Quick check for writers, with an economic commentary example
You CAN edit your own writing. First-sentence check Here’s a tip that will help you check how well your piece is structured. Read the first sentence of every paragraph. In combination, do they give the reader a good idea of your main points? If so, you’ve written something that’s likely to survive a busy reader’s […]
Why financial bloggers should care about William and Kate
Prince William and his bride-to-be are hot topics. Financial bloggers and other writers can use that to their advantage. Simply follow the example of LawyerMira‘s tweet, “Why William and Kate Should Sign a Prenup,” by inserting William and Kate into a tweet or blog post about your area of expertise. When you put trendy topics […]
Two views: “Why Wasatch Writes White Papers”
I dreamed of peeking into an asset management company’s marketing strategy when I saw the title “Why Wasatch Writes White Papers” in the latest issue of The Wasatch Advisor. Although the article disappointed, it suggested Wasatch’s real motive: Making the case for the asset classes in which they invest. Plus, it reminded me of two […]
“Omit needless words”–Excerpt from Strunk’s The Elements of Style
“Omit needless words,” advises William Strunk in the original edition of The Elements of Style, a bible for writers. He then says Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary […]
White paper marketing: Walk a fine line
Investment, wealth management, and financial planning firms agree that white papers are useful marketing tools. However, they don’t always agree on what constitutes a good white paper. Opinions diverge even more when I discuss white papers with members of the broader community of marketers and writers. These disagreements inspired the white paper survey that I […]