Writing Articles

Be the King of SEO Writing

3/11/2013

So how can you write a great, or maybe just a good, SEO article? It’s really not that difficult, and lots of people who can’t write very well are doing it today and making some good money, including myself.

In fact, since I first wrote this article more than a year ago I've written some of these articles that might give you even more insight:

Writing a Website’s Blog: Increasing Traffic Quickly

Planning Your Blog 50 Days in Advance

Claiming Your 2014 Blogging Authority

What is Google Hummingbird and Why Should I Care?

My Site Analytics: The 1-Year Report

Sun Tzu and the Art of SEO

The 9 SEO Lessons The Police Academy Movies Have for You

Is SEO Making Your Stupid?

Has Your Site Gone Walkabout With Crocodile Dundee for Organic Links?

There are lots of little tricks you can do to get yourself noticed on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP), and writing a Search Engine Optimized (SEO) article is often a critical component of just that.

And after awhile you might even get something a little more special.

Quality: When I work for other people, what I always tell them is that you want a quality article that will give relevant, useful, and new information to whomever is reading it. Lots of people understand this, and that’s why when you type something like “acid reflux” into Google, you’ll get the cream of the crop in regards to information right at the top of your screen. Unfortunately, many people also do not realize this, and that’s why there are so many poorly written articles out there today, although thankfully they’re on the bottom of the SERP.

Correctness: One of the easiest ways to spot a phony article, or one that is just plain rubbish, is by looking for mistakes. This won’t be hard, and you won’t have to go out of your way, for they’ll be blatantly obvious. Incorrect grammar, spelling that is completely wrong or makes no sense, and of course seeing the same word multiple times in an article in mind-boggling locations. When people do SEO writing, they tend to use their keyword in interesting ways to try and get the most effect. That’s why you’ll see things like “reflux acid reflux” in a sentence like this: “When your reflux acid reflux begins, quickly kill yourself.” Well, not exactly like that, but you get the idea.

Keywords: When you do SEO writing a lot, you’ll hear all about keywords, and you need to keep those in mind, somewhat. When the keyword is the only dominant thought when you sit down to write an article, you’ll get an article that is just not good, and which may even turn readers away. And if Google somehow notices what you’re trying to do, which is keyword stuffing, well, goodbye good ratings, you’ll be dinged. One of the worst things that can happen to a growing online business, and one that I see quite often when I talk to clients, is that they’ll have to rewrite all of their content because the googlebot came by their site and saw they were using black-hat SEO methods, or at least gray. The line can often be blurred, but when your SEO writing is so blatantly obvious, you really need to consider changes.

My SEO Writing

I’m writing this article right now around the keyword “SEO writing,” in case you haven’t noticed by now. If you haven’t, that means I’ve done my job well. My goal with this article is to come in around 500 words, and have a keyword density of 1% to 2%. That means I need about 5 to 10 examples of my keyword “SEO writing” to qualify for good, white-hat SEO writing.

So how’d I do? Well, I don’t know, I’m not finished yet, let me check. Alright, so far I’ve got about 560 words and 8 examples of my keyword. Therefore, that’s a good, if not great, SEO article.

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How to Write Better

3/10/2013

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Boy, this is a tough one, but the fact that you’re actually asking this question means that you’re a much better writer than many already out there. Lots of people realize that they’re writing is, if not horrible at least not as good as it could be. But few go out of their way to find tips to make their writing better, and many are completely anathema to any suggestions that might imply their writing is sub par at best.

So besides the usual answers of write regularly and write often, what can a struggling writer do? Many things, in fact, so let’s cut right to the chase.

Boredom: Novelist Elmore Leonard encouraged writers to “Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip,” when asked of the writing rules he lives by. I’ve always remembered this quote, mainly because I find it to be quite accurate. If I’m reading magazines or books that I just don’t care that much about, I’ll often scan through them. If something grabs my attention, I’ll read it. If something doesn’t, I’ll skip it. Lots of people read to escape boredom. Whether it’s sitting on the bus, taking that long international flight, or just waiting at the dentist’s office, people are trying to escape their rather dull existence, even if just for a few moments. No piece of writing is so critical to your text or story that it can’t be changed to read better, and bore less.

