”
“To have a strong effect on someone or something.” (have an impact on) A meteor can “impact” or “have an impact on” something, but not every word can be used as a noun and as a verb in that context.

Grammarians suggest that affect is a shorter and better word choice. A correction to the NWS prediction: “Severe weather is possible in the Great Plains and critical fire weather conditions continue to affect parts of the southwest.”

See below for more information about nouns being used as verbs.

Quotes

“Verbing weirds language.” ~ Bill Watterson, Calvin and Hobbes

“The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter — it’s the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.” ~ Mark Twain