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Word Wise Blog: Content Writing Made Easy
Award-winning writer Kathy Widenhouse has written 9 books and garnered 800K+ views for her writing tutorials.
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.
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Nov 02, 2026
Should you create a blog or website? 4 tips
I’ve launched blogs and built website content for more than 2 decades, both for myself and clients.
That's why I put together these 4 writing tips for starting a blog or website. I know firsthand the frustration of starting a new site when I don’t feel like I know where to begin.
Freelancers, authors, nonprofits, solopreneurs, small biz owners, ministries, start-ups: we all face The Website or The Blog issue.
As in you need one...
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Nov 01, 2026
What can a tech writer teach you about your niche?
I wanted to learn to write for the Christian market.
But before I drilled down into a niche, I needed writing experience. So I enrolled in an introductory course to learn the basics of how to write articles.
Lou was my first writing instructor. He was a technical writer who churned out sci-fi in his spare time ...
Continue reading "What can a tech writer teach you about your niche?"
Oct 30, 2026
SPECIAL LAUNCH OFFER: Write a Winning Fundraising Letter in 2 Hours or Less
What if you could write a compelling fundraising letter in just two hours—without staring at a blank screen, second-guessing every word, or getting bogged down?
Now you can!
My NEW 6-module course, Write a Winning Fundraising Letter in 2 Hours or Less, walks you step by step through crafting an appeal that connects with donors and inspires them to give.
You'll learn how to tell a powerful story, make a persuasive ask, create urgency, and polish your letter—all with simple templates, practical worksheets, and a proven writing process.
And to celebrate the course launch, you're invited to join at a special introductory price: Just $67 (regular price: $97)
Use the code BLACKFRIDAY30 at checkout.
Get your course now through Black Friday weekend—11/30/2026 ...
And get your letter done this afternoon.
Continue reading "SPECIAL LAUNCH OFFER: Write a Winning Fundraising Letter in 2 Hours or Less"
Oct 29, 2026
5 opening lines for fundraising messages
Getting started can be awkward. Especially when writing fundraising messages. It doesn’t matter if you’re writing a formal letter asking for donations or typing out a simple fundraising text. How do you politely ask for donations?
If you feel uncomfortable putting together fundraising messages, then try a different approach. You needn’t even ask for a financial gift or a donation. Put money out of your mind.
Instead, just write the first line. Use your opening words to ...
Oct 29, 2026
Write a better headline when you answer 1 simple question
I’m on a perpetual quest for ways to write a better headline.
If you’re a blogger or content writer, I bet you’re on the same mission. That little snippet at the top of your blog post, article, webpage, caption, or email subject line is super-important because it either pulls a reader into your content … or has zero impact. If she doesn’t read the headline, then she won’t move into your blog post or article or email.
Talk about pressure! Once you understand that the headline-writing process can tip the balance, you devour every bit of ...
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Oct 28, 2026
Write a Call To Action in 3 words or less
When it’s time to write a call to action, you may hit a writing roadblock.
Because it's awkward.
Your call to action (CTA) tells your reader what to do as a result of reading your post, letter, or email. You ask her for money or time or permission to invade her personal space and you may be stumped about what to say.
Because for many of us, it’s hard to ask for something.
Here’s a helpful writing tip to get you over that hump: use fewer words.
Three or less should do it...
Continue reading "Write a Call To Action in 3 words or less"
Oct 27, 2026
Write an article or write a book? Take the quiz
Should you write an article or write a book?
It’s a question you face at different junctures in your writing journey: when you’re first starting and working towards publication … when you’re building your stable of writing clips … when you’re thinking of breaking into a new niche …
It’s a surprisingly important decision. Choose the wrong format, and you may end up struggling with ...
Continue reading "Write an article or write a book? Take the quiz"
Oct 26, 2026
A simple (and time-saving) way to reach more readers
If the idea of repurposed content makes you feel like you’re cheating, then think again. “You don’t have to create content day in and day out,” says expert marketer and Social Triggers founder Derek Halpern. “You just have to work on getting the content you already have in the hands of more people.”
You’ve worked hard to create quality content, right? And to be honest, writing good stuff isn’t simply a hop, skip, and a jump to the top of the search engine results. It takes some work. After a while, you may feel like you’ve become a content machine that keeps churning out blog post after blog post … newsletter after newsletter … email campaign after email campaign …
Repurposing content you’ve already written gives you the opportunity to ...
Continue reading "A simple (and time-saving) way to reach more readers"
Oct 25, 2026
The key to 805 of your writing success is due to THIS
Do you have a writing schedule?
That is, do you have a regular time each day that you set aside to write?
Actor and comedian Woody Allen is credited with the modern-day maxim,“80% of success is showing up.”
He shared that nugget of wisdom when ...
Continue reading "The key to 805 of your writing success is due to THIS"
Oct 24, 2026
Give attribution credit where credit is due
“Attribution refers to the process of giving authors credit for their ideas, words, and other creative media,” says University of South Florida English professor Joseph Moxley, Ph.D.
Attribution is not only the law, but it also demonstrates respect for the person who ...
Continue reading "Give attribution credit where credit is due"
Oct 23, 2026
SPECIAL LAUNCH OFFER: Write a Winning Fundraising Letter in 2 Hours or Less
What if you could write a compelling fundraising letter in just two hours—without staring at a blank screen, second-guessing every word, or getting bogged down?
Now you can!
My NEW 6-module course, Write a Winning Fundraising Letter in 2 Hours or Less, walks you step by step through crafting an appeal that connects with donors and inspires them to give.
You'll learn how to tell a powerful story, make a persuasive ask, create urgency, and polish your letter—all with simple templates, practical worksheets, and a proven writing process.