Audience: I’ve heard it many times before, “write to your audience.” This of course requires you to know who your audience is. Do you? Are you writing a novel you hope will one day be read by the entire world, or just some article that will get onto page 7,532 of Google? Knowing who you’re writing for will allow you to target that audience and write what they want to hear. I remember when I was forced to take the Writing Proficiency Examination at my university before graduating. Lots of people, especially those that weren’t in a liberal arts major, really dreaded the prospect of writing a 1 to 2 page essay on a subject they wouldn’t know until the day of the test. A teacher said, “If you’re asked to write about ice cream, don’t write about Disneyland.” I’m still not sure exactly what that means, and that’s probably why he’s teaching at a university. The point is that you should know who your audience is, what they want to hear, and then simply tell it to them. That’s what they want, after all, and what they’ll be paying you for if you’re successful enough at it.

Confidence: Nothing is a greater turnoff when you’re looking for a date than a man or woman who isn’t confident. Notice how they always question themselves and apologize profusely for even the most mundane of things? Well, if you’re writing without confidence, you’ll come off just the same as that lame date you had three weeks ago, the one you wish would take a hint and stop calling already. Mark Twain told writers to “show, don’t tell,” but I’ll tell you what Twain, I’ll damn well tell you, and you’ll listen because I know what I’m talking about and if you’ve made it this far, you agree. If you’re confident, it will come across. If you write with a clear, authoritative voice, it will come across. People will respect you, even if they don’t always agree with you.

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Creative Writing: How to Get Started

3/9/2013

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This is an excerpt from my book Write Now! 20 Simple Strategies for Writing Successfully, available now on Amazon and other fine eBook retailers.

Creativity certainly isn’t common; just look at all the knock-off products and services out there today. It’s a lot easier to copy than it is to create, and perhaps that’s why there’s such a dearth of creative products, services, and of course, writings out there today. And when it comes down to sitting at the computer to do some creative writing, well, it’s often a lot harder than you thought it’d be.

It doesn’t have to be like that, however. There are many things you can do to get started with creative writing, as well as continue on with your creative writing project or goal.

Write It Out: That doesn’t help much, but it’s the truth. One of the greatest pitfalls that those who set out on creative writing find is that they just can’t write. When you open up that new blank document on your computer and that bright white screen stares back at you, well, it can be intimidating to say the least. That’s why you have to shut off a certain area of your brain, and just let the thoughts flow. What this means is you have to choose a topic and start, but more importantly, continue to write about it.

Fill It Up: Just fill up your page with words as they form in your mind. Don’t waste time going back to correct spellings or grammar mistakes. Don’t agonize over character names or specific facts. And especially don’t doubt yourself. When you stop your creative writing because you think you’re writing is rubbish, well, keep going anyways. If you can make a sentence you can make a paragraph, and if you can make a paragraph you can fill out a page. After that you’re off and running.

Cut The Shit: What do I mean by this? It’s simple really: stop doubting yourself. You think William Faulkner or Truman Capote was a spot-on writer right from the get go? Well, think again! Plenty of creative writing is rubbish, and plenty of great writers produce prodigious amounts of it on a daily basis, so you have to cut through that shit when proofreading and editing, but you also have to cut through it when you’re writing. Never stop and say this isn’t any good. Keep going until you finish that idea. If you’re working on a topic and nothing is coming out, start writing about what you did that day. Just fill up a page. Get the words flowing, and the rest will begin to come.

Make Ideas: Alright, you wrote it out and cut through the garbage, and now you’ve got a wonderful creative writing page all about your dull day. Congratulations, you’re writing! Now make some ideas. Whether you’re writing fiction or non-fiction, when you’re stuck, try these simple tricks that will get the ideas rolling:

Find a picture: It should be someone you don’t know. Type people into Google and pick one. Don’t spend a lot of time on this.
Choose a name: Any name is good, but the shorter and easier it is to write, the better. You’re not keeping it forever, after all.
Give a Job: What does this person do? Think of something, perhaps something outrageous, or what you always wanted to do.
Ask 3 Questions: Simple. Think of three questions. Start off with “do you like blue?” Very easy, and very easy to answer. Go from there.
Answer 3 Questions: How does your person choose to answer these questions? What tone do they use? Are they serious or nonchalant? Crazy or critical? It will tell you a lot.

You’ve just created a character and began an interview with them. Would you like to continue this creative writing exercise and see where it goes, or get back to whatever it was you were trying to write? And does it matter? You’re writing, cutting through the shit, and making ideas. That’s what creative writing is all about.

