Why Zombie Web Copy Could Be Ruining You as a ‘Real’ Writer

Couple of things: First, reason for the headline: I spend 8+ hours 5+ days a week writing almost exclusively for the web. It becomes quite task-like, repetitive even after that kind of bearing down. And my second point: I think in the past web content and copy writing were relegated to a status unbefitting a […]

Freelance Writers Working from Home

Kudos to Brendan Koerner’s timely essay on the real truths behind telecommuting (in this month’s Wired magazine). I’ve been a freelance writer for nearly 4 years now and I work remotely, from my residence–in fact, I’ve come to prefer it and frequently wonder why so many companies still demand writers work onsite. In this month’s […]

Procrastination for Freelance Writers

When I jotted  a slapdash review a couple of weeks ago reporting my initial impressions of Office Time–a Mac-friendly time-tracking software program, I really didn’t anticipate how many web users would land on it while searching for “time tracking for mac.” I guess I thought I was the only one with serious time-management issues. SURELY […]

Begin to Shape Your Business and Product Message in the Search Results

By the time a business owner– frustrated because he/she is failing to convert customers elsewhere–is pinning hopes to a revised product/sales message in a response email  it should be clear to everyone (who’s paying attention) that the front-end product message is 1 either incorrect, misleading or muddy 2 non-existent I’m thinking website copy and message, […]

When to Ditch the Word Counts in the Webpage Copy

Wordcounts. Web copy writers are intimate with these numbers. In the beginning there was a very good technical reason for the 300-350 word minimum rule on informational copy. HOWEVER, there are a few cases in which the word count must be totally sacrificed for higher goals. When I first started banging out websites by the […]

Trend and Keyword Tools Debunked for Web Writers

I figured since I’ve been completely overwhlemed with keyword and trends tools that perhaps other writers and copy specialists are a bit boon-doggled, as well. Here’s mixed run-down of popular and less well-known tools that let you drill down into various types of statistical data, like keywords, keyword phrases, hot topics and search trends–all very […]

ED on the TV

Did I just see Hugh Hefner in a Cialis commercial?

Full Speed Ahead with Solid Content and Page Copy

Worried that content will soon take a backseat to Web 2.0 apps?  I’m here to assemble the experts that say otherwise. Copywriters and content producers–put the pressure down. Web 2.0 is here, and fever is high, but it could be a too much too soon over the top toy-box. In fact some experts suggest that […]

“Small” Words, Powerful Meaning

Update: I’ve followed up this bare bones post with another that gives readers 4 go-to lists of powerful and short/small words. If you’re looking for 1. calls-to-action, 2. small but powerful take action words, 3. words that sound like sounds, or 4. colorful turns of phrase that will surely punch up any lackluster copy,  then […]

Why Storytelling Works

I had a nice little newsletter from Marketing Profs in my inbox this afternoon. It linked, as they usually do, to a good marketing blog post, but emphasized the value of story-telling in marketing. Here’s the link to the Get to the Point newsletter for today. What’s remarkable is that storytelling isn’t used more in […]