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Wednesday, January 21, 2015

My Damn Fine Words Contest Entry


The Damn Fine Words contest is as follows: Explain why writing is important to your business success and you could win a scholarship for their February course.

So, here it goes. No pressure or anything!

Right now it would help me with my current job. I'm at the beginning of my marketing career and I'm hungry for skills. I'm trying to figure out what I want to do for the next 60 years of my life, and everything inside of me points to writing. The first step is to learn the basics of copywriting so I can lay a foundation for future success. I'd be able to write those monthly newsletters, update the company blog, without second guessing if what I am writing is good enough.

After scouring the internet for weeks, I came upon Damn Fine Words and realized how well suited it is to the writing goals I want to accomplish and the issues I want to fix. I immediately wrote a list of the top things I always have an issue with when writing.

1) Writing On Command - When the boss says "I need an article written by the end of the week," how do I create a routine to ensure it gets written? I can't afford to spend two days staring at a blank screen. 

2) Using Specific Voices - How do I figure out the voice of a certain brand? And when I do, how do I make sure my writing is in line with that voice?

3) Focusing On A Target - Okay, so he's a 40 year old man but how does that help me write to his needs? I want to be able to dive deeper into the market.

4) Engaging Headlines - This is one of my biggest struggles. I have a hard time figuring out what would get people to open an email or read my blog posts. Do I use "10 Tricks to..." or "How-To..." or "Free Bananas with....". I'm always unsure what the best approach is, and considering it's the first impression, I want to get it right. 

Just looking at what Damn Fine Words has to offer gave me motivation to look further into the future because it made me feel like I could actually write for a living. Heck, I started thinking up business names while lying in bed the night after I read the syllabus. 

One of my goals for 2015 is to figure out everything I need to start going freelance. I've already looked up the how-to's and needs of running my own business, but I don't feel comfortable enough with my skills to charge people for my time. Personally, I need that little piece of validation that confirms for me (and clients, if they ask) that I know what I'm talking about.

Damn Fine Words would give me the confidence and know-how to get my ass in gear. I'd walk away from the course ready to get my hands dirty with real life clients. And in terms of personal growth, I think it would be an amazing step forward for where I want to go with my life. 

-M

Ps. If you've never heard of Damn Fine Words or Men With Pens, check them out! Beyond their advice, their web design is killer :) 

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