Ad copy roundup 8/12/10: the good, the bad, and the meh
Posted on 12. Aug, 2010 by Melanie.
Lately, I’ve realized I’m a bit of a copy nerd. Well, maybe not “a bit.” Maybe I’ve plunged headlong into the depths of abject dorkitude in my enthusiasm for really creative, inspired copy. At any rate, I noticed, I sure do spend a lot of internal monologue time assessing copy—whether it be web copy, radio [...]
Continue Reading
Beyond evangelizing ourselves as writers
Posted on 14. Jul, 2010 by Melanie.
Share your message by blogging, writing, and speaking. Build a network, both online and in person. Be confident. Awesome points, all. But there are three points I want to add, to tailor it for writers like us.
Continue Reading
Thoughts on the 2010 STC Summit
Posted on 09. May, 2010 by Melanie.
I left the 2010 STC Summit with tons to think about, motivated to do everything I can to plan, create, and maintain effective content. And getting to meet a who’s who of writers and experts was a pretty sweet perk.
Continue Reading
Role Playing for Fun and Profit
Posted on 22. Apr, 2010 by Melanie.
Today, I’m excited to present a guest post from my friend, Bryan Allain. (I think we’re “friends,” although I’m not sure, because the one time I think I met Bryan was about ten years ago. So I could be confused. In any case, a Twitter friend is a “friend,” right?) Bryan is an awesome humor [...]
Continue Reading
CS, I love you
Posted on 14. Apr, 2010 by Melanie.
Recently, I started noticing a lot of people online talking about something called content strategy. Something clicked in my brain. This sane, smart, strategic approach to content was what I’d been missing out on.
Continue Reading
Ask yourself this one question before you write web copy
Posted on 17. Mar, 2010 by Melanie.
Have you ever wondered why novels, nonfiction articles, and newspapers don’t have usability experts working on them? Websites are different. Before you begin writing for the web, you must ask yourself one foundational question.
Continue Reading
Improve your writing by eliminating weak verbs
Posted on 13. Mar, 2010 by Melanie.
When you can, avoid using boring verbs like “is” and “has” in your writing. Using more active verbs forces you to be specific and descriptive.
Continue Reading
Content strategy could have prevented this
Posted on 02. Mar, 2010 by Melanie.
Content strategy can prevent all sorts of missteps. It’s time we recognized its value.
Continue Reading
“Krazy kontent” — you’re doing it right
Posted on 22. Feb, 2010 by Melanie.
I like crazy. But I’m not particularly keen on giving my money (either willingly or compelled by federal law) to an entity that likes to joke about … my money. Business is business, and I trust organizations that recognize that.
Continue Reading
The image as text: When pictures replace logic
Posted on 13. Feb, 2010 by Melanie.
A post-television world has emerged. The Internet is no less image-driven than television and movies are. Rather, it incorporates text and images into an interactive experience in which the user/viewer/reader plays a more active role than ever.