Tag Archives: digital copywriter

The difference between blogs and articles

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Does it really matter?

In short, YES.

The extended version reads: You can get yourself into SERIOUS trouble if you don’t know the difference. Claiming ignorance will not save you from this trouble. Naievely, inadvertently masquerading one as the other is no excuse.

At a minimum, your trouble will deprive you of gaining a great blog following. At worst, you could be sued for libel, misrepresentation, defamation. Now I don’t know about you, but as a writer I don’t have a great slush fund that I can call upon in dire emergencies. Especially not self-created, legally entagling nightmares.

So whether you have stumbled upon this blog thing as personal lark, or whether you are deploying it as a serious SEO and brand building program for your business, you might want to read on.

A case in point

Earlier this year I had a prospect ask for a quote for some copywriting for his soon to be launched website. He wanted both articles and blog posts written. Great. Makes sense to me. Until I started to delve deeper…

…What exactly did he want to say on his blog posts? What points should we be covering with his articles?

One and the same – he felt.
The same message in a different channel – he said.

Partly true.

But here’s the big problem…

.. a little bit of knowledge can be a dangerous thing. Because writing a blog as if it were an article can really damage its success. And writing an article like a blog could get you in serious trouble (see entry paragraphs).

So what is the difference?

You read the newspaper right? Or magazines? Occassionally at least? OK – if never, then do yourself a favour and flick through one next time you’re waiting in the doctor’s surgery. (If its my obstetrician you should get through at least 4 magazines before the receptionist bothers to tell you he’s running an hour late. This will give you plenty of time to explore the following explanation).

When reading printed media, you will soon discover at least two stylistic approaches.

1) the journalistic article: These are generally written in the third person, in a factual reporting style. They will use references, quotes and sources to support any claims. They seek to appear independent, well-researched and impartial.

2) the opinion piece: These are written in the first person and convey the writer’s personality through jargon, slang and generally more colourful, entertaining language. They often choose to represent just one side of a divisive argument or ignite a powerful debate.

So how does apply to the online world?

Put simply, a blog is an opinion piece. Or at least the good ones are. Successful blogs (defined by huge followings and big fan bases) are written in the ‘voice’ of the author which is generally what constitutes the major difference between ‘blog’ and ‘article’. It’s also what makes them eminently more readable.

Be careful

What an opinion piece doesn’t do, is save your bacon if you choose to write something defamatory.

Here’s the Rub

Generally a publisher wears the ultimate responsibility of any piece. So if the facts are wrong, if its defamatory or libelous, its the publisher (insert: newspaper, magazine etc) that gets sued. But when you write and publish a blog – who is the publisher? That’s right – YOU!

And the same laws apply to you as to any well-paid, self respecting journalist who triple checks a source before signing their name to work. The only difference is, the journo also has a legal team, a sub-editor and an editor watching their back. Checking and rechecking their facts, questioning their judgement and generally acting a safety net against potentially libelous writings.

Who does this for you?

Make sure someone does, even if its just you. Think twice before you press that hot little ‘publish’ button. It could be a lot hotter than you think.

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Why writing good copy is like sexing up science

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My friend, Kirsti, is an entomologist. But do you think anyone knows what that is? Don’t go look it up – I’ll tell you: Its a scientist who studies insects.

So to keep it simple, Kirst tags herself as ‘bug-girl’. She’s been signing herself that way for years. Its her email address and the way she introduces herself. Which is easy to remember and to understand.

Not surprisingly, Kirst augments her field research with other income streams. Saving the world doesn’t pay very well unfortunately. So she also teaches undergrad science students how to communicate science. Which, arguably, is harder than preventing climate change…. But I digress.

You can see why the University grabbed Kirst for their payroll. ‘Bug-girl’ is catchy. Its memorable. It provokes colour (in my mind, I always think: ladybird) and its has legs. (Six to be exact).

My point is that, despite (!) being a scientist, Kirst is foremost a communicator. She knows in truth that regardless of what she uncovers in her research, noone is going to know about it, or care, unless she can create a compelling story. And she’s in the process of doing just that.

I’ve read her book outline. Signed by Oxford University Press, its being written now. I’m sure Oxford liked it because the girls (she and 2 fellow co-editors) will introduce scientific break-throughs in the field of ants. But mostly I think they bought it, because the outline proposed a fresh, contemporary way of communicating the information.

The way these expert science communicators are bringing ant studies into the 21st century uses tactics all good writers should follow.

