Getting more than a few moments to work this weekend is tough, so I'm sending everyone over to Michel Fortin's blog where he introduces gap analysis. I love this method. When I first learned of it, I think from Brian Tracy, I just had to use it. Gave me goosebumps to write the copy. I enjoyed it so much!
Ok - maybe you won't be that pathetic, but it's a great technique that I feel all copywriters should learn. See Michel's excellent post on it now...
http://www.michelfortin.com/apply-the-law-of-contrast-to-build-desire/
Friday, November 28, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
I'm Done and Back!
whoo hoo! I'm back in the world of copywriting... LOL Well, I never really left, but I was preoccupied for awhile with the nanowrimo project. And I finished it. Yay!
For those of you who don't know, Nanowrimo stands for National Novel Writing Month. Every November people from all over the world commit to writing 50,000 words for that month. It signifies writing a novel, but most novels are 90-120,000 words.
The true purpose is to challenge ourselves and to also develop the habit of turning off our 'inner editor' and write at speed without editing as we go along. Forget about the typos, the misspellings, not-so-perfect word choices, punctuation, etc. After we're done writing, then we can go back and correct those things.
Most people do this very well. Some people are voracious typers and get their 50,000 within a day or two. Can you say carpal tunnel? LOL I'm a fairly fast typer, but my comfortable speed allows me to type about 1,000 words an hour. Eight hours a day is the most I'll type for - I make sure to get in plenty of rest breaks, as my hands are very important to me. (Not to mention my eyes need the break too.)
For my writing, I can still get that 1,000 words per hour out, but I cannot turn off my internal editor. My editor is already trained to follow me. Now, of course, when a bigger editing thought comes along, I will often just make a note on a slip of paper to go back and fix something later if I can't stop with my current momentum.
That internal editor is important for the copywriter. Bob Bly of bly.com has been finding interesting examples where people have turned off their internal editor while going with a thought.
My internal editor is constantly on the go. We've come to an understanding where my editor gets to do her job and I get to keep my speed up. That took practice to develop. For me, the practice came from being heavily involved in a writing critique group for fiction writers. I would critique five to ten stories and chapters a week. It was great training. Where I would need to revise a story three or four times before it was ready, I started only needing one revision pass. My internal editor starting working at the same time I wrote.
This has carried over to copywriting. When I started writing sales materials, my internal editor joined right in and accompanied me.
So, now my internal editor (IE) and I are back, and we will work on bringing you some more goodies in the promised line up of articles.
For those of you who don't know, Nanowrimo stands for National Novel Writing Month. Every November people from all over the world commit to writing 50,000 words for that month. It signifies writing a novel, but most novels are 90-120,000 words.
The true purpose is to challenge ourselves and to also develop the habit of turning off our 'inner editor' and write at speed without editing as we go along. Forget about the typos, the misspellings, not-so-perfect word choices, punctuation, etc. After we're done writing, then we can go back and correct those things.
Most people do this very well. Some people are voracious typers and get their 50,000 within a day or two. Can you say carpal tunnel? LOL I'm a fairly fast typer, but my comfortable speed allows me to type about 1,000 words an hour. Eight hours a day is the most I'll type for - I make sure to get in plenty of rest breaks, as my hands are very important to me. (Not to mention my eyes need the break too.)
For my writing, I can still get that 1,000 words per hour out, but I cannot turn off my internal editor. My editor is already trained to follow me. Now, of course, when a bigger editing thought comes along, I will often just make a note on a slip of paper to go back and fix something later if I can't stop with my current momentum.
That internal editor is important for the copywriter. Bob Bly of bly.com has been finding interesting examples where people have turned off their internal editor while going with a thought.
My internal editor is constantly on the go. We've come to an understanding where my editor gets to do her job and I get to keep my speed up. That took practice to develop. For me, the practice came from being heavily involved in a writing critique group for fiction writers. I would critique five to ten stories and chapters a week. It was great training. Where I would need to revise a story three or four times before it was ready, I started only needing one revision pass. My internal editor starting working at the same time I wrote.
This has carried over to copywriting. When I started writing sales materials, my internal editor joined right in and accompanied me.
So, now my internal editor (IE) and I are back, and we will work on bringing you some more goodies in the promised line up of articles.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Top Internet Marketing Blogs
Today's a useful resource day for copywriters...
If you're studying up on internet marketing here's a site showing the top blogs and their categories. I've got it bookmarked now.
http://www.winningtheweb.com/im-top-blogs/
If you're studying up on internet marketing here's a site showing the top blogs and their categories. I've got it bookmarked now.
http://www.winningtheweb.com/im-top-blogs/
Friday, November 7, 2008
Maybe not Time Wasters, but Time Wasting
Today, I'm wasting time off and on with my social networking, blog, and newsletter reading. Normally, I choose two hours worth of breaks a week, during which I catch up with the social reading. Sometimes on my non-working hours at night I'll do a bit more. While Friday is one of my winding down days for the week, this one shouldn't be. But it is.
