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How to Write a Great Story in 5 Steps

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People have always had a natural talent for telling stories. It is an essential means of communication and understanding the world, from old stories to contemporary discourse. Everyone has a tale to tell, and putting pen to paper can help you become a better writer and communicator. But what makes a good storyteller? Here are five easy ways to improve your story writing skills.

What is a Story?

At its essence, a story is a connected sequence of events. However, a well-rounded story contains these five essential elements:

  1. Setting: Where and when the story takes place.
  2. Plot: The sequence of events in the narrative.
  3. Conflict: The problem or challenge faced by the characters.
  4. Characters: The people or beings involved in the story.
  5. Theme: The underlying message or lesson conveyed.

Famous Examples of Storytelling

Consider Hemingway’s famous six-word story: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” Despite its brevity, it prompts the reader to infer the deeper elements such as setting, characters, conflict, and theme.

Another example is “Cosmic Report Card: Earth.” This short story gives a brief yet impactful evaluation of humanity’s existence. The power of storytelling lies in its ability to provoke thought, even with minimal words.

Similarly, “ThingsFromMars.com: A Portal to the Weird and Wonderful” captures the curiosity and imagination of visitors through its creative narrative. The story behind the brand compels readers to explore a world of quirky and unexpected gifts, making it both engaging and memorable.

Types of Stories

According to author Christopher Booker, there are seven basic types of stories:

  • Overcoming the Monster
  • Rags to Riches
  • The Quest
  • Voyage and Return
  • Rebirth
  • Comedy
  • Tragedy

Each type follows its narrative arc, but all share core storytelling elements.

Steps to Write a Great Story

1. Find Inspiration

Every great story begins with an idea. Inspiration can come from anywhere—your own experiences, current events, or even a “what if?” scenario. Keep a notebook to jot down ideas as they come to you.

2. Brainstorm

Once you have an idea, start brainstorming. Think of plot ideas, character traits, and possible conflicts. This is where you explore the potential directions your story can take. The more you brainstorm, the clearer your vision becomes.

3. Outline Your Story

Outlining is key to structuring your story. Include the main events in the plot, key character developments, and any essential details. A good outline helps keep your story focused and ensures you cover all necessary elements.

4. Write the First Draft

Now it’s time to write. Don’t worry about perfecting it—just write the story down on paper. Avoid editing as you go. The first draft is all about letting your ideas flow naturally.

5. Revise and Edit

Once your first draft is complete, take a step back. Seek feedback from others, and revise your story based on their input. Afterward, edit for grammar, spelling, and punctuation to ensure your writing is polished and error-free.

Examples of Timeless Stories

Some stories have withstood the test of time. Consider:

  • The Tortoise and the Hare: A fable that teaches the value of perseverance over speed.
  • Frankenstein by Mary Shelley: A tale exploring the conflict between humanity and nature, filled with timeless themes of life, death, and morality.

Conclusion

By understanding the elements of storytelling and following a structured writing process, you can write a great story. Whether you’re writing a novel or flash fiction, remember that every story starts with a single idea. Embrace your creativity, and let your unique voice shine through your storytelling.

Story Writing FAQs

What is a story? 

A story is a connected series of events with key elements like setting, characters, conflict, and theme.

How do stories work? 

Stories communicate messages through characters who face conflicts, ultimately leading to resolution or transformation.

What are the different types of stories? 

Stories can fall into categories such as overcoming the monster, rags to riches, the quest, voyage and return, rebirth, comedy, or tragedy.

Evelyn Johnson is a creative writer and entrepreneur with over 7 years of experience in the writing industry. As the founder of thingsfrommars.com, she combines creativity and business savvy to craft unique content that captivates audiences. Evelyn specializes in storytelling, corporate writing, and product marketing, sharing her expertise through industry insights. Connect with Evelyn on LinkedIn.

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Guest Posts

Book signing 101

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The release date of my first book was etched in my mind. I eagerly shared the news, and excitement filled me. This was the beginning of my journey as an author.

I decided to celebrate my book’s publication with a big party—a book signing. This would be a celebration. Not in a ‘look at me’ way, but I planned to enjoy this milestone and wanted those I loved with me.

I learned a lot along the way and want to share with other new authors what worked and what I would change.

Preplanning Stage

  • Decide what kind of celebration you want – big, small, fancy, intimate, casual – and where you’ll hold it – your home, the library, a rented facility
  • 1 ½ to 2 hours is a great time frame. A pre-lunch with coffee, tea, water, and a cake. Brunch if you want to feed your guests. I chose mid-afternoon and served finger foods and cupcakes.
  • A good rule of thumb for party planning is that you’ll get about half the number of people you’ve invited. I invited everyone! I put up flyers in area businesses and sent out press releases to the closest newspapers. Still, I knew almost everyone who came to my book signing.
  • Set a budget. I didn’t do this. Instead, I went into it willy-nilly and spent too much money.
  • Enlist help. My sister helped with food, my youngest daughter made a playlist and acted as photographer, and my husband took the money while I only had to sign books. One friend took care of the raffle items, and another manned the sign-in table and handed out swag bags.

Decisions, Decisions

I couldn’t decide what to wear. I’m a blue jeans or capris and T-shirt kind of person, but I wanted to dress up a bit for my very first book signing. My tip: be comfortable. If you’re not stressed about how you look, you will enjoy yourself that much more.

Raffle Items

When attendees signed in, they received a raffle ticket. My oldest daughter rounded up donations, and I ended up with fifteen bags to raffle off, plus one grand prize that held a bit of everything.

What to Take on the Big Day

You’re dressed and ready to go. The location is perfect; you’ve planned how to decorate it and what food to serve. Everything has been purchased, and you’re ready. Then panic sets in. What do you need to take?

  • Books – take a few more than you think you’ll need.
  • Change – and something to keep it in. Also a sign for how people can pay besides cash. QR codes for alternate payment options are helpful.
  • Pens – so you can sign the books! Take more than one, just in case.
  • Bookmarks and/or business cards. I also have postcards to hand out. They include the QR code for where to buy my book, a picture of the book cover, and the book’s blurb.
  • Food and drinks – do you need tablecloths, plates, cups, and silverware? We had charcuterie cups with food on skewers. I found the idea on Pinterest, and they were a big hit. We served mini soda cans, small water bottles, and sweet tea. We also had cupcakes and cookies that were donated.
  • Swag bags – attendees received a swag bag at the sign-in table. It contained a bookmark, a pen with my name and my book’s name, and a sticker with my book cover on it.
  • Newsletter sign-up sheets
  • Decorations – my book is about an empty nester who starts a birding group, so I had bowls of birdseed in the middle of each table. I bought small organza drawstring bags so people could make birdseed bags to take home. I also had pictures that were beachy or bird-themed. I displayed paintings that my oldest daughter did for my book.
  • Tape, permanent marker, scissors – these always come in handy

During the Signing

Enjoy yourself! Smile, laugh, sign books, talk to people. Be prepared to speak—just a short “speech” thanking everyone for coming and celebrating with you. You can also read a section of your book. I finished with a Q&A. Remember, these are your family and friends (and possibly a few strangers), and they came to be with you!

After the Signing

Be sure to clean up the area and remember that saying thank you goes a long way. Thank the people who helped, and send written thank yous to people who donated items. Emails are fine, but handwritten thank-yous are better. Why? They make a good impression and are professional.

Last but not least, what I’d change: AKA how to save money

Ask for food donations (cake, cupcakes) and raffle items.

I gave out bookmarks, but I will stick with the postcards. They’re less expensive, and I added a QR code to purchase the book. Personalized pencils are less expensive than pens; if I give out stickers, I will find a cheaper place to get them.

At my next book signing, which is with multiple authors, I’ll bring personalized pencils, birdseed and drawstring bags to make and take, a tablecloth, books and pens, a newsletter sign-up sheet, change and QR codes for other payment options, and my postcards.

Oh, and candy. You don’t have to serve food, but everyone likes a little something sweet.

Jen Dodrill uses her faith and passion for healthy families to write novels that encourage and inspire hope. A retired Navy wife, former homeschool mom, and mother of five, her favorite title is Grandma. When she isn’t writing, reading, or drinking coffee, she spends time with her family in West Tennessee. Her first book, Birds Alive! An Empty-nesters Cozy Mystery released February 27, 2024.

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Guest Posts

Forgiveness

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“Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:31-32 NKJV)

Sometimes I catch myself praying for God to change circumstances and behavior when what’s needed is for Him to change hearts—often my own. Negative actions and reactions, like symptoms, stem from, but may not identify the underlying problem. We need to treat the root, not the fruit, if we want true and lasting change. When God transforms hearts, the change spills out to influence circumstances and relationships.

Relationship problems arise from sin. Sin is the culprit—our own brokenness, the gap in our relationship with Christ—where we are, as opposed to where He would have us to be.

