Blog | Write Now Editing

5 Tips for Better Social Media Posts

July 10, 2017 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

It’s hard to be in business these days without at least one social media account. Pinterest boards, Instagram photos, Facebook status updates. No matter what you do, it’s possible to write better social media posts that will help you connect more with your audience. (And it might surprise you to find out how many of these don’t actually have anything to do with writing!)

Here are five quick ways for you to create better social media posts:

Use Images. Nothing attracts attention like a good looking photo. I learned that lesson when writing for the local newspaper. It didn’t matter how well-written my story was; the front page, above-the-fold story went to the most relevant article with the best picture. The same is true online. People often notice pictures before they notice headlines, especially when the photos appear first when scrolling down a screen. Adding a good quality photo will make a good first impression.
Ask Questions. When you share information, people will read it and move on. When you share information (or an opinion) then ask questions about it, you give people a reason to interact. Next time you post something, ask a related question and see what happens.
Get Personal. Not tell-people-about-your-new-underwear personal, but don’t be afraid to show the person behind the business. You can even show the animals behind the business! If you check out my Facebook author page, you’ll see a picture of my editing assistant – she has four legs and her name’s Midgie. I also have a typing assistant and a motivational coach (Bucket and Cooper) who make appearances. Letting people see “the man behind the curtain” will help them relate to you on a social level.
Exercise Self-control. Some days you’re online and every click takes you to a new, interesting article/video/meme that you’re sure your audience will love. Be kind to them, though – don’t post everything on one day or within one hour. Either save the links for later, or take advantage of scheduling features and programs. Your readers will thank you for not taking over their news feeds.
Proofread. (Because I had to include one writing-related tip.) Before you post or schedule, take a few seconds to make sure there aren’t any typos (especially when posting from your phone!). You can edit some posts later, but catching mistakes before you post them will make sure everyone receives the same great first impression.

Taking a few extra minutes to do these five things can help you create social media posts that should attract more attention and stimulate more engagement. Do you have any other tips that have worked for your social media audience? Please let us know!

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Entrepreneur Interview: Rebecca Camarena

July 3, 2017 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

Are you an expert in your field? Have you ever thought about writing a book to share your expertise? If you have, and you’re not a professional writer, then you probably need someone like Rebecca Camarena. More than just an editor, she helps people with every step of the book writing/publishing process. Here’s how she does it.

Tell us about your business. Please include what you do, when you started your own business, and why.
I’m a book coach and editor. I have been working with authors for the last ten years guiding them through all the steps of self-publishing (writing, editing, publishing and marketing). I started my business doing book publicity and then gradually moved into editing and book coaching. It was hard to see authors being taken advantage of by many unscrupulous places and people. I’m a hands-on person providing one-on-one attention to all my clients. I always provide honest feedback and work until the client is satisfied. It’s a satisfying experience when they hold that book in their hands.

What has been your biggest struggle in launching your business/career?
I think the biggest struggle has been mindset. I always worked for someone else in Corporate America and was told what to do. Now, that I’m the boss it’s up to me to figure out what I want, what direction I want to go in, and how to get there. There is no one else to rely on. It’s all on me. But it comes with satisfaction knowing that the end result is helping authors publish their books. The single drawback about working in a company of one is that there is no one else at the Christmas party.

How are you overcoming that obstacle?
Each day I welcome new challenges and continue to raise expectations for myself. I am constantly learning and reaching out to those who have more expertise than I do. By holding myself to higher expectations, I can help my clients with more of their needs.

What’s surprised you the most about working for yourself?
I’m really surprised at how eager I am to learn, grown, and challenge myself. I have always been a self-starter, but if anyone had told me how much fun it would be working for me, I would have tried it years ago.

What’s your favorite part of this kind of work?
My passion is writing and editing. My degree is in English Literature. I love how the words flow on a page. I’m fascinated by how twenty-six letters of the English alphabet can make so many stories. While it can be a struggle sometimes to get the words to flow on the page, when they do come together it’s like fitting together the pieces of a puzzle.

Is there any one event/moment that helped you move from starting your own business to making a living with your own business?
I’m a service-based business, and the pivotal part of my business was getting clients. Rather than constantly be on the search for new clients, I decided to offer more services. Up to this point, I had been strictly focusing on helping people market books, so I added in editing, ghostwriting, and publishing. This allow me to work with authors at any stage of the book process. The longer they work with me, the more trust is built between us. Often times, they will refer others to me and come back with their second and third books.

