This is Video 1.3B in the course: Get Paid To Write. Module 1: How to overcome procrastination, writer s block, and rookie writing errors

Transcription

1 This is Video 1.3B in the course: Get Paid To Write Module 1: How to overcome procrastination, writer s block, and rookie writing errors

2 Get clear on the task: (The brief) Take a proper brief Spend the time to do it properly the first time Don t start writing yet - get the facts

3 Get clear on the task: (The brief) What exactly do you have to write? What is the objective of it?

4 Get clear on the task: (The brief) What do you want the audience to do as a result of reading it? You should be able to express the job very clearly

5 Example: 2 x blogs of 300 words each Title 1: Top 10 Ways To Write A Headline Title 2: Copywriting For Social Media

6 Example: 3 x web pages of 400 words: Home, About Us, Services

7 Example: Start with the headline first - if you can t get that, you can t know what the piece is about

8 Get clear on the word count: Use visualisation to help: Fold a page into the correct shape of the piece and map out by hand what will go on each page

9 Get clear on the word count: Find a blog/ the exact same length you want yours to be - do the word count (saves overwriting)

10 Get as much information as possible before you start: Get all the information you need to progress - many times I ve had to stop because I don t know the answer to a major question eg SMSF - is it 15% tax on rental income? Or 30%?

11 Get as much information as possible before you start: If I don t know the basic features and benefits, I can t write quickly and with conviction - I need to constantly find a new way to say it that skirts around the truth

12 Start writing as soon as the meeting ends: Start jotting down notes or ideas immediately after you ve taken the brief, conducted the interview, or had a meeting with the key players Peak moment for writing - don t procrastinate at this point - go directly to work

13 Be careful with research: Limit it to a specific time eg 1 hour (time waster/rabbit warren) Go on a Low Information Diet (LID)

14 Sourcing new ideas: Ask the top 20 questions a person would have about your service Set up a Google News or Alerts to help you brainstorm new ideas for topics

15 Sourcing new ideas: Organise a focus group of customers/key players to get inside their head and find out what they re thinking

16 Create a swipe file : Keep a file of competitive pieces - brochures, bookmark other sites for reference, put direct mail in a box by your front door Helps when briefing graphic designers too - a picture tells a 1000 words

17 Create a swipe file : Someone has done the research to find out what is important - use that as your basis Get reference websites from the client - saves hours and lots of revisions

18 Speak out loud: Ask yourself questions and answer them out loud: What I m trying to say is This product is fantastic because It s different (and better) than other products because The best part about it is

19 Speak out loud: Try selling the service as if you were selling it to your best friend who is right next to you Marie, the reason I think this is great for you is because

20 Overcoming writer s block: Defined as: an inability to write, often caused by emotional tension

21 Think big: Use a large scrapbook as the notepad Have lots of loose paper - if you have limited sheets to work on your brain will limit its ideas to the amount of paper you have

22 Think big: When typing, change the vibe/feel by changing the point size to 14 or 16 or use bold - they all have a different feel and may help you write more fluidly - I use Verdana 12

23 Try writing at different times and places: At night in bed Before the sun comes up At the café

24 Try writing at different times and places: Create a border on each page as your slate Make notes - don t put pressure on you to write copy straight away

25 Try writing at different times and places: Change positions - sit in a bean bag, lie down, slouch, sit up straight Write to different types of music and feel what impact each genre has on you Get some exercise and come back straight away

26 Don t edit too early: Allow yourself to be bad before you get good Get into the flow even if you know it sounds weird, wrong, stupid - it s all okay

27 Don t edit too early: If it doesn t make sense, don t delete - just start a new paragraph Your brain needs to find it s way through the forest of unclear ideas

28 Don t edit too early: Print out the dribble (often pages)

29 A Christmas Carol edited version by Charles Dickens

30 Write in bulk: Write a series of articles/blogs/ newsletters at once Copywriter s biggest problem: what to take out (biggest time waster)

31 Write in bulk: Just keep writing with whatever comes into your head and go back later to break it up/chunk it down

32 Be persistent: If you re on a roll, don t leave your desk Even if you re hungry or feel you need a break, try to resist it as you will lose your momentum and not be able to get it back again

33 Be persistent: Yes, it s hard - but worth it because it means you get to finish it

34 Rent-A-Head: Write AS IF you were Richard Branson, Nigella Lawson, Gordon Ramsay, etc. Hear their voice and write as they would speak

35 Rent-A-Head: Speak in a silly accent and answer the questions we listed earlier eg why is this service so good?

36 Cut and paste: Cut and paste from other sites to get started Especially useful if you have to write with a different tone

37 Cut and paste: Eg High-end luxury - cut and paste copy that already has that tone and chances are you ll continue with it Don t worry about plagiarising it always ends up very different to the source material

38 Cut and paste: Use Words that Sell as starting point Can write completely differently when you use different words

39 Keep a pad and pen by the bed: Don t let great ideas slip away but Don t lose sleep because you ve come up with a great idea

40 Keep a pad and pen by the bed: Be disciplined - turn the light on, jot it down, turn light off, go back to sleep Or write in the dark - use big paper and thick black pen

41 Keep a pad and pen by the bed: Use a voice memo

42 Tomorrow is another day: If nothing flows, nothing works just accept it and tackle another part of the project Don t labour over it for too long

43 Tomorrow is another day: Some days - especially if tired - the words just don t flow That s why you should never leave it to the last minute - leaves no room for movement

44 Proofing techniques: Print it out - can never proof from the screen Read it backwards

45 Proofing techniques: Read it with a ruler underneath it Read it out loud Put it in larger point size

46 Let it pass the Rest Test : Let the work sit for at least hours The corrections will be screaming out to be made when you next see it

47 Let it pass the Rest Test : Can t get perspective when you ve just written it

48 Write daily: Act like a writer - read books on writing Write every day: Morning Pages

49 Write daily: Set yourself the discipline of writing something each day - even your own material If you want to be a writer, write

50 This is the end of Video 1.3B in the course: Get Paid To Write Module 1: How to overcome procrastination, writer s block, and rookie writing errors