When I focus on my unmet needs to the detriment of others, I indulge in a self-serving pity party. If I want to see change, I must give Jesus the reins of my heart.

But to forgive the incessant provocations of life—to keep on forgiving the bossy mother-in-law, the bullying husband, the nagging wife, the selfish daughter, the deceitful son—how can we do it? Only, I think, by remembering where we stand, by meaning what we say in our prayers each night, ‘forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us.’

C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

Forgiving means wiping the slate clean, canceling the debt, and not retaliating.

I ponder. Will the tears ever stop? What if I dared to speak the words I’ve feared to utter—set them free from the captivity of silence? Would the chains of pain be broken, or would the weight of regret be too great to bear? Once let loose, I cannot call them back. “Lord…?”

God’s word reins me in.

“He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7)

“Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.” (Psalm 141:3)

Oh, the power of our words, whether spoken or written, to bring harm or healing. Help me, Lord, to handle them wisely, to use them to serve even those who hurt me.

Extending forgiveness requires humility, putting aside my pride and errant emotions. It means valuing relationships and being right with God over enforcing my rights.

Life is too short, and eternity is too near to be easily offended by those I’m called to love. Keeping a record of wrongs embitters and enslaves us. The stony walls of offense I build to protect my hurting heart imprison me and keep Christ and His healing out. The sweet waters of forgiveness break through the barrier of bitterness and open the road to resolution.

As the lyrics to the spiritual goes, “It’s not my brother, not my sister, but it’s me, oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer.” Rather than try to fix others (which I can’t do) I need to fix my relationship with Christ.

Other’s wrong actions toward me do not excuse my sinful reactions. While we shouldn’t enable abuse or needlessly place ourselves in toxic situations, we must extend forgiveness, even if the other person is wrong and unrepentant.

To be Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because Christ forgave the inexcusable in you.

C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:14-15)

Jesus didn’t die only for those who would accept Him. He paid the penalty for the sins of all those He knew would reject Him, too. The great I Am bore the sins of all humanity to provide forgiveness we do not deserve.

We must let go of unforgiveness if we want to receive the forgiveness Jesus offers.—We cannot hold on to both.

But forgiving is often beyond my natural ability.

To err is human, to forgive divine.

Alexander Pope, An Essay on Criticism

It helps me when I remember people mistreat others because of what’s broken in them. When I focus on their need for healing, the injustices I receive become much easier to handle. When I pray for someone, not just for my vindication or relief, I find God gives me the heart, the grace, to forgive them. And besides, I need forgiveness too.

Jesus wants us to bring our brokenness, shortfalls, and failures to Him so He can change and imbue us with His supernatural empowerment.

Regardless of the behavior of others, if I forgive and yield to Jesus’ refining of my heart and character through the circumstances in my life, He rewards. A right heart yields a closer relationship with Jesus and His unsurpassed peace.

I’m guilty, Lord. I fail, I fall. Remember I am dust. Help me.

God’s love for humanity drove Jesus to the cross to purchase our pardon. God commands us to love and to extend grace and forgiveness to others as He does to us. When I set my heart and mind to love and serve others as Jesus calls me to, even if it is unrequited, He fulfills me.

When we let Jesus overhaul our inward man, the core of who we are, many of our relationship problems resolve themselves. He is defender and restorer. We encounter struggles, pitfalls, and pain in life’s journey, but Scripture promises that God works all things for the good of those who love Him. (Romans 8:28) And the most important good is Christ formed in us. He is the Master Builder. There is joy and contentment when I focus on Jesus, rest my heart in His hands, and walk in His ways.

—————

The above is in response to requests to share the devotion mentioned in my article, The Absent Author.

Rachel M. Colby has a heart for reconciliation and a passion to uplift those who serve in tough places. She writes to connect cultures’ questions with Christianity’s answers, inspire faith, and motivate.

Rachael’s work has appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul, the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference Blog, online publications,compilation books, and the Oak Ridger newspaper.

This Jamaican-born multi-genre award-winning writer, wife, and mom resides in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. She runs on chocolate and a lotta “Help me, Jesus.”

Website: TattooItOnYourHeart.com Twitter: @RachaelColby7  Facebook: Rachael M Colby  Instagram: Rachael M Colby

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Guest Posts

What is Sustainable Publishing?

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Sustainability is a hot topic in every industry. 69% of consumers say they’ve made changes to their shopping habits to become more sustainable and 50% say they intentionally reuse more products to minimize waste. In fact, increased interest in sustainability has bolstered the second-hand book market in recent years. The compound annual growth rate (CARG) of the used book market is currently 6.6% as readers show a preference for low-waste reading options.

As an author, you can minimize your carbon footprint and increase demand by pursuing sustainable publishing options. Going carbon-neutral can help you stand out in a crowded market and may gain you a loyal following of carbon-conscious readers.

Carbon Neutral

Going carbon-neutral can be a boon for your brand as an author and could help bolster your book sales. However, you may find that actually achieving a net-zero publication is harder than it seems. Start by taking simple steps to achieve carbon neutrality like:

  • Measure: Ask your publisher to track emissions during every stage of the publishing life-cycle. This includes everything from ink usage to shipping and sales.
  • Reduce: As an author, you can reduce your carbon usage by opting for low-energy computers and energy-efficient suppliers. This will make achieving net-zero carbon use that much easier.
  • Offset: Carbon offsets aren’t a perfect science, but they do play an important role in combating climate change. Before launch, fund some projects that align with your book and appeal to your audience.
  • Communicate: Eliminating carbon emissions entirely may be impossible for you at this time. Be open and honest about your current operations and share yield analysis findings with your readers.

Going carbon neutral is a noble goal. However, you’ll need to account for every step of the writing, publishing, and distribution process if you want to truly claim to be net zero. Avoid the temptation to trump up sustainability claims, as greenwashing can undermine your brand image as an author.

Finding a Publisher

As an author, the publishing process is largely out of your control. You don’t get to decide what paper the book is printed on and may not even choose the cover of your upcoming title. That means you need to find a publisher that you trust to deliver on sustainability promises.

Even major publishers, like HarperCollins, are starting to switch to a net-zero business model. The publishing giant (which owns Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster) has already reduced emissions by 30% over the past five years and aims to achieve a 60% reduction by 2030.

If you’re still building your brand as an author, you may want to consider a smaller publisher instead. Small-scale publishers offer higher royalties and may give you greater control over the way your book is turned from an MS manuscript to a printed book.

Before signing with a new publisher, do your research and ask them key questions like:

  • Do you disclose your carbon emissions?
  • How do you source paper for your printed materials?
  • What is your Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) policy?
  • What steps do you take to reduce waste and how do you measure progress?

These questions ensure that you only work with publishers who take climate change seriously. They’ll help you uncover any evidence of greenwashing, too.

Low-Waste Supply

In the U.S. alone, the publishing industry fells 32 million trees every year to produce books. This makes publishing the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gasses related to paper and pulp. Fortunately, many publishers now work with sustainable suppliers who are committed to reducing waste and recycling old books.

As an author, you can take the reins by getting involved in the process. Learn how paper recycling works and push your publisher to turn discarded paper and pulp into bags, kitty litter, insulation, or packaging. This keeps your unsold books and off-cuts out of the landfill and can significantly reduce your carbon footprint.

If you’re a new author, you may be able to pursue print-on-demand publishing. This means that your publisher will only print a single copy of your book every time an order is placed. While this isn’t an appropriate business model for bestsellers, it can be a great way to reduce costs and minimize waste if you’re selling to a niche audience in low volumes.

Conclusion

The book industry produces massive amounts of pulp and paper waste every year. As an author, you can do your part to reduce waste by opting for sustainable publishing. Sustainable publishing minimizes your carbon footprint and can mitigate most of the by-products associated with printing. Just be sure to avoid greenwashing, as this will derail your book launch and undermine your brand image as an author.

Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for telling stories. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.

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The Absent Author

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“You’ve drawn back,” that familiar voice whispered to my heart. I tried to shrug off the nudge. I knew I needed to be transparent with my readers, but it made me uncomfortable, as if naked in a crowd.

One night at writers group, I showed up with several miscellaneous pieces to share. An unfinished article lay at the bottom of the pile. I felt unqualified to write it because I still wrestled with the subject—forgiveness. I certainly didn’t want to read it to my writers group. It scared me to share any of my writing, let alone something that made me vulnerable. So, I read the pieces that cost little and allowed me to keep a safe emotional distance.

I always positioned myself at the table so I could see our leader.

While we shared our work, I watched the nuances of his expressions to get a real feel for his responses. I noted how he measured his words when he commented. As everyone stated what they liked about what I’d read, Jack leaned back, silent, in his chair.

“Jack, you’re awfully quiet.”

“I want to hear Rachael. I want to see Rachael on the page. I want to hear your voice.”

“They’re all me,” I said. But Jack stared stone-faced. “You just want to see me bleed, don’t you?”

“Yeah, you’re right. I do.”

