Writing Inrochester

Over the last decade, the number of companies selling their products and services on the Web or sharing information online with their target market has exploded.

It’s no longer frowned upon to conduct your business on the Web, and huge
numbers of people are making a healthy living doing just that. Others, however, are
not. For every great website out there that grabs its customer’s attention and holds
it, there are hundreds more bad ones that don′t. Despite their best efforts, many
businesses are losing money daily due to the poor performance of their company
website.

Contrary to popular myth, what constitutes a great website is not just fantastic
design, but also the quality of the online copy that accompanies it. If you pay equal
attention to both sides of this equation, you’ll end up with an amazing site that
drives traffic where you need it most, bringing excellent sales or driving great
interest as a result. But if you ignore the necessity of simple, effective and clear-cut
Web copy, evidence has shown your site will suffer as a consequence.

In a 2002 Stanford University “Web Credibility” survey of over 4,500 Web users in
Europe and the US, findings are unequivocal. Whilst recognising the benefits of good
design, the report also states:

“Our data suggests that integrity of content has considerable impact on how people
evaluate the credibility of a website. Study participants gave some of their lowest
scores on credibility to sites that fail to separate advertising from editorial content,
run too many ads on a page, or display ads through pop-up windows. At the same
time, users gave strong marks to site content that identified its sources and
provided its authors’ credentials.”

Along with effective design and navigation, the report concludes that:

“As for writing style, (websites should) be clear, direct, and sincere.”

(Source: Stanford-Makovsky Web Credibility Study 2002).

So you have to ask yourself, is the writing on your website ‘clear, direct and
sincere’? If not, then you could be losing sales. Nobody wants a lame duck website
that leaves its visitors confused or disinterested, or worse still, a site that makes
inflated and unrealistic claims. What people want to find on your site is a credible
and well thought out approach to their requirements, they want answers to the
questions that drew them to your website in the first place – because it’s then that
they are more likely to make a purchase. Hitting just the right tone to do this is the
job of a really good copywriter, and the time and money you take to get this right
with a professional writer will ultimately be reflected in increased business for you
and your company.

Laurence James is Copywriting Director of The Copy Box ® – Professional Copywriting
& Content. He holds a BA Honours Degree in English and a Postgraduate Diploma in
Journalism. Laurence has been writing commercially in a variety of different markets
for over seven years, and works with companies of all sizes, including marketing and
advertising agencies.

Web: thecopybox.com thecopybox.com
Email: mailto:info@thecopybox.com info@thecopybox.com.

Sales letter writing can seem to be a tough task, especially in today’s world when much of business and sales correspondence is done via the internet and telephone. The best sales letter writing, whether you are corresponding with your client through e-mail or conventional post, can be achieved through the following four tips:

1 Be formal, but not stiff. Formal language makes your letter sound professional, but too much formality can lead to a letter sounding impersonal, as if you are using a stock template for every client. This appearance can be very negative to a potential client, and should be avoided. The best sales letter writing will sound formal but have a personal undertone. Aim for this.

2 Your letter should be original. Most of your clients probably receive hundreds of sales letters, and the best sales letter writing will include some means of distinguishing your letter from the masses. You don’t want your client to think that your product or service is just like everyone else’s do you? Of course not, which is why you also do not want your letter sound the same as all the others. Make your letter something interesting without making it gimmicky, and you’ll have caught your client’s attention.

3 Use their business name and name of your contact at least twice to let them know that you are aware of exactly who you are dealing with and that you have written your letter directly to them. Your client and contact should know that you are taking a personal interest in them when writing this letter. Not only does this provide a valuable distinction for you when competing against many other sales letters that are full of stock sentences and phrases, but it also gives a little ego boost to your client, which is one of the keys to the best sales letter writing.

Don’t forget to sell. Some sales letter writers get so caught up in the rest of conventions that they forget to sell their product and service and end up missing the point completely. The best sales letter writing requires that you tell your client firmly in your letter why your particular product or service is better and more worth their time and money. Be clear, concise and upbeat, and you will surely win your clients attention.

Do you want to learn more about how I do it? I have just completed my brand new guide to generating massive traffic ‘Triple Your Traffic Fast’

Download it free here:

The Hero’s Journey (Monomyth) is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the hundreds of Hollywood movies we have deconstructed (see URL below) are based on this 188 stage template.

Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters. This is the template you must master if you are to succeed in the craft.

THERE IS ONLY ONE STORY

THE HERO’S JOURNEY:

a) Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.

b) Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.

c) Gives you a tangible process for building and releasing dissonance (establishing and achieving catharses, of which there are usually four).

d) Gives you a universal structural template upon which you can superimpose your situational story. This is why stories such as Alien (1979), Gladiator (2000), Midnight Cowboy (1969), American Beauty (1999), The Graduate (1967) and many others (all deconstructed at the URL below) appear to be different but are all constructed, almost sequence by sequence, in the same way.

and more…

ABRIDGED TIP(S):

*****New World*****

Often the Hero simply arrives (is exiled from the Old World) into a New World. In Brokeback Mountain (2005), both Ennis and Jack simply arrive at Brokeback Mountain.

*****Loop*****

Links the start of the story to the end…not necessarily the first scene to the last.. In Brokeback Mountain (2005), we see the Wyoming landscape. Represents the closing of the story but not necessarily the resolution of all challenges. In Star Wars (1977), Vader disappears but is not vanquished.

Learn more…

WRITE THAT SCREENPLAY!

The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and other story structure templates can be found at clickok.co.uk/ clickok.co.uk/

The Managing Creativity and Innovation MBA dissertation, DIY creativity Audit, Powerpoint presentation and Good Idea generator software can be found at managing-creativity.com/ managing-creativity.com/

You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

Kal Bishop, MBA

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You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made, the author’s name is retained and the link to our site URL remains active.

[From our deconstruction of hundreds of Hollywood blockbusters and sitcoms....; 188 stages of the Hero's Journey you need to know about...]

The Hero’s Journey is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the Hollywood movies we have deconstructed are based on this template.

Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters.

The Hero’s Journey:

a) Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.

b) Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.

c) Interpreted metaphorically, laterally and symbolically, allows an infinite number of varied stories to be created.

and more…

The Trials and Transformation

The Trials and Transformation make up the “Road of Trials” and can be one of the most confusing yet critical parts of the story / screen writing process.

There are various ways to break up the trials in order to make them manageable:

a) Passive, Active and Proactive: In Elizabethtown (2005) Drew meets his father lying in a coffin; then meets his other family and engages with them and then finally saves the relative in the car.

b) Tending back to the Old World, Threat of the Old World and Pushed to the Old World: The essence of the vast majority of stories is transformation [movement from an Old World to a New World] e.g. In An Officer and a Gentleman, Meo is annoyed at having to use martial arts (representative of his Old World), then the threat of being pushed back to the Old World is made explicit in the underwater test sequence and then Meo is forced back to his Old World by Foley.

Learn more…

The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and other story structure templates can be found at clickok.co.uk/ clickok.co.uk/

You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

Kal Bishop, MBA

**********************************

You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made, the author’s name is retained and the link to our site URL remains active.

Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. His specialities include Knowledge Management and Creativity and Innovation Management. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached at clickok.co.uk/ clickok.co.uk/

Mystery stories sometimes are a dime a dozen, often following the same basic outline: the murder, discovery of the body, clues found, and killer caught. The stories are usually told in third or first person point of view, with one character as the teller.

When you decide to write a mystery, there are many things to think about before putting words to paper. What is your story about? What are some of the things that come to mind when you think about your story? Some stories work well with a regular style of storytelling. Others will blossom if told in a more unique manner.

Once you have decided on a point of view, you should think about how you want to tell your story. Do you want to write it as a standard story, one like most mysteries? Or do you want to try some things to spice your story up and take it to a new level? Personal Written Records can be used to draw your readers into your story by letting them have a peek into the detective’s or killer’s mind. There are several ways to do this.

A diary or journal - your killer or detective’s diary can be a great way to show his/her personality and inner thoughts. Writing your story in diary format, with each entry dated and even letting the character have a special greeting and signature to his diary.

Letters - telling your mystery through letters written to a friend or confidant either by the detective, killer, or someone close to either one, is another wonderful plot tool. While it would be difficult for the detective and killer to write each other in this manner, having one of them writing a trusted friend would not be unheard of. Also, the killer can write letters to the paper and/or the police; there are many instances of this happening in real life.

