Content Writing

How-to posts on writing craft, structure, style, and strategy.

How to Write a Lead: 9 Ways to Nail Your Opening

How to Write a Lead: 9 Ways to Nail Your Opening

The lead, also spelled lede, is the all-important opening of your article. Hereā€™s what to know.

3 *More* Tips For Writing Articles Consistently If You Have A Day Job

3 *More* Tips For Writing Articles Consistently If You Have A Day Job

How To Create And Use A Template To Write Articles

How To Create And Use A Template To Write Articles

3 Quick Ways To Source Quality Research For Your Articles

3 Quick Ways To Source Quality Research For Your Articles

3 Tips For Writing Articles Consistently If You Have A Day Job

3 Tips For Writing Articles Consistently If You Have A Day Job

Business Writing Examples: 5 Ways I Use Writing To Power My Online Business

Business Writing Examples: 5 Ways I Use Writing To Power My Online Business

3 Odd Workflows I Use To Get More Out Of Weekly Writing Sessions

3 Odd Workflows I Use To Get More Out Of Weekly Writing Sessions

How To Consistently ā€œGet In The Zoneā€ And Produce Great Writing

How To Consistently ā€œGet In The Zoneā€ And Produce Great Writing

To Make Writing Habits Stick And Reach Your Goals, Overcome "Biggest Loser Paradox"

To Make Writing Habits Stick And Reach Your Goals, Overcome "Biggest Loser Paradox"

Why Second Drafts Are So Agonizing

Why Second Drafts Are So Agonizing

Ghostwriting Jobs: How To Build Your "Mimicking Muscles"

Ghostwriting Jobs: How To Build Your "Mimicking Muscles"

Writing Powerful Headlines: 4 Psychology-Backed Copywriting Tips

Writing Powerful Headlines: 4 Psychology-Backed Copywriting Tips

News Lead Examples: How to Nail Your Opening Line

News Lead Examples: How to Nail Your Opening Line

A news headline has to capture attention. Here are some of the most popular formats used by publications to get clicks.

How To Increase Clicks On Your Article Headlines

How To Increase Clicks On Your Article Headlines

Will The Washington Postā€™s Robot Writer Take All The Gigs?

Will The Washington Postā€™s Robot Writer Take All The Gigs?

Anecdotal Lead Examples: How to Captivate Readers with Quick, Short Stories

Anecdotal Lead Examples: How to Captivate Readers with Quick, Short Stories

An anecdotal lead can make readers more invested in your story from the beginning. These examples will get you started.

How to Do Keyword Research Without Selling Your Soul to the SEO Gods

How to Do Keyword Research Without Selling Your Soul to the SEO Gods

Keyword research ensures you're creating content on topics that people are actually interested in. Here's how to get started, no matter your industry.

How to Write Headlines That Align with Your Goals: 5 Details to Consider

How to Write Headlines That Align with Your Goals: 5 Details to Consider

The headline is the front door to your article or email. Here are some factors to take into consideration when writing your own.

The Informative Essay: How to Educate Your Readers (Without Being Snarky or Sleazy)

The Informative Essay: How to Educate Your Readers (Without Being Snarky or Sleazy)

Informative essays are first taught to us as teenagers, but they have a lot of crossover with content writing best practices.

How to Create Content Efficiently: 3 Ps for Success

How to Create Content Efficiently: 3 Ps for Success

Content creation can quickly feel like an endless hamster wheel. Inject your approach with these three strategies to succeed.

Schema Markup in SEO: The 31 Ways Google Shows Your Content as ā€˜Rich Resultsā€™

Schema Markup in SEO: The 31 Ways Google Shows Your Content as ā€˜Rich Resultsā€™

Making a few tweaks to your content can transform how it shows up in search engine results. Hereā€™s what to know.

What Is Content Marketing, And Why Should I Care in 2023?

What Is Content Marketing, And Why Should I Care in 2023?

Professional marketers gush about how great content is. But what does content marketing mean, really? This post gives an overview.

