The Fabulist Flash

Issue 23
ISSN: 1554-0804

Hint of Autumn Journal

In This Issue:

1. This Week
2. The Writer's Bookshelf
3. Featured Article
4. A Writer Tidbit
5. About The Fabulist Flash

1. This Week

Welcome to Issue 23 of The Fabulist Flash. Forward it to all your writing friends.

It's been another busy week of research and writing. The time is flying by as I move through the book creation process and watch the deadline approach. I thought about making a countdown board that I could tick off the "days until," but decided I didn't need the added pressure.

The process is getting easier and I've learned a few new lessons this week. For one, I work during set times every day now. I take a lunch break. And, when "quitting" time arrives I finish whatever I'm working on and leave my computer. Then, I spend time reading, watching TV, and getting out of the house to do other fun things. This transition, from all consuming to better balanced, has surprisingly helped me to become more productive. I'm spending a few less hours a day working on the book project, but I'm getting more accomplished. And, I'm enjoying both the project and my life more.

Another lesson involves language usage. Most of my research for this book, including requests and interviews, is taking place through online forms and E-mails. I've discovered that changing a few words in a sentence garners a better, more positive response. Reading about copywriting was one of the reasons I altered how I'm asking for information. It's amazing to me how changing just one or two words can make such a difference. Trial and error produced results. When I didn't get my desired response I tried a different way of wording my requests. I also "listened" to how people responded and what words they used and then mimicked their responses in my requests to others.

This got me thinking about advertisements. Do you ever get the feeling that everything you see and read is an advertisement? I've been having that feeling lately. I'm afraid to click on that enticing link or visit those sites that pop up close to the top of my online searches. It just feels like everyone is trying to sell me something. Spam blockers, email filters, my internet security system, and even being on the "Do Not Call" registry limit the number of ads I come in contact with, but I still have moments when I feel like everything is a sales pitch. Has it always been this way or is the hard sell getting harder?

Yet, many of us in the writing world contribute to this advertising onslaught; some of us make an income from writing ads, sales letters, and product articles. How we balance this desire to be ad-free in our personal lives and making an income from writing those same ads is a matter of personal taste and reflection.

This week's feature article, Eight Ways to Write Headlines that Demand Attention, by Charlie Page, is admittedly both a helpful article and an ad for Mr. Page's products and services. If you want to improve your copywriting and its selling abilities then you turn to the master sellers to find out what works. Mr. Page's article is geared toward internet sites and sales, but the headline lessons he discusses are applicable no matter where you write for; after all, a good headline is the eye catcher.

If you're interested in contributing a feature article to The Fabulist Flash I've added a "Current Needs" section to the Writer Guidelines. For those who have contributed articles and haven't yet heard from me, I apologize for my tardiness in responding. I haven't worked out all the balance in my better balanced life.

Until next week,

Gregory
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Gregory A. Kompes is a freelance writer and photographer. Learn more about Gregory and his work at www.kompes.com
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2. The Writer's Bookshelf

A Writer's Guide to Nonfiction by Elizabeth Lyon

A review by Gregory A. Kompes

A Writer's Guide to Nonfiction by Elizabeth Lyon is the most comprehensive guide to nonfiction writing I've ever consumed. Inside these covers you discover definitions for every type of nonfiction writing and practical advice on how to write every type of nonfiction.

A Writer's Guide to Nonfiction is one of four planned books in Ms. Lyon's Writer Compass Series. This book follows a North, South, East, and West directional guide. We start at North with "Getting Your Bearings." This section discusses organization of ideas and understanding your audience. South offers advice on how to correct problems in leads, organization, conclusions and style. To the East is marketing and walks the reader/writer through cover and query letters and proposals. Finally, in the West Ms. Lyon shares her ideas on brainstorming and gaining perspective in your writing.

While all of these ideas have been discussed and dissected by countless authors, Ms. Lyon, in her straight forward, approachable writing style, makes sense of the world of nonfiction writing in the easiest and most understandable methods possible. Her clean, concise prose are themselves a model for nonfiction writers.

A Writer's Guide to Nonfiction by Elizabeth Lyon just may be the most important must read for both new and experienced nonfiction writers.

For this title and others of inspiration to writers visit The Writer's Bookshelf.

3. Featured Article

Eight Ways To Write Headlines That DEMAND Attention!

by Charlie Page

Do you know why some sites bring in buckets of cash while other sites don't make a dime?

One BIG reason could be the headline.

When selling things on the Internet you have about three seconds to make your point or lose your visitor.

Click ... BANG ... they're gone forever!

If *your* headlines are under-performing then it IS costing you sales. No doubt about it.

You need a great headline.
You want a great headline.
You'd love to have a great headline.

But how do you create a GREAT headline if you're not a professional copywriter?

Glad you asked. ;)

Here are eight tips that will empower YOU to write a great headline today.

1. Review the sites of about 15 top marketers before you begin to write. Never take their copy (that would be stealing) but *do* draw inspiration from their headlines before you begin. It's amazing how simple yet powerful this technique is when you need a powerful headline.

2. Make your headline short. Five to seven words works very well. You can be more expansive in the sub-head, once you have your visitors' attention.

3. Use a question as your headline. The point of your headline is to get people to stop long enough to consider your site. Asking a question is a great way to do this, if you ask the right question.

HINT: The right question is always one that can be answered by your product.

4. Use an exclamation point or question mark in your headline. It is important to convey excitement in the headline.

5. Be clear. Tell the reader exactly how your product will help them.

6. Use a "number of steps" formula. If your product will solve a problem in a certain number of steps, say so. People love simple solutions to their problems.

7. Use a "number of ways" formula. Use this instead of a number of steps.

8. Use an "in under" formula. When time or money is involved, using an "in under" or "for less than" approach works well. One example is "How to succeed online for under $100!"

Here are five sites that convert at least 15 of every 100 visitors to sales (some convert 25%!) which is pretty good. I'm using my sites because I can know how well they perform and want you to have a real world example.

Look at the headlines on these sites and you will see that I used the exact formula you read above. It works!

http://www.directoryofezines.com/finetune/
http://www.directoryofezines.com/affreport/
http://www.directoryofezines.com/killerads/
http://www.directoryofezines.com/followup/
http://www.directoryofezines.com/commonsense/

Using these eight steps you can create powerful headlines for your website, your emails, your blog, or anywhere else you might need to get people to stop and pay attention.

About the Author
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Through his Special Reports and membership sites, Charlie Page helps people succeed online. Visit Charlie today at http://www.charliepage.com. The article above was excerpted from the special report How To Fine Tune Your Web Copy For Maximum Results. Better copy = more sales. Learn how to supercharge the words on YOUR website today at http://www.directoryofezines.com/finetune/

4. A Writer Tidbit

[EDITOR NOTE: KeepMedia no longer offers this free newsletter (8/7/05)]

I try to stay up with what's going on in the world by reading newspapers, magazines, and online newstories. But, some weeks are busier than others and I sometimes fall behind on my reading. Sometimes I just have to let go of that issue of Newsweek or Time without even glancing past the cover.

Keep Media (www.keepmedia.com) sends out a no cost weekly email with the biggest news stories of the week. It's a great way to keep up with the weekly news, especially when you don't have time to keep up with that stack of weekly newspapers and magazines.

5. About the Fabulist Flash

ISSN: 1554-0804

The Fabulist Flash is dedicated to helping freelance writers find resources and inspiration.

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Email
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Gregory A. Kompes, editor
The Fabulist Flash
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