Are you blogging your heart out, but not getting a lot of readers?
Do potential clients seem unimpressed by your blogging portfolio?
Well, here’s one way to really grab some eyeballs and get the online traction that brings clients to your door:
Deliver an exclusive, fascinating interview with a prominent person.
Wait, wait, I hear you say — how will I ever get anyone to talk to me? Worse, what if someone does talk to me and I get so nervous I blow it?
You’d be surprised at how easy it is.
As a journalist by training and a former staff reporter, I’ve interviewed hundreds of people. If one person you want to talk to won’t say yes, I can promise you, there’s someone else who will.
And with the 7 tips I’m about to share, your nerves won’t matter.
Why interviews? Having fresh information in your posts is key to driving traffic. Most blog posts just recycle things we’ve all seen 100 times before, so when you have exclusive interviews, you immediately stand out.
In fact, when writers ask me how they can earn more this year, I tell them to learn article writing. And the big thing that makes articles more interesting than the typical blog post is the interviews.
Of course, once you get someone to talk to you, you have to be a great interviewer to get some really juicy comments. Here are my tips for how to ace your interview and create an attention-getting blog post:
1: Be prepared
Before your interview time, do some research on your subject.
Learn about their point of view, their personal life, their hobbies. Fortunately, the Internet makes this a snap.
You can use some of this knowledge to break the ice and get your source chatting. You want them relaxed and gabbing with you. That improves your odds that they’ll say something truly provocative and quotable.
See what they’ve already said in print or online — and think about how to move that forward. Is there a new book, speaking tour, political campaign, retail store, charity they founded? (Doing this research and showing you know what your target is doing can also help you get a “yes” when you’re pitching the interview.)
2: Talk live
Based on the many requests I get to be ‘interviewed’ by typing answers to a few emailed questions, many bloggers don’t know that emails are not interviews. You’re not going to get anything great this way.
Instead, set up a phone or Skype interview time — or meet them in person, if they’re local.
With a live interview, you’ll have the chance to shift on the fly, and ask follow-up questions if your subject says something intriguing. This is how you draw out exclusive info.
You also have a chance to build a relationship with your source, so that you might grow this connection. Maybe you’ll guest post on their blog in future, include them in a roundup, or interview them again. That’s a big way to grow your blog audience.
3: Get the facts
Kick off your interview like a pro journalist and ask those five “W” questions — who, what, when, where, and why. You may think it’s obvious, but if you don’t have practice at this, it’s easy to leave without some of the basic info you need to make your interview seem legit.
To flesh that out for you, be sure to get things like:
- Who are you? And who are you collaborating with?
- What are you doing right now that’s newsworthy?
- When is it happening? All year? A week from Tuesday?
- Where is it happening? Online? In Los Angeles? In space?
- Why should readers care? Why is this important?
To that I’d add a “How” question too, such as “How long ago did you start blogging?” or “How are you going to fix this problem?”
And always: “How can I best get back in touch with you if I have more questions when I’m writing this up?”
These basic questions are great to ask up-front, because they’re easy for the source to answer and that puts them at ease.
4: Shut up
Great interviewing is all about being quiet and letting your source talk. Ask open-ended questions that can’t be answered “yes” or “no,” and then just sit back and take notes. (Use the recording feature on Skype or Zoom for backup if you’re not a fast typist or note-taker.)
When your subject gets to the end of a thought, don’t jump in right away with your next question. Just sit still. Chances are, within about 10 seconds, your source will add something else. This is where they think a bit more, and add that one fresh fact that gives you a scoop.
People abhor silence, so they’ll jump in and tell you more. Sometimes, they’ll even tell you things they really shouldn’t, just to fill that silence.
If being quiet doesn’t get results, you could take another tack:
5: Be a bomb-thrower
Want to get something really buzz-worthy to put in a blog post? Ask a hot question. Be provoking. Make it controversial, incendiary, aggravating, personal, contrary.
Don’t make nice-nice. Get in your source’s face. Call them on their B.S.
See if you can prod your source into saying something wild. This is the tabloid journalist’s stock angle.
