Archive for April, 2009

This has been a different week for me.  Usually, I am working in my office five days a week (sometimes more).  This week, though, I’ve been working outside of the office.  I left Monday afternoon for a urology conference about four hours away to cover it for a publication.  I spent two days going to a couple of different sessions relating to the topic I’d been assigned to.  It was still work, but it was definitely out of the ordinary.  A change of pace is nice.

Though I have come away from the conference tired, I have also come away with a renewed sense of purpose in some ways.  The topic I’m covering is one I feel passionately about.  I liked being reminded that other people feel passionately about it, too.  That will certainly help when I’m putting together the article.

I also feel a bit refreshed beneath the tiredness.  Sometimes just getting out of the daily grind is just what I need.  I love my work, as I have often said in this blog, but everyone gets bogged down after a while.

I enjoyed the time away from the office.  Today I’m back here, though, playing a bit of catch-up and getting back to a sense of normalcy with renewed vigor.  What recharges your batteries?

Direct quotes can make a mediocre article even snazzier.  They can also spice up press releases and other marketing material.  But, they have to be used properly.  And you have to pick the best quotes.

I think most writers struggle with direct quotes early on in their careers.  I did.  I know that most of my students have.  While no hard and fast rules exist concerning using direct quotes, a few guidelines can make knowing when to use them a bit easier.

First, direct quotes are great when someone says something unique.  For example, I recently wrote an article for aviation security professionals about behavioral analysis.  Former FBI profile, Gene Rugala, said this to me during the interview: “We have to be right every time.  The terrorists only have to be right once.”  That’s unique.  It’s a strong statement that stands out and makes a good point.

Second, direct quotes should be used when someone says something uniquely.    In general, you should not use direct quotes when you can say what the person said better — meaning more concise and clear.  However, sometimes sources present information in a unique manner.  Including such quotations makes for a stronger article.  Including quotations that show a person’s character or are different than would be expected for the person also fall into this category.

Third, use direct quotes when someone important says something important.  Someone important means whoever is important to the subject at hand and to the audience the piece is intended for.  In that same article on behavior analysis that I wrote for aviation security professionals, I utilized a variety of important sources.  Beacuse it was for an international magazine, the sources came from all over the world.  One source was Dr. Paul Ekman who has been researching micro-expressions for years and been highly involved with training aviation security professionals in the United States.  During the interview, he said this to me: “The most accurate tool we have is the well-trained observer.  The Israelis give us the data because, in terms of airport security, they haven’t had a problem in a long time.  We know how to train people now, and that’s what we need to do.”  I could have worked that information in as a paraphrase, but he is well-known and important in the aviation security community, so it worked better to come directly from him.

With all that said, another tip that I must include is to never use direct quotes that don’t stand out or give basic information.  Irecently wrote a series of 15 profile articles for The (Muncie) Star Press about people nominated for healthcare awards.  While each article included background information on the person, such as education, that information was always paraphrased.  Wasting word count and space on putting it into a direct quote would not be effective.  The same is true for general statements, such as “I was scared.”  If it’s not a quote that stands out to you and gets your attention, then paraphrase.  Never use direct quotes just for the sake of using them.

I was recently asked through a writer’s group I belong to what I would say to myself back when I was first starting to write as a freelancer.  It made me stop and think.  In 2003 I was fresh out of graduate school and decided to quit my work as an assistant historian to freelance full-time.  It was scary and exhilarating all at once.  I’ve learned a few lessons along the way.  Here’s a bit of what I would say to the past Stacey.

Don’t be so hard on yourself. I think perhaps we are all our worst enemies.  I tend to be a perfectionist.  And I tend to over-criticize myself.  Especially back when I first started, I thought everything I wrote was horrible and I’d never get a paying job again.  Seriously.  I try to share this with my students when I teach writing.  Writers struggle with confidence so very much.  But, at the end of the day, you get points just for showing up and working and trying your hardest.  No need to continually berate yourself along the way.