Writing a Fantasy Novel That Sells

Using Google Maps for Fiction Writing

Your 2014 Self-Publishing Game Plan

6 Reasons You’re Not Selling eBooks

Should You Change Your Published Novel’s Cover?

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How to Be a Writer: Have a Routine

3/8/2013

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When you choose to get serious about writing, you should really develop a routine. Whether it’s sitting down at the computer each day at the same time, setting a goal of a certain word count each day, or even something as simple as getting everything on your desk in just the right spot, having a routine will make writing easier.

There are several things I do as a writer that I consider my routine. There are also many things I used to do that would make a great routine for other writers. Like many things with writing, it really comes down to exactly what it is that you’re writing. If you’re writing for fun, perhaps a work of fiction, you’ll be able to set your own time and pace. If you’re writing for money and for other people, however, you’ll find that you need to develop a different routine depending on the demands placed upon you.

So let’s take a look at both routines for pleasurable and fun writing, and routines that involve writing for others.

Fun Routines: When I was writing my novels several years ago, I had a set routine that I followed everyday. I had read somewhere, perhaps on Wikipedia or in his book On Writing, that Stephen King set as his daily goal 2,000 words. I thought that sounded pretty good when I was first starting out, and I set out to copy him. I set as my goal 2,000 words each day, and I did it. It was hard at first, but I never quit until I was at 2,000 or slightly above. If I was really on a roll I might even do more. And each day I would write down my total according to the day before. That way I knew how many words I was writing in comparison to other days, as well as having a great record of my progress. It worked, and I finished six novels in about two years. You can see them selling on Amazon.

Money Routines: When you write for money, you’ll often not have the option of writing what you’re passionate about, or writing at your own pace. If someone needs an eBook or several articles by a certain day, you’ve got to get them finished on time. If someone wants a certain topic that you could really care less about, well, you better find a way to care, and make it exciting for your readers. After all, that’s what they’re paying you for.

When I wrote for fun, I always wrote first thing in the morning. Now that I write for money, I find myself writing at all times of day, and in many different places. If I can find ten or fifteen minutes of free time and a computer, I’ll whip out my flash drive and try to shoot off a few hundred words.

In fact, I’m writing this article right now in a class full of ESL students on a Friday night. They’re working on a project involving cutting up newspapers to make an interview-style report, and I’m just typing away. It’s easy to find the time if you choose to look.

Learn More about Writing Routines

Routines of Famous Writers
http://writersroutines.tumblr.com/

The Atlantic on Famous Writers’ Routines
http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/11/also-the-drink-helps-famous-writers-daily-writing-routines/265480/

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Writing Tips: Word Counts

3/7/2013

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This is an excerpt from my book Write Now! 20 Simple Strategies for Writing Successfully, available now on Amazon and other fine eBook retailers.

When you write for money, you’re writing toward a goal of not just getting paid for all your hard work, but to keep your work down to the minimum it needs to be. No one wants to write more than they have to, unless they’re writing about something they love, and then they usually have to be stopped for their, and their reader’s, own good. That’s why word counts are so important.

Trust me - word counts have helped me write more than a million words in less than a year.

I’d like to talk a bit about how I write while keeping word counts in mind. What I have in mind for this piece of writing is a word count of 500. Of course, as I’m writing this sentence, I’ve already finished everything else and am actually proofreading. Just telling you that put my word count up to 520.

I’ve written novels where I don’t really care how much I write, and they’ve gotten so large that they never would have had a chance of being published unless I whittled them down a bit.

I’ve also written lots of eBooks where there is a predetermined word count goal in place. Lots of times that word count is the only thing between me and an employer that would hold me forever in a sort of writer’s bondage unless I could point to the word count we both agreed upon. Even then their reluctant to relinquish their reigns of editorial control, however.

And I’ve of course written lots of articles that have as their goal a specific word count, usually 500, 750, or 1,000 words being normal. When you do that type of writing, you always seem to be checking your properties menu on MS Word quite a bit, hoping that you can get just a few more sentences from somewhere deep in the ether to help you to your goal.

What I’ve found works really well for me is setting down on paper a list of what I want to write for the day, and how many words I want to write on it. I usually do this the night before, just before I shut the computer off. This is an outline, and I often will skip some items, or write a bit less or a bit more depending on how the day plays out. And you get a great sense of accomplishment when you cross those items off your list.