So much for being incognito. All eyes fixed on us. I sighed and pulled the unfinished piece from beneath the pile of papers and read what would become my article entitled Forgive to my writers group.

“There you are,” Jack said. “There’s Rachael.”

A hush fell on the room. Though this took place at a public library, it felt like church.

I finished my article on forgiveness and posted it on my blog. A few days later, I received a message from a young man I’d never met who was attending a Bible conference put on by one of our churches across the country.

“Thanks for this post,” he said. “It’s exactly what I needed to hear. A huge weight lifted off me tonight. I was struggling all week to hear from God concerning a troublesome situation. There have been powerful sermons all week that were very applicable to my life, but I needed clear direction from God. Your blog post on forgiveness cut to the heart of the matter. I haven’t been able to leave any of the services with peace, but now I can. Thanks.”

Sometimes I fall short of the tall order of vulnerability in my writing, but I’m no longer resistant. My new writing mentor, Cec Murphey, appears determined to draw me into the startling light, and that’s a good thing. “Where’s Rachael in this piece?” he says. Yes, a bared soul can touch hearts in ways polished prose and hard facts alone cannot.

Oh, how rich the reward when we truly give of ourselves to serve others.

Rachael M. Colby has a heart for reconciliation and a passion to uplift those who serve in tough places. She writes to connect cultures’ questions with Christianity’s answers, inspire faith, and motivate.

Rachael’s work has appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul, the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference Blog, online publications, compilation books, and the Oak Ridger newspaper.

This Jamaican-born multi-genre award-winning writer, wife, and mom resides in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. She runs on chocolate and a lotta “Help me, Jesus.”

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Guest Posts

Unconscious Creativity: How I Wrote a Novel in Five Weeks

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In 2001, I signed a contract to write four children’s science-fantasy adventure books with an impossible deadline. The contract required me to write about 200,000 words in six months—and I had never been that productive before. I wasn’t sure I could do it.

While writing, I abandoned plot outlines in favor of plunging in, imagining scenes, and piling up mountains of words. Along the way, the characters repeatedly surprised me. I wrote faster and more freely than ever before. I’m proud of the quality of those books (each is rated 4.6 stars on Amazon).

That experience launched me on an exploration of the creative process. I studied the insights of Ray Bradbury, Stephen King, John Steinbeck, and Madeleine L’Engle. They all attributed their uninhibited creativity to the power of the unconscious mind—our dimly understood storehouse of memories, fears, desires, and dreams.

Fast forward to early 2023. I was pondering a science fiction thriller about the extinction threat from super-smart artificial intelligence. Finally, on February 19, 2023, I awoke before dawn and wrote in my journal, “This book won’t let me sleep!” And I began writing Chapter 1.

I completed the first draft of the 50,000-word novel exactly five weeks later, on March 25. The novel, Its Name Is Legion: A Human Novel about Artificial Intelligence, was published in June 2023.

I wrote without an outline, heeding the advice of Ray Bradbury:

“Jump off a cliff and build your wings on the way down.”

Every day, I was “writing in overdrive”—writing “in flow.” Here’s the creative process I followed during those five weeks:

Step 1: Trust Your Unconscious

Imagination and inspiration flow from the unconscious mind.

“[I] allow my unconscious mind to control the course of the story.”

Ursula K. Le Guin

And Ray Bradbury kept a sign by his typewriter that read, “Don’t Think!” He told an interviewer, “I never plan ahead. Everything is always spontaneous and passionate.” Bradbury learned the unconscious approach to writing at age eighteen when he read Dorothea Brande’s Becoming a Writer. Brande wrote, “The unconscious must be trusted to bring you aid from a higher level than that on which you ordinarily function.”

I have learned to trust my unconscious imagination. That’s why I was never blocked, never at a loss for words, during those five weeks.

Step 2: Set Ambitious Goals

The unconscious mind craves a challenge, so aim high. Set goals that require you to be more creative and productive than you’ve ever been before. Your goals should objectively measure your progress—a specific daily word quota, page count, or the completion of a chapter or story. Productivity quotas force us to persevere and produce.

No one enters the overdrive zone while doing something easy. Only when we accept a bold challenge can we experience the creative thrill of writing in overdrive.

Step 3: Give Yourself Permission to Write Badly

It’s okay to write badly at times. That’s what first drafts are all about. To write brilliantly, give yourself permission to write badly.

“You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.”

Jodi Picoult

Silence your inner critic. Stop striving for first-draft perfection. Shed your inhibitions and write quickly, with childlike abandon.

I call first-drafting “finger-painting with words.” When children fingerpaint, they’re creative and spontaneous. When you write in first draft, make a glorious mess.

Step 4: Write with Emotional Intensity

To enter the overdrive zone, you must be emotionally involved in your work. Haunted by the horrors of Nazi death camps, Elie Wiesel wrote Night. Enraged by social injustice, John Steinbeck pounded out The Grapes of Wrath.

I felt emotionally driven to write Its Name Is Legion. I poured everything I had into that novel, including my fears about the threat of super-smart AI. My emotional involvement drove me to write with speed and boundless inspiration.

What do you love? What do you fear? List your passions, then transmute them into compelling fiction.

Step 5: Relax

Ray Bradbury urged writers to adopt a mindset of “dynamic relaxation,” a state of being emotionally engaged yet so relaxed that we become one with the act of creation. “Relax and stop thinking,” he said. “True creation occurs then and only then.”

“Many things—such as loving, going to sleep, or behaving unaffectedly—are done worst when we try hardest to do them.” Lewis relaxed by walking in the woods. He told a friend, “My imagination only works when I am exercising.”

C. S. Lewis

Stuck for ideas? Take a nap, take a walk, listen to music. Relax—then write brilliantly.

Step 6: Start Strong and Push to Completion

As you write, you’ll have doubts. You’ll question your talent, your plot, and your characters. Every writer has doubts. Successful writers ignore them.

I experienced doubts while writing Its Name Is Legion, but I refused to give them space in my head. I went to work—and I always found a way into the story. I willed myself to finish.

Your goal is not perfection but production. Write quickly, never analyzing, but simply jotting down the scenes in your imagination. Do this every day and you’ll soon have a reward for your persistence—

A novel that will astonish the world.

Jim Denney’s books Walt’s Disneyland: It’s Still There If You Know Where to Look, Your Writing Mentor C. S. Lewis, and his children’s fantasy novel Battle Before Time are all rated 4.6 stars or higher on Amazon. He is a member of SFWA (Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America). Find him at WritingInOverdrive.com.

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The World is Not Black and White

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Unless you’re a whale, walrus, or flat haired rat, your world is not black and white. And since none of these critters buy books, let’s talk about adding a splash of color for those who do. A good place to begin this discussion is with the magnet you hope will draw thousands of potential readers.

The Cover

While no color is exclusive to any genre, it’s crucial to be aware of current trends. When I searched Amazon for “bestselling romance novels,” up popped a row of pink book covers. Not the hot and steamy kind—not the ones featuring a shirtless hunk.

Drool

These pink books were of the Hallmark/Nora Roberts/Summer Reading flavor.

While cover designers point and click and the color changes, authors subtly use words to convey emotions, expectations, and associations. For example, writing a romance scene may call for spring colors that create a sense of love, hope, and joy, while an erotic romance plot seems more at home with shades of flesh set into a nighttime environment.

In a thriller or mystery, up your danger quotient by weaving red and black into the conflict. A historical or religious character may wear purple to signal royalty, wisdom, or power. Gold lights up all that is around it, an appealing trait at the fingertips of a fantasy author building a magical world of wonder in which a quest will unfold.

Contrasting colors, those positioned straight across the color wheel from each other, create tension, irony, or surprise. Experiment with a burst of a bright orange set in a midnight-blue scene to highlight an unexpected, perhaps shocking, disclosure.

Make sure your colors ring true!

The bank president isn’t credible when wearing a jewel-toned silk suit. On the other hand, would we even recognize Terry Crews if he donned the bank president’s navy-blue suit with its matching tie? Hmm … with all those muscles, we probably would. Okay, so that’s not the best example. Still, it’s up to you to select the hues that best enhance the physical appearance of your settings and characters, thereby conveying subliminal messages about their personality, mood, and emotions.

You are the color wizard.

But please, please, please do not write this: The brown-haired woman, dressed in a brown dress and matching shoes, leaned against the wall across the room from the man wearing a black pinstriped suit.

Yawn. Who cares?

Engage the reader by using color to tell the readers something important without “telling” them it’s important. Think about this:

Her mood was as brown as her dress. When not a single person looked her way, she leaned against the beige wall, unnoticed, exactly as she had hoped.

From these two sentences, we learn she is not happy. She feels down in the dumps. You, the author, have conveyed her as sad, depressed, and low-spirited. Yet you build suspense by not explaining why, even though other people are in the room, she prefers to remain unseen.

