You’re a businessperson. You may not think of yourself as a writer, but you know that writing well can boost your results and your career. Naturally, you want to do better. Every week I point you to one or two pieces that I think will teach you something or spark an idea or two. This week I’m pointing you to pieces on how Shane Snow writes and using a quizzes on your blog.
From Demian Farnworth: Here’s How Shane Snow (Founder of Contently) Writes
“If you are going to run a company around a slogan like ‘Tell Great Stories,’ or rally your troops by adopting the Native American proverb ‘Those who tell the stories rule the world,’ then it pays to build an environment that fosters great writing.”
Wally’s Comment: Shane is currently promoting his book, Smartcuts: How Hackers, Innovators, and Icons Accelerate Success. Not surprisingly, part of that promotion involves articles which seem to be popping up all over the web. Check out “The Innovator’s Question: What Would Fosbury Do?” and “Shane Snow’s Five Essential Books on Lateral Thinking.”
From Elli Bishop: Why the Humble Quiz is a Brilliant Content Marketing Tactic
“You might be surprised to learn that the number one article on ‘The New York Times’ in 2013 wasn’t an article, it was a quiz.”
Wally’s Comment: Quizzes can combine a reader-stopping headline with an involvement device, the quiz itself. That’s a powerful combination.
Sources I Check Regularly
I find the posts and articles that I share with you on The Writer’s Edge in many places. But there are a few that provide insightful pieces again and again. Here they are.