I love reading so when asked to do the reviews it seemed a no-brainer. Well….it wasn’t all that easy. Particularly when you’re reviewing a book that isn’t one you would have chosen for your reading pile!  If I can’t relate to the story or the information being shared, then I have to work that much harder to find the gems I think will appeal to the reader. And that’s the challenge, as the PR firms or authors want you to help them connect with the target audience.

On the positive side, when you review a book, you receive a free copy of the book! With that comes a responsibility to do the author justice–fairly and honestly. Yet as a blogger you want to stay true to your voice or brand and maintain your integrity. There’s a delicate balance to maintain. We’ve all seen examples of blatant promotion that make us shudder. That’s pandering and it’s unfair to you readers.

One of the books I reviewed was You Are a Writer. It was fairly easy to write for a couple of reasons. I like Jeff Goins; I follow his blog and find him to be sincere, honest and a good writer. The book is about writing. I’m a writer. But it was more than that. I identified with his message–I needed to hear what he had to say. I’ll benefit from his content; the admonition to get on with our writing and his suggestions on how to build a platform for one’s work.  I know other people will connect with his message in a similar way. I wrote the review for Beyond Words where my readers are interested in the craft of writing.

The other book? It’s a topic I write about, but it was written for women who aren’t likely to read my other blog. Women who want to “be his wife.”  Younger women. Women who like self-help books. That’s not the audience I write my content for–not to say that some of them aren’t reading the blog.  And in all fairness to the book, there will be women who absolutely love it and who will buy it.

I worked hard to write a review that showed the book’s usefulness for potential readers. That’s what we’re all about as bloggers and as book reviewers. The goal is to write something that adds value to the conversation. Maybe I was thinking about that more clearly with the book review as I struggled to find the angle that would redeem my blog post.

Frankly, I’m not sure I do that with as fine and consistent a focus as I should  on this blog. Beyond Words is a mix of professional writer website, journal of a frustrated writer and a jack-of-all-trades in the writing/marketing/social media world. Fine for some but not a blog that will ever join the ranks of a Jeff Goins or Jonathan Fields or Danielle LaPorte (my new girl crush).

The Blog Gurus will tell you to know who you’re writing for and offer your readers what they need. Answer their questions, share valuable information, etc.. I’m a storyteller by nature and that comes out in all of my blogs-4 at this moment. It’s what I do best. I believe in the power of a good story to help and support a reader. Stories can show us how to deal with a tricky issue, they give us hope and inspiration. And, sometimes a good story is simply a good read.

Today? I’m content with my content (ha, couldn’t resist). Tomorrow? Who knows.

What’s your ambition as a blogger? Are you on target or having fun? Do you ever do book reviews and if so, what kind of obligation do you feel in writing one?

Yeah, lots of questions. Pick one.

Walker’s other public blogs: A Woman’s Page, and newest venture, The Diva of Dating a site for over 50 women and men seeking advice, information and stories about dating.

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That’s how he’d say it. And, it’s how he wants us to say it. Straight up, proud, unapologetic. Own it. No more maybe, sometimes, I think, I might be…

I am a writer.

It’s the theme of his new e-book, You Are a Writer.

The book is aimed at getting us to acknowledge our deep desire to be a writer, to set aside all the fears and excuses and just do it.  And, he tells us his story—letting the reader see exactly what it takes to move from the thinking and the wanting to the actual doing–Writing.

Writing is mostly a mind game. It’s about tricking yourself into becoming who you are. If you do this long enough, you begin to believe it. And pretty soon, you start acting like it.

I’ve struggled with saying, I am a Writer. I felt like an imposter, after all, what proof did I have? Where was my book? There are no articles in The New Yorker with my by-line. My definition of what constitutes a writer was so narrow and full of judgment that I couldn’t let myself say the words without hesitation.

Today I can say with some ease that I am a Writer. But, there is much work to do still. I’m still at the mostly thinking stage. So, given the opportunity to review Jeff Goins’ new e-book I jumped at it. I received the book as a gift in exchange for my review (full disclosure) . He didn’t threaten to send a virus to attack me if the review turned out poorly. He won’t ban me from reading his blog. It’s just an open invitation for one writer to share the message of You Are a Writer.