This leaves much to disclose as you design your protagonist’s arc. How will your reader’s perspective change as your character evolves and behaves as she does in the following scene?

Across the room, the woman pushed a glossy strand of mahogany hair back from her eyes and winked at the man. He removed his ebony suit jacket and flung it casually over his shoulder. When she raised her champagne glass and stepped toward him, the slit in her scarlet gown revealed a golden, sun-kissed thigh.

Oh, my. How color has tinted this relationship.

In my historical novel to be released in September, Golden Boxty in the Frypan, the protagonist, six-year-old Katie, has issues with her new brother. These are her thoughts:

 Purple veins crisscross his hairless head. Red eyelids, puffy as a frog’s, bulge from his blotchy face. Yellowish bubbles gather in the corners of his lips. Overwhelmed with grief, maybe anger, or perhaps a mix of both, I dash to my hiding place and remove Molly from my pocket. She has a tear in her eye, just like the one in mine. I prayed for the Holy Virgin Mother to send a girl, so we’ll have a friend. And what did we get? A boy as ugly as ground beef.

What do we learn from the colors Katie uses to describe her brother in the first minutes of his life? Purple, red, and blotchy show that this newborn had a rough arrival. Does the red also signal a fiery relationship for these siblings? Yellow is credited with the ability to cause anger and frustration, and we experience that through Katie’s internal thoughts. We may even feel sorry for her as she vents her irritation over not getting the sister she requested in her prayers.

Be bold … But cautious!

Don’t insult your reader. Overuse is tedious, redundant, and annoying.

Consider: The black crow sent a shiver down her spine.

Black crow?!? Please! What other color would the crow be?

Color should either add to the story or suffer the fate of the delete key. Don’t employ a rainbow of hues just to appear inspired or cutting edge. Because then it is not. Color only becomes creative and original when it informs the reader in a way no other words can.

You are the artist. Paint the world with your words.

Dr. Pat Spencer is the author of the international thriller, Story of a Stolen Girl. Her historical novel, Golden Boxty in the Frypan, will be released September 6, 2023, by Pen It Publications. Sticks in a Bundle, literary/historical fiction, is under a three-book contract with Scarsdale Publishing. Her writings appeared in The Press-Enterprise, Inland Empire Magazine, and literary and professional journals. A Healing Place won the short story category of Oceanside’s 2019 Literary Festival.

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6 Useful ChatGPT Prompts for Fiction Writers

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Writing can be a solitary journey. But what if you had a companion to guide you, to help you when you’re stuck, to inspire you when your creativity needs a boost? That’s where ChatGPT comes in.

While many authors frown upon the idea of trusting artificial intelligence with their writing, it can be a helpful tool to facilitate your creative process without losing your unique voice.

Even though there are enough examples of books written with ChatGPT lately, we won’t talk about making AI write for you. Instead, we’ll cover a bunch of useful tasks you can give ChatGPT in order to nudge your creative flow whenever you feel lost.

Yes, weaving AI into your writing routine might appear challenging, and you indeed need to understand the basics of prompt engineering to ask the right questions. So let this article be your guide, demonstrating how AI can make life easier for fiction writers.

Here are six things ChatGPT can do to assist in your book-writing process:

1. Generate story ideas

Ever felt stuck while brainstorming new story ideas? ChatGPT can act as your virtual ideation partner, providing fresh perspectives and novel concepts to kickstart your creativity and expand your imaginative horizons.

ChatGPT prompt example: I’m writing a novel set in a post-apocalyptic world with elements of science fiction. Suggest ten unique storylines that revolve around a group of survivors, their struggles, and the mysteries of this new world they must explore.

2. Assist in character development

Crafting believable, multifaceted characters is a crucial aspect of compelling storytelling. With ChatGPT’s assistance, you can delve deeper into your characters’ psyche, sketching out complex backgrounds, motivations, and arcs that truly bring them to life.

ChatGPT prompt example: Help me further develop a character for my mystery novel. Her name is Jane, a private detective in her late thirties with a keen sense of intuition, a dark past, and a stubborn nature. I need more details on her backstory, personality traits, and possible character growth.

3. Get you unstuck during plot building

Navigating the labyrinth of plot building is no longer a daunting process. ChatGPT can aid in constructing compelling plot lines, helping to fill in the gaps and resolve narrative complexities, ensuring your story remains gripping from start to finish.

ChatGPT prompt example: I’m stuck with a plot point in my fantasy novel. My protagonists are trapped in a magical labyrinth filled with deadly traps and mythical creatures. I need a creative and coherent strategy for their escape that ties into the magic system of the novel.

4. Improve the setting description

The power of immersive, vivid settings can’t be underestimated in fiction writing. With ChatGPT, you can generate detailed and atmospheric visuals with words that transport your readers right into the heart of your story.

ChatGPT prompt example: I’m writing a sci-fi story set on an alien planet. Could you help me describe this planet’s exotic landscape, unusual weather phenomena, and unique life forms? Try to make it vivid and imaginative.

5. Reduce the blank page syndrome

The infamous blank page syndrome is a writer’s worst nightmare. ChatGPT comes to your rescue by providing starting points and generating content ideas, helping you to overcome that initial hurdle and get the words flowing.

Even if you won’t end up using the words it writes, it will push your creative buttons so ideas start bouncing in your head.

ChatGPT prompt example: I’m writing a novel about a time-traveling historian. Could you generate 3 versions of a compelling first line or opening paragraph that would immediately catch a reader’s interest, hinting at the time-traveling aspect of the story?

6. Improve your writing style

Every author has a unique voice, and fine-tuning that voice is vital to creating immersive stories that linger in the reader’s mind. With ChatGPT’s extensive knowledge of various writing techniques and stylistic nuances, it can help you uncover new tricks to enrich your narrative and captivate your audience, improving your writing skills and making your story more immersive.

ChatGPT prompt example: I want to improve my ‘show, don’t tell’ writing technique. Here’s a sentence: “Alicia was very nervous.” Could you rewrite this into a more descriptive paragraph, showing Alicia’s nervousness through her actions, reactions, or environment?

Wrapping up

You hold the pen that will draft the next literary sensation, a book that will touch hearts and stir minds. To get there, you need every tool that can streamline your creative journey and enhance productivity. This is where AI can make a difference. Let it invigorate your writing process, offering a fresh perspective and making each step more engaging. Remember, the future belongs to those who dare to innovate and explore new horizons.

Juliet Dreamhunter is a certified goal success coach and AI consultant from Juliety.com. She writes about using AI for productivity, battling procrastination, and working from home effectively. When she is not writing, she is either reading, traveling with her husband, or testing new AI tools.

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Dialogue Tags vs Action Beats: A Battle that Must be Won!

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The art of writing continues to evolve. Today’s readership craves stories with an emotional impact and a brisk pace, even if the story is about strolling along a slow-moving, gently curving stream under a perfectly cloudless sky.

Does this seem to be a contradiction? Yes!

I mean, NO!

One way to create a brisk pace packed with emotion and action is to win the battle of Dialogue Tags vs Action Beats.

Most every writer knows the purpose of dialogue tags, but action beats are more elusive. In simple terms, an action beat identifies the speaker in ways that allow for elimination of the dialogue tag.

The only job of a dialogue tag is to identify the speaker.

Yet, however innocuous that makes them, lively debate exists over which comes first. The speaker or the tag?

         Margie said… or …said Margie.

         Ralph asked… or …asked Ralph.

Which comes first? “Margie” or “said?”

The debate rages.

I say, “Who cares!?! They’re both as boring as a cheese-only pizza.”

And like a sprinkle of cheese that adds little flavor to a platter of dough, dialogue tags fail to add value to a story. Plus, this problem is exacerbated, brought to a head, by editors, publishers, and others who ban the slightly more interesting tags such as exclaimed, commanded, and preached. Writers have been told such words doom us to be known as amateurs.

The sum of all the parts of this ban is that we have descended into a black cave of sensory deprivation.

Let’s look at how dialogue tags are to blame.

Perhaps you’ve struggled to stay awake as a friend recounts an incident that goes:

I said, “I want you out of here.”

“I’m taking the dog,” he said.

Then I said, “Good. I’m tired of sweeping up after you both.”

The struggle to stave off boredom is the same for readers of short stories and novels. He said… She said… Reader yawns.

Do not despair. An alternative exists! A better way! Action Beats rise victorious!

Now let’s investigate how action beats lead us out of the cave of sensory deprivation. Consider the following rewrite that does not change a single word of dialogue.

My high-heeled shoe hit David between his shoulder blades. “I want you out of here.”

“I’m taking the dog.” He grabbed Spike’s leash.

I rammed the vacuum cleaner against his loafers as he dragged Spike toward the door. “Good. I’m tired of sweeping up after you both.”