How do you know what the hot topic is? Do some more research — and dig for dirt this time. Check for lawsuits, signs of a checkered past, financial irregularities, unhappy past customers, disgruntled former employees, competitors, bitter ex-spouses.
Google “[person name] sucks” and see what you get.
One key tip about asking bombshell questions that I learned from legendary muckraking journalist Jessica Mitford: If you’re going to go for the jugular, save those questions for last. That way, you’ve already got something usable, in case they refuse to answer and walk out or hang up on you.
You may not want to try this on the blogger you idolize and want to build a relationship with, but asking the hot question can give you the dirt you need to create a blog post that goes massively viral.
6: Hand it off
Don’t just read off your question list and wrap it up. Instead, put your subject in the driver’s seat. It may surprise you, and take your interview in new directions.
Two questions I like to ask: “Is there anything about this topic you wanted to say that you haven’t?” and “Is there anything else you wanted to talk about? If there’s something else in your sector that’s a hot topic that I’ve missed, I’d love to hear.”
Many times, this cracks the interview wide open. “Hell, yes — people need to be warned about this dangerous, emerging trend!” is the type of response you often get. And now, you’ve got a better story.
When you get to the end of the interview, ask a leading question about the future, too, such as, “What’s next for you?”
They may not have thought to tell anyone yet about the upcoming conference they’ll be presenting at, the new class they’re about to introduce, or what their next book will be titled. Your question will draw that out, and help you have a scoop for your blog.
7: Sculpt your quotes
Judging from what I read online, a lot of writers don’t seem to realize that not everything your source says belongs in quotation marks — only the tastiest, most memorable, pithy remarks.
You get those tweetable quotes by cleaning up what your source said. It may seem like sacrilege to alter their words, but in fact, your sources expect you to piece together their ideas into the most coherent form and take out all their side trails, “um”s, and stumbles.
Don’t quote a mile-long paragraph of what they said — big blocks of text send online readers away. Paraphrase or sum up the bulk of what they said, and just include a few snappy quotes to make it a livelier read.
Besides the chance to grow your own blog audience by writing magazine-article quality blog posts — now, you’ve got fantastic writing samples you could use to break in and write for top blogs, or for print magazines, too.
Bonus point #8: Win free training!
To help you get your article writing skills up to high-earning journalist standards, we’re giving away ONE free place in the Article Writing Masterclass. 🙂
For your chance to win, read the training info page and then come back here to leave a comment, telling us: what will be the biggest benefit of this training for you?
This contest is closed.
Yay! A guest post from Carol. These are J-school quality tips. Excellent. And I won’t do #5 on you Carol. LOL
Well, that’s a relief, Willi! 😉
This was such an informative and highly practical article. I am a new blogger who has never done an interview so yours tips were like gold to me. Thanks for the terrific post!
Hi Sharon — Glad I could help! Too many bloggers shy away from interviews, to the detriment of their blog.
You make some good points here, but research is a two-way street. Doing #5 the way you are recommending is a great way to never land influential interviews again.
You can get away with this if you are publishing on a platform people want access to (Forbes, CNN, ESPN), but given the audience you’re sharing this with, you are offering a one-way ticket to “never again.”
As you said, you don’t need to play nice-nice. Asking tough or controversial questions is a perfectly acceptable part of the interview process. But throwing in a cheap shot at the end is going to leave your subject feeling like he/she was taken advantage of, and there’s just no reason that needs to be a part of anyone’s business.
Surprise attacking people and then deviously framing their words with click-bait, non-issue journalism is a major culprit behind our increasingly divisive society. I may be overblowing this point a bit, but let’s not teach up-and-comers to prioritize notoriety when they could be making an actual, positive difference in the journalism space.
I’m really not a fan of ‘gotcha’ journalism, and that’s not what I’m advocating in #5. And of course, don’t do it with someone you’re hoping will mentor you!
But some idols DO have feet of clay…and if you’re the person who can point it out, you can get a reputation as someone who exposes the lies, tells the truth, and has something unique on their blog.
I’d say I did this more with corporations than with individuals — if there’s a company in your sector you could look into, do it. There are a lot of public records you can check that no one ever does, and you can find out things that can make for a fascinating story, sometimes one that advances the public trust as well, by bringing important information to light.