I read the book with ease and great interest. I wanted to not only do justice to my promise to review the book—I want to unlock the secret to what keeps me just a little stuck. You see, my book is languishing because I still have Fear;

Fear of finishing. Fear of picking one thing and sticking with it. We think, what if it’s the wrong thing? What if I mess it up?

Here’s the truth: There is no wrong thing. Just begin. Once you learn how to finish, you’ll be able to start again.

His answer is like free samples at the candy counter, or the wine bar. Help yourself. Don’t sweat it. Pick up the pen and write. Make it a habit. Write your passion. De-clutter your world. Develop community.

The book offers concrete tips for getting to the essence of writing. You want to be a writer and you want to be inspired. More importantly you want to get rid of those things that get in the way.

You Are a Writer is more than an inspiring story, it’s a how-to-do-it-love-it e-book. He talks about brands and how to build our platform.  We learn how to build community. And, all of this comes in a well-written concise book. Jeff Goins has one of the most popular blogs in the writing world—his followers already know this and eagerly anticipate posts. Now his readers can get more with this book.

What is my take-away? I took this offer for purely selfish reasons. I want to be a better writer. I thought by writing this review I might get a few new subscribers? A link from a big name blogger. Maybe. What I have gotten is a renewed sense of my own talent and the structure to continue to shape and improve my craft. And, let’s not forget motivation.

If you want to read more of Jeff- his blog is GoinsWriter. And, here’s the link to his e-book, You Are a Writer.

Let me not think of my work only as a stepping stone to something else. And if it is, let me become fascinated with the shape of the stone.
– Ze Frank

I had never heard of Ze Frank until today. Wow is really I’ve got to say. Well, not all I’ve got to say. I suffer from Procrastination in a big way, mixed with self-doubt and laziness and a sprinkling of ADD or ADHD? Can’t remember. So, I’m always searching for that magic pill that will make it all better.

The eternal question: How do we pull ourselves together, jump over the hurdles and just sit down and do the damned writing? If I knew, this blog would bed…something else. The blog promoting my book!  Ha ha.

Check him out.

His post, 5 Lessons in Creativity from the Return of Ze Frank is over at Copyblogger, with a link to Ze Frank’s A Show. Even if you’re not having writing challenges–he’s worth the watch for the poetic way he thinks and strings together those thoughts. He’s kinda cute too.

Click here to view the embedded video.

(the video is not for kids, nor the office)

You should be. Your competition is writing a blog.

The small business blog can be considered a “best  practice”.

You have a million reasons for not blogging, right? Demands on your time, fear of technology, concerns about your writing skills and uncertainly about how to best use a blog. You really can’t afford not to have an internet presence today. Increasingly, people, your potential customers, are searching for answers on the internet. A blog gives your business increased visibility on internet searches. Your name. Your product.

Four Reasons Your Business Will Benefit From A Blog

Free Advertising

You can supplement, reduce or eliminate print advertising if you have a blog. Got new products? Write a blog post and link it back to item on your website. Add as many photos as you want (within reason) Expanding your business, won an award, received a great recommendation? Tell readers about new services, share the press release about your award, post customer recommendations. Use your business blog as a platform for bragging about the business.

Establish Your Business Expertise

Whether you sell designer shoes, closet organizers or car tune-ups, you want to establish yourself as The go-to business in your community. In addition to writing about your product you want to offer (a little) free advice or information to readers. Talk about how to organize a closet to maximize space or tell your customers how to get the most mileage from an older car. When you give customers something of value they will be appreciative. We all love to get something for ‘free’ and we often feel an obligation to give back in return, i.e, we want to do business with you.

Visibility, Visibility, Visibility

A blog increases the chances that a potential customer will find your business. If I’m searching for closet shelving and your name pops up on my internet search, I’m more likely to click and read.  Your blog post on how to install closet shelves will provide a link to your website where I can either order online or find operating hours and the directions to your store.