Impersonal written records are another good plot vehicle to use. The most common method of this is newspaper accounts. It takes a bit of work to write an interesting story in that format, since newspaper articles are written more for information than entertainment. Before you attempt this style, be sure to read real newspaper articles written about crimes, so you will know just what they do and do not put into an article. You will want your story to feel real for your readers.

When you are writing your story, you do not need to make your tale just journal entries, or newspaper articles. You can add these things into your story to give more insight into the character’s thoughts and personalities. And to bring your characters and plot to life.

Standard short story format is a wonderful way to tell a story. But it is not the only form you can use for your story. There are other ways you can write your mystery, if you just take the time to think outside the mystery box.

Dawn Arkin is an author on Writing.Com/ Writing.Com/
which is a site for Writing.Com/ Creative Writing. Her portfolio can be found at Writing.Com/authors/darkin Writing.Com/authors/darkin so stop by and read for a while.

Yes, just write in English, even if you’re not an English speaking person. Why? Because we have to admit that a lot of people in the world speak English more than any other language. Considering this, any idea written in English will be much more ‘readable’. Imagine that your ideas spread out wider compared with those written in ‘local’ language. Isn’t that nice?

Of course it’s not easy actually to express what we got in mind in a foreign language. For those whose English is not their mother tongue, there will be some obstacles that are simplified into 4 points:

- lack of vocabulary
- afraid of making mistakes
- not sure if anybody will read what we write
- feel comfortable with our ’status quo’

Now let’s see if these are real obstacles or just our imaginative shield to stay safe without having to try something new.

Lack of vocabulary

This is natural because we are obviously not English speaking person. If you are an Indonesian but you don′t speak Bahasa Indonesia, there must be something wrong with you. If you are Indonesian, speak a little bit English with limited vocabulary, that’s a very good point to start writing in English. All you have to do is improving your vocabulary and it’s not as hard as you thought. Learn a lot, read a lot, write a lot. Practice.

Afraid of Making Mistake

Tell me who has never made mistakes? It is one of many ways to learn something new. Look at the baby who is trying to walk. They never think of falling even they fall again and again. Focus on what you want to achieve and do that. Never be afraid of something uncertain and maybe only exist in your imagination. Even when you finally do some mistakes, you won’t be killed and you can still learn from your mistakes.

Who Will Read My Article?

Believe me that there are many people out there who want to read your article. At least people who know you will be curious to read. Let say that you write a bad article. People at least will read your first line and we still can call him/her our reader. In some cases, people are often curious to prove how bad your article is by reading until the last word. What I want to say here is there’s no need to ask such a pessimistic question. Be sure that your article will be read by someone, at least the editor Just take it easy!

Feel Comfortable With Our ‘Status Quo’

Now back to your childhood. Remember that everything was comfortable. Mom, Dad, and everybody in the family served you. But you didn′t just stay enjoying your easy life. You even learned a lot. You tried to walk yourself though you fell many times. So many things you learned with trial and error until you finally reached what you want. If you are now afraid of trying something new, then you are the real loser even in a baby’s eyes.

So, why don′t you try to be ‘the real’ you? Write down your ideas in English to get more readers. Don′t just be satisfied by having many ‘local’ readers now. Try something new. Get more ‘international’ readers and let your ideas spread out all over the world. This is serious challenge. Do you have a brave to answer this challenge?

Tata Danamihardja, an Indonesian Blogger.
panjalu.blogspot.com/ panjalu.blogspot.com/

Your article marketing campaign can be a shadow of all it can be in terms of the results it produces for you if you don’t incorporate a name squeeze page.

A name squeeze page is simply a web page where you collect the email addresses of interested prospects. These people need something you offer and you trade it in exchange for their email addresses.

A lot of people may frown at the idea of having to drop their email address in exchange for more information. But let’s be realistic, nothing goes for nothing.

Anyone who really wants good information should be willing to pay for it in some way. If you expect that anyone would spend some hours writing in exchange for nothing, you’ll only be deceiving yourself.

That said, there is a right and wrong way of doing things.

