Inspirational quotes for writers

“We are the hero of our own story." Mary McCarthy

Writng effective words for the web

This is an excerpt from my digital download book called "How to write effective web copy." More details at www.writerslittlebook.co.uk

If you have to write for your website, maybe for your book, then here's a simple way to start off finding what are the most important points to include in your text.

WEBSITE WRITING EXERCISE

Sit down and write out all the questions people have asked you about your business over the last few months.

Now answer them, clearly and in simple terms.

Then discard your frequently asked questions page and instead write your website based on the questions.

If there are constantly similar questions that come up when you’re out networking, or explaining your business to people, then that’s what’s important for your website to focus on.

They will be the core pages of your site. How you arrange the information within your site will depend on how you want your visitor to access the information.

Heritage Open Days 2009

I've just been looking at the places open during the Heritage Open Days next week in the East Midlands. For more information about what's available to see then go to www.heritageopendays.co.uk and check for your area.

In Nottingham I'm going to make sure I go to the Bromley Library in the city centre. Open next Saturday and you don't have to book.

Inspirational quotes

"Whether you think you can write or whether you think you can’t you’re definitely right." Eileen Parr (with a nod to Henry Ford)

Inspirational quotes for writers

“If you practise an art, be proud of it and make it proud of you. It may break your heart but it will fill your heart before it breaks it; it will make you a person in your own right.”
Maxwell Anderson American Playwright

How to manage any writing project

People keep asking me how I manage to write as much as I do, as fast as I do. Well without a system I'd fall apart so this is the method I've evolved over my 6 years as a business writer. And in case you think this won't won't for fiction, then I used it to spec out and write a novel.

No it's not published... yet. May never be if I don't think it works but that's for another day.

Take this system if you like, run with it, change it and make it your own. It's a place to begin if you're floundering at present.

10 STEP SYSTEM TO MANAGE A WRITING PROJECT
Step 1

Decide what you’re writing.
Think audience/problem/solution.

Step 2
Decide who you’re writing to.

Step 3
Decide why you’re writing.

Step 4

Collect all the research you need to write your piece.

Step 5
Write your first draft.

Step 6
Run the grammar and spell check. When you see the Readability Stats, aim for no more than 3% passive sentences.

Step 7

Check the layout. Do this in “Print Preview” at 75% and look for blocks of text that need breaking up.

Step 8

More grammar checks: now for the following:
X “I/We” sentences – turn them into a “You” focus.
X should/would/could – turn wherever possible into shall/will/can.
X all forms of the verb “to be” – is, are, was, were.
Wherever possible replace with a more active verb.

Step 9

Print out corrected draft. Then read out loud yourself, or better still ask someone else to read it.

That will show up long sentences, inconsistencies, places where the text doesn’t flow.
If they hesitate when reading aloud, that’s where your reader will hesitate in silent reading and maybe will bail out at that point.

Step 10

Correct and then print another draft. Ask someone else to look for typos. Your eye knows the text by now so well that it sees what it expects to, not what’s there. Make any necessary changes then you’re done.

KEY POINT
Having a system for your writing projects means you’re more likely to achieve your aim and less likely to miss out something important.

Inspirational quotes for writers

'One ought, every day at least, to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture, and if it were possible, to speak a few reasonable words.' Goethe