WritingThoughts

As some of you know, I am a member of the Gack Ink blog network. Gack Ink is a bring your own blog network, which means that the blogger retains control and ownership of their blog. It also means that they do not get paid for blogging.

A blog network is an affiliation of bloggers. Some blog networks pay their bloggers. Others do not.

Whether or not you are paid to write posts, being part of a blog network has several benefits:

1. Mentoring.

You can learn tips and secrets from other successful bloggers. Many blog networks have a forum where members can post questions and discuss ideas.
2. Relationships.

Being part of a network enables you to form relationships within the network that you might take longer to build if you were not in the network.

3. Support.

Other bloggers in the network can support your blog projects and provide advice, if needed.
4. Traffic.

Being part of a network can drive additional traffic to your blog. Not only will potential readers find your blog listed on the network’s home page, but network members will also drop by your blog frequently.

5. Exposure to quality blogs.

Typically blog networks cover many topics. Being part of a blog network can give you exposure to quality blogs on subjects outside of your own niche.

Do you need additional information about the benefits of blog networks? Here is an additional link:

• Why Should You Join A Blog Network?

If you haven’t thought about blog networks, now just might be the time to explore them further.

Contents (c) Copyright 2007, Laura Spencer. All rights reserved.

I discovered the Grammar Girl blog courtesy of a colleague. She e-mailed the link to me and it quickly became a favorite.

I love the way that Grammar Girl handles her topic with humor. Each Grammar Girl post includes an audio file that is basically a grammar lesson. I also like the way Grammar Girl used a poll to incorporate a grammar quiz into her latest post, “On Accident versus By Accident.”

Whether you’re just starting out as a writer or you have been writing for years, there is something new that you can learn from Grammar Girl. I know that I’ll be stopping by her site on a regular basis.

Note: If you’re consistently posting great information and haven’t seen your blog featured in Of Note yet, I apologize. I’ll probably find you soon. I know there are a lot of great blogs out there; I discover more new ones each day. (So many blogs, so little time.)

Contents (c) Copyright 2007, Laura Spencer. All rights reserved.

How can a professional writer help your writing project? Why shouldn’t you just use in-house staff or write copy for yourself.

If you’re thinking about using non-writers to create your marketing or business copy, stop. You won’t get the same results from your non-writing staff as you would get from a professional writer.

Here are ten reasons why a professional writer can add value to your business:

1. They will take the time to do the job right.

Sure, maybe you can write well or somebody on your staff can write well. If writing is not your full-time career, do you really have the time to write what you need? A professional will make the time for your project.

If you let Joe from the accounting department write your copy, guess when the copy is going to get written? That’s right, it will get done after Joe finishes all of his accounting work. (Is Joe ever finished with his accounting work?)

2. They will use their skill and knowledge to your advantage.

Okay, maybe grammar and spelling are not your strongest areas. Maybe you were absent the day that they covered punctuation and capitalization at your school. You’re afraid the copy that you produce will make you look stupid.

With a professional writer, there’s no need to have these fears. A writer will clean up your copy and give it a polished, professional appearance.

3. They can help you target your writing for your intended audience.

Do you know who needs to read your copy? Let a writer help you find out.

Maybe you have a complex concept that you need to explain to the general public. A good writer can create copy that can be easily understood by anyone. Maybe you need to reach a specific group. A writer can help you hone in on the individuals that you need.

4. A professional writer can help you develop ideas.

You know what you need to have written, but you just can’t put it into words. You’ve started and stopped your writing project a dozen times, or more.

A writer can help you develop that idea and turn it into exactly the copy that you need.

5. They can help you avoid clichés and overworked angles and find a fresh way of describing your information.

Can you recognize if a copywriting angle has been used too often? Ideas and words that are used too often lose their effectiveness.

A writing professional can recognize overused and overworked ideas and help you find a fresh and unique slant for your specific needs. Don’t let yourself get stuck with the same old thing.

