Welcome to the third week of March – the ides of March! That means something to Julius Caesar or Shakespeare fanatics. To the rest of us, it’s just the middle of March and spring is around the corner.
I’m doing something a little different with The Editor’s Desk this week. We’ll see where it goes.
Guerrilla marketing for writers
Last year I read Guerrilla Marketing for Writers by Jay Conrad Levinson, Rick Frishman and Michael Larsen. I picked up the book at a library sale along with a bag of various works of fiction. I took some notes on what writers should know about marketing their writing and themselves. Although the strategies and the book is geared toward authors, there are some great suggestions for all writers. We all need do some form of guerrilla marketing.
Quality of content is the most important part of the marketing equation.
Commit to your marketing program – believe in it and do it.
Marketing is an investment in your future – what you do now will pay off later.
Marketing must be consistent – make it a regular habit.
Make your potential readers confident in you and your abilities.
Be patient with your marketing – it’s like exercise.
Use an assortment of marketing tools – try them all and focus on what works.
Real profits occur after the sale – readers will buy more if they like your work.
Run your business to be convenient for others.
Put an element of amazement in your marketing.
Use measurement to judge the effectiveness of your marketing.
Create and sustain involvement between you and the audience.
Learn to depend on other businesses and encourage them to depend on you.
Develop the skills and resources to promote your work.
Thanks for reading. If you liked what I wrote or think someone else would enjoy it, then please share it. And if you want to reach out, my email is contact@davidgargaro.com.
Welcome to the second Monday in March. Sometimes the truth hurts, but it’s better than a lie that can hurt you in many different ways.
Here are a few things I’d like to share from The Editor’s Desk.
Structuring your writing portfolio
As a freelance content writer, potential clients always ask to see samples of my work. I have a website that includes samples of my work here and here, and I also have samples on my LinkedIn page. It’s important to have an online portfolio as it’s more efficient than having to send files to potential clients. However, you might not know how to structure the clips (e.g., work) in your portfolio to get the best results. Here are some suggestions for setting up a great writing portfolio:
Remember that the goal is to organize and highlight clips in your portfolio so that it makes sense and appeals to prospects in your desired market and niche
Regularly check your existing clips (remove any that don’t look good) and add new clips to keep your portfolio fresh
Put your high profile and most impressive clips first
Separate clips by categories – marketing, journalism, copywriting, etc.
Focus on the clips that your ideal clients would search for or want to see
Leave dates off the clips – it does not matter when they were done
Change the order of clips based on how many times they have been viewed – use page analytics to see the most viewed clips
Include brand names were applicable
How to find your voice
Many writers have difficulty writing in their own voice. Your writing voice sounds like you when you read it because it mirrors the voice in your head. That’s the voice you hear when thinking about what you will write before you write it. Sometimes that inner voice doesn’t make it to the page. We sometimes think we need to sound a certain way for our readers. Kayleigh Moore wrote a great blog post on how to write in the voice that’s in your head. She recommends:
Remove the filter
Add humour to your writing
Be brave and open to feedback
Here’s a great quote: Anyone can churn out another boring article. But if you can write with a voice that sparkles with charming personality, you’re doing something that truly only YOU can do.
I consider myself somewhat organized when it comes to my business writing life. I keep track of my projects and have different notebooks for different projects. Ali Luke with Craft Your Content provides advice on ways to organize your writing life and be more creative. Some strategies include:
Having one notebook for each project (just like I said)
Keep your writing gear in a bag even if you only write from home (difficult to get out and write these days, but I like the idea)
Use one app or planner to track To Do items (I use a notebook and calendar to have multiple reminders)
Set aside blocks of time for different types of writing (I like this idea a lot)
Keep track of what you’ve submitted and where (this is how you run a business as a writer)
Have a foolproof way of tracking deadlines (I use a calendar and notebook)
Use an “end of day” routine to put everything back (I should do this)
Here is some great advice:
Today, gather your writing materials together. Find a bag or box—anything will do—where you can keep your essentials so that they’re ready for you. Then, spend no more than five minutes clearing a writing space where you have enough room to work.
During the rest of the week, set aside time to write and to get organized. You might want to schedule your writing for 30 minutes, then spend 5-10 minutes taking a simple next step to get more organized.
Personalizing your B2B content
How often have you received an email or marketing message that felt generic? “Dear Sir”, “To the Marketing Manager,” etc. is a clear indicator that the person sending the email knows nothing about you. People connect with people. People buy from people. If you are in the business of writing B2B content, then you should learn to write to your reader rather than at them. Aaron Cullers at MarketingProfs wrote an article on writing more personalized B2B content, providing the following tips:
Choose the audience you want to reach
Relearn the digital context and competition within your buyers’ experiences
Create personalized content building blocks for every buying stage
Include messages and assets based on buyer behaviour triggers
Test, measure, improve, repeat
Dealing with intrusive thoughts
I sometimes get stuck in my own head, as thoughts will get stuck there and bounce around, interfering with everything else I am trying to think about. I often thought that I was the only one who felt this way, but that’s never the case. Many people face the same challenges. Vivian Manning-Schaffel at Shondaland wrote a great article on coping with intrusive thoughts. Her advice includes:
Don’t push those thoughts away
Understand that you and the thoughts are not the same
Don’t overthink your thoughts
Take care of yourself
Here’s a great quote: Once you fully grasp that your thoughts are inconsequential and are unattached to any intention or outcome, they don’t matter as much. If they don’t matter as much, you stop worrying about them and stop anticipating that they will come back…
Quote on consistency
Here’s a great quote from James Clear on consistency:
Greatness is consistency. Meditating once is common. Meditating daily is rare. Exercising today is simple. Training every week is simply remarkable. Writing one essay rarely matters. Write every day and you’re practically a hero. Unheroic days can make for heroic decades.
