Ta-Da! We Have TWFW Blog Liftoff…
Blog Post #1. I know, it’s about freakin’ time I did a blog, but better (years) late than never, I suppose. Over the past few years, I’d looked around, saw the unending din of cyber-blather filling the airwaves, and asked myself, “Do I have something worthwhile to add or will I just be making more noise”? I guess I decided I could bring some value to the copywriting conversation, but ultimately, you, my readers will make that call.
Speaking of YOU, my readers, just as you’re crucial to the success of my ezine, The Well-Fed EPUB (http://wellfedwriter.com/ezine.shtml), providing me with a steady stream of ideas, tips, strategies and success stories since it kicked off in May 2002, your “in-the-trenches”? experiences will build this blog as well.
Got a good story, a great project outcome, something that’s worked (OR crashed-and-burned), an incandescent epiphany about the business, or any other piece of useful flotsam or jetsam you think your fellow commercial freelancers would dig? AND ideally, help all of us make more money in the biz? Lay it on me at peter@wellfedwriter.com and I’ll throw it out there. And remember: BREVITY. After all, as copywriters, we all know how to write succinctly, right?
I’ll offer up new entries no more than three times a week, but more like two, and I’ll keep ‘em on the short side. Thanks for all your support along the way. Let’s see where this thing goes…
Peter
P.S. Just subscribe in the box at top right or through a reader by clicking the box below that…
I’m excited about the blog, Peter. I’m using your books to help me jumpstart a freelance copywriting business (I’m at ground-level), and now I’m looking forward to comments from community members to hear some success stories and to learn what other freelancers are doing out there.
Congrats on the new blog. I don’t think there’s any doubt it’ll be a success with there being 40 comments on the first post! Or 41 now 🙂
Hey,
Good to see you launch a blog! I’m already enjoying the comments from other people. I’ll be adding you to my blogroll (Bob Bly, too). Like many others, your books inspired me to launch out on my own after my son was born – and he’s almost 3 now.
Joanna
Congratulations on your decision to blog and your execution of it as well! Your material is so helpful and your ideas are easy to implement. Keep up the good work! I look forward to visiting often.
Peter,
Good luck on the blog – I can vouch for the usefulness that a blog brings. Shortly after I began beta-testing a new robotics product for LEGO I began blogging about my research and results as a way for me to share what I was learning not only with LEGO but fans of robotics kits. That was in January 2006 (www.thenxtstep.com) and I now have over 40,000 readers. What has this done for my writing career? Well, I still have my local clients that I work for (I’m a technical writer) but the blog got the attention of publishers and I’ve now got 3 books published and 2 more coming this year. I was also contacted by LEGO Education (a division of LEGO) and we negotiated some workbooks that I wrote for teachers (and continue to do more). So, tell your readers that a blog is a very useful tool for expanding your work as well as demonstrating an expertise or two that you may possess.
Jim Kelly
Congratulations on your launch. I’ve enjoyed your books, and I’m looking forward to your pearls, and other mollusks, of wisdom. One nitpick, from someone who has not yet joined the large-screen revolution of the 1990’s: on first glance, I’m finding this size of this font a bit hard to read against a pale yellow background. Good luck & keep it going!
Hi Peter:
Thrilled to see you taking this step–one that I know is inevitable for me as well, though I’m still stalled asking myself, “Do I have something worthwhile to add or will I just be making more noise?â€?
If anyone can juggle the dual imperatives of regular posts and client deadlines it’s you. Show–and tell–us how!
Hey Peter,
Congrats and good luck! Just started one myself after a long time debating. I’m hoping I’ll also be the “the sound” and not “the noise”.
~Graham
Hey Peter,
Thanks for all you do for the writing and publishing community, and for struggling authors everywhere. I agree with Toddie Downs on the time-suck observation, but it’s a great way to stay in touch. Judging from the response, I guess you didn’t need any help from me!
You’re the best.
Thanks,
Mary Lynn
Congratulations on moving into the blog arena! It has a great impact on search engine rankings and driving traffic. Your newsletter a few years ago covered a woman doing SEO copywriting, and that really got me into internet marketing. Thanks for what you do!
Hi Peter:
Back again. Just wanted to let you know that you guilted me into finally getting off my *ss and launching my own blog, that I’ve only been thinking about for nearly a year. It’s a subject near and dear to my heart.
Visit http://www.enovelization.wordpress.com and leave a comment — it’s looking very lonely compared to yours!
Cheers,
Tracy
e-Novelization
Helping the hesitant reader enjoy E-books and POD fiction, too.
http://www.enovelization.wordpress.com
I was thinking, “It’s about time!” too. I’ve read both of the Well-Fed books and it has helped me in both knowledge and confidence. Thanks, Peter. I look forward to seeing what you have to say on your blog, and what your readership has to say in return.
BTW, not only am I a FLCW, I’m a problogger, too. I think what I’ve learned from you has helped me pitch better and get some blogging jobs. It’s not a full-time salary… yet. But it could be in another year or two.
Welcome to the blogging world! You’re going to be a great addition. I’m subscribing. You’ve helped us all so much in the past, and can’t wait to keep up with your blog.
Peter,
I’ve enjoyed reading your books as they have not
only given me great information but had me in
stitches laughing so hard! 🙂
Hi Peter,
Good to hear you’ve started a blog. They’re great for SEO and really make a difference to how quickly the search engines come back to index you. I’ve been doing one for a couple of months now (www.daniboy.com/blog/) and it’s been fun. Not quite the same sphere as you; it’s more of a general good business-SEO-writing-type thing. Great for generating ideas and “to do” lists.
Daniel O’Connor | Daniboy
Whew! I guess if you can do this, Peter, then anybody can. Unending din of cyber-blather is exactly the reason I didn’t want to start a blog. It’s like having a child…if I have to ask why should I do it, then should I do it? There’s only so much information overload a brain can take. And frankly even researching how to do it best is daunting at best, absolutely run screaming naked down the street at its worst. Anyway, thanks for at least providing a beacon of hope, an unceasing ray of sunshine and well, just for being a writing guru. We’re not worthy….we’re not worthy…we’re not worthy.
Darlene,
Thanks for weighing in. A blog isn’t for everyone, I suppose. If I was just some guy without a book and a modest following (okay, a pretty decent following…), I’d probably think twice about it. But, I like the immediacy of a blog – the ability to take the current “learning” events of my professional commercial writing life, share them with others to provide some insights, get the collected experiences of others on a similar topic and end up with an instant knowledge base of sorts. But, as for the complexity – it really isn’t that hard. Most of the bloging programs these days make things relatively “plug ‘n play” in their operation. As for “we’re not worthy” – please… We’re all in this together… 😉 And you’re SO right: if I can do it, ANYONE can do it. Believe that. If you only knew how long I mucked around with the idea before pulling the trigger, you’d laugh. AND feel SO much better about things…
PB
Hey Peter,
Thanks for joining the blog world. Another faithful fan is so happy you are here!!
I just started my blog as well. I think it’s here today, and sometimes I wonder if blogs will make websites obsolete. Only time will tell. I’m glad to see that you started yours as well. You always have such great ideas! Thank you for sharing.
Giselle Conyette
Director, Con-Yet Incorporated
Technology Creatively Captured in Words
Voice 416-593-7987
Email conyette@sympatico.ca
Blog http://giselleconyette.typepad.com/
Giselle,
I suspect not, because they have two very different functions. A website tends to be more of a “show and tell” kind of thing, like a brochure, catalogue, or even a sales letter.
A blog, on the other hand, is more of a narrative and a relationship-building device.
Jon