6. A writer provides a second set of eyes.

It’s easy to make a mistake when you are working alone. A professional writer is trained to look for mistakes and for sentences that can be misunderstood.

You don’t want mistakes in your copy. Even a single misplaced decimal point can hurt your business. There’s a big difference between $25.00 and $250.00!

7. A good writer can identify missing material.

You know what you want to say by heart. Maybe you know it too well. Maybe you’ve left something out.

Let’s say that you need copy that explains how to do something. If a step is missing from your material, a writer can point it out and correct it for you.

8. A good writer can suggest ways to streamline your writing process.

You’re trying to gather information “the old-fashioned way,” but it seems that you are always behind. A good writer can suggest ways to streamline your copywriting process and help you stay ahead of the information flood.

9. A good writer can help you project a consistent image through your writing.

Does every document you produce look like it comes from a different source? Does your copy stand out from the rest?

A good writer can suggest a unique style that is right for your business. Having a unique voice in your writing can help you brand your business.

10. A good writer is familiar with all the media available to communicate your ideas.

Do you want to produce printed copy for mail outs? Would online materials work best for you? Do you know?

With the variety of media available today, it’s easy to be confused about what’s best for your needs. A good writer can suggest the right media for your needs.

A good writer may be just the edge that you need to stay ahead of your competition. So, why not turn your right needs over to a professional today?

Contents (c) Copyright 2007, Laura Spencer. All rights reserved.

Brad, at Straight North, asks, “What’s Your Favorite Business Book?” He wants to compile a list of blogger favorites. This is my entry into his group project.

I have to admit, I’m a reader. While some people might like to watch television or listen to music, my idea of relaxation is to curl up with a good book. When I was in school other students groaned at reading assignments, but I was secretly glad to be given something else to read.

The book that has influenced my life more than any other is the Bible. It’s a guide for how I live my life. More than that, it contains a peek at the God that I worship.

Of course, that’s not quite the question that Brad asks in his group project. Brad’s question is “what is your favorite business book?”

I’d have to say that my favorite business book is not one book, but two:

• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
• First Things First: To Live, to Love, to Learn, to Leave a Legacy by Stephen Covey and A Roger Merrill

I was actually assigned to a class based on these books twice at two different corporations where I worked. Each time I attended the class, I was given a copy of the books.

It’s been about fifteen years (yikes, has it really been that long?) since I read those books, but the concepts taught in the classes still remain with me.

My managers saw these books as a time management tools. I found them to be a bit more than that. By stressing getting your life in order and living your life with integrity the books helped me to wade through the daily distractions to focus on goals that are really important to me, both in business and in life.

In fact, if there’s one concept that I got from the books it would have to be that personal and business life are entwined. You can’t really separate one from the other. Personal problems impact business and vice versa.

If you really think about it, you’ll see that this makes perfect sense. If you didn’t sleep well last night, you’re not going to perform well on the job today. If you’re angry and upset about a fight you had with your loved one, you’re not going to be fully focused on the difficult problems.

Of course, we see extreme examples of this principle with substance abuse. Eventually, an alcoholic brings their alcoholism to work with them.

Understanding the concept of the relationship between my business and my personal life has helped me tackle many difficult business decisions over the years. In fact, my decision to work from home is indirectly a result of what I learned from these books.

In fact, just writing this post has made me want to go back and reread these classic business books. You may want to do the same!

Contents (c) Copyright 2007, Laura Spencer. All rights reserved.

We all know that good writing skills are important for effective communication. In general, children who have good writing skills have an easier time in school and get better grades.

While our children may not aspire to become professional writers, everyone can benefit from learning to write well.

Here are some ideas to help encourage your child to develop their writing skills:

Reading

Exposure to good writing can help children develop their own writing skills. Check with your school or librarian to find a list of books recommended for your child’s age. Here are a few books that we enjoyed:

• The Cat in The Hat (for preschoolers)
• Amelia Bedelia, Bookworm (for early readers)
• Henry and Ribsy (for elementary age)
• Redwall (Tale of Redwall) (for late elementary and early junior high age)

Diaries or Journals.

