Writing

Discussion in 'Copywriting' started by gvannorman, Jul 28, 2010.

  1. #1
    Some of you may or may not know that I am taking the 30 Day Challenge. If you have never heard of it, then Google it. If you have heard of it or completed it then you might have an idea of what I am going to say.

    When it comes to writing Ed Dale (one of the main men at the challenge) has come up with a writing method. Here is his way of writing content.

    1. First you need a timer. Set it at 10 minutes
    2. Then you need to write about your niche. Do not edit out any mistakes. Did you know that no professional writer edits as they right.
    3. You are going to writing for 10 minutes. Write as fast as you can and as much as you can. Of course your writing is probably going to look like junk.
    4 Put it away until tomorrow. Do not proofread it yet. Of course your going to be tempted but do not touch it again.


    One of the best ways to improve your writing is to learn from what you have done wrong. The key to a good article is DO NOT EDIT right away. Put it away and sleep on it.
     
    gvannorman, Jul 28, 2010 IP
  2. Mystique

    Mystique Well-Known Member

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    #2
    Truly good input :)
     
    Mystique, Jul 28, 2010 IP
  3. Perry Rose

    Perry Rose Peon

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    #3
    Where did you get that from? I'm just curious.


    Take no offense to this...isn't that just common sense? ... Even to a grade schooler?

    It is??? Why?
     
    Perry Rose, Jul 28, 2010 IP
  4. gvannorman

    gvannorman Well-Known Member

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    #4
    Well first of all. These are all pointers that were mentioned by Ed Dale in the 30 day challenge.

    Thanks on the second part. No offense taken.

    I have written and then tried to proofread right away. I find it easier when you give the writing a rest and come back to it.
     
    gvannorman, Jul 28, 2010 IP
  5. dyadvisor

    dyadvisor Peon

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    #5
    Well if you are not on a time line, Perry, gvannorman is correct. If on a time schedule then Perry is correct.

    With my fingers, corrects on the spot would be futile. Often, as I write now without time pressure, I will let an article set for two days. Next I will not even yet spell check, but alter the entire concept by maybe 20%. Then I can spell check and proof. Can I prove my article, after a go through is really better? Usually, not. However on the basis of concept solidity and sentence structuring it is.

    However, I hate to disagree with Ed Dale, and consider more of it an alternative viewpoint. "Walking away" can cause procrastination easier than temporary relief. I got that relief, and more when I stopped wearing a watch 30 years ago.

    Personally I am leery of anything with "X days" in the title, as that is often a sales type pitch. "Decrease stress, increase awareness by 50% in X days by throwing away your watch." Only you know your own capabilities in determining "X days."

    To me, a timer is an egg headed, pressurized idea that scrambles your thought process.

    Reading guidance is fine, but treat it as "guidance", and never the Holy Grail. If however, the guidance increases your performance by 3% to 5%, it may be very well worth it.
     
    dyadvisor, Jul 28, 2010 IP
  6. gvannorman

    gvannorman Well-Known Member

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    #6
    I agree that anything that says X amount of days like the the 30 day challenge does sounds spammy to say the least. I am sure that most of us here are familiar with the program and its concept. If not, in a nutshell they take you through setting up a blog and making your first dollar online.

    I tried the timer method and it just distracted me to the point that I was watching the time dwindle away with no writing. So that method sucks.

    As for researching a niche. I am hoping that the method mentioned by Ed Dale makes it a bit easier for me. Since right now research is my roadblock.
     
    gvannorman, Jul 28, 2010 IP
  7. WritingConsultation

    WritingConsultation Active Member

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    #7
    These tips are useful if you are writing a book.
     
    WritingConsultation, Jul 29, 2010 IP
  8. Kraven2

    Kraven2 Active Member

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    #8
    You need a course for that? No offense, but making money with blogs is one of the easiest ways. I would go as far as stating that the only way not to make money from a blog is to have no ads on it whatsoever.

    I may be reading you wrong, but to me that does not make sense.
     
    Kraven2, Jul 29, 2010 IP
  9. gvannorman

    gvannorman Well-Known Member

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    #9
    Kraven,

    What they do is get you started with affiliate products. Adsense is one thing, but affiliates are a whole different ball game.
     
    gvannorman, Jul 29, 2010 IP
  10. Kraven2

    Kraven2 Active Member

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    #10
    No I have to disagree, it is not a different ball game. An ad is an ad, if you can get them to click on an Adsense link, you can get them to click on any affiliate link. The selling itself is out of your control as you can't control the sales page itself.

    It is all the same principle, and a volume business to boot.
     
    Kraven2, Jul 29, 2010 IP
  11. gvannorman

    gvannorman Well-Known Member

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    #11
    The point that an ad is an ad is right. You don't think that getting someone to click adsense compared to clicking and buying an affiliate product is different? I think they are, but at the same time on my blogs I am not trying to sell the adsense ads or anything with them. They are just there as a means to have an income stream.
     
    gvannorman, Jul 29, 2010 IP
  12. j3rr3my8

    j3rr3my8 Well-Known Member

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    #12
    Sorry, going back to original thread (not like me) I personally think that going away from a piece of work fro a while can really help. A lot depends on how intensely you have been working, but a little break can really help. If you can freshen up your mind a little, you will come back and see the article slightly differently. I don't know about leaving it a day though... try half an hour!

