I was a journalist for years. I had bylines on Page 1 and throughout the paper and wrote thousands of news stories. But the most recognition I’ve ever felt for my writing was when a tweet I posted was on a local billboard. An outdoor marketing company used to post tweets about local things on their billboard on one of the major highways where I … [Read more...]
Content Buckets: The Smartest Writing Hack I Know
I’ve always had more ideas than time. As a professional journalist, I pitched multiple stories for every deadline. As a professor, I consistently tweak classes or change assignments because of some big idea. As a writer, I never lack content topics. For me, ideas just come easily. I’m naturally curious and read a ton, both of which help keep … [Read more...]
What I Think About ChatGPT and Other AI Writing Tools
As a writer, editor, content marketer, and journalism professor, you can imagine that many people ask me what I think about ChatGPT and other AI writing tools. I decided to first get a little meta and ask ChatGPT what people think about it, then I’ll give you my two cents. What ChatGPT Says People Think About It Here’s what ChatGPT says about … [Read more...]
The Importance of Storytelling
Do you remember the first book you ever loved? I recall mine. It was Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss. I convinced my mom that I could read it, and I think she almost believed me. She read it to me so many times (at my request) that I had the storyline on each of the pages memorized. She would turn the page, and off I would go, telling her precisely … [Read more...]
14 Tech Writing Tools You Need to Write Smarter, Not Harder
Writing is already challenging. There’s no need to make it any more difficult. That’s why I rely on these tech writing tools to make writing, publishing, and promoting content a little bit easier. 14 Tech Writing Tools You Need Before starting the list, let’s clarify the value of writing tools. The tools on this list are meant to enhance your … [Read more...]
How to Write A Lot
I’m a full-time content director, a freelance writer, an adjunct college professor, and a blogger. These are most (I think) of the professional roles I fill. These diverse titles have at least one thing in common — writing. I write a lot. I've always loved writing and, like you, rigorously practice my craft, even when I don’t feel like writing. … [Read more...]
14 Types of Blog Posts to Consider on Your Site
Writers have a difficult time deciding what to blog about. Finding topics comes up regularly in writer chats. I've never understood it because a lack of ideas never is my problem. My greatest issue is finding time to blog, not determining what to write. Perhaps part of the reason people can't find ideas is that they are unaware of all of the … [Read more...]