If you could give a new freelance workers/entrepreneurs one piece of advice, what would it be?
Educate yourself on all aspects of your business, including financial, sales, content marketing, and social media. Have annual, quarterly, monthly, and weekly goals in place. Find experts in your field to emulate or hire as a coach. Network with people, build relationships, and provide value to your customers. Focus on your strengths and hire out your weaknesses.

If you could do one thing differently in your career, what would it be?
I wouldn’t judge myself so harshly. I realize I push myself too much to be better, to know more, but sometimes I just need to take a step back and look at how far I have come in being a book coach and at how many authors I have helped. I need to savor the successes.

What’s your favorite kind of work? Why?
I enjoy editing. Writers tend to be overly protective of their words, but as an editor, I can objectively advise and suggest improvements.

What does your work space/office look like?
My work space is a room in my house. It is a blank canvas with white walls and white curtains to bring in as much natural light as possible. I don’t like colors on the walls as it makes the room feel smaller. Since writing is entirely personal, I prefer to add my own touches through pictures and writer objects that make the space feel comforting and allow for creativity.

What does your workday look like?
Sometimes it seems that I work around the clock. I take advantage of any time I can get. If I have to step away during the day, I’m back at the computer at night. I use time blocks for hours, and at least one day a week I devote the entire day to writing. There is a certain amount of detail to everything I do, so it’s difficult to spend thirty minutes on any one thing. Client calls are in the morning or evening. I’m very flexible and understand that sometimes authors have a job and can’t be available during the day. Friday is mostly for administrative work.

What’s your go-to snack when you need one?
I’m so involved in my work that I don’t snack. I make it a point not to bring food into my work space. There’s just too much of a possibility for things to fall on the computer or get the keys greasy.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Nothing is impossible. The word itself says, “I’m possible.” No matter your dream, find a way to make it come true. We live in an age where ambition and technology can truly make things happen. Embrace it!

Thank you so much for appearing on my blog – have a blessed day!

Skip Solitary Entrepreneurship – Find Your People

June 26, 2017 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

In 2007, I attended my first writers conference. At the American Christian Writers Conference in Grand Rapids, conference coordinator Reg Forder introduced himself and explained that everyone in the room – all of us strangers – had two things in common: no one could walk past a bookstore or office supply store without going inside.

As everyone in the room nodded, I knew I’d found kindred spirits.

There’s just something about a group of people who can (and do) talk about characters as if they were real people, who celebrate the Oxford comma, and who spend an entire meal discussing books and movies with the same passion that some people might discuss current events. Like-minded people – especially those who work in the same industry – understand each other’s struggles and successes. Your family and friends will never understand your passion quite like a room full of strangers. Your network of writers becomes an invaluable support system.

I’ve been attending conferences for the past decade. I’ve met several amazing people, and have developed some lasting friendships, but this year I experienced something I’ve never experienced before. This year I found my people.

It happened at PENCON 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. After various writing conferences (for fiction, non-fiction, and the press), PENCON was my first editor’s conference. While writing and editing are closely related, there’s a fine line separating them. Subtle differences that require specific training and practice. They’re first cousins in the same artistic family tree.

As much as I love writers (I’m a writer myself), something about the editors touched a hidden, unknown place in my heart. Instead of introducing myself to strangers, it felt like meeting up with old friends. Some how we managed to inspire instant trust, form immediate bonds, and develop our own unique family. More than mere kindred spirits, I’d finally found my people.

Why am I sharing this?

Because your people are out there.

If you haven’t found them yet, keep looking. It may take a few tries (it took me two critique groups and more than a dozen writing conferences of various sizes). You don’t have to read or write the same things. You don’t have to be the same age. You don’t even have to be extroverted! Just be yourself. Be honest with each other. Open yourself up. Eventually you’ll find the people who speak to your heart, and those people will become irreplaceable in your professional and personal lives.

Go. Find your people.

Good Listeners are Good Writers

June 19, 2017 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

“I love it – you really understand the heart of our organization.”

“Perfect! You make me sound so smart!”

What writer wouldn’t want to get these kinds of compliments? They came from happy clients, which are the kinds of clients you want. It wasn’t the correct grammar, syntax, and punctuation that made these clients happy, though. They loved the content, which turned out better than they’d expected. How was I able to deliver those kinds of results?

I listened.

Good listeners make good writers, and good writers make clients happy. However, listening means more than just jotting down the words that someone says. You need to really hear what they’re saying, then be willing to change your strategy if needed. Whether you’re writing articles or business copy, here are four ways you can hone your listening skills to create content that will impress your clients.

Hear what they say. Do they talk about their hobbies? The places they’ve been? Their education? If your client mentions something a lot, it’s probably important to him. Weaving that into the content will show that you picked up on it.
Example: One client told me all about his wife, daughters, and granddaughter, referring to his wife and his lighthouse and admitting that his granddaughter had him wrapped around her little finger. It wasn’t a stretch to call him a dedicated family man. He loved that I’d noticed that and included it in his biography.