1. Clearly focused content
The book is divided into clear chapters, each covering a specific topic. The chapters present clear, concise and directed information on a defined subject area. There is no dilly-dallying around in a haze of ambiguity. The facts are stated and explored so the reader has a sense of completion at the close of each chapter.

2. Expert knowledge
Rather than writing the book themselves, the girls have contracted experts to write each chapter. Each chapter  author is renowned in their field and can bring clear and in-depth understanding to each topic.

3. Colour and contrast
Using a panel of writers will add variety and interest to what could be a dry topic. The contrasting author voices will cultivate questions and curiosity across the subject matter.

4. Digestible chunks of information
Throughout chapters, breakout boxes raising interesting questions or highlighting unusual facts will serve to break up heavy chunks of text and generate lateral thinking.

5.  The moral of the story
As editors, the girls will ensure that the varying chapters will have a central common thread which unites them. Like any good story it will bring home a clear message. Compelling stories force the reader to draw a conclusion and create a response.

Whether you are writing fiction, letters, blogs, screenplays, factual expositions or commercial copy, following these fundamental steps will give you communications success. But I can’t promise you’ll save the world.

Can you see how these rules might apply to your writing or can you trump me and find an instance where these steps don’t hold true?

Let’s get this conversation started,
Charlotte

 

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Its raining, its pouring.

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Sorry it’s been a while folks. After a serious lull, with which I was quite happy and enjoyed the time to wax lyrical on Jabbermouth, school holidays arrived and so did the work.

In an attempt to assuage the guilt of never being around for my children, I had organised – a while ago – to take them to the country for a few days during the break. Seeing how the downward economy has been riding roughshod over my money-making attempts, I figured that 4 days out of town would be easily managable. Wrong!

The Friday before I left Sydney I had three meetings which briefed in new work, all of which was due either the following week or early the one after… Welcome to days of playing in the park followed by long and bitterly cold (I was in Armidale, NSW. It got to -7C one night) evenings of writing furiously until the wee hours.

I managed to meet the first deadline by the skin of my teeth last Friday and pulled off the other this morning. Yay. Now I suppose I should either be a) whinging furiously about the lulls and peaks of freelance timings, or b) celebrating joyously that I have managed to keep my clients satisfied. If had to choose I would err towards the latter. There’s certainly no debate that making people happy, or at the very least think about it, is in large part what drives my ambition.

For me, the ebb and flow of my work stream is what keeps me feeling liberated and in somewhat in charge of my own destiny. Nice work when you can get it! That I love what I do so much it feels, not like work but simply an extension of who I am, well I guess that’s why I write for a living.

Where it falls down, is that in working for oneself, there are myriad other responsibilities that come with the job description. Accounts, budgets and proposals, client management and prospecting for new business. Giving all these equal and fair attention can be a challenge even on the finest, sunniest days. I must admit lately, what with jobs being quiet and the frustration of having to wear 5 different hats, I have considered getting a ‘real job.’

But what would I gain?

a) I am already fortunate enough be part of Creative Suite – a creative collective that shares ideas, inspiration and camaraderie, down in Manly – so I don’t miss ‘the team thing.’

b) I have the flexibility to come and go as I need –  which makes managing a job, family, husband and friends almost feasible (especially on days like today when a sick child needs picking up at midday).

c) I choose my work – which means that whether its freelance journalism, copywriting, editing, ideas generation, marketing strategy, technical literature, blogging, scriptwriting or creative fiction, every aspect of letterland gets a guernsey. And in my book, variety is the key.

d) My clients choose to work with me, because both personally and professionally there is a connection – which makes the jobs far more meaningful to me than when they are produced as part of the cog in a bigger agency machine. (yes, I do contract to agencies. Please refer to my earlier point about ‘variety’…).

e) Don’t tell anyone, but secretly (in small doses) I quite like accounting and budgeting, writing proposals and new business. I guess it’s all part of the variety show that seems to be a recurring theme in this monologue.

Plus, Dan (Shoeboex Creative) – our Creative Suite designer and I, had a great brainstorm today about how we can continue to get bigger and better in what we offer and how we present it. Our fortnightly Thinking Club sessions are another way we push inspiration through our everyday workday.

I for one am not quite ready to give that all up just yet. Not this week anyway! 

But what about you? Do you work for the man, are you walking in the wilderness, or is it something in between? I’d love to know how you balance your work and personal life. Or is it just me that likes to navel gaze?

Let’s get this conversation started. And thanks for listening…
Charlotte 

 

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The joy of double entendre

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Reading a fellow writer’s blog, I was inspired by his musings on a recently observed road sign. As word lovers I suppose it’s not surprising that we linger longer over such things.