I just finished reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. I had never seen the movie and had heard great things about it. I don’t usually go for books written in diary or letter format but this was enjoyable, and I was surprised by the shock reveal. I will have to check out the movie to see if it holds up.
What I watched
Upon the recommendation from a friend, I watched The Hunt with Betty Gilpin and Hillary Swank. It’s a commentary on the divide between groups in today’s society. It’s also an enjoyable view with some gruesome deaths and memorable lines.
What I listened to
I listened to the Tim Ferriss podcast episode #501 with Steven Pressfield, who talked about the artist’s journey, the wisdom of little successes, shadow careers, and overcoming resistance. Steven is a great author, who has written a fantastic book called The War of Art – a must read for freelance writers.
Thanks for reading. If you liked what I wrote or think someone else would enjoy it, then please share it. And if you want to reach out, my email is contact@davidgargaro.com.
Welcome to the first Monday in March. I pulled a muscle in my side, which made me think I hurt my kidney somehow. It’s still painful after about a week, but I can still roll out of bed, so I have that going for me.
Here are a few things I’d like to share from The Editor’s Desk.
Learning to write faster
If you are a freelance writer and get paid by the hour, you probably don’t want to write faster than you already do. You actually lose money being a faster writer. However, for most other situations (especially when facing deadlines), it can pay to learn how to write your content more quickly. To follow are some quick tips on increasing your writing speed:
Write a bad first draft. There’s no need to be perfect with your first draft. Get the words on the page.
Walk away from the writing. Taking a break can re-energize you and make you faster when you return to the keyboard.
Write in your head. Think about what you want to say, how you want to say, how you want to organize your sections, etc. before putting the words down.
Find the best time of day to write the first draft. Some people are great in the morning, others work best at the end of the day or after lunch. You’ll know when you’re most productive.
Write to the quality of the project and the client’s needs. Some projects require more effort and quality than others. Don’t spend the time to write a thesis when you’re writing a blog post on the top 10 best pizza places in your city.
Outsource some of your tasks. Hire a virtual assistant to handle the administrative work while you spend time on writing.
Write about familiar topics. If you’ve written a few articles on one topic, you’ll be able to write more quickly on related topics because you already know the terminology and main issues.
Write blog posts in batches. If you have a calendar of assignments, or a plan to write blog posts on similar topics, bang them all out one after another when the words are flowing.
Reduce revisions. Don’t edit or revise when you’re writing. Limit the number of revisions that clients can make – charge more for each one.
Write longer pieces. Having to start a new project takes time. Writing long pieces keeps you immersed in the writing, and you’ll work at getting it done more quickly than starting something new.
PS. I wrote a blog post about being a faster writer here.
Turning away potential clients
As a freelance writer – or any self-employed person – there will be times when you need to turn clients away. It’s actually a way to grow your business. When you turn away the wrong clients, you make room for the right clients. It can be scary to turn down paying gigs, but there are a number of reasons why you should turn away potential clients:
The (hourly) rate is too low. It might be a “good” project rate, but the amount of work involved could reduce the hourly rate below minimum wage.
It’s a one-off assignment. If you have to choose between regular work and a one-off, it usually makes sense to turn down the one-off assignment because regular work just keeps bringing in money and opportunities. Of course, some one-off assignments are worth it, especially if they give you experience in a new industry.
The work is not in your niche. Again, if it’s a market you want to be in, it’s good experience for the portfolio. But if you don’t plan to work in this niche, pass it along to someone else.
Your writing style does not match the brand voice. Yes, you can learn to write in a new style or voice, but if it’s very different from you usual style, it will be challenging for you and a bad fit for the client.
The client is likely to be difficult. Stay away – the pay is rarely worth the grief.
The client’s desired strengths and requirements are different from yours. Don’t try to fit your square peg into their round hole.
There’s a mismatch of personalities. You work with people, not just words, so you need to be able to get along. If it’s not a fit, everyone will be unhappy, especially you.
You have a bad “feeling”. Trust your gut. If it does not feel like it’s right, walk away.
How to write compelling introductions
People will often decide to read an article or blog post based on the heading. However, a strong introduction will keep them reading. Kayleigh Moore wrote a great blog post on how to write compelling introductions. She breaks it down to three steps:
Step 1: Distill the point of your content into a single, concise sentence.
Step 2: Tease out the most interesting aspect of your sentence.
Step 3: Write three to four short, conversational sentences based on the first two steps.
Here’s a great quote: ... the short, abbreviated intro gives the reader a chance to warm up to you, your writing voice, and what you’re about to share with them. It doesn’t make any assumptions about the readers’ problems or concerns—and it’s conversational and light.
Editing mistakes to avoid
I know some writers hate editors because they don’t like other people changing what they wrote or commenting on their perfect words. (I’ve been there, and have developed an objective approach to writing for clients.) Unfortunately, too many writers will take to editing their own work, which can actually make it worse than before. Sola Kehinde at Craft Your Content wrote an article on six editing mistakes to avoid as a professional writer:
Depending on self-editing alone (we never see our own mistakes)
Asking family and friends to edit your work (I hate showing them the finished work!)
