Award-winning writer Kathy Widenhouse has helped hundreds of nonprofits and writers produce successful content and has gained 600K+ views for her writing tutorials. She is the author of 9 books. See more of Kathy’s content here.
Word Wise is for busy people who want to write more (or need to), but don't have a lot of time.
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Oh, how I wish I had this fundraising letter template when I first started writing for nonprofits and ministries!
If you’re a copywriter, ministry writer, or content writer (or want to be one), then writing appeal letters can be part of your bread and butter. Even if you’re a general freelancer, then there’s a good chance you’ve been asked (or will be asked) to write a fundraising letter, whether for a client or for an organization that you support.
Naturally, you'd like to write a good one ...
Continue reading "A simple and powerful fundraising letter template: free download"
If you’re like a lot of writers, you want to know how to start a blog and make money at it.
For a writer or a creative or an entrepreneur, could there be anything more appealing than The Blogger’s Life? You camp out at your laptop, write a page here and there, post it … and then listen to the Ding Ding as your post generates large deposits into your bank account.
Plenty of people start blogs. Few stick with blogging. And even fewer make money at it. But YOU can.
Here’s a surprise for many who want to solve the "Big Money-Making Blog Mystery": bloggers don’t make money from ...
Continue reading "How to start a blog and make money: a beginner's guide"
I love these three short story writing tips from the Master Storyteller, Jesus. They’re tucked into Matthew 13 amid six parables, almost as an aside.
1. Jesus always used stories.
He used other methods, too ...
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Is your website or blog contact page easy to find and easy to use?
“Think about it — your dream customer has made it to your website, read your blog posts, your company and product information, and maybe even downloaded some of your eBooks or product files,” says creative marketing strategist Juliette Ferraro. “But when they're finally ready to reach out, you leave them hanging. Not the best experience, right?”
That’s why your contact page is one of the most important pages on your site ...
Less than 10% of blogs succeed. But yours can!
This toolkit is for writers who are starting a blog, restarting a lapsed one, or simply want to manage their blogs more efficiently.
It’s packed with a dozen checklists, worksheets, and videos that help your blog succeed ...
Continue reading "12 practical tools to help you build your blog"
Planning a website can be overwhelming, especially if you’ve never done it or if you’ve got a zillion other things to do to run your business.
There’s the whole question what content to include.
But before I get to that, there’s the technical gobbledygook: how do I “get online”?
I've planned and launched websites more than a few times ...
Continue reading "3 things you need for planning a website (or updating one)"
The AIDA formula is widely used model in copywriting. It’s a particular favorite of those who create sales letters and appeal letters.
But I find it handy for writing all kinds of content, especially for writing articles, web pages, and blog posts.
I'll explain how in just a sec. But first, a bit of ...
Continue reading "Use this time-tested writing formula for persuasive content"
Readers don’t want to hear from you only when you want to sell them.
Content-rich communications in your newsletters, email, letters, blog, brochures, posts, and website appeal to followers – four out of five, in fact. A recent Penn State study showed that 80% of readers conduct online searches in order to get information.
Just 10% of searches are navigational – that is, the user is looking for a specific website. And just 10% of those same readers get online to make a transaction. But ...
Continue reading "27 content ideas to build your audience and extend your reach"
Pre-writing is the key to making your writing go faster and be more focused.
Whereas a project may start with many options, pre-work eliminates rabbit trails, helps you organize your raw material, and lets you sort out your ideas. Decisions you make in this phase give you a sense of direction allowing you to get from Point A (a project that needs to be written) to Point B (a completed project) in the shortest route possible...
Continue reading "Take these 4 steps before you write - and it will go faster"
A writing clip is a sample of your articles, copywriting, or other content writing.
Clips are proof that you can do the job. A strong clip or two show that you can be entrusted to use words well on behalf a prospective client.
“No one wants to ...
Continue reading "How to show a client you can write his content"
A hashtag is a tool for social media users. It’s comprised of the hash symbol (#) followed by a term or phrase.
When users click on the hashtag, they are pointed to a page listing all other posts that have been tagged with the same term. For instance, the hashtag ...
You’ve got a book idea. You’re gung-ho to get writing. But should you proceed?
Before you invest time and energy in writing your book, you want to know you’ve got a solid book concept – and an audience that is eager to nab your book and read it from cover to cover...
Continue reading "How to test your idea for a book before you start writing"
You can make money writing content on your site once you have a few basics in place: You’ve chosen an online business or niche. You’ve started a website or blog (or are getting ready to start one.) You’re in it for the long haul.