He pondered “Prohibited Traffic” and wondered if anyone could get away with venturing down roads so marked. A commenter added that the “Heavy Plants Crossing” sign always made her giggle with its visual pun.

This reminded me of our family habit reenacted each annual coast-road drive. One of us would read out the sign, “Koalas Cross Here at Night,” and another would reply, “Let’s hope they’re feeling happier in the morning.”

It made me laugh all the more, once my favourite English teacher told this story about the same sign. His first posting was out the back of Bourke. That Koala sign was the inspiration for the creative writing component of the Year 10 General English exam. During the year’s practice sessions, one student had managed to make every story about drinking beer, his mates and their ute; whether the jump-point was “My day at the beach,” “Looking after our elderly” or “My worst nightmare.”

For his exam, this student wrote about drinking beer, in the ute, with his mates, as they headed out for a camping weekend. That night they went roo shooting but accidentally killed a koala instead. Driving home they passed a sign that read, “Koalas cross here at night.” The others laughed as they shot three holes in the sign and replied, “Not anymore they don’t!”

Footnote: The teacher would have given him full marks except that it was supposed to be creative fiction and he believed it to be a genuine news report.

Right-o. Any good Australian will have spent hours traversing this fine country of ours and many the world over. What’s the funniest sign you’ve seen?

Let’s get this conversation started,
Charlotte

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Tank Hunting in Kavieng

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Well I’ve been busy since my last post, catching up with long-lost friends on Facebook. One of them is our own modern Hemingway, Jason Kovacs. Following from my last conversation on work/life balance, Jason is managing to combine his love for adventure and natural storytelling by volunteering in the Peace and now Reserve Army Corps. 

Here is his delightfully entertaining and educational home-doco on Tank Hunting in Kavieng… (read: For Whom the Bell Tolls 2008). Now that’s what I call an interesting holiday adventure. And probably the most enjoyable doco I’ve watched in a while. If you’re a history buff or like some I know, have an interest in PNG, then this one’s especially for you.

So, can YOU better Jason’s story… What’s the most fun or interesting fact you have learned while travelling?

Mine? That while prawn poisoning and appendicitis feel excruciatingly similar, you don’t want to be operated on in Fiji.

Let’s get this conversation started. And thanks to Jase for sharing :)

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Love your work?

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The Secret to Finding a Job you Love while Paying the Bills.

It’s a long and meandering road for some us to find our career passion.

My younger sister decided at eleven that she was going be a doctor. On the pretext of a ‘better education’ she pressured our parents to send her to boarding school. She focused and worked hard. The ambition of medicine drove her to excel.

On the other hand, I searched long and hard for a career foothold. As I bounced across myriad artistic expressions I was always envious of my sister’s early determination.

Still, even she digressed. While the original plan was to be a human doctor, she’s actually an animal doctor. A vet. Who now works in the marketing department of a global pharmaceutical company that develops animal medicine.

It’s comforting to know that even those of us who start with a direction, usually meander. Recently I updated my work history and I realised that no matter where I’ve gone, I always seem to end up swimming in words. Though it may seem frustrating at times, as a writer I’ve found the journey mandatory. It’s improved my skill and ideas.

At the other end of my family spectrum sits ‘older brother.’ In every way he’s the opposite of  ‘younger sister.’ He starts early, ends late and works weird shifts to accrue flexi-time. This he takes in 6-month chunks, escaping to France every few years. He works to live, not the other way ‘round.

Finally there’s my older sister. Perhaps she has it the hardest? She doesn’t have a ‘job’ at all. Her time is spent raising 3 busy girls and supporting an incredibly successful, hard-working husband. She doesn’t get any official ‘adult’ time off, like those of us who escape to the office. Though she has plenty of dreams, they wait in the wings for this hectic life stage to pass.

Yes, even in our small family of four we’re very different. Though I have moments of life envy, I like my ‘work/life’ balance. What is the secret? My vote goes to: admitting your passion and having the courage to follow through. And… being prepared for things to change.

When I was single I could afford to be more creative with my job status. Now that I have a mortgage and two kids, it’s a much tougher balancing act. Often I’m exhausted, incredibly challenged yet somehow, infinitely more rewarded.

What about you? Do you love what you do but struggle to pay the bills, or do you sit through the drudgery of work to pay for your lifestyle outside it? Have you put your dreams on hold or are they costing you the earth?

Tell me – Is it possible to have both? Love to hear your thoughts… Let’s get this conversation started.

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