Grow Your Customer Base

A blog not only brings readers to your site, but it can be used to grow your customer base. Every good blog should have a ‘follow me’ button or–better–an option for readers to subscribe by email.  Invite readers to sign up for your newsletter. You can use this database of interested readers to grow your business.  There are several email newsletter platforms that allow you to send customized content to customers. Faster. Cheaper. Effectively. Once you’ve got a base of subscribers the opportunities to promote your business expand exponentially. Send a newsletter talking about new spring merchandise and add a few interesting or useful tips your customers will enjoy. Do a promotion exclusively for newsletter subscribers (and talk about it on your blog, encouraging new sign-ups) and reward your top spenders. The possibilities are endless.

It’s all about expanding your reach.

The goal for you, the small business owner, is to find multiple ways of reaching customers. A static website isn’t going to keep your customers engaged. By adding a blog you increase the amount of time the reader stays on your website. And, if done well, you can get that reader to click through to other sections of your website.

Most blog programs are fairly simple to use. You can do the writing yourself, delegate it to a trusted staff member (more on that in the next post) or you can hire a freelance blogger/writer to help with your small business blog.

]]> http://apageofmyown.com/index.php/2012/03/12/blogging-for-small-businesses-a-competitive-edge/feed/ 3 http://apageofmyown.com/index.php/2012/03/05/do-you-have-bad-writing-habits/ http://apageofmyown.com/index.php/2012/03/05/do-you-have-bad-writing-habits/#comments Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:57:04 +0000 Walker http://apageofmyown.com/?p=1850 Every writer has his or her own voice, a unique style of writing. The good writers have perfected their style and worked hard to avoid bad habits. We all have them, it’s a matter of recognizing ours.

I had an Ah Ha moment this morning.  I’ve caught myself in a very bad habit (and “I’ve” is one of those bad habits).  It’s a word usage issue. Here’s the trap I find myself in–my writing is sprinkled with indirect comments, or semi-hypothetical phrases, usually when I’m writing from a personal point of view.

I’ve been known to say instead of I say.  I’ve.  one could.  Using ambivalent, tentative words is not conducive to a strong message. They make me sound wishy-washy.

It would seem to me, as opposed to I believe. The energy is different. There is more confidence. It delivers a stronger punch.

Self-awareness is an awesome thing for a writer!

Editing becomes a much easier chore. And, with time and practice I will be able to can write from a stronger, concise position. When I want to ramble for effect, those words will stand out.

How does this make me a better freelance writer?

Obviously, knowing one’s strengths and weaknesses helps any writer. I’ll spend less time editing and rewriting if I practice using direct words.

Clients often pay by the word. Every word needs to count, they must convey the message and lead the reader to action.

I’ve gained insight on how I write. How cool is that? I’m already a better writer.

What’s your bad writing habit? You know you have one!

What are you going to do this week?

Here’s what I’ve done in the last 7 days.  I stopped reading the how-to posts and thinking, exhaustively, about how to promote myself. And, I just did it. I acted. I wrote. I dared. I connected.

LinkedIn- I engaged. Searches and profile hits have doubled for me in the last 11 days. I searched the list of possible connections and reached out. I joined a few groups and made a comment in a relevant discussion. Each email alert out to the members now shows my comment and the link to my profile.  I added key words to my list of skills. Other LinkedIn members can see my activity.

Blogs-I read a few posts yesterday and left comments. They are blogs I have a reason to visit-freelance writing, writing blogs. My name and link back to this blog, Beyond Words, will give me exposure.

Website – Yesterday I met with my web guy. There are a few things I don’t like about my current layout.  I’m going to spend the time and money to make those changes-however small. I want to love the look of my blog. I want it to scream Confidence.

Prospecting- querying, self-promotion. Whatever you want to call it. Using LinkedIn, I approached a few business owners in Charlottesville, and introduced myself as a writer. Just a simple introduction, no long detailed message. I can share my resume and details in a follow-up note.

Networking- I got an invite to join a networking group next week. This is a potential pool of clients, resources, colleagues.

What are you going to do this week?

Promote. Write. Educate. Engage. Refine. Risk. Define. Connect. Believe.

Self-employment means we have to do everything ourselves. Everything.

Let’s go do it.

