personal-branding Archives - Page 19 of 41

10 + 1 Reasons to Write Well, Not Perfect-ley OR Save the World with Realistic Expectations

August 31, 2006 by Liz

You Thought Multitasking Was a Curse

Have you got an inner editor telling you what you write has to be perfect? Perfectionism is a problem that can hurt you. Here are a few light reasons why you should give up trying to create perfect work. — Sometimes fun talk can combat a serious problem.

I don’t write perfectly. You don’t either. No one does. Leonard Cohen hasn’t gotten there — much as I love him. Nope, he hasn’t. Neither has Toni Morrison, nor any other living writer. You can forget Mark Twain, Shakespeare, and the rest of the dead ones too.

There’s no such thing as perfect writing.

Tell the editor in your ear to take a hike on the whole idea. Trying to write perfectly could cause an alien invasion.

[Read more…]

Before You Ask for that Link, Know I’m a Relationship Blogger

August 30, 2006 by Liz

Blogging Is Relationships

Let me introduce myself. My name is Liz. I’m delighted that you emailed me about a link from my blog! What a lovely compliment.

But I’m a little concerned too . . . You see, that was all that your email said, “Could we trade links?”

I need to confess something before we go further.

I’m the kind of blogger who wants a relationship not a one link stand.

Please understand I love to share links, but to give a link means to give my trust, my endorsement, and my belief that your blog will continue to make a relevant contribution to the blogosphere. How can I do that if I don’t even know you?

Do you about the SOB links or how they work?

[Read more…]

4+6 Things to a Product Review Even James Bond Would Trust

August 29, 2006 by Liz

What You Have Here James Is . . .

Product reviews. We all do them. We love to tell people what we like about stuff. Even more, we love to tell them what’s wrong with stuff. . . .

The President had started a discussion about a product we were prototyping. Our new product was meant to compete with one that had owned the market for 10 years.

“So, what do you think of the product that’s out there?” the President asked the editors.

Each editor was eager to respond and gave in detail the things that she saw in the existing product. The President made sure that every editor had a chance to talk.

“I wonder how it continues to sell 100,000+ units per book per year?” Then he glanced over my way and said, “That’s why no one listens to editors’ opinions. They only talk about the negatives.”

I was the only person in the company who reviewed product for the President.

Where do you get advice about products? Most people trust friends and family first. If friends and family don’t know, research says that 77 percent of online shoppers read consumer product reviews and ratings.

That means you’ve probably done that.

Product review are big business . . .

. . . if folks feel they can trust what the review says.

If you want credibility James Bond would trust, you have to know 4 things before you start and tell 6 things when you write..

. . . [Read more…]

Ever Try Capturing Ideas as They Form?

August 27, 2006 by Liz

A Little Plan, A Lot Less Stress

They say it’s not stress that causes heart attacks, but the feeling of being out of control. True or not, I find that my week is more productive, and the people around me are nicer when I take the time to plan my work. Sunday is a good day for that.

As a writer, I’ve found it efficient to gather my ideas first, when my mind is free and fresh, to make note of them and then to returrn to them later to write.

I made this a tool to help. Come look. [Read more…]

PH3: How Are You — Good or Well? Could You Be Advertising Your Soft Skin?

August 25, 2006 by Liz

Life-Changing Information

I am about to tell you something.

If you don’t already know this, the information will probably change your life.

The change will be a small one — it may not change a thing you do. It will change you nonetheless, because . . .

I’m about to do the grammatical equivalent of sticking a song inside your head.

Every day people ask and answer the question, “How are you?”

The answer I most often hear uses the word, good, in something like “I’m good, and you?”

Good is a tricky word. It’s always an adjective, except when speaking about health. Then it becomes an adverb, which means when speaking of health, good is not the right word to choose. You might instead try well.

Here’s the picture. The conversation is

ME: How are you?
IT Man: I am good.

He could be saying he is good at gaming, good at talking, good at what most husbands are good at, or even saying good for nothing, but he’s not talking about his health.

And oh my, should the conversation be

ME: How are you?
IT Man: I feel good.

Now he’s commenting on the softness of his skin.

That’s a picture, isn’t it?

Know that it is good to say that you feel well and all will be fine in the end.

Of course, if you have soft, smooth skin, I have no problem with you advertising . . .

–ME “Liz” Strauss

You Thought Multitasking Was a Curse

Blogging Is Relationships

What You Have Here James Is . . .

Good Advice Is Always Good

A Little Plan, A Lot Less Stress

Life-Changing Information