And to celebrate the course launch, you're invited to join at a special introductory price: Just $67 (regular price: $97)
Use the code BLACKFRIDAY30 at checkout.
Get your course now through Black Friday weekend—11/30/2026 ...
And get your letter done this afternoon.
Continue reading "SPECIAL LAUNCH OFFER: Write a Winning Fundraising Letter in 2 Hours or Less"
Oct 22, 2026
Here's a simple way to ID your target audience
Your target audience is a specific group of people most likely to respond positively to your content.
The reason they respond is simple. You give them content that they really, really need or want.
So it follows that in order to serve your target audience, you need to ...
Continue reading "Here's a simple way to ID your target audience"
Oct 21, 2026
7 bad email subject lines to avoid (if you want Opens)
A couple of times a day, I click open my email inbox, skim the subject lines, highlight 20–30 emails … and hit “Delete.”
Bad email subject lines make it easy for me. And I bet for you, too.
But there’s another side of the coin. And it’s particularly important if you publish your own newsletter or create email campaigns for writing clients...
Continue reading "7 bad email subject lines to avoid (if you want Opens)"
Oct 20, 2026
5 opening lines for fundraising messages
Getting started can be awkward.
Especially when writing fundraising messages. It doesn’t matter if you’re writing a formal letter asking for donations or typing out a simple fundraising text. How do you politely ask for donations?
If you feel uncomfortable putting together fundraising messages, then try a different approach. You needn’t even ask for a financial gift or a donation. Put money out of your mind.
Instead, just write the ...
Oct 19, 2026
How to use your social media comments to build your traffic
You can build traffic to your website or blog by posting social media comments. And no, you needn’t write sickly-sweet atta-boys or nasty troll swipes. And you needn’t post milquetoast no-brainers, either.
Instead, you can write helpful, positive comments. Comments that are sincere and add value. Comments that pull in the kind of followers you want. Comments that drive traffic to your site because they offer useful information...
Continue reading "How to use your social media comments to build your traffic"
Oct 18, 2026
Do you have a strategic plan for 2027?
A strategic plan is written outline that maps where you are now, where you are going, and how you will get there.
Organizations both large and small create a strategic plan each year, as do high-capacity individuals. The most effective check and tweak their strategic plans quarterly.
Stop a sec and answer this question honestly: do you have a written strategic plan? That is, not one in your head but one with actual objectives that are recorded on paper with ...
Oct 17, 2026
Why should you use section breaks?
A section break is an electronic marker that divides your text. You insert it into a document using your word processing software to indicate that a new bit of content is coming up. It’s a visual breather.
A section break also provides an opportunity for readers ...
Oct 16, 2026
Create your 2027 business plan on 1 page!
Freelancer ... small business owner ... nonprofit ... solopreneur?
Yes, you need a business plan.
No, you don't need an MBA to create one. Use this 1-Page Business Plan template to create your ...
Continue reading "Create your 2027 business plan on 1 page!"
Oct 15, 2026
3 types of blogs: Which is best for you?
Do a quick search for tips on blog writing and you’ll discover there are dozens of different kinds of blogs out there.
And thanks to WordPress, Blogger, Tumblr, and other blogging platforms, anyone can create a blog.
Why would you?
When it comes to starting or writing a blog, that’s a key question ...
Oct 14, 2026
Stop chasing traffic. Start growing it with evergreen content.
Evergreen content is information that stays relevant long after you publish it.
It’s content that’s not time-sensitive. Evergreen posts are not tied to the latest trends, news, or fads. Instead, evergreen topics never go out of date.
These are the kinds of posts that become the most-clicked pages on your website or blog. They return consistent traffic over time.
Which is why bloggers and website owners love this kind of content. Right? But you may think that creating evergreen content is ...
Continue reading "Stop chasing traffic. Start growing it with evergreen content."
Oct 13, 2026
Why simpler words are better
Should you simplify your writing? Perhaps your content is littered with ten-dollar words when simple one-dollar words (or ten-cent words) will do.
But you feel you need to write “fancy” because it’s expected. People want thorough information, which includes lengthy and complicated explanations, right?
Maybe not. In fact, two of America’s literary giants feuded over this very topic.
William Faulkner (1897-1962) and Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) were both Pulitzer and Nobel prize winning authors. Yet their writing styles differed dramatically. And they had ...
Oct 12, 2026
The big mistake most writers make in choosing an article topic
You start writing an article by choosing an article topic. Then, you drill down to an angle and your main idea. Then, you’re ready to write. Right?
Wrong. Not if you want to accumulate bylines. “Write it and they will publish it” is a risky approach to freelance writing.
The best writers don’t start writing by choosing a topic. They start by targeting where ...
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Oct 11, 2026
How new writers can avoid overwhelm (experienced writers too)
You don’t need to become a writer all at once.
It’s a process. You acquire one new writing skill at a time.
This “little by little” principle is woven throughout scripture. For instance, when the Hebrew people prepared to take the Promised Land, God’s instructions were clear ...
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Oct 10, 2026
How to reach more readers with one piece of content
Are you trying to build a platform, an audience, or online traffic? Repurposed content could be your answer.
Repurposed content “is not simply content spinning or rehashing old or outdated information in a way that is too close to duplicate content,” says SEO guru Neil Patel. “Instead, it’s more ...
Continue reading "How to reach more readers with one piece of content"
Oct 09, 2026
NEW: Introduction to Copywriting course
Copywriting is a specialized skill—one that is increasingly in demand.
And it is a skill that can be learned!
Learn the skill, and you can make a lucrative income.
This 6-week, online Introduction to Copywriting Course (taught by yours truly) equips you with basic copywriting skills.
By the end of the course, you’ll have completed a copywriting project you for a client or as a writing sample.
Learn more here: https://peninstitute.com/product/introduction-to-copywriting-group-course/
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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