11 curious questions for better writing – and better business
Whoever came up with the proverb, “curiosity killed the cat” got it all wrong.
How I went from HATING writing for my business to loving it
Does the idea of writing content for your website – or emails, online newsletters, blog, or brochures – make you feel just a wee bit queasy?
Yeah… I hear you.
(Which is a weird confession, coming from someone who’s worked as a professional online copywriter for over 12 years!)
Don’t get me wrong – I’ve always loved writing for my clients. I get to play with words all day and share information that changes people’s lives for the better. It’s awesome. Not once, during the six years that I’ve owned my business, have I ever thought, “Oh, boo, I hate the fact that I have to work today.”
BUT. When it comes to writing my own copy and content, it’s a whole different ballgame. At least it used to be… now it’s my favourite part of running my business.
So, what changed?
Here’s how I went from HATING writing for my business to absolutely loving it – and growing a thriving business in the process: (more…)
Four simple words that will add powerful clarity to your writing
“Good prose should be transparent, like a window pane.” – George Orwell
Have you ever stared at a string of words – all of which you know very well – and had absolutely no idea what they meant when put together in that particular way?
Yeah, me too. Check out this sentence I had to edit in an article a while back: (more…)
How I procrastinated my way into becoming a prolific writer
(And how you can, too!)
A few Fridays ago, I did a word count on all the client projects I’d worked on that week. Turns out I’d written 25,738 words worth of copy & content in just five days.
That’s over 5,000 words a day!
So yeah, when it comes to output, I’m a bit of a machine. I can crank out a huge volume of good-to-go content in a very short period of time. It’s one of my strongest gifts as a writer – and one for which I’m exceedingly grateful.
But I wasn’t born this way… It’s something I developed over time, thanks to a “bad” habit that caused me a large amount of shame for many years.
What’s my terrible secret?
The Upward Motion of YES
(Or: “An Epiphany I Had about the Nature of Communication While Standing On My Head”)
I was at my morning yoga class the other day, doing a headstand against the wall and thinking about what my wonderful yoga teacher, Marlene, had just said:
“Remember to lift your chin away from your chest in the upward motion of yes – it’s the best way to protect that lovely curve in your neck.”
We had talked before about the usefulness of that phrase – “the upward motion of yes.” After all, it’s hard to convey directions when you’re talking to someone who’s standing on her head! By referring to how we move our heads when we nod, it’s easier to visualize where to move our chin when we’re upside down.
But on this particular morning, as the blood rushed to my brain and I focused on not falling sideways and knocking into my similarly inverted neighbour, I couldn’t get that phrase out of my head. (more…)
My three new favourite FREE writing tools
(They probably aren’t what you think…)
You know that feeling when you sit down to write and it feels like your brain has been replaced by a herd of cats hissing and fighting and running in all directions at once?
(Or is that just me?)
Recently I’ve been taking more proactive measures to quiet those kitties in order to improve my mental focus and increase my productivity so I can use my writing time more efficiently and get more accomplished in a shorter period.
Here are the three tools that I’ve found to be most helpful in quieting those kitties and honing my powers of concentration: (more…)
