The headline determines a reader’s next move. Will they continue to read or walk away?

The tricky part is coming up with a headline that is not boring, but instead captures your reader’s attention without being misleading or flimsy.

As a copywriter, active and compelling language play an important role in drawing your audience in for more.  You only have seconds to do this.

With the right headline.

There have been plenty of expert copywriters that have spent time on this topic alone. One of the best places to garner helpful information on copywriting in general is Copyblogger’s blog. He has a whole series just on killer headlines.  Successful and well-known copywriter David Garfunkel wrote a book about writing headlines that make you rich.

There are several basic keys to creating compelling and selling headlines. Here are three basic tips, followed by more ideas from other bloggers.

1. Know Your Audience

When you are creating a sales letter, or a blog post, know your audience. Who are your prospects? Who will benefit from your products or services? This is where to start. Picture your readers and imagine what they would want to know. What would entice them to read further? Knowing your audience is key to a developing an alluring headline.

2. Do You Solve A Problem or Concern?

Address a problem or a concern. Then state how you can help in a concise headline.  Answer the “What’s in it for me?” question in your headline. Determine how your products or services will help people life better lives or solve a problem.

3. Tap Into Your Audience’s Emotions?

Sales is all about emotions. You have probably heard that people buy based on emotions, and then justify their purchase with reason. This can apply to products, services, or even an idea or concept.  The best headlines tap into the reader’s emotions.

Focusing on your audience’s emotions can be a powerful attention grabbing tool.

The common emotions harnessed in copywriting and compelling headlines include:

1. Greed – How Many People Are Robbing You Blind?
2. Frustration – Are You Tired of Wasting Time on ____________ ?
3. Pride – Want to Impress Your Friend’s and Family with this Secret?
4. Fear – You May Be Vulnerable to Losing Your Retirement Savings!
5. Anger – How You Can Stand Up to Your Boss and Anyone Else

One final point. To address the needs of the readers, expert copywriters may use headline templates that:

* Make a promise
* Asks a question
* Makes an announcement
* Arouses curiosity
* Is newsworthy

When sitting down to write your next sales page, article, brochure, or newsletter, spend some a significant amount of time writing the headline. Create a dozen different possible headlines. Then test, and test again to find the one that works.

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Remember these?

Far removed from the days of typewriters, writers are faced with distractions right in front of their face as they write. The Internet.

As you are reading this right now, I bet many of you have multiple tabs or windows open in your browser.

Besides this one, I have eight other tabs open. Eight. Why?  I don’t know. I don’t want to miss out. I want to jump back and forth when there is an uncomfortable pause. Maybe an excuse to procrastinate. Let me check Facebook one more time.

Hold on…

Okay. Now, I only have this one open. Time to focus. I am quite sure I am not the only one that works this way. Many of us have SOS (Shiny Object Syndrome) in this digital age. We have to check our phones, our social media sites, the news, our tablets, and our email. Many, many times throughout the day. It is like our mind is not allowed to focus on one thing for more than five minutes.

Try it. For five minutes, stop multi-tasking.

Hard, isn’t it?

As a writer, this makes it difficult to get any writing done. It seems I can never get past the “research stage.” Well, when I am productive, I have learned some things that have helped.  Although I don’t stick to these things as I should, I am aware that they work.

1. Write when you first wake up.  

This is one of the most challenging. Because after eight hours in a restful sleep, the whole world went on without us. We HAVE to check our email and Facebook in case we missed something. I mean 8 hours is a LONG time to be away from electronic media. What if Kim Kardashian got married again or your ex-boyfriend emailed you wanting you back? Skip it – get to writing.

2. Disconnect.

This is another challenge. What do you mean, “disconnect?” Like the Internet, my smart phone? Yes. Use a blank screen. Remember Microsoft Word? Yep, you can still use it to type your ideas. For those who have wireless, this may be more difficult, but you actually can turn off the Internet. I know, shocking.