Don’t take things so personally. Yeah, I still struggle with this.  I have long since gotten over taking edits to my writing personally.  By the end of two degrees in journalism, I learned that lesson a long time ago.  I’m talking about the times when people just aren’t happy.  I’ve run into a few clients along the way who think I’m a mind reader and aren’t at all happy when I write what they told me.  I want to make them happy, so it’s hard not to feel bad when they’re not.  It’s even harder when they aren’t nice about it, which has happened a time or two.  I try to remind myself of all the good feedback I get, which far outnumbers the bad.  Funny, though, how it never seems to outweigh the negative feedback.

Enjoy slow times. When I first started with freelance, I thought every time my work load was light that meant I was failing (goes back to the first point a bit).  I thought it meant I’d never get any more work.  Just like so many other businesses, freelance writing has an ebb and flow to it.  Some times are busier than others.  Last week, for example, I was so crazy busy I had no time to blog and worked late a few nights.  I remember those times when I am able to work half days or even take a workday off when it’s slower.

Be grateful you get to work at your passion. Above all, this is the most important piece of advice I’d give to the past Stacey.  Freelance writing is my dream.  Some days I forget that.  Early on, I beat myself up over not having a grand income.  I missed the point that I was blessed to be able to do what I feel passionately about.  I love researching, writing and editing.  If I remain focused on that blessing every day, then I am a much happier Stacey.  That’s a reminder I definitely need — for past Stacey, present Stacey and future Stacey.

What would you go back and tell yourself?

While some companies have clearly identified target audiences or target markets, others struggle.  For some companies identifying a target audience can be tricky for marketing material simply because the company appeals to such a wide variety of customers.

But, in order for marketing material and other communications to be effective, knowing the target audience is vital.  Often that target audience overlaps with the target market, but not necessarily.  A target audience is who the marketing material is geared toward.  The target market is who the product or service is geared toward.  A nursing home, for example, may serve an older adult population.  But, it may gear its marketing material to the younger generation making the decision of where to place a beloved parent.  Figuring out a company’s target audience may take some work.

Start by asking. If you are already working with the company, then ask them who the target audience for the project is.  You can outright ask about the target audience or you can get there in a more general way by starting with questions such as “What do you want the focus for this piece to be?”

Help them determine the target audience if they don’t know. Perhaps your contact can’t easily define his or her target audience.  Or perhaps you get general answers.  You then are tasked with the job of helping them determine the target audience.  And while you may argue that this isn’t your job, it is indeed.  Part of being a writer is understanding your audience and writing for them.  It may take some time, but in the end, your client will be happier and his or her message will be more effective.   Here are some tips for determining target audience:

• Look at their former marketing pieces.  Who would these appeal to?
• If they don’t have any previous marketing pieces, then get to know their business service and/or product.  Who do you think would need this service?  Ask if they agree with you.
• Look at the marketing pieces of their direct competitors.  Who would these appeal to?  You certainly don’t want to copy information, but another part of effective marketing is knowing what is out there so you can stand apart.
• Ask about their regular customers.  What is the age range?  Gender?  What do the customers say drew them in and keeps them coming back?

Run it by them one more time. It may sound like I’m harping here, and I may be just a bit, but once you determine the target audience, run it by the client once again.  Throughout the entire process of working together, you want to make sure you’re on the same page.  Ocassionally going back over this with a client will spark new thoughts or ideas that they’d really like to incorporate.  No matter what, you’ll know whether you’re on the right track to making your client happy.

As I discussed on Tuesday, my best tip for effective writing is knowing your target audience.  While this may be relatively easy to identify in some well-established publications, it can be difficult in newer publications.

One of the best ways to figure out a target audience of a publication is to check out the publication’s writer’s guidelines.  Many publications post these on their Web sites these days.  You can also find abbreviated versions of them in “Writer’s Market.”  Looking at a publication’s press or media kit (also usually available online) can help determine target audience as well.  Many times the writer’s guidelines, “Writer’s Market” blurb and press kit will say specifically who the publication is targeting.  Some publications are very specific giving an age range, gender, typical life experiences, etc.  Others are a little more vague, but still give you an idea of target audience.

