Idea Generator

Unleashing the Goddess Within

To follow-up on my Website Manifesto, I'm going to tell the story of a website sales page that I recently edited. Watch for another website story next month!

Sharon Turnbull, PhD, of GoddessGift.com hired me to edit the sales page for her Goddess Quiz. I was really intrigued by her product, impressed by her knowledge and eager to step into her Goddess world.

The existing page was way longer than she wanted it be, because she was trying to explain some pretty complex topics - archetypal psychology and personality assessments. She also has a huge wealth of information to share and she didn't want her readers to miss out on any of it! Maybe she was trying to write the sales page of a lifetime?

In an effort to keep the page to a manageable length, Sharon had included links to a lot of different pages with more information, inviting her website visitors on a long and fascinating journey. The problem was that it was too easy for them to get lost or distracted along the way.

We worked together to bring the focus back to one purpose: encouraging website visitors to buy the Goddess Quiz.

The result? Sharon's Goddess Quiz sales page is now much more focused. There are three outbound links that open as small new windows; one has more information about each of the Goddess types, and the other two are personal stories of how others have benefited from the Goddess Quiz.

I asked Sharon about the difference it made to have my help with her sales page, and here's what she told me:

“Though I was initially dreading having to ‘brain dump’ on someone who knew nothing about my unusual product, everything about you and your process quickly reassured me I'd made the right decision. You listened carefully and took my concerns to heart while gracefully introducing original ideas that literally rejuvenated that tired old sales page I'd been using. You reconnected me to my story and gave it momentum.

Somehow you knew exactly what to change and what to keep in the copy to make it clear and concise. And the tone was perfect – not hard sell, but not too “woo-woo” either. Your powerfully crafted page was right-on-target and you delivered it in a way that was phenomenal . . . not only prompt and efficient, but actually instructive and enjoyable. Linda, you were Goddess-sent!”

P.S. The results are in! My own Goddess Quiz results showed that I am a Persephone. Check out Sharon's Goddess page to find out what that means about me, or take the quiz yourself!

The Confidence to Write and Write and Write

Mary Wollard is an attorney/mediator, and we met following a tele-class series I did for the members of Dina Lynch's ADR Practice Builder community in the summer of 2007. Now a long-term editing client, Mary tells me that since we've been working together, she has so much more confidence and enthusiasm about writing.

She loves to write and has no shortage of great ideas, but in the past she's always been held up by worries about the quality of her writing.

Now, she just writes (and writes, and writes), with the confidence and reassurance that another set of eyes will go over her blog posts before she publishes them.

Mary specializes in co-parenting issues following divorce, and her articles are amazing! Her blog is at http://cofamilysolutions.blogspot.com/. Have a look, and please pass it along to anyone who could benefit from her sage wisdom.

When I asked Mary about the difference it makes having me as her editor, she had this to say:

"It is such a relief to know that I can concentrate on getting my ideas down and not on perfecting the final product. Linda's edits are always so thoughtful and make everything I write more readable without changing the original intent or flavor. Having Linda on my team is an essential part of my business plan."

Getting technical

Sandra De Freitas, the Tech for Coaches, hired me to edit her book, "Does this Blogsite make my Wallet look Fat? How to use a WordPress blogsite to make money, attract clients and gain expert celebrity status."

WordPress is a free (open source) blogging tool that's also a powerful content management system (CMS).  With Sandra's book, you'll be able to use WordPress to create your very own blogsite (a combination of a blog and a website). And you could probably do it over a weekend.

Sound good? Email bookvip@aweber.com to get on Sandra’s VIP list for pre-sale pricing.

This was the perfect time for this book to have come into my life, because I was actually creating a blogsite at the time (for a non-profit group that I'm involved with). Not only did it make it MUCH easier to get my site done, but I was able to be much more helpful to Sandra. I had first-hand experience building a site with WordPress AND I had used her book to do it.

Aside from editing, I also made a couple of suggestions about WordPress functions that still had me confused, and we worked together on adding some new sections to the book.