3. Only write when you are in the mood.

I don’t mean that you have to feel overwhelmed with creativity. We all know that inspiration comes when it is well and ready. However, you should be in the mood to sit down and put down your thoughts. All it takes is an idea. Your fingers will take it from there. Accomplishing things works so much better when you are in the mood for it.

4. Don’t neglect the rest of life.

When you stare at a computer screen all day, writing does not become easier. Sometimes, it can be counterproductive. Go for a walk, or a run, call a friend, read a book, watch the news. Go be social. Don’t get lazy and become a recluse. You still have to leave your house, pay your bills, and buy groceries.

5. Don’t stress about it.

I know many successful writers will tell you that you should write everyday. And maybe you should.  But there will be days you just don’t feel like it. Or you are busy with other things. For those who own a blog, this adds to the stress. You may think, Google will punish me if I don’t write in my blog everyday. Probably not. Don’t neglect it for weeks, but if you miss a couple days of writing, don’t stress. And remember, it doesn’t always have to be a masterpiece! Hakuna Matada.  Um, that dates me.

 It really is amazing at the results you will get when you try some (or all) of these tricks. All writers have their secrets of success. These are just mine. Find ones that work for you and follow them. As often as you can.

Related articles

• The productive writer… (andimarquette.com) Oh, yes!  Another productive tip – set goals.
• Not writer’s block, it’s an abduction! (lindacassidylewis.com) Yes, we all have days we rather being doing something else.
• Four Smart Writers to Learn from Today! (writeandgetpaid.wordpress.com). Listen to what successful writers and bloggers have to say about being a professional writer.
• How to Squeeze Writing Inspiration from a Stone (inspiredtowrite.com) Yes, more ways to get inspired when you want more than just a “writing session.”

Once you find good clients, the goal is to keep them. This seems obvious, but sometimes by raising your rates, you may lose even your best clients. But you can’t stay at the same rate forever if you want to maintain a freelance writing career. How do you raise your rates without scaring off your clients?

When just starting out, many freelance writers set their rates too low. I know I did. It could be fear or lack of confidence or just not knowing what to charge. After a while, you realize you are just not getting ahead and most of you spend most of your day writing with little in return for your time. No matter who you are, your time is valuable. Life is short. And quality writing takes time.

You may be more comfortable sticking with your current rates than telling your clients that your prices are going up. Again, fear and lack of self-confidence can rear its head again.  If they value your writing, a small increase should not scare your clients. But take these tips into consideration when you decide to break the news.

1. Be Honest!

It is amazing how the truth is the most impressive reason for raising your rates. Tell your client that since you began your career, you have developed as a writer. Mention that you are getting more clients and it is time to focus on the jobs that provide the most effective use of your time. Maybe you are more established in the market now, or have learned additional skills you can bring to the table. Your clients will appreciate your honesty. This is a business, not personal, and there really is no need to apologize for increasing your prices.

2. Give Current Clients Plenty Of Notice

When you plan to raise your rates, give your current clients a heads up so they are not caught by surprise. Send out an email and let them know you will be raising your rates in the near future.  Give them an opportunity to place an order before the increase using a “Buy Now” offer at your lower rate.

3. Have Confidence In Your Writing Skills

As I prepare for book, Calling All Freelance Writers, I have learned that the biggest thing that holds people back from charging more is the lack of confidence in their skills. The key is to find customers that understand the value of quality writing. This is even more true with Google chasing down all the content mills and poor quality websites. If you believe you are worth more than $15 an article, than don’t be afraid to ask.

4. Be Aware that you May Lose Clients and That it’s Okay. 

The good news is that many of your clients will understand and if you have proven yourself, they will stay with you even after you raise your rates. There will probably be a few who just can’t afford it. Don’t stress! Remember, even if you’re only raising your rates by a couple of cents per word, it still means earning the same amount of money for less work. You can afford to lose a few clients if you are charging more for your writing. In the end, you want the clients who can afford to pay.

