My high school reunion is just a couple of weeks away and I knew if I left that monstrosity alone it would end up getting even bigger. Big enough, in fact, to warrant its own ZIP code.

I needed to get an early start today on some work but, seriously, this huge-o zit just wouldn’t let me focus. It hurt, darn it.

So I popped it. (Ewww.)

Blessed relief.

Sometimes you just gotta get the junk out before things can get back to normal.

And so it is with writing.

If you’ve struggled (even a bit) with formulating your ideas, finishing (or starting) a project, or nailing the copy, perhaps there’s some junk you need to get out before you can move on.

Junk can be circumstantial, such as a cluttered desk or disorganized office, or it can be situational, such as dealing with a family emergency or work crisis.

While I don’t believe in becoming too distracted from our productive work, sometimes it helps to deal with the thing that’s bugging us the most so we can get back to the task at hand or, better yet, break through to new ideas.

Here’s a plan for clearing out the junk and making way for good ideas and great copy:

1. Take 5 minutes to decide what’s niggling you. It may be more than one thing so make a list if you have to.
2. Decide one action you can take right now to eliminate it — and do it.
3. Make a list of other actions to take (if necessary) and plan for them in your day or on your calendar.
4. Focus for 15-60 minutes on idea generation, brainstorming or writing.
5. If the “thing” is still niggling at you, take another action or two or three, but limit your dealing of it to one hour.

That’s it. That should free up your mind and energy at least in the short term. Repeat as often as necessary.

© JanO for Jan O'Daniel's Blog, 2010. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: brainstorm, clutter, copy, copywriting, declutter, desk, great copy, ideas, junk, list, time, web content, writers, writing, zit

Possibly related posts

• The world’s best writing tip (3)
• Where’s the information? (Web content mistakes and how to avoid them.) (0)
• Razor burn, writing and you (0)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Use the P.S. (literally postscript) to summarize your key point and call-to-action. This single sentence is your opportunity to restate your proposition in a way that will grab your reader’s attention.

And, more importantly, the P.S. will be read by up to 90 percent of those who open the mailing. Enough said.

© JanO for Jan O'Daniel's Blog, 2010. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: advice, attention, audience, client, dialogue, direct mail, great copy, hate to write, how to write, ideas, mailing, non writers, opportunity, P.S, piece, point, postscript, power, reader, self-publishing, sentence, shortcuts, technique, typing

Possibly related posts

• What Carmelo Soprano knows about your audience that you should know (0)
• Take the read aloud test (0)
• Simple tip for audience insight (0)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

It’s soooo easy.

No soap.
No shaving cream.
Just zip, zip, done.

But recently I noticed my old razor sitting forlornly on a shelf in the medicine cabinet. And, along with it, three unused blades.

Frugality taunted me.

So, I temporarily retired the Venus Embrace and, ahem, embraced my old razor.

But the darn thing has a too-small handle.
It has a super-small shaving head.
There’s no handy-dandy shower holder.
And there’s no slime bar.

(Gillette calls it a “ribbon of moisture” but, hey, they’re not on my client list, so as a consumer, I call it “slime bar.”)

It’s a real pain to shave with the new/old razor.
And so I don’t.
Well, not often, anyway.

The problem is not the razor.

The problem is that it’s the WRONG TOOL for the job (shaving in the shower vs. shaving in the tub).

Which got me to thinking …

That’s what happens to writers: sometimes we use the wrong tool for the job.

And it doesn’t work as well — or as easily — as the right tool.

Take, for example, a thesaurus.

This one is good.
But this one is even better.

Why?

Because one is more literal and one is more thought provoking.

One gives me easy options but the other forces me to be more creative.
And that makes me a better writer.

Which tools do you use? Which tools make you a better writer — and which tools need to be dumped from your toolbox?

© JanO for Jan O'Daniel's Blog, 2010. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: client, consumer, creative, Frugality, Gillette, job, list, Merriam, razor, razor burn, shaving, Sidebar, slime, thesaurus, time, toolbox, Venus Embrace, web, Webster, Write, writer, writers, writing

Possibly related posts

• 6 tips for giving feedback — and get great copy in the process (0)
• The world’s best writing tip (3)
• Big copy challenges we don’t talk enough about (0)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Read these? Read all day long and you’ll pay me???

I thought I’d won the lottery.

But read I did. I studied the written word, the turn of a phrase, the crafting of a story.

But because I’m, um, gregarious and outspoken, and because my boss was sharp enough to put people where they would thrive, he dubbed me Ohio Magazine’s first-ever promotions manager.

I traveled the Buckeye State, rallying small towns from here to there in celebration of various cover stories. And although I become the defacto spokesperson, I still yearned to stretch my editorial wings.

(Somewhere there’s video of a thinner, younger me dressed head-to-toe in cream-colored business attire in front of an outhouse. Oh, how, OMag loved the unusual angle.)

I adored my job as promotions manager — until they published my first article.

I simply could not contain my joy at my very first byline and promptly quit to pursue a freelancing career.

In the 17 years since, I’ve been fortunate enough to combine both loves — writing and communications — to a highly rewarding career.

I’m one of the few writers I know who has deep experience in interactive and print communications, as well as in marketing communications and feature writing.

In my consultancy, I bring everything I’ve learned in 20+ years of writing, speaking and communications to clients who want to create and deliver an impactful message. My sweet spot is cutting through the clutter and helping people find their true voice and message.

Of course, I continually look for new ways to service my clients, so last December when friend, mentor and genius collaborator Ruth Milligan approached me to explore her re-ignited passion for helping people with their presentation style and substance, I was in, hook, line and sinker.

Together, we could take all that we knew and learned through decades-long careers in the field and deliver something useful and radical.

Together, we could serve an under-served contingency, elevating people’s ability to communicate beyond what they think they’re capable of.

Together, we could help people find their voice and deliver their worthwhile and worthy ideas in ways that are meaningful and memorable.

And with that, we’re beyond thrilled to announce the launch of ar.tic.u.la.tion. (Read Ruth’s post for her story.)

I won’t be giving up my copywriting, content and communications practice; rather, I’ll be extending my offerings through ar.tic.u.la.tion.

The creative, strategic and collaborative work I do will continue. I’m simply expanding it to include public speakers and presenters and tapping a bit more into the coach I’ve been all along.

© JanO for Jan O'Daniel's Blog, 2010. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: collaborative work, communication, communications, interactive, Jan O'Daniel, presentation coaching, presentation content, presentation style, presentation training, presentations, Ruth Milligan

Possibly related posts

• Your web site content sucks. Here are 3 reasons why. (0)
• Why do corporate blogs rank last? (0)
• What’s your big, bad, ugly? (2)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh