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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.
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Feb 23, 2026
6 kinds of articles new freelancers get paid to write
If you’re a new freelancer and want to break into print, there are plenty of types of articles that you can get paid to write.
Writing articles offers a natural entry point into the freelancing business.
Magazines, trade publications, and websites routinely need content from freelancers. But you may be confused by all of the article writing options, particularly if you’re just starting out, so let me clarify...
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Feb 22, 2026
How your book readers can best find you
In the Bible, God used all kinds of vehicles to speak to people where they lived, worked, and operated.
For instance, God spoke to Moses in a ...
Feb 21, 2026
Don't miss this opportunity to personalize your content
A salutation is the greeting at the beginning of a letter, note, or email. It begins a conversation.
Copywriter Siegfried Vogele’s famed eye tracking studies showed that readers conduct a quick skim of a business letter before reading it. First, the reader finds the sender’s name (in the return address block or signature). Then, the reader scans the letter’s salutation (“does the sender know my name?”)
That’s why at the start of a letter it’s best to avoid a generic ...
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Feb 20, 2026
How to turn random ideas into searchable content
Boy, did I get tired trying to find the right keywords for new blog posts.
You too?
That's why I created myself a tool.
Stop guessing what to write about. This fill-in-the-blanks SEO Seed Keyword Worksheet helps you uncover the exact words and phrases your audience is already typing into Google.
Designed specifically for writers, bloggers, and content creators, this simple but powerful worksheet walks you step-by-step through:
* Identifying your core topics
* Clarifying your audience’s problems and questions
* Brainstorming root (seed) keywords you can expand later
* Spotting content angles you may be overlooking
No complicated tools. No tech overwhelm. Just guided prompts that help you think like a searcher.
In less than 30 minutes, you’ll have a focused list of seed keywords you can plug into your favorite SEO tool — or use immediately to shape blog posts, website pages, email content, and more.
If you’re tired of writing content that doesn’t get found, this worksheet gives you a practical starting point...
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Feb 19, 2026
How to write a call to action (CTA) 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 ...
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Feb 18, 2026
Online writing: it plays by different rules
You may be familiar with the traditional approach to writing.
It's predictable. You work through a publisher ... follow clear grammar constraints ... wait months for a reader's reaction ...
Online writing plays by different rules. And those rules can give you a tremendous advantage, especially if you're a new writer ...
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Feb 17, 2026
Ready to post? Use this blog checklist to see if you forgot anything
I created this checklist for myself ...
Particularly for those moments when I'm ready to hit "Publish" but my nerves hit and I wonder ...
"Did I forget anything?"
Run through the checklist and make tweaks before you post so your blog is as enticing and readable as possible ... and your stomach butterflies stay away.
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Feb 16, 2026
Do your headlines grab attention? Use this checklist to make sure
The checklist works well for blog post titles, article headings, email subject lines, web page meta titles, subheads, image captions … pretty much any kind of headline.
This self-check is an important step in the writing process. Those who read your headline will decide within an estimated 5 – 10 seconds whether or not to continue reading the rest of the piece.
Yowzers. That’s not a lot of time...
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Feb 15, 2026
Do you use too many exclamation marks?!
When you check blogs, email, social media sites, and texts today, take note when you see an exclamation mark.
Prediction: you’ll count more than a handful.
It’s part of current “Punctuation Inflation” trend in which ...
Feb 14, 2026
Does your navigation bar do this?
A navigation bar guides readers through your website or blog.
It is a structural element that appears on every page of the site, placed vertically across the top or bottom … or horizontally, as a sidebar … or both.
A successful navigation bar describes a broad content topic in ...
Feb 13, 2026
Need a tagline for your biz or nonprofit?
Stuck staring at a blinking cursor, trying to come up with the perfect tagline?
Meet your new secret weapon. This downloadable, printable Tagline Generator helps you turn “uhhh…” into clear, catchy, confidence-boosting taglines in minutes.
Just mix, match, and fill in the prompts to uncover lines that sound like you—not a marketing robot. No overthinking, no jargon, no pressure...
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Feb 12, 2026
News story vs feature story: what's the difference?
A good set of article writing tips must explain the difference between a news story and a feature story.
Because a news article and a feature article are two different kinds of content.
But plenty of writers confuse them.
And that’s a no-no. Both news articles and feature articles are ...