Not understanding the different types of editing (there are BIG differences between them)
Doing different edits in the wrong order (that can cause so many problems)
Hiring one editor for different types of editing (not always an issue)
Thinking of beta readers as editors (they have a specific role, and it’s not editing)
Here’s a great, self-serving quote: To ensure you get objective and honest feedback about your writing so you can achieve your writing goals, always choose a professional editor or an editing agency instead of family and friends who may only tell you what they think you want to hear.
How to read more
Finding time to read can be a challenge. How much I read from year to year will vary, but I have been trying to make time to read – keeping books by my bed, turning off the TV to read, bringing a book with me during appointments, etc. Elaine Meyer at Doist wrote a blog post on how to read more. There is a lot of great information in this post, including how to build a reading habit:
Make it easy to start
Start small (this goes for everything you want to do)
Read at a certain time of day
Multi-task with audiobooks
Make time
Create a distraction-free environment
Try visual cues
Take notes (I’ve started keeping a notebook where I wrote two pages about the book I read)
Write reviews
Put down a book you’re not enjoying (YES!)
Make reading an enjoyment, not an obligation
Here’s a great quote: One of the most effective ways to spend less time on habits like social media, online shopping, or playing video games, is to build “friction” into how you access them. You can also use the friction principle the opposite way for reading. Reduce your reading friction by making it as easy as possible to read books. Plan how you’ll buy or borrow books and the tools you’ll use to read, like e-readers and audiobook apps.
Resource: How to create a profitable eBook and course
If you want to create your own eBook or mini-course, check out Felicia Sullivan‘s step-by-step guide I Created a 201-Page Profitable eBook & Mini Course in One Month. It is published on Medium so you might need a membership to read it (I have three free views per month, as should you, so choose wisely). The guide covers:
I just finished reading How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa. It’s a collection of short stories on different people, mostly Laotian immigrants, occupying the same world. It was a great read, as the stories flowed and the characters were interesting and real.
What I watched
My daughter and I watched the movie Finding ‘Ohana. It’s about two siblings from Brooklyn who go to Oahu with their mom to help take care of their grandfather, where they learn about their heritage and seek a mysterious treasure. It’s a fun family movie.
What I listened to
The Build Your Copywriting Business podcast, episode #15, described the 11 traits of the most successful copywriters. It’s an informative episode, so check it out.
Thanks for reading. If you liked what I wrote or think someone else would enjoy it, then please share it. And if you want to reach out, my email is contact@davidgargaro.com.
Welcome to the last Monday in February. I hope that everyone is staying warm and safe. My dog woke me up at 1:30 in the morning two days in a row. Anyone want a free dog? I kid – my daughter would never let that happen.
Here are a few things I’d like to share from The Editor’s Desk.
Setting your freelance writing rate
Many freelance writers dread when they hear clients ask, “What’s your rate?” The most common fears are:
Set your rate too high and you lose the client.
Set your rate too low and you’re losing money.
It’s usually preferable to have the client provide a rate so you can decide whether it’s worth your time. It also gives you a base from which to work, and it’s the minimum you’ll make, so you can quote a higher rate from there.
There is no perfect rate – what works for you won’t work for other people. Consider the following advice on how to set your freelance writing rate:
Some clients like hourly rates – it’s easy to measure. However, others might get turned off by your hourly rate because they might not see the value in YOUR hourly rate.
Hourly rates penalize more experienced writers. If you’ve been a writer for a while, you probably write faster and more efficiently than a less experienced writer. If they both worked on the same project, the less experienced writer would make more money using an hourly rate.
Many writers and clients like per word rates – you know the word count and can easy calculate the final cost. But they are not great for every situation. Given equal per word rates, 1000-word blog post with very little research and no interviews would pay the same as a 1000-word article with three interviews, extensive research, and two rounds of revisions.
The ideal pricing method is the project rate. You determine the cost of the project based on how long you think it will take (using YOUR hourly rate, plus a buffer for extra work). The client gets a fixed price, so they know how much the project costs and the value of your services.
How to stop procrastinating
Every writer who tells the truth knows about procrastination. We will often find almost anything else to do when we are faced with a blank page and cannot get the words to come out. Ayaz Nanji at MarketingProfs put together an infographic on how to stop procrastinating and become a joyful writer. The three tips are:
Practice getting started
Break the process into chunks
Set small, easy-to-reach goals
Build a bridge to tomorrow
Avoid mid-writing distractions
Identify your triggers
Determine how your behaviour makes you feel
Replace procrastination with a good habit
Set a timer
Dance with your feelings
Acknowledge your resistance
Devise tactics to get around it
The T-shaped information diet
According to Nick DeWilde at The Jungle Gym, the best way to grow your abilities is to “build a shallow understanding across a breadth of domains and a depth of expertise in whichever domain is most relevant to your profession.” This is known as the T-shaped information diet. The key is to curate information streams that deliver high-value insight. When evaluating information to add to your diet, you should consider the following sources:
Popular vs. undiscovered information
Open access vs. gated content
Institutional vs. individual publishers
Primary vs. secondary sources
New vs. old ideas
Here’s a great quote: By subscribing to a mix of individual thinkers and institutional publications, you receive a holistic sense of the conversation. Individuals give you early access to unfiltered insight while institutions can help you identify which ideas are making their way into the mainstream.
Building confidence
Many writers have a problem with impostor syndrome. We never believe we’re good enough in our writing, especially when starting with new clients. The key is to develop confidence in your abilities. Linda Zhang at Product Lessons wrote an article on how to build confidence using five landmarks:
Raise belief capital
Start with limited expectations
Find an unfair advantage
Normalize your heroes
Make transforming experiences
Here’s a great quote: Growth should be uncomfortable, but not fatal. The best way to keep growing is to stay in the game, so if you’re on the brink of quitting, pick a more narrow lane that you feel confident in. As you grow your confidence and skills, you’ll be ready to take on bigger challenges.
