Content Mastery Guide

The long and winding sentence: How some bad writing habits could be repelling your readers

Are you publishing new content consistently but not getting any comments, referrals or inquiries? It's possible that something about the way you write is turning readers away instead of attracting them.

I've put together my list of the top three reader-repelling habits to watch for in your writing, and I'm going to present them in a free call on Wednesday, September 8, 2010.

Today's preview gives you a chance to do some detective work and start searching your writing for the first habit.

Reader-repelling habit #1: The long and winding sentence

My sister Ruth was editing for me recently and she tactfully pointed out that I hadn't practiced what I teach. The culprit? A very long run-on sentence. Ooops. That's why we ALL need help with our writing.

You probably already know if this is one of your habits. A sure-fire way to spot it is to read your work out loud.

• Do you run out of breath before you finish any of your sentences? 
• By the end of the sentence, do you forget what the beginning of the sentence was about?

How the long and winding sentence repels your readers: Relationships are built on feelings. If a long and winding sentence leaves your reader feeling confused or disoriented, they will associate those feelings with you the next time they see your name.

Free Call: The Top 3 Reader-Repelling Habits to Watch for in Your Writing

Date: Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Time: 9:30 a.m. Eastern (convert)

You'll learn:

• How to reign in your run-on sentences
• The other two reader-repelling writing habits and how to address them
• What a coach for pastors can teach you about web content writing
• And more!
• You can also join the Club and devote the whole day to your writing!

As part of the call, we'll have a webinar segment where you can see examples of these reader-repelling habits, and how I reverse them to improve the final product.

Content Mastery Guide subscribers, watch your Inbox for call-in details.

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Content Mastery Guide joins Alltop.com

On Friday, August 27, 2010, Content Mastery Guide was added to the Content Marketing page at Alltop.com.

Alltop.com is like an online magazine rack, where you can browse "the best of the best" blogs and websites about hundreds of specialized topics. Here is a great visual from Dan Roam that explains perfectly how Alltop.com works as a search tool.

I'm thrilled to be in the company of folks like Jeff, Anne, Patsi, Brian, Jason, Seth, Joe and the other content marketing experts on this page (all of whom I look forward to getting to know).

Thanks to the folks at Alltop.com for this important recognition of my work. (What do you know, Alyssa, I'm getting noticed, too!)

Linda, leave my tweets alone!

Here's something I've wondered about from time to time on my Twitter travels.

When and how is it okay to edit a tweet (something that has been posted on Twitter - example) that you are retweeting (forwarding to your followers - example)?

I should probably leave your tweets alone - Word Woman or not, when people see that something is a retweet, they should safely assume that the original message is intact and unaltered.

But here's where things get tricky:

1. I see a typo or other error. Since I edit for a living, I do my best to make sure my own content is free from errors. When I retweet, it feels like I'm responsible for that content. Even though a retweet is really a quote of someone else's words, that's not always obvious. Especially because everyone handles retweets differently (I tend to follow Scott Stratten's advice and add my commentary to the beginning of a tweet).


2. The message is too long. I actually LOVE the challenge of trying to pare down someone's tweet while keeping their voice and message intact. It's a lot like what I do when I edit web content for my clients. By the way, you can make your tweets easier to retweet with this calculator. But does editing for length give me free reign to correct errors as well?


3. The person has used shorthand (e.g., "ur" instead of "you are"). For my own posts, I tend to agree with Grammar Girl, who says that if she can't say it properly in 140 characters, she needs to consider whether she should post it at all. (She even published a Twitter Style Guide called Strunk and Twite.) Similar to #1, I see everything I post on Twitter as an extension of my brand and a reflection of the quality of my work.

But that's about MY stuff, not yours. So while I've been viewing my unsolicited Twitter editing as a way to take a stand for the quality of your content, it IS unsolicited and I should probably cut it out.

What do you think? Please leave your comments below, or talk to me on Twitter. 

The three Rs of content marketing

As I'm getting ready for the big move from Toronto to Barrie, one of the tasks on my list is to sign up for a "peak saver" program with the electricity company. I want to make sure I'm doing everything I can to reduce my energy footprint (as well as save costs!).

That got me thinking about the "three Rs" and how they relate to content marketing.

