Content Mastery Guide

Editor and Ghostwriter

If your content isn’t working, check for these root problems

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So you're blogging, tweeting and updating and you're growing your numbers of friends, fans and followers. Yet you're discouraged by the lack of concrete results (i.e., more clients and sales) and you're not sure that content marketing is worth the HUGE effort it seems to take.

Before you give up completely, have a look to see if some of these common root causes are to blame:

  1. Lack of planning – Your lack of planning may be more noticeable to you than it will to your readers. Are you constantly scrambling to come up with your next "big idea," or always questioning whether you're on the mark? Back up and do some planning.
  2. Rushing – I'm all for efficiency and batching similar tasks, but be honest: Are you always pushing out your blog posts at the last minute or rushing through the process? Writing artfully is a skill and deserves the respect of your attention and time.
  3. Skipping the editing step – Do you click "Publish" the instant you type your last thought? Or maybe give the article a cursory read-through immediately? That might not be enough - I guarantee you'll find more errors if you walk away and come back to it later.
  4. Patchy publishing – When is the last time you updated your blog? Writing takes practice, like every other skill. Writing and publishing regularly, even if your creativity comes in fits and spurts, gives you that practice. It also sends the message that you are reliable in other ways.
  5. Writing in isolation – What's going on in your industry? Even more importantly, what's going on outside of your industry? If you're in a writing rut, click farther and farther outside of your regular circle. You're bound to find new inspiration and ideas. Then write and share with those new people and expand your network of possibilities.

In my brand new book, Write Your Way to More Clients Online: How to craft captivating content for newsletters, blogs and social media, I address each of these root causes in five parts:

Part 1: Plan Mindfully
Part 2: Write Artfully
Part 3: Edit Skillfully  
Part 4: Publish Consistently
Part 5: Share Widely

The first test copy of the book is already en route to me and as soon as I've signed off on that your orders will be shipped! 

P.S. Here some other article writing mistakes to avoid when you're trying to grow your business with content marketing.

Yawn! Are you bored with your own writing?

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Have you been blogging for awhile? Maybe even posting 2-5 pieces of new content per month? Congratulations, you're a real content marketer now!

Hopefully, you're consistently revisiting the same topics. Plus, you're reinforcing the keywords and phrases that your target market identifies with. But after all this time, how do you keep from getting bored with your own writing? Here are a few things to remember:

  1. It's not about you. What feels old to you is still new to someone else who has just discovered you. Keep things basic for them and get your ya-ya's elsewhere.
  2. Short and simple does not have to be boring. I love the challenge of finding new ways to explain the same lessons – Michael J. Katz consistently does a beautiful job of making interesting connections.
  3. There are plenty of ways for you to grow, stretch and improve your writing. Put some effort into cultivating your creativity and expanding your vocabulary.

When you keep these things in mind, there is no reason to be bored with your writing (but if you still are, consider outsourcing your writing to someone who loves it).

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

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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

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.

The three Rs of content marketing

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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.

Blocked? Be still and let your creativity find you

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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.