Whether you’re thinking of using featured writers on your blog or looking for other blogs to showcase your own work, approach it carefully:

• Don’t go out and randomly approach blogs. Find one you like. Find one that talks about the same things you talk about. Read. Engage with relevant, scintillating comments. Let the blog owner get to know you.

• Do your research. Do your research. Do the research.  Know the blog and its subject matter. Read old posts, look for the About page. See what readers are commenting about. Don’t show up at a pool party in your cocktail dress.

• Write a strong compelling letter about the value you could add to that particular blog.  Give a summary of what you’d like to write, your credentials and why you think you can offer something of value to her readers. You gotta fit in with the crowd.

• Provide a link to your writing clips.  Strut your stuff. It’s not a bad idea to name-drop here. This is the time to brag…just a little.

• Follow up with a thank you. Even if your proposal gets turned down, a quick thanks for your consideration is a good idea. You never know when things might change or the blogger may remember you or have a specific need for that topic.

For the blog owner–it’s worth considering a guest blogger as long as you’re clear on what you want and why. It’s like inviting the new guy down the street to the party… he’s funny and seems to have some appeal. He can liven up the party atmosphere. Just make sure he’s not a total bore before you send the invite.

If you’re going to start inviting guest writers set some ground rules. Give yourself authority over content, the right to refuse a post if it’s unacceptable and the right to edit mistakes. Look at some bigger blogs and see if they have with guidelines for guest bloggers to get ideas on how to set up yours.

I got a recent offer for my other blog, A Woman’s Page. The blog is geared to older women and focuses on sexual health, midlife and dating topics. Not exclusively, but my focus is women. And, that’s pretty evident. The blog is linked to Vibrant Health, a women’s network and my blog appears on Alltop under the topic of midlife. It is a blog for and about women.  This individual did a little research and her letter was well written.  She talked about her skills and listed a few topics she would write about for my blog. The first topic? Prostate health.  It’s A Woman’s Page. I rarely talk about prostate health. Wait, I have never talked about prostate health. Yes, she mentioned two others, but I got stuck on prostate.

I said no. But, I thanked her and wished her well. I don’t use guest bloggers–I’m not a big enough blog to be of much help for a beginning writer. If I look for a guest writer I’ll be wooing someone with a larger following. And, a better understanding of how to bring their best stuff to my party.

As freelance writers we have to take some pretty bold steps to get that invite, to find the next new client, to increase our exposure. It’s all about self-promotion. Pimping. It can feel like that sometimes. We have to put ourselves out there and proclaim our authority. Stand at the center of the crowd and say, “Let me tell you a story about how great a writer I am. Here’s what I can do for you.”

Bring on the party dress!

Image

I’m visual; I respond to space and placement and color. Strong bold color can be fine, personally I’m drawn to white space. Yesterday I discovered the coolest site.  I got there in a roundabout way,  starting with a simple powerful tweet; I followed the link and found something that caught my eye. That link took me to a sales page featuring two women, one was Danielle LaPorte.  I went to her website, White Hot Truth, and that’s where it happened. I’ve already, in those few short minutes, signed up for daily feeds and I’ve preordered her book.I don’t usually fall that fast, that hard. I promise (and I’m not getting anything incentives to rant and rave here).

Yep, this is all about book marketing–bet you thought I wanted to talk about web design.  LaPorte has a book coming out in mid-April and it’s selling like hotcakes. The Fire Starter Sessions is being presold on 9 different sites. Plus, if you preorder and let her know, you get a free gift!  She’s got powerful marketing mojo. And, she’s prompt and thorough. So far, everything she’s promised has happened and this morning she’s following me on Twitter. Awesome.

Somewhere in my meanderings I read a story about the success of her promotion, for a book that’s months away from hitting the shelves. I’m not at the ‘about to be published’ stage yet. Hell, I haven’t even finished the book, but I am paying attention to the publishing world, more specifically to how authors are going about self-promotion. I’d suggest you do the same thing. I’m collecting promotional emails, newsletters, blog articles and links to books like LaPorte’s. It’s nice to have examples of what other writers are doing–it’s a learning experience.

