Posts tagged as:

writing

The Value of Well Written Copy

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The posts on your blog or well written copy on your site – both are equally as important as any other type of writing you would use to represent yourself or your business. An online business is judged by the quality of its copy, newsletters, emails and advertisements.

I have seen plenty of bad advice bandied about by Internet gurus declaring the increased importance of links over quality content. I now regularly encounter the opinion that punctuation and proper spelling are not particularly important online, and that writing your article in a sprint and then adding quick once-over with spell check (almost as an after thought) is more than enough.

To each his own, but for me – no way, Jose. The quality of my writing is a rippling reflection of the character of my thought.

When I encounter a blog with a scattered mess of carelessly crafted copy, I bounce by quicker than a bumble bee landing on a withered rose bud. If I find nothing in the text, then I will never have the chance to find out if there was something for me buried in the blog. It is difficult for me to embrace the idea that online writing is frivolous, where copy can be quickly and carelessly crafted since it is quite obviously as disposable as a passing thought.

But I value my ideas, whether they are forgotten tomorrow or not, and I endeavor to give all my copy equivalent consideration.

People should of course be able to express themselves honestly, and a journal blog is not the same as a business blog. However, when we lower our collective standards we do our future few favors. Not everything must be worthy of a Pulitzer, and I do agree that online standards can be a little softer, but I also believe correct grammar and punctuation are important. Proper punctuation and syntax are the road signs to language. Even a few slight pot holes can render written work unreadable.

Sure, content is king, but content isn’t only about ideas, it is also about the care and craftsmanship behind the copy. Throwing words on the page as fast as you can, just to hit publish isn’t any more considerate to the reader than the carpenter who builds a chair with loose screws for someone to sit on.

Print and online copy are not the same, and of course there are plenty of mistakes that slip through the proofreading net. I’ve made plenty. Copyblogger has 60,000 readers, takes their business seriously, and still publishes the occasional typo. There isn’t a soul breathing fortunate enough to have never made a single mistake. But there is a difference missing something and never having tried to catch it.

If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing well. If business owners want clients to value their content, perhaps they should give it value first.

Ghostwriter Dad

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The Gift of Writing

Gift of Writing

the gift of writing Writing is a wonderful gift, and far more priceless than most any prize you could purchase from the store. All too often when people feel uncertain as to what they should give as a gift, they wrongly place an emotional premium over a dangling price rather than the real depth of well seasoned thought.

Yet the half-life of something new and shiny is short when compared to the genuine feelings one person can deliver directly from their heart to another.

I ran a flower shop in Long Beach for a dozen years before I became a writer. During the majority of that time, I booked the weddings. I cannot count the number of brides who held petals of my pulling as they said I do, and yet I bet I could easily count on one hand those who thought to take a few sentences and slip them to their spouse. And I don’t just mean custom wedding vows, which I believe add extraordinary depth to any ceremony. I witnessed plenty of gifts passed and plotted, but far too many were concerned with the credit card balance rather than the purpose.

It isn’t just weddings. Every occasion is perfect for shared thoughts; the happy as well as the sad. Birthdays, anniversaries, graduations; get wells, I’m sorry, and loss – the occasion doesn’t matter, nor does the recipient. What matters is that your feelings are delivered directly to another.

Emotions adopt a depth of character when committed to print that they cannot possess prior to the page.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking you must be a writer by trade to be a writer in spirit. The gift of writing is a gift that can be given by anyone; the person reading your words will not care about the perfection of your prose. They will care deeply instead for the intention behind it.

For example, if you have a child, write them a story and read it to them regularly. This is a treasure that cannot be bought yet will be surely remembered forever. Tell your spouse in words how you are feeling in a way they will not be able to ever forget.

Your words don’t need binding to have value, they merely have to come from you. Of course, if you know what you would like to say, but need a little help saying it, a ghostwriter for hire such as myself would be happy to help, but it is the thought behind the words that is the most important thing of all.

I’m a writer, and spend each of my days tip-tip-tapping at the keys. I help others sound their best and have my words regularly read by thousands. Yet there is nothing like the look on my wife’s face when I leave her a note on the nightstand, or when my daughter reads the folded slip I slipped into her lunchbox.

Life is a lot better when you have the right words. Use a few of yours and make the next gift the gift of writing. It might be the most priceless gift you ever give.

Email me today to discuss your next writing gift. I look forward to hearing from you!

Ghostwriter Dad
Gift of Writing

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5 Quick Tips For Fresh and Fast Article Ideas

May 24, 2009

If you are a ghostwriter, you probably write every day. If you’re a professional writer whose primary business is ghostwriting SEO web copy, then writing articles and blog posts on a host of topics is par for the course. When you aren’t writing something for a client, you’re probably trying to stockpile posts so you’ll [...]

From Great Writing to Great Grammar

April 20, 2009

Being a ghostwriter gives me a unique perspective on the mechanics of writing. First off, I’d like to draw a distinction between being a professional writer and simply writing for joy. Since I joined the pen and ink party a little late and everyone was already passed out and drooling by the time I arrived, I [...]

Writing 101

April 6, 2009

Being a ghostwriter is about fifty different kinds of fantastic and right now there’s no job I’d rather do. To a lot of people it sounds easy enough: sit at a desk, stare at a screen, and occasionally release all ten digits to dance upon the keyboard once your inspiration is shining.
While there is truth [...]

Good Ghostwriters Have it Great

March 9, 2009

Ghostwriters
Ghostwriters are often hired to write books for people who either have ideas in their head that they do not have the time or skill to articulate, or professionals interested in increasing their authority who do not have the time or skill to get their ideas down.
You often see this frequently in the business world. [...]

Why You Should Hire A Ghostwriter

March 2, 2009

A ghostwriter is a professional writer, hired to produce a body of work without receiving credit for any of the finished product. The credited author contracts a ghostwriter to write their material because they lack either the time or skill to do the job themselves. A ghostwriter is usually paid in advance for their [...]