Rules on creating
Bob Lefsetz wrote 28 rules on creating in 2021. Here are some of my favourite:
Perseverance: It takes longer than ever to make it. If you are not in it for the long haul, don’t even start.
Your goal is to be self-sustaining.
You’re the only one on your team.
The Internet is the means. You create the end.
Quotes on writing
Denis Johnson put out a list of quotes on writing – here is the free PDF. I’ll let you discover your favourites on your own.
I just finished reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. I had never seen the movie, other than some trailers, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. It was a great read with a pretty shocking reveal. I’m not a fan of diary / letter format books, but I liked it quite a bit. I’m definitely going to check out the movie to see how it translates to the screen.
What I watched
My family and I watched the movie The Greatest Showman with Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams and Zac Efron. We all liked it – the songs were extremely catchy, the cinematography was beautiful, and the performances were great.
What I listened to
I recently joined Clubhouse. It’s interesting, as there are some great rooms on writing and marketing. There are also a lot of rooms of no interest, but that’s no different than most networking events, seminars, and parties I would not attend or be invited to. Based on what I’ve heard, seen, and read, some people have really jumped into Clubhouse as a strategy to grow their business. It’s like any other tool or app – success depends on how you use it. If you’re on there, come find me – @davidgargaro.
I also have some invites, so if you have an iPhone, the first email I get will receive an invite. That will show you actually read this far, which is pretty impressive.
Thanks for reading. If you liked what I wrote or think someone else would enjoy it, then please share it. And if you want to reach out, my email is contact@davidgargaro.com.
Welcome to another Monday in February. Did you get something done today? Good for you. If not, try again tomorrow.
Here are a few things I’d like to share from The Editor’s Desk.
Controlling the client’s revisions
Have you heard the expression, “Give a weed an inch, and it will take a yard.” (That’s a gardening joke.) The expression applies to clients of content writers and copy editors. The number of requested revisions can get out of hand if you let clients control the process or think that they can make unlimited revisions.
Here are a few tips for reducing (or controlling) the number of revisions that clients request when you provide the first draft:
Be clear on the client’s expectations and project scope
Ask the client questions before writing so that you can be as clear as possible on what they need
Include the number of revision cycles in your contract
Have all stakeholders sign off on a completed project review and the first draft
Write an outline and show it to the client before writing
Ask for consolidated feedback from all stakeholders
Request reviewers to use Track Changes when making comments
Set a deadline or limit for revisions
Creating a rate card for your business
For some part of my career as a freelance content writer and copy editor, I had a rate card that showed my rates for different services. These days, I will provide quotes based on the client’s description of what they need. Jennifer Goforth Gregory at The Content Marketing Writer wrote a post with five reasons on why to not publish a rate card:
One rate does not fit all situations (very true!)
Sometimes, it makes good business sense to take a lower rate (some clients are worth it)
You do not want to underprice yourself (the client may be willing to pay more than you typically charge)
Clients have to reach out to you to ask about your rate (that is inbound marketing)
You lose the chance to charge more for difficult clients (some clients are not worth working with, no matter how much you charge)
Writing a manifesto
I’ve never thought of writing a manifesto, although I’ve read a few interesting ones in my day. Rather than writing a list of goals, which many people will do especially when starting a new year, you might want to consider writing a manifesto, which provides direction and guidance for big changes. Amy Stanton with Minutes provides some direction on writing a manifesto, which includes these three steps:
Shift your thinking from being externally focused to being internally focused
Connect emotions to the various responsibilities you have in your life
Create an accountability plan
Here’s a great quote: Remember: a manifesto is not a checklist of goals. This isn’t about our normal Type-A “how fast can we achieve our goals and cross the finish line.” This is about the journey and how we want to act, think, and feel along the way.
Marketing without social media
Social media marketing can be a very effective strategy for promoting and growing your business as a freelance writer, or for any solopreneur. However, there are many other ways to market your services. Alexandra Franzen wrote a post on 21 other ways to engage in marketing without social media. She has some great suggestions – here are some of my favourites:
Do a “45 in 45” email challenge.
Add info about your product or service to your email signature.
Circle back to previous clients and customers via email. Say hi. See if they’d like to hire you/purchase from you again.
Start a newsletter and send it out consistently.
Gently remind clients that you love and appreciate word-of-mouth referrals. Encourage them to send new clients your way.
What to ask before you quit
Have you ever wanted to quit on a company, client or project? If you haven’t, then you’ve either never worked for someone or you have led the most charmed life. Anisa Purbasari Horton at Fast Company wrote an article on four questions to ask yourself before quitting something:
Why did I pursue this in the first place?
Why do I feel the need to quit?
Have I done everything I can to make this work for me?
What do I have to gain by quitting?
Here’s a great quote: We don’t like to think about limits, but we all have them. While grit is often about stories, quitting is often an issue of limits–pushing them, optimizing them, and most of all, knowing them.
How to improve
Here are some tips from James Clear on how to improve:
Lots of research. Explore widely and see what is possible.
Lots of iterations. Focus on one thing, but do it in different ways. Refine your method.
Lots of repetitions. Stick with your method until it stops working.
I just finished reading The Best of Me by David Sedaris. It’s a collection of fiction and non-fiction stories from his life, some of which was published in other works. Sedaris is a funny author, who keeps a daily journal of what he sees, hears, and thinks, some of which while picking up trash on the side of the road.