As long as you communicate with your customers, are honest with them upfront, they can afford to pay for content, and they like your work, increasing your prices should not be an issue. If you are hesitating to send over that email to your clients: don’t! Remember, most will see the value in your work and continue to work with you.

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When writing motivation is not there, writing articles can sometimes be a laborious task you avoid. If inspiration has not pulled up next to you as you sit down and write, facing a blank screen seems like a chore.

When you are a web owner or a freelance writer, creating web content is going to be a part of your life. You may write articles for your blog, guest posts, content sites, or magazines, or clients. You may also write using other various article marketing tactics.

What are some ways to succeed with article writing?

Here are some tips from others…

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Today’s writing tips are a collection of quotes from some of the world’s most successful writers. Get inspired!

Inspire! (Image by Leonard John Matthews)

When writer’s block strikes, there are plenty of practical techniques to tap into when you are looking for blog content. I am sure you have seen dozens of blog posts on writer’s block, including a few on Inspired to Write.

Some of these methods include: using writing prompts, providing a top ten list, writing “a best of” piece, publishing guest posts,  writing exercises, content curation, and even looking at Google Trends.

Yes, these are good ways to come up with ideas for material. But what if you want more than just content filler?

What if you are looking for something that inspires you and your readers?

It happens to most of us at some point. Lack of inspiration. You crave for a time when flooded thoughts forced you to sit and type or write in a journal before the ideas escaped you. When something in your world grabs you by the heart and compels you to transform the inspiration into words. Those are the days writers long for.

Today, there are plenty of blogs that are filled with content that is solely derived from article spinners and syndication submissions. The owner of the blog never even writes his or her own original content. I guess the point is to get more backlinks and improve SEO. I am not sure if this is really effective. I have used these syndication networks, and I am surprised at how many of these blogs are in existence.

We are no longer writing for people, but for search engines.

Writing a blog is not just about putting up content to fill the gap. Sure, there will be days you have to turn to these gap fillers. But as a blogger, inspiration leads to the intimate posts that turn readers into subscribers. Inspiring posts create a connection with your readers. Wasn’t that the original intention of blogs?

Recently, I wrote a post about how NFL quarterback Tim Tebow inspires others. Whether you like American football or not, this guy inspires on so many levels. Whether it is a person, a place, a sunset, or the words of another, we all want inspiration. Writers NEED it.

As a writer, inspiration is a critical part of going from average to great. Inspiration motivates you to write more and fill up pages with words you hope alter people’s perceptions. Inspiration keeps you going when you have run out of steam.

But sometimes, finding inspiration is like squeezing water from a stone.

It is not a fun place to be, and discovering new inspiration becomes a creative mission. Besides all the practical ideas for finding writing inspiration, I think there are a few others worth mentioning.

1. Tell others what inspires you.

Sometimes we have to just shake up the words in our head and speak them aloud to others. Get a conversation going about anything that inspires you. This may be a vacation, your church, a motivational speaker, a book. Eventually, you will want to run home and write the stuff down.

2. Read about someone who has impacted the world.

There have been plenty of times I was in a “blah” mood and needed someone’s actions in the world to impress me. Reading about someone who has made a lasting difference, impacted the world, or even influenced people on a smaller scale produces positive feelings. For the most part, we are more motivated by positive things than negative.

3. Watch something inspiring.

This time of year, all the holiday movies and Christmas TV shows are airing on television. How can you not be inspired when you watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” or “Miracle on 34th Street”?  Even if it is not that time of year, find something that can inspire you. Watch a documentary about someone who made their dreams come true and pushed through rough patches only to persevere. Watch a travel channel about a place that inspires you to visit. Chances are you’ll find something that you can relate to.

4. Watch the news.

I understand that much of what is playing on the news is depressing and can actually fuel the uninspired more. But occasionally, your mind just needs a break from reading or the computer or electronic gadgets. Our minds need to play spectator once in a while in order to recharge. Other times, even the negative stories can get the juices flowing in your mind. Often just the thinking process, positive or negative, inspires you to write. The news can often inspire provocative and timely content ideas.

