Word Wise Blog: Content Writing Made Easy

Nov 16, 2023

3 appeal letter formulas that pull gifts

A writing formula provides a handy outline to follow as you write an appeal.

Dozens of copywriting formulas are out there. Here are three of the most popular ones to use in appeal letters. Each has similar elements. But the three different approaches inspire writers in different ways, whether by listing concepts, listing a series of tasks, or listing elements as a word picture...

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Nov 15, 2023

Avoid these 5 deadly content writing mistakes

When times are hard or when you’re first starting out as a writer, one of the biggest content writing mistakes you can make is to complain.

Readers are negativity radars. When they sense pessimism, it’s natural for readers to click “delete” or move on to ...

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Nov 14, 2023

Point of View (POV) explained

Point of View (POV) is the position you take as a writer while you narrate your content. It’s your lens, like a camera.

You explain the events or information from your view (first person), directly to another individual (second person), or as an observer (third person.)

Of the three POVs, you can ...

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Nov 13, 2023

Getting started writing a book: a free, practical guide

Leaders, pastors, entrepreneurs, writers, and those who want to be writers ...

You’re getting started writing a book. What do you want to know about getting started? You need a simple, practical guide to ...

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Nov 12, 2023

Ask a question -- and write great content

When you ask your reader a question, you invite her to interact with you.

Jesus used this technique. Scripture records 307 questions Jesus asked listeners.

His questions ran the gamut ...

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Nov 11, 2023

Checklists: a writer's good, good friend

Boeing’s B-17 bomber aircraft was developed in the 1930s and was later used by the United States in World War II against German targets.

Beyond its notoriety in combat, the B-17 has left another lasting mark in the aviation industry: the pre-flight checklist ...

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Nov 10, 2023

Get started writing devotionals with this free online course

If you've never written and published a devotional, you may be uncertain where to begin ... and how to write your life lesson in a way that is helpful and inspiring to others.

But in less than an hour, you can get started writing your first devotional ...

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Nov 09, 2023

How to write a sales letter that sells your services

If you’re a freelancer, you need to write a sales letter that sells your services – especially if you’re just starting out.

Prospects also find out about your writing services from referrals, from your website, from social media, from your newsletter.

But a letter ...

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Nov 08, 2023

Try these 7 streams of income just for writers

Smart entrepreneurs don’t put all their financial eggs in one basket. Instead, they build wealth in a variety of ways, following the code practiced by millionaires for decades: maintain at least 7 streams of income. This way, if one source goes sour or narrows to a trickle, the others can help maintain a healthy cash flow.

If you’re a freelance writer, the principle is the same. You can make a good living when you develop several income streams...

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Nov 07, 2023

17 practical tips for writing headlines

While every writing task is important, copywriting headlines is crucial. A headline is your introduction, first impression, opening line, and sales pitch all rolled into one.

That’s plenty intimidating. But never fear! Here you’ll find plenty of practical information to help you learn to write compelling headlines including …

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Nov 06, 2023

Use this year-end checklist to get it all done

The year-end appeal tax benefit is a huge pull for donors. But fundraising writing is not the only thing on a reader's plate.

As the calendar winds down, your blood pressure may go up. So much writing to do and so few days and minutes in which to do it, no matter if you're writing content or copy...

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Nov 05, 2023

How keywords are like spotlights

Keywords are terms and phrases that define a piece of content. They put a spotlight on the message of your article, blog post, or web page.

Well-chosen keywords give you a list of terms to use in web pages to improve search page rankings. And well-placed keywords help a reader get the gist of your message...

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Nov 04, 2023

The Citation: How giving credit builds your credibility

A citation is a reference to a source of information. For instance, you may quote an expert or give a statistic or offer research results in your content – each as an information source to support a point. Your citation acknowledges the writer and the work that gave you that information.

A citation bolsters ...

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Nov 03, 2023

How to test your idea for a book

You’ve got a book idea. You’re gung-ho to get writing. But should you proceed?

Before you invest time and energy in writing your book, you want to know you’ve got a solid book concept – and an audience that is eager to nab your book and read it from cover to cover.

This “fill-in-the-blanks” worksheet guides you through the process of testing your book idea to ...

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Nov 02, 2023

Try these 6 different outline formats for writing your content

You’re ready to write an outline: you have gathered ideas, processed them, and have determined the main point for your piece.

No matter which kind of content you write – article, blog post, web page, email campaign, e-book, speech, other – you need to organize your material into a logical order.

Perhaps you’re one of those writers who instinctively ...

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Nov 01, 2023

Ask and answer these 4 questions before you start writing your book

Given the potential minefields to writing a book and getting into the hands of readers, you want to make sure your idea is book-worthy.

You’ll invest a significant amount of your time in writing the book. And once you start, you want to finish it rather than let your first pages languish in your uncompleted projects file.

But how can you know that the sweat and tears invested in this book will yield ...

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Oct 31, 2023

Online writing vs print writing: how are they different?

Online writing is any kind of text that you read on a digital device – on a computer, tablet, or smartphone.

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...

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Oct 30, 2023

What is social proof ... and why is it so persuasive?

Social proof is feedback from real people about your product, service, cause, or ideas.

It is a powerful tool in your persuasive writing arsenal because people like to know what other people think. Readers adjust their behavior according to what other people are doing and saying.

Each of us faces dozens – even hundreds – of decisions every day. It’s natural to wonder how others react in similar situations. Not that I rely 100% on ...

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Oct 29, 2023

Dig deep. So your readers don't have to.

I studied the computer screen, gritting my teeth in frustration. Why couldn’t I find the list of course curricula on this particular website?

One by one, I clicked each tab in the navigation and studied its drop-down list. Nothing.

So I kept scrolling down until saw ...

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Oct 28, 2023

Why a book editor is your most impactful collaborator

A good book editor is a behind-the-scenes coworker. Someone like Judith Jones (1924-2017).

Because of Judith, you’ve heard of Julia Child, the chef whose cookbooks made French cuisine accessible to the average person.

And you’ve heard of ...

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Oct 27, 2023

Use a personalized content calendar to plan for 2024

A new year is just around the corner.

And it can be your best writing year yet ... if you make a plan.

Enter Your Personalized Content Calendar Template ...

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Oct 26, 2023

Use a year-end timeline to get your content done

A simple year-end timeline can help you stay on schedule with your blog, writing projects, and year-end content.

This is particularly important as the calendar turns over from September to October and then creeps closer to December. About 40% individual gifts are given to nonprofits during the last quarter of the calendar year ...

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Oct 25, 2023

Avoid the biggest guest blog post boo-boos

A guest blog post gives you the chance to meet and greet a whole new audience in your niche.

But to get the nod to write for another publisher’s site, you need to pass muster. First impressions matter – big time.

I write as many guest posts as I can. In the process, I’ve made plenty of mistakes.

Plus, I’m on the receiving end of inquiries from writers who pitch guest posts for my websites – and I’ve learned a great deal from them. Here’s what you can take away from my experiences so you can increase your chances of nabbing a guest post slot...

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Oct 24, 2023

Are you writing about features ... or benefits? Here's how to know

One of the most frequent copywriting pitfalls is to focus on features, rather than benefits.

The danger is in being ordinary. Features, you see, are simply observations that anyone can write about.

Benefits, on the other hand ...

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Oct 23, 2023

Want to nail your project? Ask freelance writing clients these 6 questions

Over the years, I’ve made plenty of embarrassing mistakes with freelance copywriting clients.

To be honest, most of my boo-boos stemmed from the fact that I was thinking about selling myself … rather than focusing on how I could help the client. My blunders marked me as an amateur and cost me time and frustration...

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