And, sometimes, writer’s guidelines are vague and press kits are nowhere to be found.  In this instance, read through the writer’s guidelines to deduce who would read what the publication is looking for.  For example, if they are looking for time-saving articles for families, you might deduce that the target audience is maybe 20 to 45 and perhaps primarily women.

No matter what you find — specific or vague writer’s guidelines — the best way to really understand what a publication wants for its target readers is by looking over the publication.

• Read the articles.  Who would be interested in them?  What sort of tone is used?  What sort of information is presented?
• Pay attention to the layout.  What sort of demographic would most like this type of layout?  Who would like the photos that have been used?
• Especially pay attention to the ads.  Who buys the products advertised?  How are the ads designed to appeal to a specific demographic?  For example, a women’s magazine might advertise a car showing a mom with her kids happily driving along.  A men’s magazine might advertise the same car going fast with perhaps a beautiful woman somewhere in the photo.  Ads are great at giving indications for target audience.
• Read any writer biographies.  Who is writing for the publication?  Knowing which “experts” readers relate to most will help you identify them.  For example, a Christian publication might refer to Dave Ramsey’s “Financial Peace University” program in discussing finances.  A general interest, secular publication might appeal to readers with another expert like Suze Orman.
• Read the letter from the editor or publisher.  What is he or she focusing on?  Who is he or she addressing?  Take note of what the letter highlights to find out what is important to the publication’s readers and then think about who those subjects would be important to.

Following these tips can lead to more effective writing for publications — meaning writing that will be published, read and enjoyed.  Knowing your target audience is important.  Check back next Tuesday for tips on how to identify a target market for a company.

My number one writing tip is “know your audience.”  In fact, this is so often my sermon that I can’t believe I haven’t written about it sooner!  I preach it from the beginning of any class I teach.  I go over it with clients.  It is the key to successful writing.  Here’s why.

Before putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard as is most likely these days), before beginning to research, before even developing a solid focus for a piece, you must know who will be reading it.  For example, I may have a general topic idea I find interesting.  Let’s use dog training for this scenario.  Before I get too far and figure out how I want to cover dog training, I must determine who will be reading it.  I pull out the old Writer’s Market (a listing of nearly every magazine in print) and come up with a target magazine.  For this, I’ll pick a women’s magazine geared to working mothers ages 25 to 45.   With that in mind, I can now pick a focus for the article.  This audience wouldn’t be as interested in the history of dog training.  They don’t have time for that.  They want helpful tips for how to manage their dogs behavior alongside their children.  They need quick tips that can be done over the course of a couple of nights a week for a month rather than more involved tips that take hours a day to perfect.

It’s all about knowing the audience.  If I take that same dog training idea and apply it to a magazine geared to people raising service animals, I’ll use totally different tips, different sources and a different angle completely.  It’s all about who is reading the article.

The same is true for any other written word.  If I’m putting together a press release for a client, I need to know what sort of publications the client wants to reach.  If the client is looking at traditional, daily newspapers, I will write the release in a traditional journalism style in strict Associated Press style.  If the client wants to target alternative weekly magazines, I’ll change the tone to be a bit more laidback.  You’ve got to give the people what they want.

And, because I could really go on about this for days, let me summarize a few key reasons why knowing your audience is so important:

• Today’s readers are busier than ever.  They don’t waste time reading something that doesn’t pertain to or interest them.
• Editors will only publish material that relates to their readers.  A men’s magazine doesn’t run general press releases about a new lipstick color being released.
• Advertising material or business letters are only effective if they are read.  They are only read if they are appealing and of interest to the target audience.  Otherwise, you’ve wasted time and money.
• Today’s readers are bombarded with things vying for their attention.  Knowing what they’re looking for gives your message a better chance of getting through the clutter.