After previewing this post it appears that WordPress has formatted it the way WordPress wants. I’m sorry if the text is gigantic. If you don’t see well you will probably appreciate this. Sometimes WordPress just has a mind of it’s own.
Yesterday in, “Can I Get Some Scrambled Eggs With These re-Hashed Writing Tips?” I did a rant about re-Hashed writing tips, as is evident in the title. Today I want to cover a few of these writing tips I’m ranting about. The writer will remain nameless, but if you’re subscribed to these tips you will figure it out.
A recent tip for copywriters was titled, “How to get clients for your new copywriting services business”
The tip was…“Start by working out what processes you’ve used to attract clients in the past.”
Okay, if I’m a new copywriter just how many clients do I have? I possibly don’t have any clients if I’ve recently dubbed myself as a copywriter. So, I’m supposed to do more of what? What do I do more of? I’m NEW remember?
Her important tip was…Make New Contacts. Okay, this tells me…not much. What do I do here? Could you at least hint that maybe I need to join some social networks and buddy up with some people? Maybe I should create a blog or website offering my services?
Nope, instead she tells us this…
“Love to write? You can make the money you deserve as a writer.
Become a highly paid copywriter, and get paid for writing. Seven
Days To Easy Money: Copywriting Success at” LINK removed.
The cost of this gem of an ebook? $147. I realize some things are an investment but shouldn’t I make $147 from writing before I invest in something like this? And then will it be the same non-sense tips?
And then there’s the writing prompts and tips I get in the email. Same writer as mentioned above–am I being rude here?
First BIG tip: 50 words abut you <–notice the typo?
She then goes on to tell me I should title and date these 50 words, followed by a pitch for “How to be a career blogger in your PJ’s if you like.” (paraphrased)
Cost of this gem? $37
Writing tip #2 was to write your life. Since you did so great on those 50 words, continue this process writing about yourself and spend a few days until you’ve written 500 words.
This was then followed by yet another fabulous ebook offer so you can learn to make $10 – $50 per article. The cost of this gem? $47. And then her next heading says that 50 words a day makes you a writer.
Oh really? I missed the part where I could write 50 words a day and be considered a WRITER. Do these words need to be formed into sentences, be grammitacally correct or even coherent?
And yes that was followed by a link to sign up for these free tips which was then followed by links to her 8 blogs.
Other tips followed as writing something descriptive about an object and to make writing the first thing you do every morning.
CONCLUSION:
These are basic writing tips that any 5th grader can post on the internet. I’m not saying they aren’t important, but give me a break, writing 50 words a day does not make you a writer. It makes you someone who wants to be a writer. It does help you learn to sit down and write and can improve your skills, but it does not make you a writer.
A better way to practice writing is to go grab a novel, newspaper, magazine–some kind of written material, pick out a paragraph and rewrite it in your own words. You can’t publish this or call it your own, but it can help you learn to play with words and bring your own ideas on to paper.
Another great tip/writing prompt I hate is the “one word” prompt. Writers will give you one word (calling it a writing prompt) and tell you to write 50-100 words about it.
Let’s take the word CAR. Okay, go write 50 words about a car.
A better prompt would be: Describe in 50 words a 1995 Mustang GT. Then the writer is forced to find an image of this car or form one in their head. The writer can see or visualize if the car is sleek and rounded or square bodied, what type of wheels it has, if it looks fast or sluggish.
Another tip I hate: Tell me about your best friend.
That’s specific isn’t it? Why not tell me about your best friends’ most annoying habit? Wouldn’t that be a better writing prompt?
Maybe I’m just being nit-picky, but I’m tired of the same old writing tips that were around years ago, they sucked then and they still suck today. Let’s not help new writers learn the basic rules of grammar and punctuation, lets not give them real tips on how to improve their writing or even tell them the basics of writing, lets just assume they already know this and can write 500 words about a “car”.
Well I’m done with today’s rant. I’ll try to get back to useful information in my next post. But since this is MY blog I can rant if I want to. Please feel free to give me your opinion. What do you hate or love in the writing world?
Write On!
Patti Stafford
P.S. I will continue to get these tips because it amuses me to point them out. I’m just cool like that.
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