It’s been a year- has it not? I’m not mentioning the C-word, but one of the (many) silver linings has been the opportunity to write up a storm, both fiction for myself but also for my content strategy. I’ve written a ton this year for clients, for Blue51 and late this year I also started a new book project – with seven Write Here Right Now batch writing days and ten Band of Batchers sessions that’s 82 sprints where I’ve been head down, well, bum down too if we want to be anatomically correct and the fingers have danced across the keyboard. I’ve loved every Word Nerd minute of it!
This year, I changed my content strategy somewhat. After the release of Tell Your Story, I wanted to share a blend of practical, action-based content that cures communications and writing ills, as well as showcasing the incredible people I get to work with by way of my Proust Questionnaire . I came up with my content plan of attack by brainstorming up a storm as well as directly asking my fabulous followers, particularly on Instagram, what they’d like to know more about. My incredible Band of Batchers are also an awesome source of inspiration for content. My clients know I love a content ladder approach, and so as I’ve shared each piece of content across my channels/ladder, I’ve been blown away by the responses, which is why I’m in this gig in the first place- to inform, to educate, to inspire and to entertain. Boom, boom, boom and boom!
I hereby present, in one handy post, wrapped up in an imaginary bow, 2021’s communications and writing hints, tips, tricks, strategies and suggestions:
I may or may not have got a little bit ranty in this post where I implored people to NOT write just for the sake of it.
I wrote this post when I was deep in the rewrite process for my novel and was inspired to share how to use some of the common tools that fiction writers use to bring brand writing to life.
People who come along to my batch writing sessions know that I love power words- these are words that are used by copywriters and advertisers as they’ve been proven to illicit a response, and so I couldn’t resist using a power word in the title of this post, which is all about supercharging communications.
This post was less about communications, and more about the impact of deep diving into the who, what, why, where, how and WTAF of business by way of Julie Doyle’s incredible Survive to Thrive business planning program.
Headlines and subject lines are one of those things that people agonise over, and by ‘people’ I mean me. I wrote this little post about overcoming the angst.
I wrote this post as a counter-attack against the ubiquitous ‘why, why, why’ advice that’s everywhere. Guess what? While your ‘why’ is inherently interesting to you, to your audience? It’s all about what’s in it for them. So write your why, absolutely, but keep your audience in context.
I bloody love a good brainstorming session! Blank paper, coloured textas, post its- stop it! I’m getting hot under the collar just thinking of it, and I paid homage to my love of brainstorming along with a how-to right here in this post.
Here’s something that may shock you- I’m not a fan of winging it. In this post I shared the why and how of a communications plan.
So that’s a year or thereabouts in the life of my blog schedule. I’m so excited for 2022’s writing adventures!
Tell me, what would you like to know in the world of Blue51/communications/writing?