Behold, an entire scene without a single “said.” Not only is “said” gone, but we have replaced it with action that increases the pace, tension, and emotion. We visualize the scene, see the shoe fly, feel the anger in the snatching of the leash, and the revenge in the ramming of the vacuum cleaner. Most importantly, the reader has not yawned, not even once.

Without changing even one word of dialogue, the conversation is transformed.

Take a minute to consider how this happens.

The reader knows who is speaking without “she/he said.” Action beats identify the speaker without using dialogue tags. They work at the beginning, end, between two sentences, or even in the middle of a block of dialogue. Wherever placed, action beats increase tension or suspense when placed between two sentences.

Ready to rewrite? Okay! Here are the rules.

Do not alter what is said by the two characters. Replace the dialogue tags with action beats. Increase the word count to a maximum of 75 words. This gives you the freedom to double the word count. Then post your revision so we can all learn from the group’s efforts. So, here we go….

I asked, “Why do you smell like perfume?”

He said, “My mother accidentally sprayed me.”

I asked, “How’d that happen since you don’t live with your mother?”

He said, “I spent the night. That’s why I couldn’t call you last night.”

I said, “I don’t believe you.”

Before I leave you to create a fast-paced and emotional rewrite, I want to say this doesn’t mean you must never use a dialogue tag. Readers tolerate minimal use and even some abuse of them. But “she/he said” dialogue tags rarely enhance your story. Convert these boring tags to action beats that move the story along, increase the pace, reveal emotion, or build tension and suspense. This heightens the senses, causing the reader to “see” the scene in their mind.

A reader may shed a tear or break into a sweat because the brain turns your words into pictures, and those pictures stimulate feelings and emotions. With a bit of practice, you will create a mental movie for your readers.

I am eager to read how you use action beats to put life into this conversation! I will read them all!

Dr. Pat Spencer is the author of the international thriller, Story of a Stolen Girl. Her historical novel, Golden Boxty in the Frypan, will be released September 6, 2023, by Pen It Publications. Sticks in a Bundle, literary/historical fiction, is under a three-book contract with Scarsdale Publishing. Her writings appeared in The Press-Enterprise, Inland Empire Magazine, and literary and professional journals. A Healing Place won the short story category of Oceanside’s 2019 Literary Festival.

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You’re A Writer, But Success Requires More than Just Great Grammar

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Whether you write professionally or simply want to publish your first novelette, your success depends on more than just your ability to pen a good story. Today, Almost An Author shares a few tips on how to grow your audience so that you can craft a career in creativity.

Keep your resume up-to-date.

No matter what writing path you’ve chosen, you need a resume. Make sure that you keep this updated and on the cloud, and go with a PDF editor to ensure it stays up to date. An editor lets you update a PDF more easily than a word processing file, and they are smaller files that can be downloaded, shared, and opened by virtually all systems.

Make sure you have a dedicated writing space.

Although there’s nothing wrong with grabbing your laptop and plunking paragraphs at your local coffee shop, you should have a quiet and comfortable place to write. The kitchen table doesn’t count. If your home doesn’t currently have a dedicated writing space, make one. But also make sure that you document and track updates so that you can get a higher appraised value on your home when your book becomes a success and you sell so that you can finally buy that secluded cabin in the woods.

Get to know your audience.

Who is your audience? If you answered “everyone,” you’re wrong. Each style of writing is geared toward a different demographic. Young adults, for example, tend to consume different books, magazines, and short stories than their younger siblings. A great tip here is to create what’s known in the marketing world as a buyer persona. HubSpot explains that creating this concocted customer can help you better tailor your product (in this case, your writing) to appeal to your real-world buyers’ wants and needs.

Take to social media.

Social media is an excellent tool for promoting your writing business. It’s also a wonderful platform for connecting with other writers. In addition to networking, you can use free and paid social media posts to get feedback on ideas that you’re not quite sure about.

Write a business plan.

Many of us hope for an angel investor to come along and pay our way until we get the novel from our heads to the presses. But that rarely happens in real life. If you want to make money with your writing, you have to look at it like a business. This requires writing a business plan, which is a document that helps you best outline your marketing, business, and sales strategies.

Run your work past an editor.

When you’re just getting started with writing, the idea of having someone blatantly critique your work is intimidating. You get over that eventually, and you shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that editing is a crucial step in the writing process. Take heart knowing that your editor won’t try to change your piece fundamentally, but their role in your success can’t be underscored enough. Master Class explains that there are many different types of editors, including developmental, structural, line, and copy. Sometimes these are the same people, but it never hurts to have your pieces edited in different styles. If you work in digital marketing, you may also have an SEO editor or others that ensure that your content matches the technical specs needed to rank online.

Is this everything you need to know to be a successful writer? Not even close. However, the tips above, from keeping your resume and writing spaces up to date to using social media for feedback and having a business plan and editorial reviews, can all help you improve both your business and writing skills so that you can pursue your passion as a profession.

As a former banker, Jim McKinley uses his background and skills to provide advice and valuable resources to anyone who needs help with their financial literacy. In his spare time, Jim spends time with his family and his dogs and he maintains his website Money with Jim.  

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How to Write the Intriguing Titles for Your Articles

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A headline is the title of an article or any other publication the purpose of which is to get the audience’s attention and tell the visitor what the content body is about. A well-written headline motivates the user to read the article or watch the video—it must be interesting, clear, catchy, and intriguing. That is why writing a headline is sometimes more challenging than a text.

You should dedicate enough time to create an exciting title. At the same time, a bad headline can kill even the most amazing blog post from the best translation company or social media publication.

Fortunately, today we have access to research results in this area. Successful authors are constantly experimenting with headlines and sharing the results, and we can also take note of these tests. Here are just a few helpful tips for creating catchy titles for your articles.

The title should outline the benefits for the target audience

Ensure you choose a headline that shows the benefits that your readers will get from your product or service. The ideal headline solves problems or helps your audience achieve their desired goals or provides solutions they can get with your products/services.

Let’s go ahead and compare the following headlines:

  • Graphic Design Tools and Techniques.
  • Improve Your Design Skills: An Essential Guide to Fundamental Design Tools and Techniques.

The first title simply mentions the topic of the article, while the second explicitly focuses on the benefits the reader can receive from reading the publication.

Add relevant keywords and key figures to show the content value

Adding precise details like key figures and high-volume keywords in your headline can significantly enhance engagement with your content.

People are likely to get their attention towards well-organized information. Including such details in your title creates a certain content structure, promising that the content will offer something valuable. Commonly, numbers catch attention more actively than plain text, for instance:

  • 10 methods for boosting emotional well-being.
  • The 5 essential secrets of human productivity.
  • 7 helpful tips for enhancing your sleep quality.

Create an engaging element

A captivating headline provides a sneak peek into the content but doesn’t reflect the whole picture, which makes readers want to finish reading.

However, it’s essential to note that the content should provide answers to the reader’s curiosity that the title generates. For example:

  • Unveiling the real reason why low-carb diets don’t work effectively.
  • A disastrous car-buying experience: my cautionary tale.
  • Breaking news: deadly virus outbreak in China—here’s what we know so far.

Display the positive and the negative components

Have you heard the story of a radio station that broadcasted only positive news? It went bankrupt since it turned out that people expect to be aware of negative news as well.

Thus, to add some diversity to your content, consider presenting a list of insufficient advice or beginning with a story of life and business challenges that later turn out to be a success story. This approach has been successful in the past, and it continues to be effective these days.

Common mistakes to avoid when writing titles

Headline writing can be tricky, and content creators sometimes can make common errors. Here are some mistakes you should avoid:

  • Using wordplay in the headline: while a clever headline can catch attention, it’s not always easy to create. If you’re not confident in your ability to write a good wordplay headline, it’s better to avoid it.
  • Relying on clichés: try to avoid hackneyed phrases in your headlines. If a popular phrase is stuck in your head, think twice—readers are often more interested in an original title.
  • Creating titles without a call to action: often content creates headlines that merely state what the article is about, like a research paper headline. However, this can make it unclear what the article is really about.
  • Using too short titles: the headline should accurately outline the content of the article. If you try to keep it brief too much, it may be difficult for readers to understand what the article is about, and they probably skip reading.

Final thoughts

The aforementioned tips and tricks might not be brand new for you. But the approaches and techniques we describe in this article always work beneficially for your content and its promotion. So, you should definitely consider them for your writing practice, like writers from custom writing GrabMyEssay do. We hope, after reading this article, you’ll realize that creating a great headline is not as difficult as it may seem.

Nancy P. Howard has been working as a journalist at the online magazine in London for a year. She is also a professional writer in such topics as blogging, IT, and digital marketing. She loves travelling, photography and is always welcome to meet new people.

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All About Publishing A Photo Book As a Photographer

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Living in the high-tech age means storing all your best moments on devices. Although technological progress promotes photos to look better and better on screens as time passes, this still makes paper photo books only more valuable. Even the most high-quality digital picture can’t replace the feeling of paging through the book and the emotions evoked by that process.