A name squeeze page helps you build a list of interested prospects. This is very important for the following reasons…

When someone reads your article, they may love it very much and even bookmark it. However, they may not really be able to relate with the heading in their bookmark a week later. I guess it has happened to you, too.

Furthermore, the internet gives people too many options. Yes, your article may be great but so are so many others. You’ll have to find a way of getting a repeat visit from a prospect.

And, experts agree that very few people buy on their first visit to a site. They often buy after several visits. A name squeeze page gives you the opportunity of getting those repeat visits that help you make many more sales.

If you get a list and cultivate it very well, you will almost have cash on demand.

It’s your call, though. I have many articles that do not lead to a name squeeze page. However, there are reasons why those articles were submitted that way (They are beyond the scope of this article).

So how do you set up a name squeeze page or a subscription form? My favorite web host includes everything in their package: You don’t need to know any technical stuff to have a subscription form. It’s just point and click. They even teach you how to go about it and when to.

Yes, for a newbie, you have to know how to do it right. They cover everything. you-can-internet-marketing-tips.com/Site-building-success.html Get this all-inclusive hosting here.

Sign up for my newsletter and you’ll learn how to get 100,000 high quality visitors monthly within your first 12 months. you-can-internet-marketing-tips.com/ You’ll certainly make money online (Not make others rich). Sign up here.

Chimezirim Odimba helps people succeed online.

Many online article marketers will post articles on online article submissions web sites under their name even though they paid a ghostwriter to write it. Additionally, many online article marketers will write articles under a pen name and hype a product or service that they are promoting online and attempt to get the Internet surfer or consumer to click on the link at the bottom in their byline.

Many people find this practice totally acceptable. I think it is cheating and I also believe that it takes no brains or intelligence whatsoever to cheat, anyone can do it. Anyone can make up a lie and run with it. Oh, they think they are smarty-pants and all that and create a whole intricate story. But the true intelligence comes from having integrity and making that work.

Hiring someone to write for you is not bad I suppose, but hiding the fact that they did is wrong. Hiring an editor to help you write I suppose is okay, because in the end it is your thoughts and ideas that are there, not that of someone else. You see this whole issue stems from some of the innate characteristics of mankind. Humans like to imitate, copy, plagiarize, cheat, lie and tell sneaky secrets for fear someone will find out that they are fake.

Personally I find such practice is rather appalling and they think it shows the weakness of the individual. It is too bad really that people will not put any effort it takes to succeed and then expect success anyway. The world doesn′t work like that. Please consider this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow″ - Online WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/ Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance in the Online Think Tank and solve the problems of the World; WorldThinkTank.net www.WorldThinkTank.net/

When I made the decision to do free workshops and book signings for my latest book, Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer, I thought it would be easy to draw an audience. I had, after all, done all the right things to prepare for this big event: I had a successful e-zine, AbsoluteWrite.com” target=”_new AbsoluteWrite.com, sent weekly directly to my target market; I was a contributing editor at the most popular magazine for writers; had been interviewed all over writers e-zines; and had submitted articles to sites and magazines related to my primary audience (writers) and my secondary audience (those interested in working from home).

But the problem was that my audience was international. I had a workshop set up on Long Island, and more than 99% of my regular audience wouldnt be able to get there. So I had to get local attention. Through trial and error, Ive come up with a system that works. I havent had fewer than 30 people at any of my signings, and Ive always sold books. I hope my tips will inspire you next time youre promoting an event.

1. Focus on the benefit to the attendee.

The first thing a reader should see on your promotional material is whats in it for them. A signed book is all well and good, but itll require them to spend money. What are they getting free just for showing up? In my case, I was offering a free 2-hour seminar about making money writing for magazines. What will they learn? What perks will they get? This is what appeared in big letters on my posters, with the book signing in small letters toward the bottom.

2. Community Events are not places to do business.

Most local newspapers have a community events section where they run short blurbs about local events. Submit your release at least two weeks prior to your event, with all the who, what, where, when, why questions succinctly answered. But after I did that and failed to place my events in local papers, I asked an ex-newspaper editor for advice.

While I would have probably run a little blurb about your free writing workshop, I would not have run your free writing workshop combined with your book signing, she wrote. I would invite you to pay for an advertisement because, being the jaded cynic I am, I would not give you free publicity for something from which you are profiting.