What I watched
I watched the movie Hotel Artemis featuring Jodie Foster, Dave Bautista, Sterling K. Brown, Jeff Goldblum, and others. I enjoyed it – if you’re into movies about criminals with a code, you might like it too. It scratched my itch at that time.
What I listened to
I listened to a podcast episode from Freakonomics Radio called “Can I ask You a Ridiculously Personal Question?” It covered the issue of asking sensitive questions. According to the research, most people are not actually afraid to discuss questions on money, sex, politics, and other “sensitive” issues. I guess that depends on who you ask.
Thanks for reading. If you liked what I wrote or think someone else would enjoy it, then please share it. And if you want to reach out, my email is contact@davidgargaro.com.
Welcome to another Monday in February. Sometimes, a setback is a great way to move forward.
Here are a few things I’d like to share from The Editor’s Desk.
Following up with content marketing clients
I’ve written blog posts on following up with clients here and here. It’s important to stay in touch so clients know you are invested in working with them, and it keeps your name top of mind. Jennifer Goforth Gregory with The Content Marketing Writer wrote a great post on five unique ways to follow up with content marketing clients. She suggests doing the following:
Compliment the client about something client or editor has done recently (I’ve used this technique)
Send a link to a relevant article (I’ve done this as well)
Provide a thoughtful comment on their blog post or social media page (do this repeatedly for greater impact)
Follow up on an event mentioned by the client (Who is going to events these days?)
Engage with the company on social media (a good strategy at all times)
The nine-word email marketing strategy
I will occasionally send cold emails and letters of introduction as a prospecting strategy – it works better than you think. The key is to write targeted emails to the right people with the right message at the right time – simple, right? Jessica Lunk at Benchmark One wrote a great article on implementing a nine-word email as part of your marketing strategy. The concept comes from Dean Jackson and uses a very simple formula:
Subject line: First name
Body: Question that addresses customer pain point (e.g., Are you still looking for help with creating new content?)
That’s the whole email. If you get a response, you know they’re interested.
Reasons to start a newsletter
I’m a fan of reading newsletters, as they provide useful content that I enjoy. They also showcase some great writing with personality. Britany Robinson at The Write Life wrote a post on why you should start a newsletter. Her reasons include:
It’s easy to start (relatively speaking)
It forces you to create a writing routine (so true)
It’s a home for your voice (you write what you want)
You build credibility (absolutely)
Nobody can take it away from you (only you can do that)
You can monetize it if you want to (true, but the other reasons are more important to me)
Process goals, performance goals, and outcome goals
Hollie and Terrell Johnson at The Half Marathoner published an article on three types of running goals. Why am I talking about running goals? Because these goals also apply to writing. The three types of goals are:
Process goals – the training you do to achieve your writing goals (e.g., writing a certain number of words in a day)
Performance goals – the goals you set to achieve that are under your control (e.g., writing a manuscript by the end of the year)
Outcome goals – the goal you want that is outside your control (e.g., having your book picked up by a major publisher)
Check out what Ron Hogan had to say about outcome goals:
Nearly all writers, I think, start with outcome goals: I want my memoir to be published. I want to write a bestselling novel. I’d like to be able to support myself with my writing.I want people to recognize how talented I am. … If we cling too strongly to these outcomes, though, we may forget that we cannot make them happen on our own. A publisher has to decide to publish our book. Consumers have to want to buy it. People have to make up their own minds about our talent.
Choosing a name for your blog
I came up with name of my blog pretty simply – I’m an editor, I sit a desk, it worked. But you might want to use a different tactic to name your blog or podcast. Matt Gladstone at Flocksy wrote a post on coming up with the name for your blog to help it succeed. He suggests the following:
Focus on your niche (important if you’re in a niche)
I came across a great online magazine called SULTURE Magazine. Check it out – it’s well written, has beautiful imagery, and it’s free.
What I watched
I watched the first season of Emily in Paris on Netflix. Honestly, I was hooked from the first episode. The main character is so likeable and engaging. I also learned quite a bit about Paris and Parisians, and a little about fashion and social media. I’ve been wanting to visit Paris for a few years, as has my daughter. Once it’s clear to travel again, Paris is near the top of the list of places to go.
What I listened to
Normally, I listen to podcasts while I work. Sometimes I want to pay attention to what they’re saying, and I can’t do that if I am seriously engrossed in my writing or I need to be motivated. I discovered this YouTube channel for “deep concentration and studying.” It seems to work, even though I don’t listen to a lot of music these days.
Thanks for reading. If you liked what I wrote or think someone else would enjoy it, then please share it. And if you want to reach out, my email is contact@davidgargaro.com.
Welcome to the first Monday in February. I hope you’re doing well… but if you’re not, I hope things get better. Keep going.
Here are a few things I’d like to share from The Editor’s Desk.
Questions to ask clients before writing
Many clients don’t provide comprehensive briefs for writing projects. Some will provide a topic or title idea and some keywords to include, and that’s about it. As a writer, you need to get as much information as possible before writing a single word. This will help you get as close as possible to what the client wants, and will save you time in rewriting. You could ask a lot of questions, but here are a few to get you started:
Who is the audience for this content? What do they value, and what problems are they trying to solve?
What is the goal of the content? Are you trying to sell, educate, inform, convince, etc.?
What is the desired length for the content? You don’t want to write 2,000 words when they only need 500.
What sources are required, and how many sources do you need?
