[Dalya’s Note: This guest post was written by Judy Cullins, a fellow book coach who helps transform book ideas into helpful, entertaining, and engaging books.]
Do you have something great to share with others? If you don’t know the ins and outs of writing like a pro, take this review. You want your readers engaged and compelled – to listen with your easy to read copy – in books, online promotions, and your website.
Easy- to-read professional writing that hooks and engages your reader will also benefit you. You want them to finish what you write so they will tell others about your book.
You may be a professional, an entrepreneur, a coach or consultant, even an author. Its one thing to know your topic and business focus, but another to get your readers hooked and ready to buy what you offer.
To sell well, your articles, reports, books, and copywriting need to pass the 5-item checklist below:
1. Make your book , blog titles or headlines grab your reader by the collar.
If your titles and headlines are ho hum, your prospective audience will leave you instantly. Headlines and titles are far more important than the copy that follows. A clever title is great, but an even better title is clever and clear.
Short titles with good keyword phrases (long tail) in them sell best. The search engines love them and they are easy to remember. Make each word count because your potential buyer will spend only four to eight seconds on the book front cover. Your website sales letters and your homepage headlines must grab your visitors’ emotions and curiosity to lead them to buy. Make your headlines benefit driven and specific for more impact. Try asking a question from your audience’s mind. They want solutions. Answer their question in the body of the work.
2. Create your opening paragraph of each book chapter, your article, your book’s introduction, or your web copy to entice your reader to continue.
It’s not the book, it’s the hook. In fiction chapters, start with the most exciting and important incident first. For fiction and non-fiction, open with dialogue. It’s more present and exciting. It shows rather than tells. In non-fiction chapters open with two or three compelling questions your reader can connect with. Point out your readers’ challenges through them. Then follow with the thesis, a story and other solutions. Apply this to article and web writing.
3. Pursue savvy friends and associates to edit your work.
Send them a survey asking for their feedback on small amounts at a time – perhaps a book chapter. Always reward them with a free book at the finish, or a free special report you create from your longer pieces. Edit two times before you submit your piece to a professional editor or book coach. Parlay these comments into testimonials and you will get your marketing off with a bang.
4. Use strong, emotional or visual, power verbs rather than linking verbs like “is,” “there is,” “start to” or “begin.”
These linking verbs create passive, long sentences. They slow readers down or bore them. Readers expect straightforward copy, and when they don’t get it, they will put your book or other writing down, never to return. Not a good way to receive word of mouth referrals. Start your sentences with the subject, and then add a power, action verb to cure this old writing habit.
5. Stop loading your copy with telling words like adverbs.
Every time you see a “very” or a -ly ending in your work, rethink. Check with your Thesaurus to see the more compelling possibilities. Think corpulent instead of very fat. One specific word is always better than two mundane ones. When you see “suddenly,” a favorite of most novice writers, map out a picture, dialogue, or emotion to show sudden movement. Your audience can relate to the picture or emotion, but not to -ly. This is one way to engage your audience to stay with you.
Professional writing attracts contacts, clients, readers and web visitors because it is fresh and clear. Make a difference in others’ lives using this “write like a pro” checklist.