How to Cite Sources in Articles (And 3 Tips for Doing So Quickly)

How to Cite Sources in Articles (And 3 Tips for Doing So Quickly)

Outside sources corroborate your writing and help with SEO, but they can be tricky to track down. Find the science faster with these 3 tips.

What Confident, Successful Writers Know About ImpostorĀ Syndrome

What Confident, Successful Writers Know About ImpostorĀ Syndrome

3 Blogging Tasks That Are Easy To Outsource

3 Blogging Tasks That Are Easy To Outsource

How to Write a Good Lead: 9 Winning Formulas

How to Write a Good Lead: 9 Winning Formulas

Every writer should know how to nail their lead. Here's what it is ā€” and nine ways to get a running start.

Editorial Calendar Tips: 5 Components to Consider

Editorial Calendar Tips: 5 Components to Consider

An editorial calendar can help you take your content marketing game to the next level. Hereā€™s what to include when setting yours up.

Summary Lead Examples: How To Nail the Opening of a News Story

Summary Lead Examples: How To Nail the Opening of a News Story

A summary lead communicates essential information to readers succinctly. Here are some format examples to get you inspired.

How to Use Google Docs Like a Professional Editor: 31 Shortcuts to Know

How to Use Google Docs Like a Professional Editor: 31 Shortcuts to Know

Knowing your way around Google Docsā€™ features can help you publish more quickly. Hereā€™s what to know.

Written Content Tips: 8 Pointers to Punch Up Your Prose, With or Without AI

Written Content Tips: 8 Pointers to Punch Up Your Prose, With or Without AI

Want to improve your online publishing game? Hereā€™s a roundup of tips and tricks that are relevant in the age of AI.

Tips For Writing An Article When You Live In A Chaotic, High-Interruption Environment

Tips For Writing An Article When You Live In A Chaotic, High-Interruption Environment

How To Get Your Groove Back After A WritingĀ Rut

How To Get Your Groove Back After A WritingĀ Rut

How to Write a Blog Post in 2024, Step by Step

How to Write a Blog Post in 2024, Step by Step

Blogs have a lot of flexibility, and can help attract new readers to your website. Here's how to write one quickly and well.

12 Writing Styles to Know as You Cultivate Your Craft

12 Writing Styles to Know as You Cultivate Your Craft

ā€œWritingā€ is a really broad term. Here are 12 popular styles within the world of writing to help you figure out what will best serve you.

I Left Social Media and My Audience Grew. 12 Tips ThatĀ Helped Regarding SEO for Writers

I Left Social Media and My Audience Grew. 12 Tips ThatĀ Helped Regarding SEO for Writers

How can you increase visibility on your work without resorting to bland, robotic writing? Here are tips to get more eyeballs while also staying sharp.

What Is a Subheading? (And Why Should I Care?)

What Is a Subheading? (And Why Should I Care?)

Subheadings help readers understand how your articles are organized, but they have marketing and visibility perks, too. Here's what to know.

101 Writing Prompts to Get Ideas Moving

101 Writing Prompts to Get Ideas Moving

Need some ideas to get the pen moving? Here are 101 of them to help you get inspired for your next writing session.

My Editorial Disclosures

My Editorial Disclosures

What to expect from this blog and my reporting.

How to Write an Editorial, in 6 Steps

How to Write an Editorial, in 6 Steps

An editorial is an opinion-driven piece that brings awareness to current events or topics of importance. Hereā€™s what to include.

Figurative Language: How to Spice Up Your Writing

Figurative Language: How to Spice Up Your Writing

Figurative language can both punch up your writing and help you explain things more clearly. Here are some examples in action.

A Big, Fat List of 91 Literary Devices to Help You Dazzle Your Readers

A Big, Fat List of 91 Literary Devices to Help You Dazzle Your Readers

You already encounter literary devices day in and day out. Here are clear definitions so you can leverage devices and improve your writing.

The Inverted Pyramid: How to Write with Clarity and Engage Readers

The Inverted Pyramid: How to Write with Clarity and Engage Readers

The legendary article format, established in 1845, helps you write content quickly and well.