Answer these 4 questions and you’re on your way — If you’re a writer or freelancer or solopreneur or small biz owner, you need a content writing strategy. No, it needn’t be complicated. But you must have one if you want to make the best use of your time and build a following. Don’t get put off by the marketing…

Adopt the strategy that drives the best email newsletters to the top of the heap — Over decades of publishing a newsletter, I’ve made a lot of mistakes. Fortunately, I’ve learned a few things, too. And one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned — one that has given me the biggest success — is quite simple. It’s this: publish consistently. That is, on a regular schedule…

Learn the ins and outs of the biz from veteran freelancers — Freelance writers — and those who want to be one — know one of the cardinal rules of the writing business: “To be a writer, read a lot.” Fortunately, a passel of freelance writing veterans are willing to share their know-how with the rest of us. …

Write better email subject lines by using this checklist — Good email subject lines are easy to spot for one simple reason: they get the reader to open the email. You can measure your email open rate with objective data, recorded by your email list manager. …

6 ways to write an outline and save yourself from overwhelm — You’re ready to proceed with your writing project: you have gathered ideas, you’ve processed them, and you’ve determined the main point for your piece. Now what? …

Write a conclusion that sticks with your reader and builds fan loyalty — When you know how to write a conclusion for your article, letter, or blog post — or any content, for that matter — you finish strong and make your point. You also make it worthwhile for your reader to stick with you until the end. It’s no secret that you…

Give your brain a bigger, better offer — You’re at your desk early. But an hour later, your writing outline remains undone. Meanwhile, you’ve emptied your email box … sorted your pencils and pens … separated paper clips from the rubber bands in the desk drawer. You’ve just succumbed to a wave of writer’s procrastination. The condition is…

Long-form content should be part of your content writing strategy. Here’s why. — The earliest days of the internet championed short-form content over long-form content. Readers skimmed online. Long, unbroken paragraphs were difficult to read on screen. Lots of white space, bullet points, and plenty of subheads meant readers could scan, absorb, and move on. “Look for the clutter in your writing and…

This little-used strategy snags new readers and engages fans all year long — “Build it and they will come.” That catchphrase from the 1989 feature film Field of Dreams motivated a farmer to build a baseball field in the middle of a cornfield. The mantra suggests that a project will succeed if you simply start it. Those of us with a blog or…