by Elle Ray | Jun 19, 2013 | Writing
How to Master the Art of the Article Opening
Two of the most common openings we see for blogs, newsletters and marketing blurbs are:
“Well, here it is summer again and the kids are calling to come out and play, but we’ve got work to do…”
And
“I can’t believe it’s summer again and time for my next newsletter…”
Beginning an article is one of the most difficult aspects for unprofessional writers. Once they get started, however, the words seem to flow a little more seamlessly, and they can get to the point. Unfortunately, by then, many if not most of their likely readers (except for friends and relatives) have moved on to something … anything … better.
When Linda started on her first newspaper gig, her editor almost always cut the first line of her submissions. That first line tended to be mundane and uninformed (like the sentences above) or were filled with words she’d fallen in love with. (Don’t worry; she’s learned her lesson.)
Putting words on paper is one way to start a writing project — a task many people we know dread as much as public speaking. So take a page from Linda’s editor and start writing however you can, but then cut the first sentence or two. You’ll probably find the meat of your topic by the third sentence.
Write the Way You Talk
The next tip is to quit trying to impress your readers with your three- and four-syllable words, unless they’re college professors, medical doctors, or simple politicians. Do you normally talk that way? Probably not. Write like you talk and you’ll find the process so much easier. And your audience will find your writing so much easier to read.
You can get your message across without torturing your readers. If you have important information to impart, the last thing you should do is write really, really long sentences that cause readers to stop and ponder your meaning. Write crisp, clear sentences. Help your readers understand, especially if you’re writing an online article.
In the long run, through many trials and errors, even after overcoming my fear of not being good enough and trying to get it right the first time, trying to make it perfect and then even when I try, it seems I don’t get anywhere quickly, then I begin to feel like I can write a sentence that makes sense, especially when the words just don’t seem to come very easily and I understand how writers feel when they are blocked and can’t write anything. That’s hard.”
Ugh. Even though you may find this kind of run-on sentence in a daily newspaper or so-called professional magazine — don’t do it yourself. It may be counter-intuitive, but it’s much more difficult to make information clear and concise than to run on forever. Bite-size information is more palatable. Just like a good meal, you don’t swallow the whole thing in one gulp. You take your time and savor each bite. Let your writing be that way. Your readers will appreciate your brevity.
We Are Writing Pros
For professionals like us here at Ray Access, writing is an art, a skill and a talent. It’s our passion. We sit down at the keyboard and don’t stop until we’ve produced a great article anyone can read and understand. The writing task that you might agonize over, we long for. The words that you struggle to put down on paper, we can twirl and twist and type out with flair.
Our best writing tip? Either brush up on those dormant writing skills so you can compose straight, clean prose … or let us help you get it right. Words matter, whether you’re writing an online blog or marketing brochure. Don’t lose your audience before the final period.
Ray Access is a content marketing firm that delivers targeted words to empower your business. Contact us about your specific project to receive a quote or discuss your needs. We write website copy, blog posts, e-newsletters and more. Everything we do is thoroughly researched, professionally edited and guaranteed original.
by Mark Bloom | Jun 6, 2013 | Blog Writing
Ray Access Works with You to Write Blog Posts
A common question we get asked is: “How do you go about writing blog posts for a new client?” Before we answer this very good question, let us provide some context.
What’s a Blog?
Blogs — originally called “weblogs” — began in the late 1990s as online diaries. Individuals wrote about their thoughts or experiences. They may have followed a theme or written free-style.
What made blogs different was that they were available to anyone through the Internet. In other words, these diary entries were public. Public and personal.
Business Blogs Arrive
So when business blogs eventually appeared, they had to go through several transmutations. What could a business say in a blog that would remotely seem personal? Businesses initially struggled with that question.
Business blogs matured into vehicles for outreach, consumer education, and industry insight. If they are well written and useful, these blogs reflect the personality of the company. They offer value and provide a place for interaction with some company personnel.
Today, a good business blog attracts search engines and potential customers alike while cementing the company’s authority in its given field. A useful blog benefits the company’s bottom line.
How We Work
So how does a third party, like Ray Access, even attempt to write blog posts for a company? What can a business owner expect from the process?
When we are hired to write a series of blog posts, we meet with company representatives to discover their target audience and dig into their field of expertise. Then we brainstorm a list of possible blog titles or topics. We present this to our client, who approves or selects enough to get us started. The company may also add to the list.
From there, it’s a straightforward process of research, writing, and editing. The first blog post we prepare requires a bit of back-and-forth with our client to refine the tone and the language, but we always present drafts well in advance of our deadlines for just this sort of issue.
Extra Credit
The blog posts we write contain keyword phrases as naturally as possible. Our goal is to prepare blog posts that people can read. Search engines, while important, are not the primary audience. We can also supply an image with the article for no extra charge.
Once our client accepts the blog post, it is usually the company’s responsibility to publish it. Then the cycle repeats itself, getting faster and faster with each iteration. When we run out of approved topics, we brainstorm another list. We will never run out of ideas. Never.
Now that you know how we work, try us out! We’ll even provide an estimate to write your business blog.
Ray Access is a content marketing firm that delivers targeted words to empower your business. Contact us about your specific project to receive a quote or discuss your needs. We write website copy, blog posts, e-newsletters and more. Everything we do is thoroughly researched, professionally edited and guaranteed original.
by Elle Ray | May 28, 2013 | Writing
Tips from Professionals for Website Writing
Make it short.
Make it hot.
Make it memorable.
The new breed of reader doesn’t go in for long, drawn-out sentences. They don’t want complicated explanations. They want answers, plain and simple.
It’s possible many readers never really enjoyed having to decipher their information before digesting it. It’s possible readers tolerated digressive writing only with the mantra: “The next sentence will have the answers I seek, the next sentence, the next…”
On the other hand, maybe poor writing and lack of clarity is one of the driving reasons for low levels of literacy in America and worldwide. Until the World Wide Web, most information-based writing was boring, long-winded, and academic. In other words, reading was a chore.
Reading Online
Modern Internet readers often seem to be in a hurry. They have twitchy fingers just itching to swipe or click to the next page. If you want to get a message across to readers of your web page, you’ve got to connect with them in the first few seconds — or you will risk losing them, permanently. There’s always another website waiting to give them what they want.
Internet readers are not going to wait for your perfectly set-up payoff. They want information, and they want it now. Successful journalists often make the best web writers because they’ve learned to give readers answers at the top of each article. Bury the lead, as they say in the newspaper business, and you lose your readers.
An article with a good lead will hook readers, drawing them in to read, and learn, more. Craft a good lead, and your readers stick around to discover your more in-depth information. At Ray Access, we know how to write for the web. We can make your website lead the pack.
But Wait; There’s More
While many people rely on the Internet to research topics, others use it like a phone book. They too want it now, and they don’t want to have to search for it. Make it easy on them — provide your phone number, email address, or location right up front.
You don’t have to sacrifice quality for efficiency. At Ray Access, we know how to incorporate the important information like your address and hours of operation into the first page and still hook your audience to they keep them reading. The writing has to be so good, they’ll want to know more. The page has to be so well organized, it’ll be obvious where to find everything.
So give your readers what they want, whether it’s your mission statement or your physical address.
They’ll stay.
They’ll look around.
They’ll learn something.
They’ll come back for more.
Ray Access is a content marketing firm that delivers targeted words to empower your business. Contact us about your specific project to receive a quote or discuss your needs. We write website copy, blog posts, e-newsletters and more. Everything we do is thoroughly researched, professionally edited and guaranteed original.
