Why You Should Write to Yourself
Have you ever designed a persona? If you’re wondering what I mean by that, let me explain. A persona is a profile of your ideal customer. If you were writing fiction, it would be like creating a character for your story. You want to know things like: Age Sex Income Job Location Then you’ll want […]
How to Find Your Writing Voice Today – Even if You've Been Shamed for Sharing It
Photo Credit: ssoosay Flickr via Compfight cc What does your writing voice sound like? Do you have one? You do, even if you haven’t defined it. In this article, you’ll see how to find yours and set it free – even if it’s been silent for years! You have a writing voice – even if […]
What I Learned at the Funeral of a 23 Year Old – Frank McKinley, Author
This morning I joined some 300 friends and family to celebrate the life of Megan Twist. I never had the pleasure of meeting Megan. What I learned about her today was beautiful, inspiring, and heartbreaking. She was beautiful because she loved people well. She was inspiring because she let people feel free to be themselves. […]
Four Compelling Reasons You Shouldn’t Be Afraid to Write Crappy First Drafts
What does it take to consistently write good stuff? How do you write so well your readers rave about it? Can anyone learn how to do this, or do you need special talent? You can write well – every time you write. You can connect with readers again and again. You don’t have to be […]
8 Reasons Why Every Blog Post You Write is a Risk Worth Taking
Wouldn’t it be great if you always felt ready to share your writing with the world? Jeff Goins says in his book You are a Writer: you need to practice in public. Doctors and lawyers call their work practice. We refer to work processes as practices. When someone is successful, we want to know his […]
8 Reasons Bad Grammar Ruins Good Writing and 5 Ways to Fix It
Last week I bought a book on persuasion. I’m always looking for new strategies to persuade people, so I hoped to gain something useful from it. I couldn’t make it to the second chapter. It started off small. One grammar mistake. Then another. And another. With each page, the number increased. It got so bad […]
Why Every Writer Needs a Brand: My Review of Your Brand is Calling
I just finished reading Your Brand is Calling by my friend Mike Loomis. This is the best book on branding I’ve come across. Brands aren’t only for multibillion dollar companies like Geico, Walmart, and AMC Theaters. If you’re a writer, an artist, or another kind of creative, you need a brand. Whether you realize it […]
The Struggle with Self Promotion: Why You Need a Promotion Strategist
When I ask creative people what their #1 dream is, they say, “I want to make a living from my art.” Wouldn’t that be great? When I was in art school, I longed for the day when I could make a living selling portraits. So I asked my advisor, “What can I expect to do […]
Medium Strategies You Can't Ignore: My Conversation with Amy Torres
What if there were some Medium strategies that promise you more claps, more followers, and more attention? Imagine having all the influence you dreamed of when you wrote your first blog post. What would your life be like if your words reached people around the world? What opportunities would you create when you package your […]
Three Powerful Reasons Why My Blog Post Went Viral
This weekend I wrote my most viral post ever. I wrote it because my friend’s 23 year old daughter Megan died tragically. It seemed unfair, unexpected, and unreal. I’ve written memorial tributes for about 10 years now. Without fail, the families appreciate the gesture. Most of the time, they share the post with others. The […]