Save Time: Get 5 Simple Writing Tips
you can put to use in 10 minutes
Word Wise Blog: Content Writing Made Easy
Award-winning writer Kathy Widenhouse has helped hundreds of nonprofits and writers produce successful content , with 750K+ views for her writing tutorials. She is the author of 9 books. See more of Kathy’s content here.
Write more. Save time.
Word Wise is for busy people who want to write more (or need to), but don't have a lot of time.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
May 14, 2025
Need ideas? Try these 7 brainstorming tips for writers
Advertising executive Alex F. Osborn was the first to invent formal brainstorming techniques. He became frustrated by his team’s ability to generate creative ideas for their campaigns.
He launched group creativity sessions that allowed team members to suggest spontaneous new ideas without criticism. Participants “used the brain to storm a problem,” and dubbed their gatherings as “brainstorming sessions.”
That was in 1939.
Since then, brainstorming has become a standard part of the creative process both ...
Continue reading "Need ideas? Try these 7 brainstorming tips for writers"
May 13, 2025
Struggle to write conversationally? Try these 19 tips
Why all the fuss about conversational writing? Words are words. Or so I thought until my copywriting instructor gave me a piece to write in a conversational tone.
After I submitted the assignment, she read it aloud to me — and giggled. I think it was when she got to the sentence that said ...
Continue reading "Struggle to write conversationally? Try these 19 tips"
May 12, 2025
3 tips for writing your homepage content
Writing homepage content is different than writing content for other pages on a site.
A lower-level page has one simple job to do: provide information.
A homepage, too, provides information. But it has two additional jobs to do ...
May 11, 2025
How to find out what prospects need
A successful pitch to freelance writing clients includes a reply device. Also called a response device or a bounce-back, a reply device gives a prospect a way to respond to your inquiry, offering your freelance writing services.
It can be a postcard, online link, questionnaire, survey, order form, registration form, spec sheet, insert, or tear-out card ...
May 10, 2025
Why addressing a reader's objections is so persuasive
One powerful persuasive writing technique you can use is to raise objections.
That is, anticipate why your reader may protest, question, doubt, or embrace skepticism about your point.
Then, in your copy or content, address those objections head-on and refute the objection with evidence.
That is what ...
Continue reading "Why addressing a reader's objections is so persuasive"
May 09, 2025
Write your blog post with this fill-in-the-blanks worksheet
You want to build your blog.
The problem, you’ve found, is two-fold: (1) organizing your ideas … and then (2) writing a post in segments when you have just spurts of time.
What makes a difference is a blog writing worksheet to follow as you write each post.
A “fill-in-the-blanks” worksheet allows you to ...
Continue reading "Write your blog post with this fill-in-the-blanks worksheet"
May 08, 2025
What is a feature article?
Hard news, essays, reports, reviews, case studies … there are plenty of different kinds of articles a writer can write. So, what is a feature article and what makes it different from the rest?
An article is a piece of nonfiction that addresses a particular topic. To “feature” a topic means to give it special attention. Put together, you can think of a feature article as a piece of content that ...
May 07, 2025
The best writing habit (seasoned writers swear by this)
“Build a writing habit.”
That was the relentless advice I received when I started writing. Furthermore, I was told, the best writing habit is to write every day.
“Habit” sounds B-O-R-I-N-G, especially to a new writer brimming with enthusiasm, because a habit is ...
Continue reading "The best writing habit (seasoned writers swear by this)"
May 06, 2025
Identify your audience by asking just 3 questions
Every time I sit down at the computer, I say to myself, “Let’s identify your audience.”
Each writing project is different. Blog posts. Articles. Web pages. Landing pages. Grant applications, speeches, devotionals, email campaigns … even if you write just one kind of content, you need to identify your audience for that particular project.
If the idea frustrates you, then ...
Continue reading "Identify your audience by asking just 3 questions"
May 05, 2025
How to create a content calendar
2025 is one-third over. Scary, I know.
How's your content creation going?
When I first started blogging, I never dreamed I’d need to create a content calendar. I was new to writing. I simply wanted to finish a post and get it online. That meant I worked on each post for a couple of weeks, if not more. My first dozen site pages took the better part of a year to complete and upload.
Fast forward a decade or two when a webinar participant asked me, “Do I need to create a content calendar?” ...
May 04, 2025
Open your content with a story ... and then THIS
A compelling story engages your reader’s feelings and prompts her to act.
But then, just as she is about to respond, her internal protests kick in. The logical part of the human mind looks for excuses to not take action...
Continue reading "Open your content with a story ... and then THIS"
May 03, 2025
The 3-letter power word that moves readers to act
A power word is a term or phrase that triggers an emotional response – either positive or negative – in the reader. The word’s impact is so strong that it moves the reader to act.
One of my favorite power words is ...
Continue reading "The 3-letter power word that moves readers to act"
May 02, 2025
Fun for girls ages 6-9 ... and it's a good gift idea, too
When my editor asked me to write a book of fun children's devotionals for girls ages 6-9, I saw a perfect opportunity to ...