What tone is required for the content? Ask for examples of tone they want, and tone they don’t want.
Dealing with procrastination
If you’re a writer – or a human being – you have had to deal with procrastination at some point in your life. It often occurs when you’re staring at a blank page and dealing with a deadline, and you’d rather do anything else except writing. Patricia Allen at Craft Your Content wrote a blog post on the art of avoiding procrastination.
Here’s a great quote: If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Rather than avoiding the task completely, organize your time into blocks. This will give you a clear plan to follow. Decide in advance what blocks of time you will allocate each week to family, entertainment, exercise, hobbies, and work. Your priorities will determine the order of these blocks of time, but making time for them all is the essential balance required.
Books for writers
If you’re a writer, then you should also be a reader, and that includes books on writing. Farrah Daniel at The Write Life put together a list of the best books on writing. I know that “best” is subjective, but I own some of these books (including On Writing by Stephen King and Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott) and have to agree with them being on the list. Borrow them from the library or support your local used bookstore.
Virtual conferences for writers
Since we cannot go to physical events at the moment, we can attend virtual events to network with others, learn more about our craft, and have interesting experiences. Make a Living Writing put together a list of virtual conferences and events for writers. It’s worth checking out.
Creating a marketing style guide
Whether you are a one-person show or run a small business, you should create some rules around your marketing copy. Marketing style guides don’t have to be complicated. Nathan Collier at Groove published their marketing style guide, and it’s exactly what you need – all the basics on being consistent when publishing online. It covers voice and tone, headings and subheadings, punctuation, and a lot more
“Improvement is a battle that must be fought anew each day. Your next workout doesn’t care how strong your last one was. Your next essay doesn’t care how popular your last one was. Your next investment doesn’t care how smart your last one was. Your best effort, again.”
Tim Ferriss is one of my favourite authors. In addition to his books, I enjoy reading his weekly blog posts and listening to his podcasts. He wrote an eye-opening blog post called 11 Reasons Not to Become Famous. I don’t expect to ever become famous, not to his level anyway. And given what I’ve read, I hope I never do.
What I watched
I watched this YouTube video on Kurt Vonnegut’s rules for writing a short story. As someone who wants to write stories, I was definitely interested. One great piece of advice: Write to please just one person.
What I listened to
I enjoy listening to The Pen Addict podcast. Mike Hurley and Brad Dowdy talk all things related to fountain pens, other types of pens, stationery, and things related to writing. If you’re into pens at all, or want to learn more about them, make sure to check it out.
Thanks for reading. If you liked what I wrote or think someone else would enjoy it, then please share it. And if you want to reach out, my email is contact@davidgargaro.com.
Welcome to another Monday. Here are a few things I’d like to share from The Editor’s Desk.
Using grammatical metaphors to say more with less
I’m a fan of being efficient with writing. Keep your writing tight (unless you get paid by the word). Vinh To for The Conversation published a post on using grammatical metaphors to say more with less. Grammatical metaphors involve expressing one type of grammatical form (e.g., verbs) in another form (e.g., nouns). Nominalization involves turning verbs, adverbs, and other grammatical forms into nouns. It offers a number of key benefits, including:
Shortening sentences.
Clearly showing how one thing causes another
Connecting ideas and structuring text
Formalizing the tone of your writing
Here is one example of using nominalization to shorten text:
Before: When humans cut down forests, land becomes exposed and is easily washed away by heavy rain.
After: Deforestation causes soil erosion.
Creating an antilibrary
I enjoy buying and eventually reading books. I keep all the books I’ve read in a library, and what I haven’t read yet is organized in piles next to my bed – I can’t yet bear shelving books I haven’t read yet. However, there is a lot to be said about doing just that. Anne-Laure Le Cunff at Ness Labs wrote an article about building an antilibrary, which is a collection of unread books. It’s not a new concept, as many learned people have built antilibraries over the years. The goal is often to collect books on topics you want to learn about, and having those books at the ready will make it easier to do so. Some might argue that the Internet contains all known information, but there is something to be said about being able to reach out and actually read a book on something you want to learn about.
If you’re a freelance writer, consider accumulating an antilibrary of books on writing, marketing, and topics in your niche. When you want to do research or get a different perspective on writing, you can just reach out for one of your unread books.
Quote: When an author mentions another book, check the exact reference and make a note of it. By doing so, you will have a list of all the relevant sources for a book when you are done reading it. Then, research this constellation of books. It is unlikely all the sources on the list will seem interesting to you. Sometimes, only a short passage of the source was relevant to the book you just read. But other times, you will discover a book that genuinely piques your curiosity. Add this book to your antilibrary.
Extracting content from subject matter experts
Have you ever interviewed a subject matter expert who is not the greatest at sharing their knowledge with you in a way that makes sense? For various reasons, it can be difficult to do so. I know I’ve been challenged to get answers out of experts when deadlines are looming. Mindy Zissman at MarketingProfs wrote an article about six ways to extract content from subject matter experts. Her tips include:
Booking an Abstract Day (a scheduled date and time to ask questions and get content ideas)
Reuse one of their presentations
Jump on one of their scheduled client calls
Do background research before talking to the expert
Ask the expert to record their answers
Do a writing workshop lunch and learn
Creating a landing page
There is a lot of information on landing pages to be found online. For those who don’t know, a landing page is a page on your website (or on its own) where you offer something interesting and valuable (e.g., white paper, ebook, newsletter) to visitors in exchange for their email address. CJ Chilvers wrote an interesting post on lessons learned about writing landing pages, which are described briefly below:
Remember the basics of what the landing page is about
Focus on benefits over features
Think in 5 second intervals of what is being read
Focus on one action you want from the visitor
Everything is a trade-off – something you add / leave out will drive visitors away
Every page on your website is a landing page
Focus on customers first
Test everything
Be diplomatic with other members of your team
Creating a marketing plan for your small business
A marketing plan will help you to know more about your customers and how to reach them so they business with you. Matt Gladstone at Flocksy wrote a great article on marketing plan tips for small businesses. He suggested the following five steps for creating your own marketing plan:
Create and focus on your goals and objectives
Define your target audience
Do your research
Effectively and efficiently execute your plan
Plan a timeline and budget
Check out my blog posts on creating a marketing plan:
Good ideas are easy to write, bad ideas are hard. Difficulty is a quality signal, and writer’s block usually indicates more about your ideas than your writing.
