Roland Millward

Archive for May, 2010

All writers will have periods when they find writing difficult if not impossible. For some reason it does not seem possible to think about a subject to write about or how to go on with something that we are already writing.

How can we overcome this problem?

Take a break

The first step to take may simply be that by taking a break from writing for a few minutes or even a day or two can refresh our minds. Going for a walk and getting some fresh air and breathing deeply can energise our brains and bodies to get back to writing.

Is there something on our mind?

It could be that we have a problem, possibly we have something that we need to do and are putting it off but are still allowing it to distract us. Wherever possible if we have something that needs our attention then go and do it, get it out of the way so that we can forget about it and get back to writing. For example if we have a toothache and are hoping that it will get better to avoid visiting the dentist can easily distract us from being able to write. Make that appointment, see the dentist and get the problem dealt with. Holding back from dealing with matters that are distracting us is only making life worse.

Are we lacking ideas?

This is a common problem for writers and especially bloggers who need to come up with different topics and yet perhaps within a defined theme. What else can I write about? A good idea is to make sure that when we do have an idea that we write it down either on a pad or in electronic form such as a note in our mobile phone. Ideas will often come to us when we least expect them and we are likely to forget them when needed. Having a list of topics can really be a boost. You may have ideas that you will not use until many months later, however if you had not recorded that idea it would perhaps never get written.

If your list has become exhausted take a look at the latest news items. Is there anything there that can give you an idea? A search on the Internet for different topics can help. Check Twitter and see what are the most common things being tweeted. With these methods not only may you find a good topic but it will be very relevant to many people right now and could attract many readers if you are going to publish it quickly.

Talk to people

Writing by nature is a solitary business and we can lose contact with people. Meet up with people, possibly at network groups or in chat rooms and find out what people are talking about now, what their concerns or problems are. All these are potential subjects for a good articles and blog posts.

Don’t strive for perfection

Whilst writing an article we can spend too much time on spell checking and grammar, the layout and content and so on. However this can cause our minds to lose the momentum. Write you article then spend time afterwards going back over it and making corrections and any fine tuning. However don’t seek perfection. It does  not exist. If the article reads well it is pointless spending hours checking out many versions before deciding on ‘the perfect one’.  We will be discouraged and find writing too difficult if we are overly critical of our own work.

Enjoy

Above all things make sure that where ever possible you write about subjects that you find interesting and enjoy. That is not always possible for professional writers but when you take on assignments that are not so enjoyable in your eyes try and write them between ones that are. I hope that you have found these tips helpful and would welcome your comments on how you overcome writer’s block

Roland Millward

We are all used to traditional forms of advertising. Newspaper, magazine, TV, radio, billboards, fliers and sponsorships. These of course all work in different degrees and some are extremely costly. It is often the case that the effect of such advertising can not always be accurately measured. There is the well known saying that 50% of advertising costs are wasted but which 50%?

The above methods of advertising are very much what I would call ‘in your face and tell ‘em’ what you are selling’ and of course some ads are designed for building the brand name.

How does Social Media work when compared to the time tested methods of advertising? In some ways it is very different. Most forms of Social Media are about building relationships, it is more like networking than advertising. The cost too is very minimal if anything if you are able to do it all yourself.

Twitter

Twitter for example is very effective when people that follow your tweets get to know you or your company representative through their tweets. Tweets are simply short messages that if well written can inform people about things that your company is doing. For example if some of the staff are raising money for charity backed by your company that would be a great thing to tweet about. It gives followers information about the human face to your business and helps to build a strong brand.

Facebook

A Facebook Fan Page or Group can be established that again builds relationships with your customers and others that are not yet customers. Selling is very low key and subtle. When people that follow you on Twitter or Facebook want to buy they will find links and because you have not been pushing them to buy anything will turn to you as a ‘friend’ rather than a business.

Blog

A company blog is a great way to build trust and a good following of people. It is best again not to ‘sell’ through your blog but to provide valuable and interesting information that readers will appreciate. The more that readers enjoy your blog the more likely they are to ask you to help them and therefore eventually buy your product. Social Media also creates in people the desire to recommend you to others even if they have not become your customers yet, just as happens when networking is done well.

If you think about the term ‘social media’ then when you use it place the emphasis on the word ‘social’ and you will not go far wrong. Take time to react and indeed interact with people that you come into contact with on Social Media websites. Try and be interesting and helpful to all that you can. Your business can benefit greatly if you use this format well. Time spent in learning how to get it right or using professional services will not be wasted. You will not need to ask which 50% are you wasting your money on!

Roland Millward

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