Rather than write-it-and-leave-it, you’re adding content to your site regularly. You understand that a website or blog takes time to build and because of that, it is a valuable piece of intellectual property.
So when you hear and read about writers who make money writing content from their own websites or blogs, you wonder ...
Continue reading "3 ways to make money writing on your own website or blog"
“My wife doesn’t understand what I write,” a ministry leader recently confessed to me. “And if I can’t get through to her – someone who appreciates my thoughts – then how will others read my work and listen to what I say? I know I need to change how I write.”
I took a peek at this precious man’s content. Sure enough, it had depth. But I had to read each sentence two or three times to make sense of it.
He wrote formally, rather than conversationally.
You’ve heard it over and over from content writing gurus: "Write like you talk." Yet maybe you're ...
Continue reading "4 hang-ups that keep you from connecting with your reader"
Some writers argue against using headline formulas, saying they are too predictable.
But there’s a good reason why master copywriters use certain headline formulas over and over: they work.
A good headline draws in the reader by showcasing a ...
What is a blog? And how does it work? Used to be that there was a clear line between writing a blog and writing an article. These days, not so much.
The changeover was subtle. Online publishing exploded in the early part of the 21st century and print publishing declined.
Meanwhile, more and more ...
A vision statement describes what your world will look like if a problem is solved or a goal is achieved. It addresses the future. Without a vision statement, you may veer off course.
A good vision statement has three qualities: it’s short. It’s future focused. And it’s specific.
The vision statement for ...
A writing template is a formula for writing powerful content. It’s one of my most trusted writing tools.
Naturally, a template is helpful when I start with a jumble of ideas. Templates bring order from my chaos.
But a template also provides a ...
Continue reading "Use a template to write powerful - and original - content"
When my editor asked me to write a book of fun children devotionals for girls ages 6-9, I saw a perfect opportunity to help young ladies understand that God is their friend.
I knew that God & Me! 3 (ages 6-9) would be part of a series of children devotionals, but didn’t know then that the book and series would become an iParenting media award winner … and a best-seller...
I’m not a techie. If you give me a list of writing tools that help me use technology better, I’ll use them only if I must. I’d much rather put words on the screen than log on and use the Help.
Yet once I become proficient with a helpful piece of technology, I use it a lot. Attach that little 4-letter word to it – “free” – and I’m all over it.
If you’re a writer, then you must have a ...
Continue reading "5 free writing tools for freelance writers"
You’ve got an idea swirling in your mind. Perhaps your idea just germinated. Or maybe you’ve been sitting on it for months – even years. Regardless, you want to know how to get started writing a book about it. And maybe deep inside you doubt that you can actually produce a manuscript.
The hunger to write a book produces a special kind of writer’s block because a book is such a large project. But you can be one of the successful ones who gets your book onto paper, to the printer, and into the hands of readers.
Writing your book starts with one step ...
Continue reading "How to get started writing your book with just one step"
A simple year-end appeal timeline can help you stay on schedule in communicating with partners and prospects and asking them for gifts at year end.
This is particularly important as the calendar turns over from August to September, and then creeps closer to December. About 40% individual gifts are given to nonprofits during the last quarter of the calendar year.
Even if you miss the boat in September and October, there is no need to panic. Here’s an easy plan to use to ...
Continue reading "Use this year-end timeline to get all your writing done"
“How can I get book reviews?” It’s a question every writer asks – from the first-time author to the bestselling novelist.
Getting book reviews is worth the effort, particularly if you’re selling your masterpiece on Amazon.
Look at it from a different point of view for a moment. When you are considering plopping down money for a book, don’t you want to read what other people say about it? I do. People like to know what other people think. A review reveals ...
Continue reading "How to get reviews for your book -- for free"
The turning point in a story is the moment when the action takes a new, different direction. It’s a pivot. Things change.
For instance, The Wizard of Oz’s turning point? Dorothy drenches the Wicked Witch of the West with a bucket of water while defending her friends. What a surprise! The evil green-nosed enchantress melts. At that moment, Dorothy becomes a hero. Now, she and ...
Continue reading "Does your story have a powerful turning point?"
A writing template is a formula for writing powerful content. It’s one of my most trusted writing tools.
Naturally, a template is helpful when I start with a jumble of ideas. Templates bring order from ...
Continue reading "How using a template helps you write more powerful content"
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