I'm still getting my six hours of daily writing time in, but should be pushing it more. I have work scheduled for the weekend and lost time at the beginning of this week for illness. While I'm recovered, I'm not fully there yet. I'm still totally exhausted and can't find the "oomph!" to push myself any harder. Probably a good thing. Better to progress steadily forward than have a rush of productivity followed by an onset of illness again.
Yet, it brings up a good topic to discuss. Our social networking. How much is a good amount of time to commit to it? How much is too much?
I believe the means to finding the answers is in your organizing skills and goal setting. You need to determine at the end of the week your preliminary goals for the next week. Your routine grows out of how you personally achieve those goals.
For me, I set goals for the next week on Friday afternoon. Then, Monday morning I check emails and add to or readjust those goals as information received over the weekend dictates. I've been writing and researching long enough that I have a pretty good idea how long each job takes me to accomplish. You may have to keep track for awhile and determine your times.
Using that information, I can look at my goals and determine how much worktime it will take me to accomplish them. I always adjust a little higher than anticipated for unplanned events or research needs. I also try to schedule just enough work to cover 4 days of worktime, leaving one day open for last minute needs that come up during the week. I always have so many writing projects on hand that it's no problem filling in the gaps when I have extra time.
So what about social networking? Is it a time waster? No. It's a tool to be scheduled within your time schedule, as your schedule allows for it. When you exceed that setting, you're time wasting...or wasting time, to be proper.
Me? Today, I'm wasting time. Body is starting to kick me again and I'm giving in. But only a little. I've still accomplished a lot. I'll have to catch up some this weekend yet. But God willing, the bad snows will stay north so we can have power and my body will continue to heal so I can stay productive.
Sometimes you just have to let it happen. Just be sure to not let it become a habit.
I'm still getting my six hours of daily writing time in, but should be pushing it more. I have work scheduled for the weekend and lost time at the beginning of this week for illness. While I'm recovered, I'm not fully there yet. I'm still totally exhausted and can't find the "oomph!" to push myself any harder. Probably a good thing. Better to progress steadily forward than have a rush of productivity followed by an onset of illness again.
Yet, it brings up a good topic to discuss. Our social networking. How much is a good amount of time to commit to it? How much is too much?
I believe the means to finding the answers is in your organizing skills and goal setting. You need to determine at the end of the week your preliminary goals for the next week. Your routine grows out of how you personally achieve those goals.
For me, I set goals for the next week on Friday afternoon. Then, Monday morning I check emails and add to or readjust those goals as information received over the weekend dictates. I've been writing and researching long enough that I have a pretty good idea how long each job takes me to accomplish. You may have to keep track for awhile and determine your times.
Using that information, I can look at my goals and determine how much worktime it will take me to accomplish them. I always adjust a little higher than anticipated for unplanned events or research needs. I also try to schedule just enough work to cover 4 days of worktime, leaving one day open for last minute needs that come up during the week. I always have so many writing projects on hand that it's no problem filling in the gaps when I have extra time.
So what about social networking? Is it a time waster? No. It's a tool to be scheduled within your time schedule, as your schedule allows for it. When you exceed that setting, you're time wasting...or wasting time, to be proper.
Me? Today, I'm wasting time. Body is starting to kick me again and I'm giving in. But only a little. I've still accomplished a lot. I'll have to catch up some this weekend yet. But God willing, the bad snows will stay north so we can have power and my body will continue to heal so I can stay productive.
Sometimes you just have to let it happen. Just be sure to not let it become a habit.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Just a status update....
Been sick for the last few days. Thankful that I don't have to deal with a boss other than myself for calling in sick. Though, I'll admit, I've been really kicking myself in the butt over not being able to function the last few days. I just keep thinking of lost work time, lost family time, lost personal time ... and how we've had 70some degree weather that I missed out on.
But I'm doing a little of the catching up today. Writing, work, housework, and personal time. And yes... I know it's THAT day and I'm going to do the patriotic thing. Thankful I don't have to go in half-dead for it too! Still feel a bit woosie and unwell, but fairly presentable.
After reading a few of today's notices from my mailings in my email, I've also decided not to read any more of today's emails. So tired of reading about what day it is and what I should do. I had already determined what I was going to do there - and I didn't sign up for the copywriting newsletters to have politics in my mailbox.
Note to self: Be sure to keep my own newsletters on topic!
(sorry, little grumpy - still a bit unwell, with the residual headache and tummy pains.)
But I'm doing a little of the catching up today. Writing, work, housework, and personal time. And yes... I know it's THAT day and I'm going to do the patriotic thing. Thankful I don't have to go in half-dead for it too! Still feel a bit woosie and unwell, but fairly presentable.
After reading a few of today's notices from my mailings in my email, I've also decided not to read any more of today's emails. So tired of reading about what day it is and what I should do. I had already determined what I was going to do there - and I didn't sign up for the copywriting newsletters to have politics in my mailbox.
Note to self: Be sure to keep my own newsletters on topic!
(sorry, little grumpy - still a bit unwell, with the residual headache and tummy pains.)
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