Everyone has to find their own comfort level with this, but there’s a reality that scandal sells. Look at the success of TMZ! Just saying that’s a way you can go.
When I was a beat reporter, if we ever said we were bored or didn’t have any story ideas, do you know what our editor made us do? Pull the phone records of public officials and then run reverse lookup to see who they were calling, on the public dime.
I gather that’s a technique guaranteed to turn up at least one scandal every time — a mistress, illegal side business, or other nefarious activity.
Here in the UK we had a “member of parliament uses taxpayer money to call sex chatlines” scandal in the news not long ago. I wonder if that started with a bored journalist? 😉
Exactly! Phone records are a gold mine of interesting information. But the average blogger just doesn’t think like this. And holding officials accountable is a public service, in my view.
Great read, thanks!
I don’t have my blog yet, but I do guest blog. Will definitely put your advice to action.
Thanks for such a great post Carol!
Great tips Carol. I love the one about people hating silence. Thanks!!
Carol, this is fantastic! I absolutely love your advice. It’s highly useful. I’ve built my website and started my blog, but I have yet to interview someone. When I do, I’ll be looking back at this article to use as a road map.
Also, I was just on your blog yesterday and commented on your tips to get a flaky client to pay up. Your giving me all sorts of good ideas this week. 🙂
Marissa
Well, hopefully you won’t need the tips on getting deadbeats to pay up…but glad I could help, Marissa!
Carol,
I once commented on Make A Living Writing that I wanted you to write an article about interviewing. You just made my day. I have done several interviews in the past, so what stuck out most to me was the idea of putting the interviewee in the driver’s seat–especially asking what’s next and what they would love to talk about. Good advice to throw bombs last. I would also add interviewing consumers or competitiors for new interesting angles.
Right on, Cherese — when I was a staff writer, we were *never* allowed to turn in a business profile without a quote from a customer or a competitor. You can learn some fascinating things when you expand beyond the single-interview idea.
Carol
When I started reading the post I kept thinking who is this wonderful writer dishing out such useful tips and my mind wondered that it sounded like you. Then down at end tada! its you. Thanks for such an insiteful piece.
sorry typo error shld be insightful 🙂
Carol, great advice. Especially as to the best questions to save for the end.
-d
Well, I can’t take credit for that one — that comes from the master of investigative journalism, Jessica Mitford. But it only makes sense, since once you bring up their misdeeds, you never know how that will go.
I believe this class would help me out a lot because since I left the writing world and recently came back, I need to learn a lot more compare to when I got started back in 2008. I think what I would get from this class is getting “constructive criticism” that would help me get better paying writing work compare to where I am now. Tired of relying on my promo income and part time ones. I want “a livable wage done at home.”
Right on, Laurie — and thanks for kicking off the contest. I see there’s tons of entries already…good luck to Sophie, judging these is always really hard!
Love these tips!
Just read the training page too and would love to win! The biggest benefit of this training for me will be that it will help me diversify my skill set. I’ve been building my skills as an essay writer but know that writing articles will be a big way to increase the money I make on writing (one of my main 2015 goals as I just, in 2014, became a full-time freelancer). This training could help me really set up 2015 as the year I make this freelance thing work!
Not sure what sort of essays you mean, Tricia…if you mean first-person ones, the problem is there are few good-paying opportunities for those. It’s mostly unpaid or low-paid work, and the few slots that pay well for first-person essays are super-competitive.
If you meant college essays…that’s an unethical niche that really doesn’t help your reputation. I run into too many writers who’re wasting time there, earning a pittance and hoping that could somehow help their careers.
Meant to say — so you’re smart to look at learning reported article writing. It’s where the money is!
Thanks for the great article and chance to win a spot in your class! After far too long churning out pieces for the “content farms” I’ve struggled to adapt to different style requirements for various sites. These are great tools to keep at the forefront while I adjust my strategy.
Thank you again!
Spot on, Carol! I am newbie writer/blogger and I would definitely like to learn more about it! I must admit, after reading this post, I am already thinking of who to interview! As a newbie, I will do what it takes to better my writing skills. Attending your class would be a great honor!
