Welcome to this week's edition of The Killer-Poet, for the writer who knows their worth.
This issue is brought to you by Next Level 7, the free email course from Copyblogger founder Brian Clark. He reveals how he's building audiences and new businesses right now and into the future. Grab it here.
I'm Stefanie, Copyblogger's Editor-in-Chief, and I appreciate spending the next couple of minutes with you in your inbox. Below you'll find skill-strengthening resources, plus a special writing tip I crafted exclusively for this email.
Let's get to it!
Solve 3 Painful Writing Problems with This 5-Step Process
Have you ever experienced one, or all, of these writing problems?
- How to get started
- How to cut the fluff
- How to finish
Those three issues are really symptoms of the same painful challenge, which boils down to not clearly understanding what you're trying to accomplish with your writing.
Don't worry ... it's a fairly common ailment.
There's a five-step process you can work through that will help clarify your objectives, which leads to greater clarity in your writing.
This method also helps you kick-start any writing project (and finish it) with only the necessary elements, because you'll know exactly what you're after and how to make it happen.
Aristotle's Ancient Guide to Compelling Copy
A long, long time ago, around the 5th century BC in Ancient Greece, there were a bunch of hip kids called the Sophists who loved to talk.
Actually, not just talk. They loved teaching people how to debate and come up with persuasive arguments to influence the opinions and beliefs of others through the use of rhetoric.
Rhetoric is the art of using language for persuasive ends. Not unlike copywriting.
Despite their popularity, one guy was concerned that their methods of persuasion were a little too emotional, a little too flowery, a little too lacking in, well … proof.
Aristotle was also well-versed in rhetoric and persuasion, and he thought some of the Sophists might be using rhetoric to manipulate by focusing too much on emotion, and rather handily washing over "fact" with large brush strokes.
It's not that he was against persuasion. When you've got an important message that can inspire, educate, or help people, you need to be able to communicate that. So, he came up with his own rules of persuasion.
And even though these rules are more than 2,300 years old, when you apply them to your copywriting, you've got something authentic that persuades and also has integrity.
The Smart Way to Think About Scaling Your Digital Business
As all freelancers and solopreneurs know, or eventually learn, starting a successful small business is a challenge -- a challenge worth accepting because of the rewards that come with it.
But what about the steps beyond that first level of success? What if you decide that you want to take your six- or seven-figure small business and scale it up?
It's doable, and there are well-worn paths you can follow. But it's not the right path for everyone. Is it the right path for you?
That's the subject of this week's edition of 7-Figure Small with Brian Clark, who has made the decision to scale several times in the past and experienced the challenges and rewards that come with it. Listen here, or find the episode on Apple Podcasts.)
Extras
- How to Win New Readers with a Single Blog Post
- 33 Opportunities to Use Descriptive Language
- The Art of Keeping Your Audience Coming Back for More
- 10 Content Proofreading Tips to Catch More Avoidable Goofs
- Build an 8-Figure Business with Empathy
Fall (Back) in Love with Words
If you ever feel uninspired, or that your writing sounds a bit stale, it's helpful to remember why you wanted to be a writer in the first place: the words.
Even though there are probably a variety of reasons why you choose to write, a love of words is a necessity.
So, make it a habit to learn a new word (or words) every day. They don't have to be highbrow to add more precision to your writing, either.
You want to get more familiar with the language your audience prefers and use those words to form deep bonds with the people who read your content.
Inspired, fresh writing stems from the desire to connect, not impress, and the right words build the relationships that build your business.
Talk with you again soon,
Stefanie Flaxman
Editor-in-Chief, Copyblogger Media
Check out more Copyblogger articles here
No comments:
Post a Comment