Above all, CLARITY was key for this project. We needed to ensure that "geeks" and "non-geeks" alike will be up and running with WordPress in no time flat. So as I read Sandra's helpful, jargon-free instructions, I tried them out in my own WordPress system, and made sure they were crystal clear and accurate.

I am SO pleased with the work I did on Sandra's book, and extremely proud to be involved with it.

Sandra is amazingly disciplined - it's truly inspiring! "I gave myself a tight deadline and then made it even tighter, " she said, "I wrote this book from start to finish in 3 1/2 weeks and I only used the weekends to do it." Wow!

When I asked Sandra about the difference it made having an editor on the project, she had this to say:

"I knew before I even wrote the book that I would hire you to edit it. You may not know this, Linda, but I actually considered extending my deadline a few times because of various excuses. Having you on my team and reading your emails about our time line really helped me focus and stay with it. I also loved the funny subtitles you added to the book! Thanks for keeping me on track, encouraging me to keep writing and making me look good!"

UPDATE (May 9, 2008) - Sandra's book is now available from www.WordPressBlogsites.com. Here she is with the book:

Merry Go 'Round in Hand, Instant Courage in Heart

A ghostwriting client recently shared a great story with me.

In her "Claim Your Expertise" session, mediator Wanda Joseph and I worked on honing in on a more specific niche group of clients. It was a delicate balance between the stretch and the comfort zone, and I think she did great!

We ended up a little broader than I originally recommended, but her target group of "workplaces in the public sector," was MUCH narrower than what she'd started with.

Wanda was curious and excited about the possibility of creating information products, as a supplement to her training programs and as a way of helping more clients than she could possibly reach in person.

We started with The Merry Go 'Round, a written sample of her training expertise. With fun & creative icebreakers and suggestions for respectful ground rules, it's designed to improve the climate of conflict-ridden staff meetings.

The report will soon be downloadable from her new website (our other work-in-progress) in exchange for the visitor's name, email address and permission to keep in touch.

A few weeks ago, my client was traveling and found herself face-to-face with a member of her niche market. She could see that this particular person didn't need her services - she was more like an "after" picture than a "before" picture!

However, my client had the insight to realize that this was still an amazing opportunity. She complimented the person on what she was seeing, introduced herself and talked about her work. The woman immediately provided contacts for her regional association of libraries, instant access to a huge potential market.

The clincher? My client handed the woman a print-out of the Merry Go 'Round, featuring the valuable do-it-yourself exercises and all of her contact information.

"I had so much more confidence to approach this woman with that special report in my hands. I've been afraid to sell myself before, but now I see that I have a valuable service that people want to know about and tell other people about."

"Writing the Merry Go 'Round report with you also gave me the language to describe what I do - both from the positive perspective of someone who's doing it right, and from the opposite perspective of someone who has the problem that I can solve."

So what are we up to now? We're writing an e-book compilation of her winning training strategies. It's going great, and I just can't wait to see where we end up!

Two Shades of White (Papers)

I recently worked on two very different white papers for two very different clients.

What's a white paper? According to Michael Stelzner, White Paper Expert, "A white paper is a persuasive document that usually describes problems and how to solve them. The white paper is a crossbreed of a magazine article and a brochure. It takes the objective and educational approach of an article and weaves in persuasive corporate messages typically found in brochures." (source: http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/resources.html, retrieved February 15, 2008)

White Paper #1 - What's a Wiki?

Client #1 is a technology, social media and e-business specialist and coach who works with business-to-business companies. In this case, her client was a company that specializes in helping corporations with their internal, corporate communications.

My client asked me to edit her white paper about social media for corporate communications. She'd already done an excellent job of pulling together a lot of complex, technological information. Her client had already given her some feedback about the tone of the piece, and I helped her make these revisions. As well, I read the paper as a "newbie" (which I AM, to several of these social media applications) and made sure the language was clear and free of jargon.

At the end of the paper, she illustrated 5 different social media applications by telling the stories (and you know I love stories!) of companies who use them. I helped her maintain consistency in the format of these stories by using the same headings and level of detail in each.

