Years ago, I started this blog with a pretty big mission in mind: to help you succeed. I wanted to tell you things you didn’t know. I wanted to point you in better directions. I wanted to share lessons I’d learned the hard way so that you didn’t make the same mistakes. I wanted to give you shortcuts that helped you succeed faster, easier and with a lot less stress than I had to go through to get where I am today. Somewhere along the way, I lost sight of that goal. My business got
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Damn Fine Words Writing Contest: The Winners!
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Today we’re announcing the winners of the Damn Fine Words writing contest… but boy, was it EVER tough to choose just two submissions. 25 people fought hard to win a chance to get into the Damn Fine Words writing course and learn effective techniques that would change their life. Some posts were straightforward. Some were thoughtful. Some touched our hearts. It wasn’t an easy choice. But after great deliberation and many discussions, the judges and I narrowed the many submissions down to two lucky winners. Lynn Hess and Rena Tucker, you’ve each won a free
> Read MoreHow Achieving Your Goals Kills Your Motivation
Written by Patrick Vuleta
Heard you need constant improvement to become a master? Heard you need those 10,000 hours of practice? It’s hogwash. A goal of ‘constant improvement’ won’t lead to success. I learned this when I signed up for Damn Fine Words, James Chartrand’s writing course. Signing up excited me. I was excited because I was taking action towards my goal of ‘constant skill improvement’ so I could further build my business. The first half of the course taught me a lot. This was the most valuable part – a complete writing system, an approach that could be
> Read MoreHow to Find Time to Write: A Casual Conversation with Laura Vanderkam
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You’re invited to a very exclusive event. How to find the time to write. That’s one of the biggest complaints I hear from busy businesspeople, freelancers and entrepreneurs. (Even writers complain they can’t find the time to write!) There aren’t enough hours in a day. There’s so much going on. You’re barely keeping up. You’re just trying to stay afloat and get through the day. It’s overwhelming. You have too much work. Too many obligations. Too much to do. Time to write? Forget it! But you need to find the time to write. Writing is
> Read MoreDo You Have Useless Website Content?
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Your website content may be utterly useless. Sure, it’s interesting. It’s often funny. It’s accurate and informative. But it’s probably repetitive. Your website content most likely repeats several sentences throughout your site. Worse, it might even repeat sentences on the same page.
> Read MoreHow to Stop Writing Boring Blog Posts
Written by Demien Farnsworth
It’s been done tens of millions of time: a blog post is written. Someone has an idea to share with the world. Someone has a beef and they want to rant. Someone writes an inspiring poem. Because of the glut of so many posts, blog posts have become boring. When I scroll through my reader, my eyes glaze over. I long for something exciting. Something different. Something that makes me reach to comment, that makes me laugh out loud. I’m looking for those killer blog posts.
> Read MoreHow Taking an Online Course Can Transform Your Business
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When I was growing up, it was a given that when you finished high school, you went to university. This was automatic. This was guaranteed. If you went to university, you’d be fine. If you didn’t, you’d be screwed. But most people I know with extraordinarily successful careers say a university education can be a waste of time. They’ve seen many, many students who attend university only to finish with degrees that are completely irrelevant to their future career. The same successful people will tell you that an online course can absolutely transform your business,
> Read MoreThe Damn Fine Words Writing Contest
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A lot of people have been telling me they wished they could register for the Damn Fine Words writing course. They say that if they could just take this course… They could finally start that online business, because they wouldn’t feel like they had to put off writing for their audience. They could improve their writing skills and get higher-paying clients, instead of the meagre income they’re slaving to earn right now. They could feel confident in their written communication for the first time in their lives, instead of agonizing over every piece they write.
> Read MoreShould You Write with Your Head or Your Heart?
Written by Ali Luke
Have you ever looked over a piece of your writing, only to realize that something’s missing? It’s so easy to get caught up in all the tips, tricks and techniques: Write a great headline – a number, adjectives, a clear promise Have a gripping introduction to draw the reader in Make sure you spell out a benefit for every feature All of this is good advice. But in itself, it’s not enough.
> Read MoreDamn Fine Words Writing Course: Now Open to New Members
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You know that writing content – no, writing great content – is crucial to your business success (no matter what business you have). All the pros tell you to write – and write lots, too. Write compelling website copy to land clients and sales. Write informative articles that show your expertise. Write engaging blog posts that compel comments. Write newsletters that your list can’t wait to read. Write ebooks. Write follow-ups. Write email pitches. Write sales pages. Autoresponders. Social media updates. Write, write, write… No one tells you how. Until now.
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