My take-away? Ok, so maybe this post is about web design. Well, I’ve found a new blog to read that mixes creative energy with savvy marketing. And it feels like an upbeat place to visit. She is offering up the type of creative energy I know I can benefit from… I just know. And, I wouldn’t be raving about her website if the design hadn’t been so visually appealing and well-laid out.

It’s time for me to shake up my blog design. It’s energizing to see a good blog and think about how to translate some of that to your own. Even when it gives you a moment of anxiety. We all have different styles and what appeals to me might not appeal to everyone. Personal taste matters but it’s important to be consistent in messaging, which means making all aspects of your site compatible.

I titled this post Is Your Blog or Website on Fire? Shouldn’t It Be? Ironically mine is not–I have some work to do in the upcoming days and weeks.

How’s your blog?

In many European countries privacy laws give the individual more control over his or her public information. A person is given access to materials used against him and has the right to defend himself. In the US, we are not as protected and many of us are not as careful about what we post. Or, we work under the assumption that Big Brother is not looking. Andrews talks about the need to educate judges about social media and privacy. Coming from a long history of consumer advocacy, Ms. Andrews is working to protect us and educate us on the impact of our social media actions. Great, good, etc… But, there needs to be a greater trickle down to parents and teachers to help young people learn how to use social media responsibly. Or at the very least to understand the full reach of the internet and all the implications of each and every word, photo, song, rant and anything else that gets posted on the internet. A chilling example is the young man who’s parents kicked him out of their home for being gay. Apparently the Facebook practice of targeting ads based on the words and searches we use was the trigger here. Advertisers on Facebook are given data from “our” online activity that is used to specifically target ads to our preferences (which explains why the ads on my page are always for “seniors”)  The parents looked at their son’s FB page and found gay-focused ads on his page and made the determination of his sexual preference. And, kicked him out.

Ms. Andrews wrote this book because she was trying to convince a young woman, applying to colleges, that her constant news feeds about playing Mafia Wars might negatively bias college admissions staff. As she began compiling information to back up her story she began to find cases of supposedly private material that was used against individuals. That led her to write the book, I Know Who You Are and I Saw What You Did.

I have a cluttered brain. And, therefore I have a cluttered desk and a less than efficient schedule. The ramifications of this chaos have the potential to derail all my best efforts.  I am exaggerating a bit but I find that the hours spent in front of a computer, surfing the net, reading quick articles, following links and checking my social media sites are not helping me enhance my ability to focus.

My brain has begun (well, let’s be honest. I’ve always been this way I suspect) to drive my work patterns and conversational threads like a series of linked posts. One thought takes me three steps away in a totally new direction. Granted, I am able to tie things together and return to the original point. But, following along with me can be amusing, fascinating or frustrating depending on your style.

I’m developing new patterns. I make lists with regularity now–with  a column for calls, email and to-do’s, prioritized if necessary. Each accomplished item gets a hot pink check mark. I’ve already begun a list for tomorrow with the things that I didn’t finish this weekend. As I want Monday to be uber-productive I’ve added times to the morning portion of the list.

The stack of New Yorkers marked for a must read article? Gone. In the recycling. Realistically, I won’t find time to go back and read them. Now I’ve got a corner of the kitchen counter free. And less guilt about not reading enough.

The piles of books in every room in the house? Sorted. Books to donate or trade-in are in one pile, while other books have gone downstairs to the library. There is a smaller, relevant stack next to my desk and a few, select books by the bedroom chair.

The pantry and kitchen drawer are next on the list but not as important. They’ll keep for another week or more. This weekend’s tasks have centered around the computer–deleting old mail and organizing documents.

I’m trying to get back to my personal writing. I blame some of my procrastination on the clutter.  I see papers, folders and other things out of place and somehow it has a larger impact.  A neat clean space without distractions gives me the physical and mental space to be creative. When I take care of the to-do lists and deal with things I’ve been ignoring it’s a very freeing experience. In procrastination mode I have constructed this notion that the tasks are tedious or time-consuming. Once I actually tackle an item I find it was simple and the feeling of accomplishment is just short of euphoric!

We’ll pretend, for the moment, that the garage is invisible because the house clutter is neatly residing in recycling stacks in the garage. But, hey!  Ya gotta start somewhere!