Working on this project, I got a glimpse into a brilliant mind, I learned a TON about a hot topic, and I provided my client with a valuable service so that she could put her attention on other things. I love what I do!

When I asked her about working with me on her white paper, my client said: "It was a relief to be able to turn this piece over to someone who I knew would do a good job. Many editors only know how to edit for clarity or grammar...but you know those things and you know how to edit for tone. I appreciated your capability and skill set on that project."

White Paper #2 - Fire Up Your Life!

Client #2 is actually a pair of clients, Lissa Bergin-Boles and Randy Boles, of True Callings (http://www.truecallings.net).

Lissa and Randy asked me to edit and reshape their white paper, Fire Up Your Life. We talked through their ideas of what they wanted to include, they gave me a sample of a white paper they really like, and they sent along some writing they'd already put together.

Ok, to be honest, there was a LOT of writing to go through. The total number of words in the documents and our call notes? 4,846. The number of words in the white paper I turned back? 1,578. Phew!

Lissa and Randy are two very creative, very prolific, forward-thinkers. So whenever it's time to put an END to a piece of writing, they call on me. Because, left to their own devices, these two would never run out of ideas, words or steam (though they might run out of paper ;)

If you want to Fire Up Your Life, take a look at Lissa and Randy's white paper. But do it soon, because inside it is a special, time-limited opportunity.

When I asked Lissa and Randy about working with me on Fire Up Your Life they had this to say: "Taking the best of our (many) thoughts and (many) ideas, and staying true to our voice, Linda knew what to keep and what to put aside, weaving everything together beautifully. She even welcomed – and made great use of - ‘sneak peek’ reader feedback. To put it simply, Linda has a gift for making the complex clear and the whole process enormously easier. We can’t sing her praises loudly enough."

Making the News - Grandmother Power

Editing clients Cecile and Cindy asked me to add some "pizzazz" to their book announcement. They wanted it to appeal to both the media and potential contributors to their book. I used a traditional press release format, but kept both audiences in mind. They've given me permission to share the results with you.

When I talked to Cecile and Cindy about what it was like to have me involved in the project,  I heard, "Where have you been all my life?" and "Talking to you instilled so much more creativity into what we're doing - I felt more pumped about it."

Thanks, ladies, and good luck with the book!

As you read this press release, I hope you'll also consider whether you or someone you know might be a potential contributor to this important book-in-the-making.

GRANDMOTHERS USE THE POWER OF STORIES TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH: Grandmothers representing many of Canada's different cultures will come together to create a handbook of life lessons for today's children and youth.

It's no secret that Canadian children and youth face a number of serious issues, ranging from violence in schools to obesity and other health issues. Coaches and authors Cecile Peterkin and Cindy Stradling know that grandmothers have the answers! Their upcoming book, "Grandma's Wisdom, A Time Capsule of Treasures" will pool together the real-life experiences and wisdom of women who've weathered a lifetime of challenges.

The book project will benefit all involved – from the grandmothers who can make a meaningful contribution to the next generation, to the children and youth who will discover "secrets" and other gems about their own culture and history in these fascinating and true stories. Plus, 25% of the proceeds of this book will be donated to the Children's Wish Foundation.

Submissions from the public are welcome, and each story should be no more than 500 words. Multiple submissions are allowed, and the best 25 stories will be published in the book. Grandmothers who want to participate can email cecile@cosmiccoachingcentre.com or  cstradling@smartsolutionsseries.com for detailed instructions.

Children and young people who want to interview their grandmothers as a school or family project can also email cecile@cosmiccoachingcentre.com or cstradling@smartsolutionsseries.com to request a free interview questionnaire. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, intergenerational activities such as this one strengthen communities, encourage acceptance and cultural exchange, enhance socialization for both groups, decreases drug use in youth and improve the health of seniors.

Cecile Peterkin and Cindy Stradling are coaches and authors who are both committed to youth development and personal growth.