I also keep a spreadsheet of my word count for the day, week, and on the large projects I’m working on, like eBooks. When it’s in the computer it’s easy to see and pull up again and again, and I like comparing how many words I get each day.

Another thing to consider are word count meters, like I have on the homepage of my site, and which I started nearly a year after I started this site.

And always keep in mind titles and introduction or closing paragraphs when you’ve got the word count in the back of your mind. I usually try to write those last, and you can easily get what you need from a few extra sentences here and there. Remember, it’s always easier to write the intro when you’ve written everything else. At that point it’s just a recap, and touching on each point in your paper, article, or eBook is a great way to increase your word count.

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Writing Skills: Style and Tone

3/6/2013

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Everyone would like to write, but not everyone can. For those that find writing easy, this is often hard to understand. For those that struggle with even getting one sentence down on paper, it’s completely understandable.

The good news is that there are many things that you can do, whether you’re a world-class writer or something of a hack, to make your written work shine with a light all its own.

Style

Every writer has there own style, just as every musician has theirs. Those who listen to classic rock can pick out a Jimmy Page guitar riff from an Eric Clapton guitar riff in seconds. And just like with music, you can often tell a writer by the way they write, the words they use, and even just the general look of their writing on the page.

For instance, I love using interjections at the start of sentences. My favorites are “however, for instance, and also.” And I love using conjunctions at the beginning of sentences, something that every book on writing will tell you is simply against the rules. So if you find yourself using “and or but” a lot to start sentences, perhaps it’s just your style and not a major infraction.

Tone

The way you write about a subject doesn’t so much set you apart from other writers as much as it lets the reader know what your position on the subject is. Wikipedia describes many different tones, including “formal, informal, intimate, solemn, somber, playful, serious, ironic, condescending, or many other possible attitudes.”

As you can see, there are a lot of different ways to tackle a subject, and you should choose one and try to stick with it on whatever it is that you’re writing. Going from serious to sarcastic in the space of a single paragraph might leave your reader guessing exactly what it is your trying to say, just as being formal one minute and informal the next will leave them wondering if they should give you a friendly slap on the back or maintain that business-like demeanor.

Make sure you find a tone that works good throughout all of your writing, and stick to it. It’s probably the tone that’s most indicative of your natural voice, after all.

Links for Writing Skills

http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/WritingSkills.htm

http://www.writingforward.com/better-writing/writing-habits

http://suite101.com/article/10-writing-tips-for-improving-your-skills-a70573

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How To Write

3/5/2013

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This is an excerpt from my book Write Now! 20 Simple Strategies for Writing Successfully, available now on Amazon and other fine eBook retailers.

How to Write.

Boy, that’s a tough one. And what could I possibly tell you that you don’t already know. Didn’t you learn how to write in school, after all?

Unfortunately, the sad truth is that most people just don’t know how to write. As soon as they get an empty piece of paper in front of them, or pull up a new blank Word document and see that bright white page staring back at them, they lock up. Nothing can come out, and whatever eventually does appears as nothing more than the ramblings of a lost child.

There are many things you can do to alleviate these symptoms that afflict millions who don’t know how to write.

Make a List: Notice that I didn’t say make an outline. Making an outline is often worse than the actual writing you want to do in the first place. That’s why I always start with a list. In fact, you might like this post on using lists to write more and write faster. If you’re writing a paper or article on New York, make a list of places that you know. If you have a paper due tomorrow on whatever subject, write down the key headings from your notes on a separate paper. Chances are you’ll be able to come up with a list larger than you thought possible.

Write a Sentence: Forget about getting that 5-page paper done, and toss the ideas for paragraphs out the window. Start by writing a sentence, just one, for each of the points you just put on your list. For New York I might write: “The Statue of Liberty is very tall, and you can go to the top.” Pretty easy, pretty simple, and you’re done.

Find a Fact: Now, let’s make those sentences stronger. Find a fact for each one of the sentences you wrote about. This should be easy when you're writing with Wikipedia or using Google Books for writing, and you’ll have your facts in no time. I changed my New York sentence to: “The Statue of Liberty is 151 feet tall, but 305 feet if you go from the ground and not the pedestal.” See how much my sentence has changed just by putting in that fact, which actually became two facts because it was just so darn easy once I did a little research footwork.