5.  Read an inspiring quote or message. 

I can’t tell you how many times I have read a simple quote or passage and been inspired to expand on it. In your writing, share how it impacts you and how it has motivated you to make a change in your life.  Spark conversation on your blog and ask others what quotes inspire them.

6. Communicate with others in your field.

I don’t know a lot of writers in person. I hope to change that with a couple of writers conferences I am attending next year. Not many people understand what it is like to live the life of a writer. It is not glamorous, it often means spending time alone, the pay is not real steady, and your job requires a constant state of ideas flowing from your head onto paper. Having other writers in your world can help you feel a little bit more sane and justified.

We live in a fast-paced world of instant gratification and minimal role models. Finding inspiration is not always easy. If you are a blog owner, there are millions of other blogs to compete with. Quality content is becoming more and more important on the Internet.

When you are in a rut, take a few moments and look around you for inspiration. Take some of these steps to loosen the ideas that are buried under boredom or monotony. Keep a notebook handy so when inspiration strikes, you can jot those ideas down!

Question: What do you do when you are seeking inspiration?

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post by Mikki Hogan.  Please read more about Mikki in the footer bio.

Putting together an eBook is far different from writing for the web. The style is different. The objective is different. The work load is different. For some the demand of an eBook is discouraging and a little frightening.

By following 4 simple steps you’ll turn the burden of writing your eBook into a smooth, enjoyable process that begins with a blueprint and ends with a masterpiece!

1. The Blueprint

Every major design project begins with a dream, a vision of the creator. This dream is then etched out on paper in fragments of desires but no real direction. As the dream takes form a blueprint is designed. A map the creator wants to follow in developing her project. A good eBook begins the same way.

Sit down with a pen and paper and simply start jotting your ideas on paper. At this point they don’t have to be in any specific order. You’re just getting your thoughts onto paper. Once all your ideas are written out you’re ready to organize them.

I have found your basic elementary school outline is the best way to begin organizing your eBook blueprint. This outline will later be used to organize your research and map out your chapters.

2. Gathering Your Research

Once your outline is complete you’re ready to begin your research. Every good eBook, regardless of your topic, requires research. As I was researching my allergy eBook I found that the most popular question needing answered was understanding exactly what a dust mite allergy was and how to control it. It was my job to be able to answer that question and that could only be done by research.

If you want to write backyard gardening or breeding cats it will be your job to discover what your targeted readers want to know and then give that information. The only way to accomplish this is through research.

Many beginning writers make the mistake of thinking they can use only their own knowledge to put together a well-written piece. The truth is without understanding your readers and making sure you give them what they need your book won’t go very far.

3. Filling In the Details

Now that your outline is filled in with factual and in demand information it’s time to fill out some details. This isn’t the same as adding your personal storyline. That comes next. The details include quotes, other resources found during your research and helpful tips or how tos. For example if my I’m writing a chapter that focuses on mites in the home I will add a couple bulleted items specifically about the mites such as where they live, what they eat, the life cycle and so on. The details plump out the research for a well-rounded chapter.

4. Personalize with a Storyline

Once you’ve filled out your research by adding specific details you’re ready to personalize your chapters. This is where you add personal experiences, stories from friends and family members and even a few quotes. The personalized touch helps your readers identify with the content and view it from a real life perspective.

5. Putting It All Together

What you have in front of you now is a plump document filled with factual information, engaging details and a personal experience. All that is left is putting it all together. Your original outline serves as a rough draft for your chapter set up so your first draft of content is already neatly pieced together under each topic. All you have to do is form it into coherent and interesting paragraphs.