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For more information about this project, please contact Cecile Peterkin by phone at 416-782-5001, by email at cecile@cosmiccoachingcentre.com on the web at http://www.cosmiccoachingcentre.com, or Cindy Stradling by phone at 416-290-5227, by email at cstradling@smartsolutionsseries.com on the web at http://www.smartsolutionsseries.com.

Turning Lemons into a Bestseller

A month or two ago, a woman approached me with her idea for a book. She had been through a pretty hard time.The man she fell in love with and married was married before. Her new husband's ex-wife had some issues with the way things turned out, and made no secret of it.

Some of the stories my client has told me are pretty shocking. And she could be mad, she could even be vengeful. But she's not. In fact, she's one of the most accepting and loving people I've ever met. She's truly used the experience to draw on her resources and inner strength, and to forge a strong partnership and relationship with her husband.

Now, she wants to turn her experiences into something that can help other women who are going through the same thing.

The purpose of her upcoming book, "Surviving the Ex-Wife," is to be a supportive, empowering, fun (wait until you read about the "sexfest"!) and helpful resource for the woman who is having a challenging relationship with her partner's ex.

To increase the value of this resource, we're now looking for outside contributions because we know there are many lessons to be learned and shared. So we're looking to interview both other "second wives," as well as relationship experts.

And that's where YOU come in!

Do you have real life experience being a "second wife"? You don't have to be married, but you do need to have faced some challenges with your partner's former wife.

If so, please visit our online interview survey, or pass it on to someone you know:
http://snipurl.com/exwife_secondwives

Or are you a relationship expert, such as a coach, therapist, mediator or counsellor, with specific experience healing these types of relationships?

If you're willing to share your expertise with our readers, please visit our online interview survey:
http://snipurl.com/exwife_experts

Thank you! We will greatly value your contribution! Second wives, your name won't be used and you don't even have to give it to us. Experts, if your ideas are selected for the book, we will also print your bio and contact information.

Please don't delay - this book needs to get out into the world to do it's work. The survey will close on December 21, 2007.

And if you have a life experience that deserves to be a book, let's do it!
http://www.lindadessau.com/talk-write-ghostwriting.html

This Book is my Baby

Awhile back, I finished my first round of edits of a book by Kamin Bell. She's a coach, and has written an inspirational personal story, chock FULL of wonderful details.

Aside from general editing for readability, clarity, commonly misused words and grammar issues, I also pared down some of the details.

Did I Take out too Much?

I admit I was a bit nervous removing so much content, but as Kamin reported in our next telephone meeting,

"I loved what you did. Every time I came across a section you deleted I said, "Interesting!" and I could immediately see that those details didn't add anything to the story. Other changes just made me say, "Wow!" Your editing and the engaging words you chose have made the story flow so much better."

This Book is my Baby

Further, Kamin told me,

"From the first day we spoke, I felt I could trust you. There is a gentleness in which you communicate, even as you're being honest and straight to the point. This book is my baby, and I knew that in your hands it would be cared for."

Learn more about Kamin's book, Journey to Abdunance, at http://www.journey2abundance.com.

Success Stories (testing, testing....)

Putting together these Client Stories got me thinking. What if I offered to help YOU create stories about the great work you do?

I wanted to test it out first - was this a writing product people would want? Would they want my help to create it? What's the best way to make that happen?

So off I went in search of "beta" testers, and I found Gail Shields of All the Right Moves.

Because Gail and I met at a local Women in a Home Office networking event, we were actually able to meet in person for our writing session - what a treat!

Beta Testing

So, what was in it for Gail?

• A free 500-word Success Story with her name attached to it, all about the wonderful work she did for one of her clients
• The chance to try out my services for free
• Unlimited possibilities for the article, such as publication online or in print, as a handout at networking events and/or for her website

So, what was in for me?

• I got to test out my case study questionnaire
• Invaluable feedback from Gail about the experience
• Permission to use the story as a sample on my website
• A written testimonial from Gail:

"Linda, working with you on this success story has given me complete faith in your ability. I am especially grateful for the quick turn-around because having started the process I was really anxious to get the finished product “out there”.