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Feb 11, 2026
3 things I wish I'd learned before writing my first book
f I could hop into a time machine and sit down with my pre–first-book self, I wouldn’t give myself advice about agents, royalties, or Amazon algorithms.
Nope. Before writing my first book, I’d tell myself three much simpler things.
Not flashy things. Not “guru” things. Just the kind of stuff you only learn after you’ve already done it the hard way.
These three lessons fall into three phases of the book-writing journey ...
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Feb 10, 2026
7 tips for writing winning newsletters
Newsletters: do you think Snooze or Can’t wait to read it?
These 7 tips for writing winning newsletters are helpful whether you’re considering starting a newsletter or if you already have one.
Consider this to be a checklist of newsletter best practices...
Feb 09, 2026
5 top tips for avoiding jargon in your content
Want your content to get read by more people? Avoid jargon.
Jargon is insider language. It’s that collection of words or expressions that are used by a particular group of enthusiasts or in a profession. You might think of it as a set of verbal shortcuts or niche lingo that’s familiar only to specialists.
Plenty of us are guilty of using jargon-ese ...
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Feb 08, 2026
Why gimmicks don't work in copywriting
"You write well," said the instructor, "but you haven’t persuaded me."
He went on to say that the content of my main point was not the issue, but rather simple fundamental mechanics, such as …
“Your main point was buried on page 2. Move it to the opening paragraph.”
“I should be able to ...
Feb 07, 2026
What makes a speech persuasive
Writers can learn an important lesson from public speakers.
A persuasive speech explains “why.”
People act when you give them a good reason, whether it’s to deliver a minority’s rights, resist a dictator’s advances, or embrace a nation’s recovery from financial crisis...
Feb 06, 2026
Writing By The Book - daily encouragement for writers
Writers need encouragement.
And we need tools to equip us.
That's the basic premise behind Writing By The Book ...
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Feb 05, 2026
How one blogger writes 5 blog posts a week
Author and speaker Michael Hyatt uses a simple blog writing template to churn out quality posts five days a week.
He fell into blogging by accident - literally. He broke his leg and during his recovery, he started a blog which eventually shifted his then-editorial career in a whole new direction.
Michael will be the first to tell you that regular, frequent posting is one key to building a blog. Yet how do bloggers consistently produce quality posts with ...
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Feb 04, 2026
Are you making these 5 deadly mistakes in your nonprofit writing?
Most nonprofit fundraising mistakes aren’t about “bad writing.” They’re about missing how donors think and feel in your writing.
I admit it: Upbeat writing is tough when it’s a challenge to meet payroll. You may be desperate enough to reach into your donors’ mailboxes and shake them, hoping their pockets will spill out enough coins to pay the electric bill.
Yet even in down times, you can ...
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Feb 03, 2026
How to write a content story to make a point
“Let me illustrate …”
When you know how to write a story, you up your writing game.
I’m not talking about writing a novel, short story, or other form of fiction.
I'm talking about using itty-bitty stories in content and copy.
It’s standard operating procedure for writers to use a story as ...
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Feb 02, 2026
How to read a grant application so you can write a first-class proposal
A successful grant proposal starts with the grant application.
As in reading the application carefully before you write one word.
I know, I know. A grant proposal can be a lengthy project with lots of elements and you want to get at them right away. Surely the funder is simply waiting to hear about your project and its worthiness.
And you’ve got it down on paper before the deadline, right? It’s tempting to read the grant application quickly and then jump into writing ASAP.
But a bit of well-placed time can ...
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Feb 01, 2026
Does your prospect know she needs a freelance writer?
Do prospects know how they can benefit from a freelance copywriter?
Many times, no. And it’s your job to tell them.
Let's look at an example ...
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Jan 31, 2026
Before you start writing your book, do this
If you’ve ever had an inkling to write a book, then those thoughts have crossed your mind.
Especially these days, when writing a book has become more accessible than ever before, thanks to the internet and self-publishing software.
But should you write one?
Answer that question by asking another one ...
Continue reading "Before you start writing your book, do this"
Jan 30, 2026
How to drill down your main idea before you write
The writing process is easier when you whittle down your main idea -- the single most important thing you want your content to tell readers -- BEFORE you begin to write.
It's a simple process, actually. You start with a pool of ideas ...
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