One of the biggest reasons why writers give up on their craft is a lack of confidence. Something as simple as a single piece of negative feedback, or even a lack of response altogether, can make writers wonder, “What’s the point?” I’ve been there. I’m probably going back there at some point in the future. However, before we all slump our shoulders and throw in the towel, let’s pause to think about some ways in which we can build confidence in ourselves.
All too often, people divide writers and editors into separate categories. It’s true that not all editors are writers, but all writers must be editors. Writers who throw together a rough draft and do a quick spell-check, then expect an editor to do all the hard work, are making a big mistake for several reasons:
In this post, I’ll share some useful tips for revising and editing your own work. First, though, I’m going to answer two important questions.
Email has become one of the primary methods of communication for business professionals. If you’re anything like me, you would rather send an email than make a phone call any day. Since email is so important to professional life, it only makes sense that you should be aware of email best practices. Here are some tips to help you elevate your emails, polish your professionalism, and become emperor (or empress) of your inbox.
Ah, commas. This cute little punctuation mark is essential to writing understandable prose. Unfortunately, it is also among the most misused punctuation marks. I’ve seen countless examples of extra commas, missing commas, and commas that seem to be hanging out just because the writer wanted to put one there (or made a typo).
How can you conquer comma usage and take your writing to the next level? Here is your guide to navigating some of the most common comma conundrums. And don’t worry — I’m not a fan of high-falootin’ language, so this article should be digestible even for folks who shudder when they hear the word “grammar.”
Do you write web content? Short stories? Novels? Essays? Whatever realm of prose your work falls into, there is always room for improvement in your writing. I include myself in that statement! I’m always open to constructive feedback. In fact, I often find that I am guilty of not following the tips that I’m about to offer. Maybe the very act of writing this blog post will spur me to shape up my word-weaving. Let’s talk about some simple and quick ways in which we can improve the quality of our writing.
I’ve been working at home for more than 7 years now. Admittedly, I get pretty restless sometimes. I have no reason to put on makeup to make myself beautiful and no coworkers to annoy by throwing paper airplanes into their cubicle. Whether you are a seasoned WFH pro or you’re new to your home office thanks to COVID-19 restrictions, you may know my pain. Here are some tips to help you beat the WFH blues.
Do you put a lot of effort into your website or blog content? You have an important message to share with the world, and you deserve to be heard! Only… your website traffic isn’t quite what you hoped it would be. Maybe you have a high bounce rate, or perhaps it has been a while since you reached a conversion goal. You might be scratching your head and wondering why the heck no one is reading your content. Here are some issues that might be the culprit behind your problem.
Writing is easy. Writing well is less so. Anyone can make a typo or slip in the occasional technical error. However, when a writer repeatedly makes the same technical errors again and again, I stop focusing on what I am reading. Indeed, sometimes I get so frustrated that I abandon my reading altogether. As an example, I recently checked out a book from the library. The back cover listed a few glowing reviews, and the storyline seemed fresh and intriguing. But when I began reading, I found myself wincing every time the writer committed comma-related sins. Yikes.
What are some common errors that you should avoid in your writing? Let’s discuss a few. (We won’t try to tackle commas in this blog post—they’re a different beast altogether.)
There’s no doubt about it — we live in a time of economic uncertainty. Many people are worried about paying for their daily necessities, others are stressing over their financial future, and businesses around the world are wondering if they can endure these stormy times. It might seem like the time to “tighten our belts” and start making big cutbacks. But if you are a businessowner, it is important that you do not put quality content on the chopping block. Why? Let’s talk about it.