Don’t worry about the final copy. Not yet. Your goal is to turn your outline into a very rough eBook. Then ask for 10 volunteers to read it and critique it on the following areas:

* Does the order of the chapters make sense

* Does the storyline flow with the factual information

* Was it easy to read or were there missing pieces of information

* Was there something you would have expected to find but didn’t

After you get these notes back you are ready to finalize what I call the first draft. Ideally these same 10 people will read through it once more to see if their first notes were in fact corrected, add any new ones and wrap up their feedback.

I personally like to have up to 3 drafts read by volunteers for the list above. Then I solicit an experienced volunteer to critique my spelling and grammar as I prepare to complete my final copy!

Writing an eBook doesn’t have to overwhelm you. Divide it up, follow the recommended steps above and call on your friends and family to help clean it up. You’ll bring your blueprint to perfection in no time.

As a freelance writer, you may feel compelled to write about any topic under the sun in order to get work or have enough material. You are not alone in this thought process.  I have to admit, I have been doing this for a long time, and only recently changed that strategy. But the truth is it just leads to having to spend more and more time researching each topic, wearing you thin. You also become a generalist.

As a generalist writer, you are competing with thousands of other writers. Places like eLance and oDesk are prime breeding grounds for clients looking for generalist writers. On the cheap. You may be a better writer than most of them, but you simply don’t stand out. One way to position yourself as a more competitive writer is to choose a niche.

Why Niche Writing Works

When you choose to write in a niche, you are presenting yourself as a specialist. What is so special about a specialist? Specialists are perceived as experts. Writers who focus on a niche tend to spend all their time, energy and attention researching and writing about their industry. To a potential prospect, this specialization matters.

It is a very simple concept when you compare it to anything you purchase as a consumer. When you want your dishwasher fixed, you call a plumber, not a general contractor.  If you are interested in buying commercial property, you would hire a real estate agent who specializes in commercial properties, not luxury homes.

There are hundreds of examples like these. The bottom line is for most large purchases, you would simply trust the specialists a bit more.  They know their stuff.

I understand this is not always the case. For certain items, you probably buy them at a super discount store. Think about why you do this. Besides saving time, you save money. Right? For shampoo and toilet paper, you are just looking for the best price. But these are not specialty items.

However, even at this level, people are still willing to spend more money on quality, right? Let’s take shampoo as an example. When consumers are looking to splurge, they still buy from a specialist, a salon quality product – Nexus, Paul Mitchell, Rusk, Sebastian, Redken.

In the writing world, many of these ideas also apply. As a generalist, you will attract many of the low-paying “budget” shoppers. For those who have a professional business and truly understand the importance of quality writing, they are willing to pay more for a writer who “knows” their business.

Your clients want to know that you specialize in their needs. Choosing a niche helps you build your business. It helps establish trust and credibility. Additionally, it makes it easier to justify higher fees.

Choosing a Niche

As a writer you basically have two choices. You can specialize in the type of content OR you can specialize in a specific industry. Alternatively, you can specialize in both. Here are a few examples.

• Content Type: Newsletters, eBooks, Sales Copy, Email Marketing, Brochures, Blog Posts
• Industry: Travel, Home Improvement, Real Estate, Financial, Business, Technical Writing
• Combination of Both: Financial Newsletters, Travel Brochures, Real Estates eBooks

How do you choose a niche?

• Your passions and interests
• Your knowledge and expertise
• Your experiences

First, decide what you want to do.  If you are not interested in the topic, it will be much more difficult to maintain your writing motivation. Maybe you prefer writing shorter pieces like articles and blog posts. Maybe you enjoy the process of crafting a catchy sales letter. Do what you enjoy!

Evaluate Supply and Demand

Evaluate both supply and demand. Ask yourself if there is a demand for that niche. Take a look at your competition and the market for your niche. If you are going to specialize in something, it is important that people are looking for content in that niche. It is also critical to examine your competition.

Do your research. One of my favorite tools to find targeted keywords is Market Samurai. I use it every time I create online writing products. It provides you with quick stats on competition, traffic, monetary value, and much more about specific keywords.

Try to go for a niche not over saturated in the market. You can still compete in a high supply niche, you will just have to market yourself more and focus on your Unique Selling Point (USP).