Hear what they DON’T say. Inflections. Avoidance. All of those show you what a client may not want to discuss or highlight, but that doesn’t mean you should leave it out of your article/content. You need to interpret what those pauses mean.
Example: I once interviewed an award-winning teacher. I was supposed to write an article about him, but he answered every question with as few words as possible. Instead of forcing it, I asked him about his students. I then spent some extra time asking his students about him (not originally part of the plan). In the final article, I talked about his humility and dedication to the school and about not taking the spotlight for himself, then I filled the space with praise for him from his students. His colleagues said the article perfectly reflected him and his teaching style.

Hear what they’re trying to say. Few people take the time to think before they speak. They’re uncomfortable with silence, so they talk through their thought processes. It’s easy to accumulate 1,000+ words of rambling notes for a 500-word article or blog post. It’s your job to sift through that to figure out what your client really wants to say.
Example: Every year I interview an organization regarding their annual event. Per their request, I email the questions in advance. When I arrive, they give me pages of typed out information, then we conduct the interview. I end up with pages of notes that I sift through to find the heart of the story. It always means cutting entertaining (but unrelated) information, but I end up with a concise, focused article. Every year I receive a thank you letter saying how happy they are – again – that I found the heart of their event and put it into words.

Hear the real Sometimes you’ll got into a meeting with a page of pre-written questions because you think you know what you’re going to write. If you don’t listen to your client’s answers, however, you might miss the real story. Be flexible enough to make adjustments.
Example: I was assigned to write a business feature about a local entrepreneur. As we talked, however, I learned that she was also a talented singer/songwriter. The longer we talked, the clearer it became – her business wasn’t nearly as interesting as she was. Instead of a business feature, I pitched my editor the idea of a personal feature. Instead of talking about her work, I talked about her passion for people – a passion that fueled both her business and her music. She was thrilled with the final result and how it told her whole story.

When you listen well, you write better because you have a deeper understanding of your clients and their stories. Whether you’re writing web biographies, articles, or books, listening to and processing your clients’ stories will create more accurate, better-developed content that you can both be proud of.

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Good Listeners are Good Entrepreneurs

June 12, 2017 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

Dealing with conflict is never easy. In fact, some people dread it so much that they’ll do anything to avoid it. A noble endeavor, but not always feasible (or the best option). As a freelance professional and entrepreneur, you can’t avoid conflict – often you’re the only person available to fix the situation!

When it comes time to dealing with a complaint, concern, or any type of issue (be it with a customer or employee), the most important thing to remember is to listen. Why?

To get the full story…You may have heard rumors and you may think you know what’s going on, but chances are good that your interpretation of the situation is off. This is especially true if you’ve heard any gossip about the situation (which I recommend you ignore). You want to make sure you know exactly what happened, and you want to make sure you know how your customer or employee interpreted it.
To show that you care…I once went to a job interview where the supervisor picked his fingernails and stared out the windows. I would answer his questions with extra information, then he’d ask me for the information I’d just given him. It was the first time I’d left an interview and not wanted a call back – if he didn’t care enough to listen through an interview, what kind of boss would he have been? Unfortunately people often handle conflict the same way. Don’t. Prove that you care – make eye contact, take notes, and stay engaged.
To improve relations…Conflict doesn’t always have to end badly. Often times it can lead to improved customer and employee relations, as well as improved customer service, because you’re willing to acknowledge your weaknesses and (hopefully!) correct them as needed.

And now I’m going to give you the most important tip I can offer – I’m going to tell you how to listen. It seems simple enough, but there’s one key component that you need to remember. Before I give you the key, consider this scenario:

A customer contacts you with a complaint. Before you talk with that customer, you decide how to fix the situation. You know which solution you want to offer and how you want to implement it. While you’re talking with your customer, you’re thinking about when to present your solution and how he’ll receive it.

Do you see the problem? You’re not really listening. Sure, you’re having a conversation, but your mind is wandering. You haven’t given that customer the attention he deserves and is looking for. It’s time to pull out your listening key – mindfulness. What I mean by that is this:

Be mentally present. Don’t think. Don’t strategize. Just listen.

Remember, you might not yet have the full story. You need to make sure you understand the situation before you respond. That means giving your customers or employees your full attention, not just them time to discuss the situation. When you listen (instead of simply responding) you’re not only showing people that you care, you’re also showing that you’re willing to learn and improve yourself as a person and company. Who wouldn’t want to business with someone like that?

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