Biggest training benefit: organization tools for quick writing!
This masterclass would benefit me in too many ways to just pick one. It will help m get over my fears, present myself in a professional manner and get higher level writing gigs.
Great article filled with great information!
I have been trying to freelance write for the last 8 years part-time, but in 2015 I am ready to go full time. I just signed up for the Freelance Writers Den to take the next step in becoming a successful writer.
Thanks for all the great information you share!
Welcome to the Den, Patricia — look forward to seeing you in there. 😉
This article was fantastic! I’m bookmarking it to come back to later. As for the chance to win a place in the Article Writing Masterclass, I think I would most from learning how successful freelancers stay organized and keep their materials in order. It can feel so incredibly overwhelming for a newcomer. Because I don’t have any formal education in journalism, learning how to perfectly craft all pieces of an article (including the headline, which is always the hardest part of pitching for me!) would help my writing in countless ways.
As it happens, one of our Article Writing Masterclass bonuses IS on getting organized to write, Liz! We share all our tips for turning that mess of notes and research into a story quickly. 😉
I always need help in this area: The best ways to organize your writing so you can write quickly and efficiently.
Seems like this is a popular question, Stacy — see my note above to Liz about how we address that right off the bat in Article Masterclass!
Very interesting tips. I read through your Article Writing course description and the biggest stumbling block for me is fear of being qualified to write about a topic. Taking any sort of training always helps boost confidence. I think that is a huge benefit to me.
Pam, this is one of the biggest myths out there, that you have to be an expert in whatever you aim to write about. I am a college dropout and have written about surety bonds, crowdfunding, all kinds of weird business-finance stuff.
All you have to know how to do is FIND INFORMATION. And we teach you how to do that in Article Masterclass — one of our bonuses is on Newsgathering, and we’ll have a bonus on how to find the right experts for your story, too!
This was a great read. I believe that this writing course would be the next step for me. I want to take my blog to the next level and start earning money with my newly acquired skills.
Thanks for the opportunity to win the Master Class, Sophie (and Carol). I would love to take my freelance writing career to the next level next year and I’ve followed both Carol and Linda online for a long time so it would be amazing to work with them and learn directly from them. Probably the biggest benefit I’d get from the course would be improving my confidence and skill set when it comes to interviewing sources. That’s a skill I really need to nail in 2015.
Article Writing Masterclass definitely offers you the opportunity to do interviews if you like, Karen! And I really recommend getting in the practice. So many writers need to build their confidence in this area. You’ve got 10 weeks to refine an idea, find your experts, do your interviews, and write it up.
Hello,
I’m a recent college graduate, and during my time in university, I had started to dabble in freelance writing. I currently write blog posts for the Huffington Post (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-restiano/) and for the SALT Blog (http://blog.saltmoney.org/author/mrestiano/).
I greatly enjoy writing for both of these sites, but I’m on the hunt for new work, and am having trouble getting anything of similar quality. I think I’m in need of some professional journalistic training to help me fine tune my writing skills, and as such, I think I could really benefit from a spot in the Article Writing Masterclass.
I think the biggest benefit (other than the actual skills, of course!) I can gain from this training is a boost in confidence. I never received formal writing training outside of what was needed to get my BA in English, so sometimes I’m worried that my writing is missing something crucial, some secret that other professional writers learned in journalism school or a similar program .
I think taking this class will give me the confidence I need to feel comfortable writing full-length, journalistic articles, and will put me on the fast-track to finding some new work!
Thanks for your consideration,
Michael Restiano
Sounds like AWM is a perfect fit for you, Michael!
There are quite a few fine points to know in reporting a story — and as a college dropout, I learned them all on the job, as a staff writer for 12 years. Our materials and the feedback you can get from pro editors in the class will show you exactly what they don’t teach you in English class. 😉
To win this free training would be everything to me. I have been paid to ‘Guest Blog’ about various topics i am well versed in, but the DREAM is to have my voice heard on my terms about topics of my choosing. I believe some people were just meant to blog, and I feel as if i am one of them. I have so much to say about so many things, and my social media comments always garner positive reactions and new friends. What I lack is the knowledge needed to turn my jumbled thoughts and words into a money making venture. Please enter me for a chance to win.