To publish your own photo book can be pretty challenging since it requires clear understanding, profound research, and a well-thought-out strategy. But, no matter whether you target presenting an essential personal project or your top-notch shots for engaging leads, there are plenty of ways to create an impeccable photo book. That way, our core task is to cover how to craft a selling self-published photo book. So let’s consider the most efficient tips to make it a roaring success.

1.  Exploring Self-Publishing Resources

Before immersing yourself in independent publishing, it is worth undergoing some workshops. It will give you priceless insights into the process from A to Z and warn you about potential pitfalls. In addition, there are numerous platforms where you may educate yourself and find out the best ways to select, store and sequence your shots for the book. For example, such hottest courses hosted by New York’s ICP, Maine Media and Anderson Ranch will doubtless point you in the right direction.

2.  Overall Concept

Another crucial point that may influence the final outcome is defining the subject, which will be cross-cutting the whole photo book and the audience who might have an interest in it. Decide on the key idea and make a specific photo editing plan based on it. The best practice would be to review related blogs. That way, you will kill two birds with one stone: get needed inspiration and reveal sites for your book’s further promotion. See for yourself lifestyle blogs that accept guest posts.

3.  Editing and Sequencing Shots

As practice shows, it stands as the most daunting part of photo book publishing as a photographer. This is because you should thoroughly think about what to include and miss out on. Besides, make sure the photos correlate with the book’s written description. No less significant is to realize that pictures’ consistency aims at telling some story or conveying specific messages.

If you know the approximate number of pages, it may incredibly aid in narrowing down shots selection. It also needs to consider if images match each other by palette, subject, general idea and size. The last point is often decisive since sometimes it is better to mix up different sizes, giving viewers a visual break and making a photography book unique. Repetitive pictures aren’t always a win-win option, so try to cut down on them even if they are high-quality equally. You can also use outsource photo editing company to save your time and to avoid some photo retouching work.

4.  Textual Filling

The golden rule to remember if you strive to publish your own photo book is to describe the project at the very beginning. Create an appealing statement from your artistic perspective and outline your work’s essence and what you wish people to pay attention to while looking at your pictures. Some photographers resort to the services of experts for crafting text. However, no one knows your workpieces better than you and sometimes, even grammatically flawless text can’t arouse any feelings as there is no artist’s touch.

In addition, don’t neglect font style. You may wonder how it impacts, but in some cases, the right fonts can extremely engage the audience and sky-rocket photo book sales. Visit fontsarena.com to learn more about this.

5.  Printing

You can’t surely do without such a component as printing to craft the best self-published photobook. The printer choice is vital, so you must research and monitor recommendations to find your cup of tea. Especially, look over the book’s specifications and what printer kind may suit the most. There are commonly two variants – offset printing and digital printing. You should make up your mind, relying on your ultimate goals. If you are already a well-known photographer and intend to volume quantities, then offset printing is just the thing. And opposite, in case you only have started building successful career in photography, opting for digital printing will perfectly fit.

Frank Hamilton is a blogger and translator from Manchester. He is a professional writing expert in such topics as blogging, digital marketing and self-education. He also loves traveling and speaks Spanish, French, German and English. Meet him on Facebook and Twitter.

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How To Write Blog Titles That Get Clicks

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There are numerous cases when poor-quality articles have numerous clicks due to their catchy and attractive titles. Of course, when reading the content, users will understand that this is a trap. But nevertheless, the website pages with such articles will receive the traffic anyway.

As the writing service Rated by Students writes, a catchy title is a must, but it has to be proved with high-quality and relevant content. In this post, we would like to take a closer look at the main elements that each engaging title has to contain to call readers to action.

Keep it simple and short

The title must be informative but still short. Basically, the title includes 60 characters. If you are going to write, these words will not be displayed fully in search engines. Don’t try to use complicated words and expressions. Make it simple and clear for all readers.

The title aims to attract readers, do put all the points of your article into it. The article title has to be completely relevant to the content, especially if it starts with a question like “Is outsourcing a reliable type of cooperation with software developers?”. Readers have to find the direct answer to the main question within the article.

Make it a call to action

The title is the first thing that is tasked with calling readers to action. You can briefly describe the benefits of clicking the link and what readers are going to miss if they do not read this article. Of course, it might seem a bit complicated to encourage readers to action using several words.

The main message depends on the needs and expectations of your target audience. So when you know who your readers are, you can quickly select the words they would like to read. Additionally, you need to add one or two call-to-actions within the article that will correlate with the title.

Include keywords

If you want your article to be displayed to the right audience, then you need to explore the market, define the keywords for the subject, and spread them across the article. Keywords must be included in each heading and the main title as well.

This approach guarantees that your article will be shown to your target audience and their requests. Eventually, it will increase the traffic and conversion on your website as your content will be relevant to the users who will see it in search engines.

Include numbers

According to top writing reviews, titles with numbers have more traffic and clicks. Readers spend about 8 seconds reading the article title, so numbers will quickly attract attention. The common examples of such titles start with “10 reasons…”, “5 best practices…”, “7 common elements…”, and more. When people see the numbers within the article titles, they understand that this content is going to provide them with precise instruction or a step-by-step guide about specific areas or activities.

They will read not only about the theory but will receive practical tips from subject-matter experts. Once again, if your title contains numbers like “5 tips”, then readers have to find all of these 5 tips within your article. A catchy title must be supported by real facts anyway.

Bottom line

As you might notice, the title is no less important than the quality of content within your articles. Titles and content are inseparable elements of high conversion of your business website.

You can test several types of titles including numbers, guides, tips, and so on to find out what your audience prefers more. But also remember the goals of your marketing strategy and the keywords which you want to promote within your content.

Nancy P. Howard has been working as an editor at Trust My Paper custom writing company. She is also a professional writer in such topics as blogging, IT and HR. She loves travelling, photography and is always welcome to meet new people.

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The Ultimate Email Writing Script to Creating An Engaging WElcome Email Sequence

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One of the best ways to market your books, especially when starting out, is through stellar email writing.

Email writing? you might be wondering. How much of a difference can emails make?

Well, a lot.

Consider your inbox and the kinds of emails you receive daily. Do you even open most of them? How many do you delete after just one glance at the subject line?

Most people won’t open an email that doesn’t seem worth their time. Chances are you do it every day, and your target audience certainly will, too. That is, unless there’s something in the email to draw them in.

Here are some of the best practices when writing your email campaigns, including a welcome email sequence that will keep customers coming back. Find out how to get your customers to click “open,” rather than “delete.”

Welcome Emails Should Be, Well, Welcoming.

Start with a greeting to welcome your readers. Of course, you wouldn’t write a welcome email that was cold and distant. Still, it’s one thing to say your welcome emails should be warm and welcoming, and another to do that yourself. So, what does this look like in your emails?

In short, you make your customers feel welcome by having an in-depth understanding of who they are, and how they would like to be talked to. What’s your brand voice? What is your customer looking for from you?

A welcome email begins — like most emails — with a greeting. Here are some examples to give you an idea of how to approach that for your business.

  • We’re happy to have you here.
  • Welcome to the club!
  • You made it!
  • Thank you for joining our mission.
  • Hey there, buddy!

Do you see the way that these greetings acknowledge that the reader is new? They’ve just made it to the party, so to speak. But despite them all having a similar effect, they all have a different voice. What’s the right voice for your specific customer?

Important stuff? Bring It to the Front.

Getting someone to open an email is an accomplishment in and of itself. But once the customer is in the door, what should you say?

Say exactly what you need to tell them — and don’t forget to do it fast. If you have coupons or discount codes, you might consider putting that information towards the beginning of your email, or even in the subject line if it’s big enough. 

Everyone is working with limited time, and your audience doesn’t have the bandwidth to listen to all the tiny details of your day. Take this advice from a copywriting agency  who writes hundreds of emails every month — your audience will appreciate you not wasting their time.

Another important piece of your welcome email is how you make the customer feel. They have a problem that you’re looking to solve, and you’re here to provide value to them. Make them feel special and like you’re in it for them, because at the end of the day, it IS about them.

If you’re struggling with how to center your audience, don’t overlook taking online copywriting courses to get your messaging right!

Include a Call-to-Action

Your audience has opened your email and they’re listening to what you have to say. You’ve come this far! There’s only one thing left to do to seal the deal.

A call-to-action (CTA) is one of the most important parts of any email campaign. It signals to the reader what they should do with the information they’ve just received and where to go next. Some examples include “Contact us,” “Shop now,” and “Schedule your consultation.”

The Ultimate Email Writing Script

Without further ado, here’s a script to get you started writing the ultimate welcome email. While this script is pretty great, if we do say so ourselves, you can’t go wrong with customizing it to your business and customers. 

Think of it less as a script and more as an example or a jumping off point for your business goals. Happy writing!

Welcome Example

Welcome to the family! We’re so happy you’ve decided to join us.

