Is writing a habit or an art?
From Ann:
- “Writing is habit before an art. It’s hard to create something that’s artful without first building the muscle.”
- ” ‘As the martial arts: A black belt means you’ve mastered the basics and are ready to master the art.’ “
Other great insights:
- “Writing is an art that is nourished by habit.” @MadisonJonesHR
- “It’s both. In order to practice your art, you need to develop the habits to do this.” @nickhtang
- “Writing is an art but to perfect it, writing must become a habit! Practice makes perfect!” @KyleClaytonGore
- “Few people are naturals at anything, even art. Practice (habit) help bring out the best in art/writing/everything” @brucerpdx
- “Most great artists developed their art through habit. I think writing is the same.” @djforge
- “Writing is a habit (that anyone can do), but COMMUNICATION is an art (effectively done by only a few)…” @jgombita
How do you beat writer’s block?
From Ann:
- “Start with “Dear Mom” –or start writing a friendly email to anyone to cure FOTBP (Fear of the Blank Page)”
- “Or try dictating & transcribing with @CastingWords or @speechpad — few of us ever get “talker’s block.” “
Other great insights:
- “Write about anything; the fly on the wall, the smell of the air – the point is: Do something.” @shartwell92
- “Don’t think too hard. Start typing and just start getting words out.”@BKMediaGroup
- “I can’t beat writer’s block. I can only go around it. That’s time. Step away. Think about the topic. Re-approach.” @jayvig
- “Doodle in your notebook. Then write a story based on those images. A nice break to spark creativity!” @valfrancisco14
- “To beat writer’s block I start with the technical parts of the blog. Set up a draft, find a photo. I trick myself.” @YouTooCanBeGuru
- “I try to find out the source of the evasion – is it the topic? do I need a break? Sometimes you need to just step away.” @KrisMikulka4
What are the three most important writing “rules” in online marketing?
From Ann:
- “Have empathy for the customer, be useful to them, and have some measure of inspiration (either via data or creative)”
- “And have fun! No one ever created great content at bayonet point, as my friend @jaybaer says.”
Other great insights:
- “Understand your audience, respect their time, write what you love”@kymberlaine
- “Be helpful, engage the reader and don’t lie” @PetrPinkas
- “- Concise. – Relevant. – Thought/Action Provoking.” @NerrajT4
- “1. know your audience 2. know the ideal post length of each platform 3. don’t underestimate the power of simple msgs” @Jasongalliger
- “Be concise. Make it about them. Offer Value.” @LifeofRileyNYC
- “Be real. Be truthful. Be fun. We need to be real people. Statistics are good, but feeling and experience trump for me.” @Dan_Baymore
What responsibilities do we have as brand journalists?
From Ann:
- “In my mind, we must adhere to the same standards of accountability, integrity, responsibility, honesty.”
Other great insights:
- “To guide the public opinion in good and truthful direction.”@wwomantravels
- “Simple. Tell the Story. Tell it RIGHT. Get your facts straight before you write/tweet/speak.” @thenameiscasie
- “Honesty, Loyalty, Familiarity. Keeping your brand honest builds credibility, and consistency keeps advocates happy” @KaitMoffatt
How do you craft content to encourage discussion?
From Ann:
- “Make it at once personal and universal – in other words, a personal story that’s relatable.”
- “Have an undiluted opinion. Not arrogant — but nonetheless a POV that takes a stand.”
Other great insights:
- “Build in ways for people to engage! Ask questions, play games, there are so many things you could do.” @chrissachrissa
- “Make it open ended. Be it in the form of a question or about an issue in the topic.” @danielerossi
- “Start with Listening. Join in on the conversation. Ask questions. LEARN. EDUCATE. SHARE.” @marlinobitanga
- “Write in your natural voice, create value, and always remember to ask questions.” @jarematkinson
Source: http://bit.ly/1uQHw6K