Repeat a Lot: Now all you have to do is repeat the process. A lot of times when you start doing some easy research, you’ll find that you’re getting more sentences than you first thought possible, and they’re longer than you thought they’d be. And if you think you don’t need facts or figures in your writing, think again. Unless you’re writing a dialogue-heavy work of fiction, you’ll always want some form of credibility to bolster your writing. Facts do that, so use them frequently. And you’ll always have ammunition to fire at annoying dinner guests.

Now remember that I told you that making an outline was worse than actually writing, well, that’s pretty much what we just did. A lot of writing is about tricking your mind, and others’ as well.

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Write Your Novels Faster: Sacrificing Formatting Early

Using Google Maps for Fiction Writing

Google Maps Saves My Novel Again

Top 10 Best Writing Books on Writing for Writers to Write Right

Would You Rather Write 100 Shitty Books or 1 Good Book?

Using Your eBook Writing Folders Effectively

Top 10 Best Finger Foods for Fast Typists

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Welcome to Big Sky Words

3/4/2013

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I feel pretty good about starting this new writing website.

Actually, to tell you the truth, it was a rather spur-of-the-moment kind of decision, and perhaps I’ll really regret it tomorrow. After all, I paid about $70 for this domain name, and I’ll have it for 2 years! Oh, boy! What have I done?

That sounds like a younger, less confident version of who I am today. In the past I might have flinched at spending $70 on a website that could or could not produce anything of value to me later. Well, what is value?

Am I going to make a lot of money off of this site? No. I use other websites for that, some of which I’ve created myself.

Am I going to create content for this site that is original, unique, and interesting for the readers, and perhaps more importantly, the writer? Yes, that’s my aim every single day.

Am I going to going to create a website devoted to writing that will help other writers and would-be writers succeed? Yes, and I’ll go even further on this one. Not only will I create the site, but I’ll get it to the top of Google’s search results for all things pertaining to helping writers write.

Sounds pretty audacious, doesn’t it? Well, that’s why I’m putting it down on the record and date-stamping it with this blog. I want to be able to come back in a few months or a year and read this old post, the first of what will be many, and kick my feet up, put my hands behind my head, and say “I did it.”

I don’t think it will be that hard to accomplish either, and that’s one of the main topics I’ll be discussing on a daily basis.

Some other points that I’ll address in future posts are:

Those are all very broad subjects, and I’d like to whittle them down a bit. For instance, when it comes to writing fiction, I’ll probably make multiple posts involving story, plot, and theme. I’ve written six (now 20) novels and countless short stories, and have taught others how to do it for years. I think I can manage to impart a little of that, I don’t want to say wisdom so let’s settle on advice, to you.

Another subject that I really want to highlight is writing eBooks. I’ve written many, and have several selling on Amazon right now. The passive income is great for any serious writers out there, and I’d like to give you a complete rundown on writing both fiction and non-fiction eBooks.

And of course I want to expound upon the routines that work for me as a writer. I’ll offer tips, tricks, and suggestions that make writing in the 21st century easy, quick, and painless.

Writing is great, but can be frustrating sometimes, so I’m taking it upon myself to share my, alright, wisdom, with those looking for a helping hand, a steady pen, or just some motivation and encouragement to get through another day at the writing desk.

And finally, what’s with the name? Big Sky Words, what’s that supposed to mean?

Well, it’s reference to Montana, my home state, which has the moniker or nickname “The Big Sky State.”

When I’m not writing about writing, which is what I devote most of my writing time to, I’ll put up articles about Montana’s history, people, places, and politics.

That’s quite a small niche, there are less than a million people in the whole state after all, and I don’t think many of them care a hoot about writing. But some of them do, and they’ll find this site eventually. Until then, I’ll keep writing.

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Forward>>

Be the King of SEO Writing

How to Write Better

Creative Writing: How to Get Started

You Might Also Like

How to Be a Writer: Have a Routine

Writing Tips: Word Counts

Writing Skills: Style and Tone

How To Write

You Might Also Like

Welcome to Big Sky Words

Writing Blog
by Greg Strandberg

Top Ten

Categories

My Books
(By Publication Date, New to Old)

Archives

You Might Also Like

You Might Also Like

Writing Blogby Greg Strandberg

Top Ten

Categories

My Books(By Publication Date, New to Old)

Archives

Writing Blog
by Greg Strandberg

My Books
(By Publication Date, New to Old)