Here’s a great quote I read from Barbara Tuchman (source: The Book, Bulletin of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Vol. 34, No. 2 (Nov. 1980)) on the power of books:
“Books are the carriers of civilization. Without books, history is silent, literature dumb, science crippled, thought and speculation at a standstill. Without books, the development of civilization would have been impossible. They are engines of change (as the poet said), windows on the world and lighthouses erected in the sea of time. They are companions, teachers, magicians, bankers of the treasures of the mind. Books are humanity in print.”
What I watched
I’ve just finished watching the first season of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods. I read the book (and recommend it) many years ago, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I did not remember about the story. I was able to enjoy it with fresh eyes, and I’m looking forward to watching season 2. And with season 3 here, I can catch up and watch it in “real time” instead of binging.
Thanks for reading. If you liked what I wrote or think someone else would enjoy it, then please share it. And if you want to reach out, my email is contact@davidgargaro.com.
Welcome to another Monday. Here are a few things I’d like to share from The Editor’s Desk.
Money habits for freelance writers
Alexis Grant with The Write Life published an article on money habits that freelance writers should adopt this year. It can be difficult to manage and organize your finances, so this advice should help. Here are some of Alexis’ tips:
Separate your personal and business finances (I throw it all into a box… sort of kidding)
Pay yourself regularly (I try, I try)
Be smart about invoicing (my way is old school Word and Excel, but it works for me)
Track expenses diligently (I learned this the hard way after my first tax return)
Review profit and loss each month (my expenses are pretty fixed, so when I make less or more I know what’s going on)
Create a monthly checklist
Practice to get better, not to get perfect
Austin Kleon wrote a blog post called 100-Day Practice and Suck Less Challenge. The point of practice should be to get better, not necessarily to become perfect. You’re not competing against anyone but yourself. The whole point is to improve yourself and your skills, and feel good about doing it.
How to show your value
Wes Kao wrote an article on how to instantly show your value of your product. Some of these strategies can be applied to showing clients the value of your writing, editing or other services as well. You can demonstrate your value by:
Using before and after
Showing, not telling
Not worrying about your grammar (that would be an issue for a writer)
Increasing desire rather than just decreasing fiction
Using a be / have / do framework
Aiming for “no brainer” status
Doing what makes their “eyes light up”
How to write a freelance proposal
Evan Jensen from the Make a Living Writing blog published an article on how to write a freelance proposal. Most writers will have to pitch to get work, or write a cold email to get clients – it’s how I find new clients as well. This article has some great advice on what your proposal should include.
Here’s a great quote:
When a prospect comes to you, this is going to sound terrifying, you try and talk them out of hiring you. You do that by having the “Why conversation,” which has three steps. Here’s what you need to ask:
Why do you need this project? What’s the purpose? Basically, you have them convince you they need this content to help them achieve a goal.
What’s the timeline? Why not put this off another month, another year? Why is this urgent? You’re looking for projects that are urgent. The tighter the timeline and risk involved if the client doesn’t get this project done, the more you can charge.
Why do you want to hire me? List off all the people who undercut you, charge less than you, including writers on fiverr and Upwork. If you believe what you do is good, now is the best time to raise those pricing objections, and they’ll see that you’re worth it. Once you get these questions answered, prepare your proposal and include their answers verbatim.
Setting goals
Elizabeth Grace Saunders at Fast Company published an article on setting goals for 2021. It is understandably difficult to set a goal when a lot of other things are going on around you and your mind is otherwise occupied. She talks about different types of goals to set and their purpose, including:
Schedule goals – common tasks that will repeat
Process goals – standardized results for achieving specific results
Action goals – doing what you say you want to do
Stretch goals – those extra goals to make life just a bit better
Five types of editing
I’ve been a copy editor for more than 25 years, and I know quite a bit about different types of editing. Clients tend to confuse the different terms and will ask for copy editing when they really want a structural edit. Sola Kihinde with Craft Your Content write a blog post about five types of editing for creating top quality content (you should also check out the Editors’ Association for their definitions of editing). The five types of editing discussed include:
Developmental editing – high-level view of the document
Content editing (also known as substantive editing) – reviewing content by section and paragraph
Line editing (also known as stylistic editing) – focuses on sentences and word usage
Copy editing – checking spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, etc.
Proofreading – checking the final proof for errors
Late in 2020, I read The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. I’ve read several of his books, so I was eager to read his newest book. This book entertained and angered me at the same time, which is probably the mark of a good book. The writing, story and characters were great. What angered me was the premise. I’m not spoiling anything, as the description is on the back cover – the main character gets to see what she could have done differently in life to deal with her regrets, and find a life that makes her happy. Don’t we all wish we could have a do over?