Linda managed to convey the elements of the work I do, with a clear sense of the joy and pride I feel, in just one concise article. They are my words but without hours and hours of effort on my part. The process was almost too good to be true. I think having this success story will enhance my website and also provide an opportunity for increased media exposure. I know too much about my own business and can’t say it in a few words. Having someone to edit it down is extremely valuable."

Read the Success Story that Gail and I created together.

If you'd like to have your own Success Story for your newsletter, website or blog, please book a Claim Your Expertise session or contact me for more details.

There's Gold in These Hills!

One of the best ways to encourage new website visitors to join your mailing list is to offer them a valuable free gift in exchange. But some coaches, speakers and organizers don't think they have anything to offer.

That wasn't the case for Cristina Favreau of The Savvy Entrepreneur. When she set out to put together a free gift for her website, she knew she had some untapped "gold" (content) to mine.

The Gold

Cristina had recently led some very successful workshops about Designing a Compelling 30-second Intro. And she'd prepared a script, which contained all of the valuable content from the workshop.

The Challenge

She had great information, but it was written as a script, not as a learning guide. She knew that it needed to be re-formatted, cleaned up and re-written in order to be the valuable gift she wanted to offer.

A fellow member of the New Coach Connection, Cristina saw a promotion that I sent, visited my website and contacted me to find out more.

The result?  Well, in Cristina's own words, "[Linda] did an amazing job of taking what I had written (which was in my informal speech format) and turned it into something I’m extremely proud of. I’m biased, but I think my guidebook, Designing a Compelling 30-second Intro, is kick-ass."

To read Cristina's guidebook, please visit http://snipurl.com/compellingintro. You can also visit Cristina's blog (http://snipurl.com/fauxpas) to hear more about why she chose to hire me, why she's glad she did, and why she wishes other people would!

In response, I shared my own thoughts about learning styles and adding value to audio in a recent blog post (http://snipurl.com/learningstyles).

P.S. Cristina is in a contest called Blog For a Year (http://www.blogforayear.com/profiles/cristina-favreau). Please visit her contestant page and if you like what you read, why not give her your vote!

Organizing the Organizer

An organizer with her own show on HGTV came to her VA (virtual assistant) Lisa Wells with a challenge.

The organizer had been approached by an online magazine that loved her work on the show and wanted her to submit an article.

This woman was a great organizer, but writing?

She knew she was in over her head.

Added Value

Since Lisa's expertise is to provide her clients with excellent technical and administrative support (not writing or editing), she passed the challenge on to me. She also acted as the project manager, making the process seamless for her client and boosting the value of her own services.

Organizing the Organizer

The story the organizer had put together showcased her successful work with a family who had a very cluttered closet.

Her writing needed - dare I say - some organization!

I structured her ideas into sections, telling her story in a logical way.

I used numbered lists and bullet points to break up the information and make it much easier to digest.

I incorporated extra content she had provided (such as an FAQ list) to add sidebar material like simple tips and information about professional organizers.

I also cleaned up her writing a bit, looking for grammar issues and commonly misused words.

I absolutely loved working on this project, and shortly after I added "Organizers" to my roster of ideal clients (along with Coaches and Speakers).

Why not get started on your writing project today? You could have a great new promotional tool in place by September!

From the Podium to the Page

An inspirational speaker, who is a client of mine, has been making great use of my "You Talk It, I'll Write It" article service.

As a speaker, he's obviously great at creating amazing content that inspires and motivates others into action, but he hasn't been taking advantage of article marketing to drive traffic to his website and increase his credibility and exposure.

We meet on the phone, and in one hour we can create content for two or even three 500- to 750-word articles (we're getting quicker and more efficient the longer we work together).

His articles have impressed the folks at a prominent US-based website, currently showcasing inspirational speakers such as Deepak Chopra, Steven Covey and Debbie Ford, and now, my client.

So remember, you don't have to be a writer to wow people with great written resources.

You Talk It, I'll Write It!