Copyblogger

Written by | | 17 Comments

A Simple Plan for Managing and Completing a Content Project

"Think about where you could be one year from now if you start today." – Stefanie Flaxman

On June 20, 2009, I was reading Copyblogger and I got a new idea: I should write an ebook.

At that point, my writing and editing business was less than a year old, and I had never written anything that resembled a book.

Could I actually do it?

I knew I wanted to try, so I established a plan on July 1 that would help me write, design, and self-publish an ebook on my website by September 15.

I’m going to share that plan with you today, so you can adapt it to any type of content project you’d like to finish by the fall. You’ll also learn some habits I like to avoid when there is a specific goal I want to accomplish.
Read More…

Written by | | 1 Comment

Improve Your Writing and Last Chance for Rainmaker Platform

Improve Your Writing and Last Chance for Rainmaker Platform

Updated 6/16/17: The Rainmaker Platform is now off the market as a standalone service. Click here to learn about our new complete solutions for digital marketing that works.

Brian wrote on Monday about the big news for this week: This is your last chance to pick up the Rainmaker Platform as a standalone service. We’re transitioning to a bundled hybrid of technology with client services … and that will come with a significantly higher price tag.

If you’ve been thinking about Rainmaker, this would be a great time to jump in. To get the advantageous pricing we have today, you’ll need to start your free trial before Friday, June 16, 2017 (that’s tomorrow) at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time.
Read More…

Written by | | 14 Comments

How to Add Color and Richness to Your Writing … Without Making Us Want to Barf

"Don't tell me it's 'awesome,' 'epic,' or 'amazing.' Show me why." – Sonia Simone

Your job as a writer is to make your subjects clear and interesting.

Assuming you aren’t working on the next Waiting for Godot, you’ll work to make sure your meaning is clear and easy to grasp.

And assuming you aren’t editing Wikipedia, you’ll work to make it lively and fresh.

But sometimes, well-meaning attempts to give your writing life end up producing writing that’s silly, trivial, cluttered, or condescending.

Lively writing is wonderful. Paragraph after paragraph of neon-rainbow unicorn vomit (with glitter) is less wonderful.
Read More…

Written by | | 6 Comments

Doors Are Open for Certification (and Other Fun Things)

Doors Are Open for Certification (and Other Fun Things)

Remember all the conversations we’ve been having about the Certified Content Marketer program?

Well, the doors are open — and they’re going to be closing again on Monday, June 12. If you’d like to be featured on our list of recommended writers (and get our most advanced content strategy course), this is how you do it.

You can sign up (or learn more) at the link below — and of course, our usual no-hassle 30-day money-back guarantee applies if it’s not a perfect fit for you.

Program Details for Copyblogger’s Content Marketer Certification

If you’re a member of our Authority community, make sure you’re signed in when you click the link — as an Authority member, you get special pricing. :-)
Read More…

Written by | | 30 Comments

3 Advanced Ways to Craft Better Sentences

"How do you determine if you've written a strong sentence or a weak sentence?" – Stefanie Flaxman

While the goal of “improving your content writing” may seem complex, it’s not necessarily more complicated than improving each sentence you write.

Better sentences add up to better content.

So, let’s break down content writing into sentence writing.

I’m not about to show you how to write a “perfect” sentence. Instead, these three tips will help you remember that every sentence you write is an opportunity to practice.

And during your writing practice, you can implement smart changes that keep your reader focused on your message.
Read More…

Written by | | 9 Comments

2017 Content Excellence Challenge: The June Prompts

2017 Content Excellence Challenge: June Prompts

There’s something about June … maybe that it’s the sixth month, so you have that reminder that the year is half over. Or maybe it’s the June sunshine (at least in my hemisphere) that makes you want to be ultra productive so you can sneak out for a before-dinner walk.

In any event, I’m feeling rather conquer-the-worldish at the moment, and I hope you are, too. To help with that, here are our community prompts for June.

Each month in 2017, we’re giving you a pair of prompts — one to make you more productive and one to improve your creativity or writing skills.

You can jump in anytime — and let us know about your experiences in the comments!
Read More…