What I watched
I finished watching the first (and only?) season of The Queen’s Gambit. The story behind how this show finally made it to air is pretty fascinating, and it’s an interesting show.
I also watched the third (and final?) season of Ozark. It’s just so good – so much lying and intrigue. But it looks like it’s not coming back for season 4 – what a shame.
What I listened to
I listened to a great interview with Tim Ferriss on his own podcast, where Guy Raz interviewed him on how he built what he has today. I knew some of what he discussed, but it was fascinating to learn about how he wrote his books and built his podcast.
Thanks for reading. If you liked what I wrote or think someone else would enjoy it, then please share it. And if you want to reach out, my email is contact@davidgargaro.com.
Welcome to another Monday. If you’ve been a regular reader, you might have noticed a change in what and when I’m writing. I’ve decided to publish just on Mondays instead of twice a week. I might publish on the occasional Thursday if I write something that I want to stand out. Otherwise, it will be once a week. This will let me provide more information in each blog post. I’ve also changed the format a bit so you can learn more about what I like. Nothing is set in stone, but let’s see how this goes.
Here’s a few things I’d like to share from The Editor’s Desk.
Saying no to things that take time away from what you want to do
Committing all of your attention to your work
Mastering the ability to be patient
Finding something that you love doing
Getting rid of your ego
Identifying your purpose
Going for big wins
Here’s a great quote: “To change that you will have to learn how to say ‘No’ to things. Saying ‘No’ will allow you to have more time to do things well. You can’t do everything to the best of your talent. But you can do a few things to your highest ability.”
Becoming a content machine
Luk Smeyers from The Visible Authority published an article on becoming a content machine in just one day per week. He takes a three-step approach to generating and promoting his content. They include:
Identify your content inspiration sources.
Create a content hub that will centralize all your content efforts.
Set up a system for promoting your content.
He also tells you four things you can start doing tomorrow – I love instructions that include things you can actually do. Those four things are:
Gather insights about your audience.
Centralize your content.
Collect and assess the data.
Schedule and automate your content production and distribution.
Writing the best call to action
Ann Handley published an article on writing the best call to action. She gives an example from North Carolina’s Currituck County Economic Development home page. The CTA is different, personal, and effective.
Quote: “The most effective copywriting reflects who you are, not just what you sell.“
Kate McKean, publisher of the Agents & Books newsletter, wrote an article on how to tackle the big project. Here’s some of what she had to say:
Read it all the way through one more time. I really feel it necessary to have a good lay of the land before I start a big project, but admittedly this step takes a lot of time and you might not have that time. Still, a read-through will give you an idea of what the most pressing issues are (soggy middle? unconvincing ending? prologue you need to chop off?) so that you can prioritize. This is especially helpful if you haven’t read it through in a long while. If you did it recently, you might not need to do it again.
Don’t do the small stuff first. It might be tempting to do your Find > Replace Joe to Joey, but tbh, do that last. You’ll likely just be editing stuff that will be cut after you do the big stuff, so don’t spin your wheels.
Do the big stuff first. Do the biggest thing first. I know that is daunting and you would rather ease into an edit, but you have to take all the furniture out of the room before you replace the floors. (That metaphor works, right? How many metaphors can we use today!!!!) If you know the ending isn’t working, go in and fix the ending, which may mean fixing the beginning. If you feel like the stakes aren’t high enough, go ratchet up those stakes! When you do the big thing first, the rest feels so easy you’ll glide right through it. Also, the big thing usually ripples throughout the whole manuscript, so there’s no point in going in and changing the tense on a section you may just have to cut anyway.
Next do the medium stuff. Do you need to change the tense? First person to third? That’s what I consider medium stuff. It can still be pretty big! But after you have most things in the right places, then you can go in and make changes that affect the global template, so to speak. Again, do these after the big moves, even though it’s tempting to do them first because they’re easier to wrap your brain around.
Then do the small stuff. I know this seems obvious, or at least simplistic. But I also know that the overwhelm caused by an impeding huge edit can really cloud one’s judgement. Save the little things for last. Name changes. Checking timelines, weather, dates, consistency. These will feel like a piece of cake after the other two steps, so enjoy that relative ease!
It enables you to take advantage of your best state of mind
It will help you avoid willpower depletion
It allows you to enjoy distraction-free writing
Getting ideas onto the page
Kayleigh Moore wrote an article about getting ideas out of your head and onto the page. This is a common problem for many writers, as they get stuck in their head and can’t translate their thoughts into the written word. Or they just don’t know where to start writing. Here is what Kayleigh suggests:
Identify your motivation – why do you want to write what’s on your mind?
Be OK with sharing something that is not perfect
Get over the mentality of “Why bother?”
She also provides some steps on executing the process of putting your thoughts on paper.
I finished reading Anxious People by Fredrik Backman. He is one of my newer favourite authors whose books I plan to continue adding to my bookshelf. It’s a story about a bank robbery gone wrong, which turns into a hostage situation at an apartment viewing. It’s more than that, of course. But to say more would take away the joy of reading and discovering what happens next.
What I watched
I finally got around to watching the movie Tenet. I’m a fan of Christopher Nolan, and this one messes with your mind. It involves moving backward and forward in time, the past is the future, etc.
I also watched the movie Palm Springs. To say anything more than it involves two people who meet at a wedding would be giving away the crux of the movie. I’ll let you discover that nugget for yourself.
Thanks for reading. If you liked what I wrote or think someone else would enjoy it, then please share it. And if you want to reach out, my email is contact@davidgargaro.com.