So leave your for-profit hat at home when approaching the media.

3. Think small.

National attention is nice, but when promoting a local event, you want to get your message to as many local people as possible. I mulled this over one day while pushing my grocery cart through a supermarket, then noticed the bulletin board filled with posters. I ran home and created my own on the computer: Colorful posters that gave all the essential information about my event in large, easy-to-read type, with pull-off tabs on the bottom that simply said Free Writing Seminar, along with the location, date, and time. You can put these in supermarkets, as well as delis, convenience stores, libraries, and other high-traffic businesses.

4. Find local websites, e-mail lists, and message boards.

Many cities, counties, and regions have their own websites where people can announce coming events. You can also search for your geographic area on Yahoogroups.com” target=”_new Yahoogroups.com to find e-mail discussion lists in your area. Write to the site owner or group moderator to request that he or she tell members about your event.

5. Co-promote.

When Judith Lazarus promoted her books, The Spa Sourcebook and Stress Relief &amp Relaxation Techniques, she asked a spa product manufacturer to provide her with samples. She used these samples to draw people to her book signing table. You might find a local business that could benefit from being featured at your event, and ask them to hang a sign about the event or include flyers in customers bags in return. Or find someone whos promoting a complementary product or service, and agree to swapyoull distribute postcards about their events at your table if theyll do the same for you.

6. Run contests and giveaways.

Similar to Judiths deal with the spa product manufacturer, see if you can get a business to donate an item for giveawayor use one of your own products or services. On your publicity material, you can announce that one lucky attendee (or many) will win a valuable door prize. Or invite people to enter the contest beforehand, then tell each of them that youll announce the winner/s at the event. Be sure to include the prizes monetary value on your announcements.

7. Use lawn signs.

If politicians can promote themselves with signs on our lawns, why cant we? Ask friends and associates to put a colorful sign on their lawn with very brief information about your event.

8. Be photogenic.

If this is an event youve done before, or if you have an interesting photo related to your event, send it to local newspapers with your release. You have a better shot at seeing print if you can provide a photo, and readers will be more drawn to your announcement if its accompanied by a picture. Pick an interesting prop or a fun candid shot, not a typical headshot.

9. Business cards, revisited.

Although many local business dont have enough counter space to display a stack of your flyers, they may be happy to let you deposit a stack of business-card-size announcements about your event. These are easy to make on your computer, and again, should just contain an eye-catching headline and essential information about the event.

About The Author

Jenna Glatzer is the author of Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer and nine other books. Shes teaching a workshop based on her book Outwitting Writers Block at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY this October. For more details, and to pick up a free editors e-mail cheat sheet, visit jennaglatzer.com″ target=”_new www.jennaglatzer.com.

Copyright 2004 Jenna Glatzer. All rights reserved.

(This article is free to reprint as long as the bio and copyright are included.)

Publicity is attention, promotion, notice, hype or spotlight. Something every author wants and needs to be successful. If you have a lot of money you can hire a publicist to get you publicity, you can place advertisements everywhere and probably do a pretty good job of getting your name out there.

If you don’t have any money you will need to do this yourself. Most authors I interviewed for my “Mosquito marketing for Authors” book did not realize this! Getting publicity is a hard job; it takes a lot of time and can be very discouraging. It can also be very rewarding. I like marketing myself because I can see the results of my work, if I am marketing myself and my books using the tools and techniques I have used for my business, I start seeing results in the form of being in the newspaper, being asked to write articles or requests for interviews.

If that is happening, you are on the right track and you didn’t have to pay a publicist. When you pay someone to do this work for you they normally already have media and press contacts and can get you publicity much more quickly than you will be able to do for yourself. The thing to remember when you tackle this yourself is that you know your book better than anybody. You have the passion and can explain your book like nobody’s business. That is a big plus when trying to get publicity for our book, something a publicist doesn’t have working in their favor.

Michelle Dunn, author of an award winning book is a writer, teacher, and consultant that has a contagious passion for her work. Michelle started, ran and marketed M.A.D. Collection Agency for 8 years.
Michelle is originally from RI and now lives in NH. Visit michelledunn.com michelledunn.com for more information on her “Mosquito Marketing Series”.