Many writers avoid choosing a niche. You may have these thoughts. Maybe you don’t want to feel pigeonholed or restricted.  Or miss job opportunities, pick the wrong niche, or burn out writing about one topic. All of these are valid concerns. However, just because you choose a niche doesn’t mean you will never be able to write on other topics. Of course you can!

But you should stay within the realm of the niche for your blog posts.  If you have a blog on dog training, writing a post on refurbishing cars will probably not be appropriate, nor will your readers care. But, be yourself and ALWAYS remember your audience, and what they might be interested in!

Choosing a niche simply helps you market your writing business more effectively. It helps you position your services and profit. Choosing a writing niche doesn’t limit your business, it elevates it.

As the end of the year draws near, it is common to start rethinking about your goals – your personal life’s goals, your fitness and diet goals, and your career goals.

In the career sense, I am always thinking about my writing goals, but often times, they seem to fall to the wayside. Each year, I vow to start new, with a new strategy for my writing content.  It begins with a plan and formulates into a planner. I write down my daily plans — i.e. write blog post on Monday, article on Wednesday, and market for clients on Thursday.

When I look back at the goals in my planner, around the January time frame, they are always lofty and filled with great ideas. Somehow, throughout the year, they get altered or forgotten. Why does that happen?

Whether you are trying to finish that novel, write a fantastic query letter, look for more clients, or maintain your blog, ask yourself – do you have a content strategy? Or are you like thousands of other writers and blog owners who just wing it or put is off for yet another day? Sometimes keeping up with writing feels like “work.” I mean actual work. I hate when that happens.  I write because I love it, and when it feels like work, I don’t love it.

One way to help is to not only make a plan, but stick to it! Consider creating a content strategy.

What Is a Content Strategy?

Content strategy is pretty much what it sounds like. It is a plan, or strategy, you create to develop, organize, and market your content for maximum results. This plan can start with an overall yearly plan, broken down into months, weeks, and days. I tend to work best with small goals.  Daily goals that I write down (actually physical put it on paper!) seem to help the best.

But you may work better if you have a content strategy for the entire year.  Find out what works best for you, and stick to it. Let’s see if we can make it through 2012 sticking to the majority of our goals.  Sure, there will be times we just can’t make it stick.  But we have to at least try.

Habits Make it Easier

Once you have a content strategy in place and make it a habit to stick with the plans, the process of writing becomes much easier.  Think of your goals as a boss you have to meet a deadline for.  When you are self-employed, it can be much easier to procrastinate, especially if you have income coming in elsewhere.

Working Smarter, Not Harder

Once you get the hang of it and start earning more money from your writing, it may be time to delegate, or outsource some of your tasks. At that point, time may be much more valuable than money.

Think Strategically

Answer these seven questions when creating your content strategy.

1. What is the purpose for your content?

I think one of the first things you need to do is think about the purpose of this writing? To have extremely effective content you want to have a purpose in mind.

For example, are you looking for more traffic to your website? Are you interested in promoting an affiliate product? Maybe you want to share a great piece of advice with a reader. For offline writing, finishing a chapter in your novel or formulating a query letter to send to a magazine may be your goals. It helps to create purpose for all of your writing content.

2. Where will you publish your content?

This is another consideration. I have several blogs and websites, and I also write articles and guest posts. There is a variety of places you can put your content, including the your blog, article sites, newsletters, magazines, and more. Each of these venues have different styles and editorial requirements.

3. What types of content will you publish?

Some writers don’t want to have an overwhelming number of options on their agenda for this month or even year. Consider the type of writing you want to focus on.  Having a focus can really lighten your load and clear some of the projects off your plate.

Maybe you want to focus on copywriting or put all your energy into your blog. Other considerations include articles, reports, and email responders.  Consider your readers on your blogs. Include that in your plan.