Children love to keep these kinds of records. Encourage them to keep a diary and watch their writing skills improve. For inspiration you can point to popular diary series books like:

• The Princess Diaries, The Royal Diaries (try Mary, Queen of Scots: Queen Without a Country, France, 1553)
• The Dear America Series (try Dreams In The Golden Country)
• Older children may find inspiration in The Diary of Anne Frank

Trip Log

Are you taking a vacation? Why not have your children create a trip log of the experience? With notebooks and expensive cameras children can create memorable vacation logs that will also improve their writing skills.

Newspaper

Do you do a family newspaper? Many people do this at Christmastime, but there’s no reason that there can’t be more frequent editions. Why not schedule a mid-year edition featuring your child as the reporter?

Reviews

Book reports are not just for school. Encourage your child to read book reviews and then to create their own book review for their favorite book. They can also write reviews of their favorite movies and music. If you have a family website, you could even start a review column to publish their reviews.

Blogs

Children who create blogs should be supervised to ensure that they do not provide any personally identifiable information. However, some schools encourage children to create and update their own blogs.

These are just a few of my ideas for encouraging children to read. What are your ideas? I’d love to hear from you.

Contents (c) Copyright 2007, Laura Spencer. All rights reserved. 

Here are some highlights from around the blogosphere:

• Liz Strauss has published the complete metaphor project listing and winners on her Successful and Outstanding Blog. Be sure to drop by to discover some unique ideas about what blogging is.
• Tom Chandler is single-handedly saving copywriting on The Copywriter Underground. This post made me chuckle.
• Muhammed Saleem is explaining the 10 Second Rule on CopyBlogger.
• Yvonne is blogging about Price vs. Value on Grow Your Writing Business. The post hits close to home for all of us who earn our living by writing.
•  The best bloggers are writers, and ProBlogger knows it. Here are two posts on writing from the premier source of information on blogging: The Most Important Tip for Better Writing by Glen Stansberry and Writing Purposeful Content by Lorelle VanFossen.
• I can’t leave this post without listing a new blog find e-mailed to me from a colleague. Thanks to my colleague, you too can enjoy Grammar Girl’s writing tips.

Enjoy browsing your blog finds! Feel free to leave a comment and let me know if any of this was helpful, or to add your own writing-related blog finds.

 Contents (c) Copyright 2007, Laura Spencer. All rights reserved.

Mihaela Lica (Mig) at Pamil Visions gave me a rare gift recently. She allowed me to see myself as she sees me. Or, at least, as she sees my dreams.

Mig normally blogs about public relations, marketing, and SEO issues. However, she’s also a very talented artist. A few days ago she created this collage of MsPurple and posted it on her website. She then invited readers to submit their own photos so that she could create a collage for them.

To make a long story short, I took Mig up on her offer and the photo above is the result of her work. Isn’t it beautiful? If I can figure out how to print it out in color, I’m going to frame it and put it on my office wall to remind me of why I blog. (If not, maybe I’ll have to turn it into a screensaver.)

An Online Gallery of Collages

Do you want to see more of Mig’s collages? I thought that you might. Here’s some links to some other collages that she’s done. (If I find more, I’ll add them to this post.):

• Silken
• Lillie
• Merry

In fact, you can see these images and more. Mihaela has just posted the first batch of images to her site.

A Free E-Book Too!

I can’t leave this post without linking to Mig’s new free e-book. Her topic is SEO and WordPress and she really knows her stuff! I downloaded a copy and already I’ve learned a lot about what to do differently the next time I set up a blog.

Thank-you Mig for all that you do!

Contents (c) Copyright 2007, Laura Spencer. All rights reserved.