    When music producers are recording a piece of music, they then mix it afterwards. They NEVER mix the track straight away, because their ears are tired. I think that can be applied to writing. If you've been working hard on something, it can be hard to look at it objectively. Go grab a beer
     
    j3rr3my8, Jul 29, 2010 IP
  13. j3rr3my8

    j3rr3my8 Well-Known Member

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    #13
    Ok you got me on a technicality! I was thinking about editing to be honest! I need a beer...
     
    j3rr3my8, Jul 29, 2010 IP
  14. gvannorman

    gvannorman Well-Known Member

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    #14
    Now I just read the last couple posts and I need a beer. Some pizza also if possible.
     
    gvannorman, Jul 29, 2010 IP
  15. j3rr3my8

    j3rr3my8 Well-Known Member

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    #15
    Yeah I'm getting hungry...!
     
    j3rr3my8, Jul 29, 2010 IP
  16. dyadvisor

    dyadvisor Peon

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    #16
    JUST MY VIEWPOINT: as it is not my post.

    A beer is different from a beer writer.

    Adsense is likewise different from an affiliate product.

    While they both need target words and relative links to drive them to the page, then a gap opens. Adsense is an impulse, click or not click. In fact you MUST not direct them to click.

    An affiliate product is then divided further away from adsense. After the initial attention, you have reached the end of the beginning. There you must employ sales and marketing techniques to hit their emotions, and maybe even offer a bonus. If the affiliate product has an excellent landing page already built, you still have a problem. 5,000 other people may be using the exact same one. Again, back to my technique, when in doubt, do almost the exact opposite.

    If I was an affiliate with the product, here is a quick suggestion. HEADLINE: YOU CANNOT AFFORD THIS PRODUCT! Now the logic. The person will think "Who are you to tell me I can not afford it. If I want it I will buy it."

    Then at the end a bonus. "Bonus, 17 of 100 remaining. Free directory submission of your website. Of 140 submissions, 100 are the normal amount you are listed on." "It is your choice, no pressure, as this is an investment in yourself, not in me."

    -----------------------------hope this helps---------------------------------
     
    dyadvisor, Jul 30, 2010 IP
  17. lutherdclooney

    lutherdclooney Peon

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    #17
    Your 30 minute challenge idea is really good way to overcome writers block. Many times writers get "writers block" because they overcomplicate what they are going to write instead of just writing. Example: most people they don't think about what they will think about - it just happens naturally. So, if you simply write what comes into your mind then you can write immediately and fast - and, that way you will condition your mind to learn that you cna actually write a certain number of words in 10 minutes. I can write about 200-250 words in 10 minutes - sometimes actually 350 words in just 10 minutes (without proof reading, of course) - and that is with using just 2 fingers to type with.
    Of course, being able to use 10 fingers will again increase your writing speed even futher but for the 95% of us who likely only use 2 fingers then we can actually write high quality articles in just 10 minutes.
    Below is what I could write in 10 minutes:

    When bored then most of us watch TV to relax our minds or when we are just plain bored. TV is also used as a way to pacify children or the elderly or for pure entertainment. There are many TV programmes like comedies, action, drama, soap operas and even scary TV series as well as cartoons and educational programs. Some times TV can get boring because it is same recipe they use for all their episodes and just change the "filling" a bit like in Dexter where they have a different "bad guy" for each season or House MD where in each episode then the patient goes into cardiac arrest 3 times. Predictability kills the fun of any TV program and therefore many feel that comedies work better than dramas or action series because comedy series are more un-predictable. One of my favorite is JAG which aired for 6 seasons and was a combination of drama, action and comedy and that gave it a much wider audience than it otherwise would have had. Other TV series have used similar recipe but if you are looking for pure comedy then Married with Children are good as well as Two and a Half Men with Charlie Sheen. Some people get tired of the eternal and worn-out shows that revolve around medical or police offices such as Third Watch show and CSI.

    Above took me 10 minutes exactly to write so it is possible to write good content in just 10 minutes :)
     
    lutherdclooney, Jul 30, 2010 IP
  18. YMC

    YMC Well-Known Member

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    #18
    Oh my, what passes for "good content" these days. It's no wonder so many buyers don't value the work of writers.
     
    YMC, Jul 30, 2010 IP
  19. Kraven2

    Kraven2 Active Member

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    #19
    What's worse is that there are people that will buy it too!

    [​IMG]
     
    Kraven2, Jul 30, 2010 IP
  20. candy.joomlashine

    candy.joomlashine Peon

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    #20
    @ gvannorman:

    Ha ha, it is really a right way to me.

    But I still have 2 more stages according to yours:

    1) Before stage 1: I collect info about my topic as much as I can.
    2) After stage 4: To me, this is really time to write. So I write again and again. This time, my brain has info, ideas, inspiration and somehow, it has organized the article for me.
     
    candy.joomlashine, Aug 26, 2010 IP