Example #1

As part of our family, we know you care as much about the arts as we do. So what if your dollar could do more?. With each purchase, we’ll donate 15% to sustainable arts programs around the country. 

To show our appreciation, you’ll also receive free shipping if you order today!

Example #2

Thanks for signing up to stay in touch. We have a lot of cool things in the works.

Head to our website at this link to view our news line of products. Want to know something awesome? You can see the materials and their origin points for each item that you view. We believe in a transparent shopping experience, and want you to feel good about your purchases.

Thanks for choosing a company that is moving us all towards a better world!

Call to action

Shop Now!

Get to Writing!

The perfect welcome email doesn’t exist, but you can get close. Use our scripts as guidance to write your own welcome email that highlights what you can do for the customer to provide value and make them feel special. You can do it!

Over the past decade, Liz Slyman has worked as a copywriter and digital marketing executive for a multitude of companies from startups to and mid-sized businesses to working as the VP of marketing for award-winning, platinum-selling artists. Leveraging an understanding of the nuance of language in marketing, Liz founded Amplihigher, a content marketing and copywriting agency, designed to connect consumers to companies in a way that results in next-level brand expansion.

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5 Tips For Better Guest Post Writing

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Guest post writing is one of the best tools you can use to create a good reputation and help people find out about your business. You reach out to different sectors of your target audience and get great results. Quite simple, isn’t it?

However, many people ask “How to write a blog post that will drive people to action?”

While there are a lot of “how to” articles, here you will find 5 essential tips that will level up your game. Some of them might seem easy, but are you actually using them in your writing? Think critically, and if the answer is “No”, I’m not sure“, etc., then try these techniques out as soon as possible.

1: Have Your Own Unique Style But Be Ready to Adapt a Little

If you want to be recognized as a blogger, you need a style. It may develop as you write. To find out if you have one, ask for feedback. Let your family, friends, coworkers, or a test group of readers provide honest, constructive comments.

You can also create a poll asking your followers about your writing style and whether there are any recommendations.

And finally, it’s crucial to get inspired in order to develop your unique tone of writing. Reading favorite bloggers will motivate you to create a combination of special features of your own. This doesn’t mean you should copy a fully-developed style of a person that’s been working hard on it.

You just read, interpret, combine, and create your own unique “language” if you will.

However, be ready to adapt it a little bit for some websites. You see, many webmasters are concerned about a single style of writing on their blog. So, if you know you’re working with such a person, do it as a beautiful gesture of respect (and to be actually published).

2: Know How to Find Proper Platforms for Writing Blogs

You may have the best guest post writing skills, but if the platforms you choose aren’t fit for the purpose, it’s a losing game (like in that sad song).

Here are some recommendations on finding a perfect match:

  • Use Google.
    First of all, using Google to find blogs that accept writing contributions is an incredible hack. Type keywords like “guest post by”, “contribute to my blog”, etc. While there will be many articles about writing if you type “guest post writing”, focusing on phrases that would be on the needed platforms will provide a better result.
  • Only collaborate with relevant blogs.
    Only look for blogs that share a topic with yours or that have a focus niche somewhere near yours. The exceptions are news platforms and general blogs where you can post about anything. There, you’ll find potentially interested people. But on sources close by spirit to yours, there will be a curious audience passionate about the topic.
  • Become an inspector.
    Don’t just believe claims some blogs make. Analyze them, see what people write about them, where they are in the ratings, etc. Only after that, consider communicating with the owner.
  • Be a good talker.
    Considering you write guest posts, this shouldn’t be a problem. Talk to the owner, offer your posts, and then maybe you’ll find a chance to offer your terms as well.

3: Browse Useful Content

The sheer amount of amazing professional recommendations online is staggering. But not all of it is suitable for you. A lot depends on the topic. If you’re writing business content, the recommendations as to the style, tone, vocabulary, etc. will differ from a florist writer.

The purpose of your article writing also changes the need for tips. If you want to build backlinks, you need more tricks on how to incorporate them naturally. In case your goal is to get more exposure, you’ll have to learn how to make your brand an eye-candy first.

Nevertheless, it’s useful to browse general content editing tips by professionals to avoid common mistakes. Because both business and flower arrangement writers may encounter similar mishaps.

Over time, you’ll see many lists of the same common issues and solutions, which means you’ve learned enough and are ready to proceed to more difficult topics. These may be:

  • New SEO strategies
  • Link building
  • Profile improvement
  • Storytelling
  • Portfolio creation, etc.

4: Collaborate with Professional Services

In the first couple of months, it might be tough to constantly improve and learn. Here are some things you may have problems with:

  • One of the most difficult things for many beginner writers is including links naturally, for instance. There’s a guest posting service where you can read more about building links and get help when things get too tough.
  • If you have issues with material uniqueness, adopt anti-plagiarism tools that will test your articles in minutes. You can also turn to professional bloggers that rank TOP on Google and read their tips.
  • If the lack of ideas is your main obstacle, use creative tips and tricks from professional writers.
  • And in case grammar isn’t your best feature, there are Grammarly and similar services.
  • If many blog owners say your posts are too difficult to read, maybe there are readability issues. Hemingway will become handy in such situations.

There’s a service for every stone you stumble upon. But let us give you one general tip. Read a lot on the topics you write about. Don’t copy articles or their ideas. Instead, read them fully and keep the most important recommendations or examples in your head. A couple of months of such information feeding, and you’ll become:

  • A better writer in terms of uniqueness and grammar
  • A more creative writer with lots of ideas
  • A more logical writer with an example and proof for every argument

5: Practice Makes Perfect, and It’s True

We’ve all heard it at school, and many of us were so irritated by this saying. But it works.

Here’s an idea. Find your first piece for guest posting and compare it to the ones you create now. It’s the result of constant practice. If it’s not constant or you don’t see a lot of improvement, then practice!

Think about the topics you are passionate about and write about them. Look for ideas, read relevant information, implement tips from the useful services we’ve mentioned earlier. And be consistent with it!

A Wrap-Up

Never stop learning and implementing these recommendations. Even if you consider yourself the best professional who doesn’t need an example or tips, don’t underestimate theory and practice.

You may know everything about writing blogs, but are you sure you remember all the information? Maybe it’s time to freshen it up a little?

Just try to do it once, and you’ll get on a new level, the one you never knew existed. Improve and adapt your writing style, learn how to look for better platforms this year (each year has its updates). Don’t hesitate to ask for help when necessary, there are so many amazing services for guest blogging, editing, etc.

Seek advice, don’t be too arrogant. There are people who evolve in a different way; maybe they have something you’re missing from your strategy. And finally, keep practicing and incorporating new engaging elements in your blog posts.

Nancy P. Howard has been working as a journalist at the online magazine in London for a year. She is also a professional writer in such topics as blogging, IT and marketing.

Categories
Guest post archive

Four Ways to Recover from a Writers Conference by MR Shupp

Overwhelmed. Exhausted. Enlightened.

I struggled to stay awake on the drive home from the Ohio Christian Writers Conference, my conference companion and I too tired to even speak to each other. Air1 and 104.9 in the background, I sang along to myself, thoughts drifting to the wonderful time of worship at the conference then to the conference itself. Those three words became the basis of my thoughts.

The OHCWC was my first writers conference. I’d attended writing workshops before, but never a conference with pitch appointments or that many agents, editors, and publishers. I didn’t realize how tired I would be.

Three days of sitting around taking notes, listening to writing workshops, pitching my WIP, and connecting with other writers shouldn’t be that tiring, right? However, I, and I think a lot of other writers, forget how mentally taxing writing is.

As you prepare for your next writers conference or are readying to return home from one, take time to recover afterwards. I’m sure upon your return home, family and friends will flood you with questions: “Did you publish your book?” “Who did you meet?” Your brain will need a rest from all that happens at a writers conference, and questions can quickly become overwhelming.

That recovery time is needed; thus, here are four ways to recover from your next writers conference:

  1. Let your family and friends know that you will need alone time.

Writers conferences are a wonderful time of networking with others. When you return home, you won’t want to be swarmed by more people and questions. While it’s great that your family and friends care to know about the conference, make sure that you tell them before your departure that you will need alone time afterward. Tell them that you appreciate any and all questions about the conference, but to please, save them for the day after you return.

  1. Take a shower.writers conference

It’s a strange yet well-known fact that writers think well in the shower. When your brain is overloaded from all the information you received at the conference, a nice warm shower may be just what you need to relax and to begin processing all you learned.

  1. Drink some tea (or coffee!) and read a book.

You’ve learned so much about writing and talked so much about your own book that it will be beneficial to disappear into the world of another author for a few hours. Curling up on the couch with your favorite drink and taking a break from reality will help you relax and recover from the conference.