I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately. I’ve had some pretty hard gigs in my life. Some of these hard gigs have included:

• My first job where they led me to a desk buried with paper (undone work) and told me it was sink or swim.
• A technical writing gig where the massive product documentation was so far behind that I was greeted with, “thank goodness you’re here, I was afraid I would be stuck with this.”
• A company (well several of these, really) that pretty much expected me to spend my entire life at work.

I’ve even had some tough emotional personal gigs:

• Early in our marriage my husband was laid off and was unemployed/underemployed for over a year.
• I’ve had sick relatives and sick friends.
• As some of you know, most recently, I’ve overseen the care of my father during his struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Those gigs were tough. This motherhood gig, however, has got to be the toughest gig I’ve ever had. Just when I think I’ve got it down, everything changes. Just when you learn to properly put a diaper on so it doesn’t leak, it’s time for potty training. Just when you’ve finally taught them addition and subtraction it’s time for Algebra. Motherhood’s a hard gig because the rules keep changing.

I can remember when sidewalk chalk and soap bubbles would entertain my kids for over an hour. If I were to give them sidewalk chalk and soap bubbles now I’d get those rolling teen eyes. (I know this because I mentioned how much she used to like drawing with sidewalk chalk and blowing soap bubbles to one of mine and got the “oh Mom” response.) To tell you the truth, I miss the sidewalk chalk and soap bubble days.

All this struck me yesterday as I sat across from my newly-teen child at lunch and stared into her face, which is growing more grownup and more adult-like with each passing day. “How on earth am I going to convey to her what she needs to know in the time that we have left?” I wondered as panic struck me. 

We mothers don’t usually talk about it how challenging motherhood is. We usually just do it. Today, however, is my day to let it out. I’m telling you right now. Motherhood is one tough gig!

Contents (c) Copyright 2007, Laura Spencer. All rights reserved.

©Laura Spencer

A good headline can mean the difference between whether a piece is read or not read.

How many books have you picked up simply because the title seemed interesting? If you’re like me, the answer is more than one or two.

If you publish web content, a good title or headline is more important than ever before. A book in a store or an article in a magazine may have an attractive photo or cover design to draw the reader in.

On the web, however, readers are much more likely to be scanning lists of many articles or posts. Your headline has to grab their attention or you’ve lost them.

In this post, I share some resources to help you write good headlines for online articles or posts.

[Read more →]

… and all of you are my ingredients.

This is my answer to Liz Strauss‘s group writing project: What is Your Blogging Metaphor?

My metaphor for blogging is a cake recipe.

It starts with this blog, WritingThoughts, which is like the flour that goes into a cake. But a cake made up of nothing but flour is dry and bland. It doesn’t hold together very well.

I’ll need to add some eggs to help it stick together. Fellow bloggers like Yvonne, Matt, Jeanne, and many others provide the blog “eggs” to hold my blogging cake together.

My blogging cake is very dry. I need bloggers like Alicia, KWiz, Merry, and many others to provide the blog “butter” to give my cake just the right texture.

Next, I’ll need to add something to help my cake rise. Experienced bloggers like Gayla, Paula, Randa and many others provide the blog “baking powder” blogging expertise to help my blog rise.

My blogging cake is a little on the bitter side. Sweet bloggers like Lisa, Lillie, Harmony and many others provide the blog “sugar” that gives my blog flavor.

My blog needs some icing. Dream-catcher Mihaela is always ready to “top” off my cake with a happy dream. Perhaps you would also like to provide some icing?

Finally, without a little marketing oil, my blog would stick to the cake pan. Marketing-minded bloggers like Calvin help me find that necessary blog “oil.”

As you can see, each member of the blogging community contributes to my blogging cake.

Sure, I could put a bowl of flour on the table and call it “done” if I wanted, but my blogging cake wouldn’t be quite the same without interaction from you, my fellow bloggers.

Contents (c) Copyright 2007, Laura Spencer. All rights reserved.