Reduce - You can practice this concept in a couple of ways. First of all, make sure you reduce the number of ideas in an article or blog post so that you're left with ONE main topic and some supporting points.

Next, reduce your personal energy output by batching your tasks for maximum efficiency. For example, if it's "brainstorming time," and you're in the flow of new ideas and creativity, stay with that instead of trying to switch back and forth to other types of tasks.

Reuse - Revisit topics you've covered before, by updating them, combining them with links to other relevant posts, or demonstrating the ideas with a story from your own experience or your client work.

Recycle - Recycle your content into a new format. For example, tweet about your blog post or expand it into a longer article for your newsletter. Or take your email newsletter and turn it into a printed handout you can bring to a face-to-face networking event.

How do you reduce, reuse or recycle your content? Which of these ideas would you like to try? Please leave a comment below.

Busy time ahead? Don't lose momentum on your content marketing

The topic of last week's Small Business Buzz Twitter chat was Vacation Strategies.

While it's not a vacation, I AM looking ahead towards some down time from my business. That's because the Content Mastery Guide is relocating to beautiful Barrie, Ontario. That's right, Patch and I are moving!

Adding to the excitement (and a bit of stress) is that it's all happening relatively quickly towards the end of September. And there's a lot to do between now and then!

I knew that if I was going to keep up with my regular content marketing goals AND keep telling you about the new content writing solutions I'm putting together for you, I had better plan ahead.

First, I used Charlie Gilkey's blog post planner to plot out the categories I want to focus on over the next few months, and I filled in a few article ideas I'm already brewing for each category.

Then, I used his blog post calendar to put together a content strategy that laid out precisely which pieces of content will go out on which date. This document went beyond an editorial calendar, and helped me look at:

• The types of content I want to be sharing, both in this blog and with the members of the Content Mastery Action Club
• The best timing for each type of content, based on what's happening in my business
• The different resources and services that I offer, and how to weave my content strategy through all of these solutions so that the right people hear about them   

The real bonus is that I'll be able to replicate this strategy long after I'm settled in Barrie.

How do you plan ahead when you know you'll be away from your business? Please comment below.

Blocked? Be still and let your creativity find you

Last night I watched the movie version of the book Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (you can watch her TED talk about nurturing creativity).

When Liz was in India (the "pray" section of her journey), she was frustrated by the racing thoughts that distracted her from prayer and meditation. She had to surrender her self-judgment about her past before she could find the peace and balance she was seeking.

How does that relate to article writer's block? Think of the energy and brain power we waste judging our creative process and the mere fact that we HAVE writer's block.

I've found that if I can quiet that inner critic and enter a state of stillness, ideas flow to me in a torrent. My articles will literally write themselves, and it is a peaceful joining with my creativity, not a fight against my writer's block.

How do you quiet your mind and connect with your muse when it's time to write? Please enter your comments below.

What's the difference between i.e. and e.g.?

These are abbreviations of Latin phrases. While they're often used interchangeably, they're actually two distinct phrases. That was one of the first rules that my sister Ruth taught me when I started editing!

E.g. stands for exempli gratia, or for the sake of example. I.e. stands for id est, or that is. I remember these by associating e.g. with example given and i.e. with in other words (to rephrase something you've said).

For example: My sister has taught me a lot about editing over the years, e.g., she explained the difference between e.g. and i.e. She has really been invaluable to me, i.e., she's been the editor's editor.

If you're tempted to use i.e. to introduce a list of items, remember that by definition it must include every possible example, while a list that opens with e.g. includes some, but not necessarily all, possible examples.

For example, in Section 22.1, Anatomy of a special report or white paper, I list ALL of the applicable levels that a problem may be impacting your reader, i.e., emotional, financial, mental, physical and spiritual.

Use a comma before and after either of these abbreviations, and try not to use them both in the same sentence.

The Chicago Manual of Style offers a bonus tip: if you start a list with e.g., there’s no need to put etc. at the end.

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This post was an excerpt from The Customizable Style Guide for Coaches Who Write: Look Smarter, Write Faster and Get Better Results from Your Writing.

Do you have other questions about writing or editing? Find out more or order now.