  1. Journal your thoughts.

After the OHCWC my thoughts were in a jumble. All the information from the sessions swirled around in my head, and I didn’t even know where to begin sorting through them. So, I pulled out my notebook for writing thoughts, a ballpoint pen, and I wrote. The writing wasn’t pretty. It was hardly coherent. But by the end, I knew where to start formulating my writing plans and knew how to answer the questions others would undoubtedly ask me.

Most of us won’t have much time to relax and recoup after a writers conference, but these four ways don’t require a lot of time. A couple of relaxing hours will go a long way to helping you continue your writing journey.

If you’ve ever been to a writing conference, how did you feel afterwards? What did you do to recover?

Galaxy tights, mismatched socks, and a cup of tea in her T. Rex mug often accompany Megan when she sits down to write. Her passion for story has impacted her life since she and her sister first began enacting stories with their dolls and using their imaginations to create worlds of stories in their backyard. After graduating with her BA in English, she is currently earning a Graduate Certificate in Editing through UC Berkeley. Megan is using her love of story and purpose of serving Christ to write and edit at Literary Portals Editing. Find more about her services at www.literaryportals.com.

Categories
The Efficiency Addict

Preparing a Great Guest Post

3 Key Steps to Create a Great Guest Post

The golden rule for guest blogging is straightforward—Deliver solid content on time. Beyond that, there are a few simple steps you can take to prepare a great guest post.

Step 1: Layer Your Content

  • Show links to other posts and websites that provide further details on your topic. Quality outbound links raise your ranking in search engines and enhances your reader’s experience.
  • Include free items your readers can download and immediately use. A free printable, checklist, or guide can be shared and may draw new readers. These can also make readers wonder, “What additional items does this blogger have on her own website?” And just like that, a reader of your guest post becomes a visitor to your website.

Step 2: Prep for Social Media

  • List 1 – 3 Tweetable phrases. Not all bloggers use click-to-tweet plugins, but the ones that do will be thankful you made their jobs easier. Tip – If you’re unfamiliar with click-to-tweet plugins, you can see an example in the Sharables section at the bottom of this post.
  • Add Alternative Text descriptions to pictures. Social media programs like Pinterest use the alternative text information to create initial descriptions when people save your picture. This information also improves your searchability in places like Google and Bing.

Step 3: Get Critique Group Help

If you work with a critique group, there are certain things you should add to your blog post critique list. Each time your group reviews a post, check the content for

  • Tweetable phrases. What phrases stand out to you? What lines might draw a reader to this article?
  • Searchable terms. What terms might a person use to find this information? Add these phrases to your keywords/tags section.
  • An SEO-friendly title. Does the title grab your attention and does it contain a phrase that a potential reader would use to search for this information.
  • Hashtags. Consider what would be good hashtags to use with your Tweets.

To help you remember these items, I’ve included this handy Blog Post Form. Use this Word document to prepare your guest post, and you’ll have all the elements for a stellar article.

Other Helpful Resources:

Sharables–Because sharing is fun!

[bctt tweet=”What your critique group should do every time they review a blog post. #WritersLife #AmWriting” username=”@EfficiencyADict”]

[bctt tweet=”A few simple steps you can take to prepare an excellent guest post. #Blogging #HowTo” username=”@EfficiencyADict”]

Categories
Platform and Branding

3 Tips to Grow Your Writer Platform When You Need a Break

Everyone needs a break from time to time. For a writer building a platform, taking a social media break might seem like you’re losing precious ground. If you’re willing to think outside the box and do a little planning, you can take a break and continue to grow your writer platform.

1. Recycle An Old Blog Post

In the spirit of “going green,” recycle an old post (or two or several). Go back in your archives and find an old post that didn’t get as much traffic as you hoped or one that wasn’t as well developed. Rewrite it and share some insights you’ve learned since the piece originally posted. You may even include some of your reader’s comments.

Be sure to optimize for SEO and include new shareable tweets and images.

2. Line Up Guest Posts

Ask writer friends if they’d like to write for you. If they’re busy or in need of a break themselves, look through their archives and find a post you liked, and ask if you can repost on your blog. (First be sure they’re not recycling it for their own site!)

Add click-to-tweets at the bottom of the post that mention the author. If you’re republishing an old posts, share an attribution such as, “This post first appeared on [friend’s site name with hyperlink to their site].”

Whether the post is new content or a republished post, always link back to the author’s site. Ask the author if there’s a particular page they’d like you to feature. They may ask you to direct readers to their About page. Another option is to link to their home page so your readers can see your friend’s most recent work.

3. Consider Hiring A Virtual Assistant

This may sound like a splurge, but VAs can help with many tasks. They can curate shareable content, research topics, or edit and schedule blog posts. They can respond to comments, coordinate editorial calendars, optimize posts for SEO, or even help with tips 1 & 2 – recycle old posts and line up guest posts!

VAs are unique and have different skill sets, so ask friends for recommendations. Some VAs prefer to work for a stretch of time (monthly or quarterly), but others are happy to do piecemeal work when needed.

Grow platform on break

Time away from writing and social media doesn’t necessarily mean your platform growth will suffer. With a little creative thinking and planning, you can enjoy a respite and still grow your writer platform when you need a break.

Anything to add to this list? Please share in the comments!

Shareables:

[bctt tweet=”Have old blog posts that didn’t get good traffic? Recycle! via @a3forme @susanrstilwell ” via=”no”]

[bctt tweet=”How can a #writer take a #sm break and not affect their platform? @a3forme @susanrstilwell” via=”no”]

[bctt tweet=”When should you find someone to guest post? @3forme @susanrstilwell have a suggestion ” via=”no”]

[bctt tweet=”How a virtual assistant can help when you need a #sm break, via @a3forme @susanrstilwell” via=”no”]

[bctt tweet=”3 Tips to Grow Your Writer Platform When You Need a Break, via @a3forme @susanrstilwell” via=”no”]

Helpful A3 links:

3 Ways a Virtual Assistant Can Help Your Writer Platform

3 Mistakes to Avoid With Your Social Media Strategy

4 Simple Rules For Guest Posting

Categories
Platform and Branding

4 Simple Rules For Guest Posting

If you’ve never been a guest at another site, it can be intimidating. You take a risk by asking someone if you can write for their site, but it’s a great way to build your writer platform. Guest posting is easier than you think, especially if you do your homework.

Research prospective host sites to be sure you’re a good fit. Do you have similar audiences? Does your writing style match the tone of the site? Do you have a fresh message? Skim the past several months to see what’s been published, and then pitch something new. Once you’re accepted, follow these four simple rules:

1. Follow the host’s guidelines TO THE LETTER. A good guest post will

    • have the proper content. If the host focuses on personal stories, don’t give them a lengthy research article.
    • follow the word count. Most hosts will give you a little leeway, but do your best to come in within 10-15 words.
    • include images with attributions and links. Remember that hi-resolution images take longer to load on a page, so resize your images to a manageable size (4×3 aspect ratio, no greater than 1000px wide). Include all the necessary attribution info (site name, photographer, link).
    • send text and images separately. Format the post in Word with instructions for where to insert images. I insert bold red caps, “INSERT IMAGE – LAKE” and I name the .jpg file, Lake – Susan Stilwell.
    • include a short 25-50 word bio with your social media links, and with information that ties in with the focus of the host site. For example, I wrote an article for a travel site about the regions in Israel. I omitted what may seem superfluous and instead included my love of adventure and experiencing different cultures.

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2. Share with your subscribers. Post a “tease” on your site with a link to your guest post. Include at least two links to their site: one to their Home or About page, and one to your post. For example, I guested on our own Edie Melson’s site way back in 2012. The post on my blog would look like this:

“I’m excited to be guest posting at Edie Melson’s site today. She shares great information for writers and bloggers, and on Mondays she offers tips on social media and networking. Here’s a snippet:

Have you noticed how many people are adding “Click to Tweet” in their posts? Pretty jazzy, huh? It’s also pretty easy when you know what you’re doing. It’s a great way to increase your visibility on Twitter and can also drive traffic to your site.

Want to know more? Join the conversation there for Social Media Monday—Click To Tweet”

Turn off commenting on your site so all the conversation will be at the host site.

3. Share on your social media networks and tag your host. Be sure you’re linking to the host site and not the “tease” post on your site.

4. Be gracious. Check the host site periodically and stay engaged in the discussion. When the conversation comes to an end, add one last comment thanking the commenters and your host.

With the constantly changing landscape of blogs and social media, savvy writers and bloggers are discovering the benefits of collaborating to build their platforms. Guest posting is one of the best ways to work together and expand our networks.

Shareables:

4 rules for guest posting

[bctt tweet=”Guest posting is a great way to build your #writer platform, @A3forme @susanrstilwell ” via=”no”]

[bctt tweet=”Want to expand your network and grow your #writer platform? @A3forme @susanrstilwell ” via=”no”]

[bctt tweet=”How guest posting can help your #writer platform, @A3forme @susanrstilwell” via=”no”]

Photo Credits
“Share,” Stuart Miles (FreeDigitalPhotos.net)