4. When will you write your content?

This is a critical part of being a freelance writer. You need to figure out your sweet spot or the time your creative mind is most productive. This is when the scheduling comes into play.

Think about your week and what you have going on outside of writing projects.  Do you have to take your kids to school?  Are you signed up for a fitness class in the evening?  Work around those times.  Then, ADD IT TO YOUR PLANNER.  Think of  it like an appointment you can not miss. There is really no right or wrong way to do this, but you have to schedule it if you want the content strategy to work well.

5. When will you publish/upload?

Publishing is another consideration for your overall strategy. Some people say certain times are better than others.  Ultimately, it is what works best for you.  Publish when you are ready. The great thing about your own blog is you can post date your posts. If you have a bunch of blog posts that you have written, schedule them for future dates of publication. Always fit time in your schedule for posting articles or blog posts.

6. How will you market your content and your business?

Being a writer today means you have to be a marketer as well. Part of your strategy should include coming up with a marketing plan. You want your readers and prospective customers to see your content!  One simple way to do this is social media.

Some veteran writers refuse to get on Facebook or other social media site.  Times have changed and social media is a significant part of your writing promotions. Guest posts and article marketing are a couple other ways to market your website, articles, book, or blog. The more people who are aware of your writing, the more readers and traffic you will have.

7. How will you maximize your content?

Finally, think about you can repurpose your content and reuse it. One way to do this is tweaking the main focus and publishing in different types of magazines. Another way is to repurpose your blog posts and put them in a report you give away or sell to your readers. Plan ways to make the most of your writing. Your time and energy is important.

Writing can not always be scheduled as easy as a dentist appointment. I understand creativity does not follow the clock on the wall. But having something in place at least gives you goals to shoot for.  Once you are in the regular habit of writing, you will be surprised how much easier it gets to come up with ideas.

Writing (courtesy @hashmil)

Some of you (especially the contributors) may be wondering the status of my book, Calling All Freelance Writers. It is moving forward, but it won’t be ready for publication until early next year. I just ask for your patience!!

Last week, I sat down and read all of the interviews in print form.  I attempted to do it online, but I wanted it in front of me, in print.

I took notes in the margin for questions I have, ideas for the book, and comments to myself.  Just by sitting down for a few hours and reading all those responses, I, myself, felt enlightened.  So much valuable advice!

Although I detected some common themes threaded throughout all of the interview responses, perspectives existed across the entire spectrum.

Writing the Book

I created an outline.  I also began my first chapter and my last.  There are some random thoughts that will end up in the middle somewhere.  I know some left-brained people would shutter at the thought of that illogical order.  But us right-brained writers don’t always think (or write) logically.

When the idea of this book first formed in my mind, I thought I would just compile all the interviews into one book and hit print. Since then, I decided I want to add my own perspectives and have other writers “back me up” with their own experiences.  This creates a better flow, and produces more of book instead of just a compilation of interviews.

Since some of the responses were similar, it also didn’t make sense to just “cut and paste” the interviews.  Instead, I want to pull out what I believe are the important and relevant messages.

All of the writers who will be in this book will have their full bio placed in the end of the book. By setting it up this way, instead of mixing the bios in with the book, it avoids disruption of the book.  It also provides an easy reference for each writer’s bio.

Now for the bad news. . .

Some of the interview responses were detailed and verbose (the more, the better) and very helpful, and other responses were basically one or two word answers.

While I appreciate the inputs from each of you, some of the  writers’ responses just did not provide enough substance to be included.  I apologize, but I can’t squeeze water out of a rock.

I will be contacting a few of the writers for clarification, questions, or comments.  I will also let the writers who I have excluded know, so they are not wondering what happened to their input.  If these writers do want to add more, I would definitely welcome it, and keep them on the book’s free distribution list!

The Finishing Updates

Once the book is complete, I will obviously have to edit it, and get it published.  I should probably not even think about editing and publishing until I get the book complete.  But once again, creatives don’t always think in logical steps.