What conversion really means to me

Someone recently sent me a link to a video about conversion, "Hey, Linda, I think this could help you get better results from your offers..." I won't share the link, but I'll tell you that I found it utterly unwatchable.

Not because I don't have things to learn. Not because it wasn't excellent, research-based information.

But because it was so full of jargon that it literally was like to trying to understand a foreign language. 

When I want to study up on Internet marketing techniques, I look to folks like Charlie Gilkey, Dave Navarro and Mark Silver. They always have excellent, useful information that is easy to grasp and leaves me with my soul intact.

I think what bothered me the most about the jargon in the video is that there was no mention of either of the people involved in the transaction - the provider of the service or the receiver of the service.

Because what conversion really means to me is that I get the chance to help someone. Sure, I help people with the free content I provide, but when money enters the picture, it ups the exchange of love and service to a whole new level - go read Mark Silver's stuff, he'll teach you all about that.

So I'll leave the conversion conversation to those more versed in that language. And in the meantime, I'll just ask you the simple question, "How can I help you?"

Conversation starters help you share your content

I can really relate to what Lena West recently wrote about the cobbler's son having no shoes.

Since Kristen Beireis and I talked about conversation starters (social media updates that build on and link back to my recent blog posts), I've noticed my mentors and colleagues using them, and I've even been creating them for some of my clients!

But until very recently, I haven't been using them myself! 

While I have Typepad set up to automatically publish each new blog post to Twitter, after that the sharing stopped. My contacts on Twitter and LinkedIn had to be online and watching me in their stream the instant that I published, or they would never see it.

Now, I'm writing several social media updates about the topic of each post, and sending them out over the following days. While Kristen's stance was that you should not include a link in all of your updates, I think it's a good point of reference for the conversation you're trying to start. From there, you can engage with people directly.

Here are just three of the reasons that conversation starters are such a good idea:

1. You'll reach more people than just those who happened to be online when you published or posted about your new content.
2. You can learn more about your readers and what they're interested in, by monitoring, measuring and analyzing which links they click on.
3. You can stay active and visible on social media without having to think of brand new conversation topics each time you post.

Would you like to learn how to write social media conversation starters about your blog posts? Then please join me for my next free call, "Conversation Starters: Let the content sharing begin!" on Thursday, August 12, 2010, from 9:30-10:00 a.m. Eastern.

For call details, subscribe to the Content Mastery Guide updates (from the top right-hand corner of the site), then watch your email next week for information and reminders.

On the call, I'll also show you how I automate this process and measure my results with Hootsuite.

Action Club members, you'll get a Conversation Starter Worksheet, a call recording and a handout - not to mention an entire day devoted to creating great content.

I hope to hear you on the call!

What is web content and why do you need it?

Web content is information that you post online to attract, interact with and assist your prospective clients. It includes:

• Blog posts (like the one you're reading now)
• Articles (like this one)
• Newsletters (like this one, featuring a ghostwritten article I created with coach J. Val Hastings)
• Social media updates (like these)
• Online profile pages for social networks (like this one) and other sites
• Case studies (like this one, that I ghostwrote for coach Bill Burtch)
• Client stories (like these)

Web content goes beyond your brochure website that tells your visitors who you are and what you do. It engages your prospective clients in a conversation that is based on who they are and what they are dealing with.

It starts you out on the right foot by demonstrating your expertise and providing service right from the start - with valuable information they're looking for right now.

With high-quality web content, you can:

• Keep your website fresh, so you can get found online
• Keep your prospects interested, so you can make offers to help them
• Keep your all of your business relationships warm, so you stay "top of mind" 

What if you don't know how to write these things?

Writing is a skill like any other. You can use the information and resources on the Content Mastery Guide website to learn how to write for the web (you'll even find support for getting it done), or you can focus your time and energy on serving your clients and building your business.

For you, writing may be a struggle, and so you may not be getting the results you could be. For a writer, it's a pleasure, plus you'll have a specialist who understands how to use web content as a marketing strategy that gets results. Why not let everyone do what they love?

If you're concerned about having someone else write on your behalf, check out my post about the ethics of ghost blogging.

If you'd like to spend more time doing what you love, check out these content marketing solutions or contact me directly.