Continue reading "Fun for girls ages 6-9 ... and it's a good gift idea, too"
May 01, 2025
Terms you need to know for writing web content
When you’re writing web content, you need to know the lingo.
Mainly so that you‘ll be able to write each element. But also so that you can work with a client, web designer, or simply speak with your web host to get problems solved.
Use this glossary to get familiar with web content terms...
Continue reading "Terms you need to know for writing web content"
Apr 30, 2025
Not sure how to get started? Here are the 5 simple steps to the writing process
Understanding the writing process is a key to writing faster and better. And we all want that!
It’s true that mystery cloaks the creative element of putting words on paper. But creativity, I’ve discovered, is rarely conjured up. And if you wait for creativity to strike, you may never complete a project.
What happens most often is that creativity “appears” along the way while I’m at the work of writing.
So it came as a relief to me to learn that there is a process you can follow to ...
Continue reading "Not sure how to get started? Here are the 5 simple steps to the writing process"
Apr 29, 2025
5 ways ANY content writer can make money
I put together this list of five tips to make money writing in order to explain how a freelancer can earn money with words by cultivating multiple income streams.
Over the years, I’ve heard writers say, “Yes, you CAN make a good living from writing.”
Before I began my writing journey, I never thought that was possible. I knew that a select few writers made a living as ...
Apr 28, 2025
Use this simple word to show contrast in your content
The word but gets a bad name in conversation. But in writing, it’s a power word – and one of the best words to show contrast.
First, let me explain what I mean when I say but gets a bad name.
Let’s say I’m chatting with a friend who says ...
Continue reading "Use this simple word to show contrast in your content"
Apr 27, 2025
A novel that's more than just a story ...
Is a novel just a story that entertains? Not if it’s a good one.
“Novels are about strong characters who have a problem to solve,” says best-selling author DiAnn Mills, who has more than 50 books in print. “It’s all about ...
Continue reading "A novel that's more than just a story ..."
Apr 26, 2025
Does your cover letter do its job?
A cover letter is a one-page introduction. That’s why a cover letter is always accompanied by other content, such as a resume (when it’s part of a job application), sales materials, or supporting information.
Such is the case for 2 John.
“This letter is shorter than I John and covers much of the same material,” says ...
Apr 25, 2025
Get started writing devotionals in less than an hour
Use this mini-course, Getting Started Writing Devotionals, and in less than an hour you’ll be writing your own devotional.
And you can enroll in this mini-course for FREE...
Continue reading "Get started writing devotionals in less than an hour"
Apr 24, 2025
Blogging basics
Blogs (“web logs”) first emerged in the 1990s as online public journals. They have since grown to be known as informational web pages. A blog can be a standalone website or part of a larger one. They may be written by an individual or a team.
Each blog entry, or post, typically focuses on a specific topic. Blog posts are usually arranged in reverse chronological order so that the most recent appears at the top of the page. Topics are categorized when posted so that readers can surf past blog entries on a specific topic...
Apr 23, 2025
Speed up your editing with these 2 editing tips
Self-editing is an important skill to learn in order to be a good writer. But maybe you quake in your boots (or shake at your keyboard) at the idea of editing our own work.
The fact is that editing your writing isn’t all that mysterious.
Here’s a simple way to look at it …
Continue reading "Speed up your editing with these 2 editing tips"
Apr 22, 2025
How to write an article in 12 steps
My first “official” writing course taught me how to write an article and break into print. Back then, the internet was still fairly new. Magazines were one of the main avenues to accumulating clips and experience. Many a freelance writer got their start by writing feature articles for trade and consumer publications – myself included.
Plus, learning how to write an article yielded more than bylines. I’ve been able to apply those skills as I write other kinds of content. Some project-specific details vary, but the principles are the same.
For instance, when I ...
Apr 21, 2025
How web writing is different from print
Online writing is any kind of text that you read on a digital device – on a computer, tablet, or smartphone.
It’s also called digital writing.
Writing online can take different formats – websites, blogs, sales pages, social media posts, eBooks – even text messages.
But good digital writing is not a simple cut-and-paste job from print matter into the back end of a web page or onto a social media post.
Instead, each online format has a unique structure...
Apr 20, 2025
How word choice can turn a "No" to Yes"
Science affirms what writers have known for decades: word choice matters.
British psychologist and mediation consultant Elizabeth Stokoe has analyzed hundreds of phone calls between mediators and potential clients. She has discovered one word that makes a difference for a resistant prospect to agree to mediation: "willing."
When asked if they would be "willing" to mediate rather than "interested" in mediation, even the most resistant prospect...
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Share This Page
Named to 2022 Writer's Digest list
BEST GENRE/NICHE WRITING WEBSITE
Stop Wasting Time!
Grab your exclusive FREE guide, "5 Simple Writing Tips You Can Put to Use in 10 Minutes or Less"
Subscribe To This Site