Editing

I am currently seeking professional editors for the book. A few editors have contacted me, but the more I have to choose from, the better.

The worst thing that can happen is I write the book, publish it, and find out there are typos and grammar mistakes!  AHHH!  I don’t plan on skipping that step, but my budget will also dictate when that will fit in.

Graphics

In between editing and publishing will be the design work.  The good news is many of the self-publishing businesses include custom cover design in their packages.  Therefore, this should not be too much of any issue unless I decide to go completely POD, by myself (doubtful).

Publishing

As far as publishers, I have a couple in mind.  This will be a self-published book. This book is targeted to a small niche – freelance writers, so I am not interested in “traditional” publishing.  (I am no Stephen King after all.)  There will be an electronic (Kindle and Nook) version and paperback copy which I will sell on my own website and on CallingAllFreelanceWriters.com.

I read The Fine Print of Self-Publishing by Mark Levine (highly recommend if you are self-publishing) which has helped me a TON in choosing a publisher.

Thoughts on the Book

Between reading Linked In discussions, blog posts, and other media conversations, I realize this book is needed.  Hopefully, it will open the eyes of writers who are struggling and think it is impossible to succeed.

This book makes no guarantees of success, but presents insight into the minds’ of successful writers.  That should not only inspire writers, but give them hope that it can be done.

It is up to the writer on how to use that advice.  It is ALWAYS up to the writer.

Related articles

• Calling All Freelance Writers (inspiredtowrite.com)
• Writing eBook

Back to school

As it’s that ‘back to school’ kind of time of year I’ve been thinking a bit about my schooldays.  Mostly the thoughts are bad, because the school I attended was a small rural one.  The majority of kids were growing up to be farmers or secretaries – career choices that in those days depended largely on their gender.

The teachers – now that I look back on the whole tedious experience – were probably failures from the cities who had moved to the country to make the most that remote surroundings and the education resistant kids had to offer.

If you’re guessing my school life was not one I look back on fondly, you’re guessing right.  I passed, just about, the important exams and that was far more to do with luck than judgement.  Looking back I learnt one thing that has consistently been of use to me, in various jobs, including my more literary efforts:  how to structure an essay.  These days there are fewer essays in my life, but the knowledge still comes in useful.

Flexible and straightforward structures

Whether you are a novelist, a copywriter, blogger or essayist, the beginning, middle and end formula is one that you can’t live without.  The online copywriter, in particular, will normally find that keeping to the basic structural rules of writing saves no end of time.

The basic idea shouldn’t need a lot of explanation.  Your beginning, or introduction, sets out the subject in general; the middle bit is where you make your points – for and against your main subject – while the end ties everything up neatly with a satisfying conclusion!  This can be applied just about any length of work, expanding and contracting the number of points in the middle as required.  If necessary the whole thing can be applied to just three sentences, or 700,000 words.

Order or disorder

For the majority of online copywriting the beginning, middle, end structure is probably best in that particular order, especially for shorter pieces.

For longer work, and especially creative writing, messing around with the order can work well.  If your story or piece is compelling enough, putting the end at the start of the story will work without a ‘spoiler’ effect – hopefully your readers will be engaged enough to wonder how the heck it all started!

A particularly brilliant example of using this method is good old Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, if you’re familiar with it you’ll know that the narrative of the story starts when the story itself is already ‘over’.  If you are writing a longer piece, especially a novel, and haven’t tried using this method it can also help you get a new perspective on your own story.  Somehow it has the strange effect of making things seem more ‘real’, perhaps because all stories have happened before they are told.

Everything in its place

When it comes to online copywriting, keeping this structure in mind is incredibly useful for producing work quickly.  If, like me, you tend to suffer from ‘ideas overload’ at the start of a piece, making rough notes before starting can help.  I’ve been known to operate a ‘three highlighter routine’, going through my notes and using the highlighters to categorise which part of that structure the points can be fitted into.

This done, articles, blogs or whatever you are working on will fall into place, with very little effort indeed!