I have a lot of ideas for magazine queries, but my problem is fear. I am worried that after recieving the green light, I won’t be able to transform my good ideas into great articles.
I have been published once or twice in the magazine world, but have never written for the same print editor twice. There is something lacking in my previous works, which adds to my current state of low confidence.
I could benefit from this class in a lot of ways, but I believe the missing element of my writing can be found within the program. I also think that I could have my faith within myself restored from the knowledge being presented. If I can learn what is missing from my writing style, I can regain the confidence needed to pitch those articles and be confident of gaining a second or third assignment from the same editor.
I have enjoyed the informational emails I have been getting in my inbox, and appreciate being considered for this program. I believe the information shared during the classes will give me the edge to improve my writing, and income.
Thank you,
Debra Pamplin
Debra, that is exactly one of the key ‘humps’ we’re looking to get people over in Article Writing Masterclass! We give you the chance to fulfill on a story idea and get editor feedback, so you’ve been through the process and written a piece to magazine standards. Students tell us it is a *HUGE* confidence booster!
I would love to win the spot in the Masterclass. I would like to learn how to use sources in a blog post since I am more familiar with how to do it in a paper or book.
It’s *definitely* different for an article, and that’s a common problem we see, Kaitlyn.
The biggest benefit I would get from the course would be learning how to discover higher pay per word magazine assignments. Thanks for doing this giveaway!
Sherri, we do have you focus on doing some market research in the first two weeks of class, to find and study a target market. But if you’ve been having trouble identifying who pays well, I recommend getting The Writer’s Market with online support. You can sort their database to five $s (the highest pay), and then only search there, to be sure you’re looking at good paying pubs.
Great advice Carol, really enjoyed this piece.
I notice no one else has done this, but I’m interested in the spot for the class. I write more articles than blogs I would say, and I stay busy enough that my few attempts at keeping a blog of my own always get sidelined and then eventually forgotten. Your class, I believe, would help me move into a higher-paying bracket and land some bigger fish.
As I said, I stay busy with work but it mostly falls in a just-comfortable-enough space between practically nothing and, say ten or twelve cents per word. I get by, but I believe I could increase my earnings significantly with the right guidance.
Wally, I consider $.30 a word the *lowest* rate you should aim for. Time to move up and earn a real living at this! Hope we see you in AWM. 😉
Learning how to write an article PROPERLY is something I’ve been wanting to accomplish for a very long time.
Carol has said the writing world is changing. Blogging is becoming more sophisticated and businesses are looking for freelance writers more than ever.
I have learned a great deal about the business of writing and that can only be useful if I actually know HOW to do the writing portion.
Science papers, college stories, simple blog posts–while they have their merits–are not articles. There is a different lexicon and mind-set that goes along with the “article process”. It is a language I do not currently know.
The Article Writing Masterclass will give me everything I need to finally break through my writing plateau.
I WILL nail the nutgraf, develop perfect pitch and master my slant!
This opportunity is exactly what I asked for, exactly when I asked for it!
Thank you for this opportunity to make it to the forefront of these changes in both the writing world and in myself.
Wow – Benefits of me doing the Masterclass? Where to start!?!?
I suppose the best place for me to start is at the reason I have been actively seeking out courses exactly like the one up for grabs here. I have been working as a Life Coach and Mentor since 2004, seeing every client face to face, and holding Skype sessions with those for whom time is too tight for regular meetings. I am now at the point where I need to take my business online because of ill health, and I recognise that building an additional web based client list will take time, and that is where article writing would come in;
I have been looking through websites and blogs that cover topics I know my particular type of clients could gain a lot of insight from, and that got me thinking. If MY clients would appreciate being given the details of really great sites with outstanding content, then it stands to reason that those websites would already have a stream of potential clients for my own products and services! Being able to build the confidence in my writing skills to be able to submit material to blogs and sites that publish information on the subjects I specialise in would benefit the site, their readers, AND me! It would be a win-win-win situation.
The way the Article Writing Masterclass is delivered is perfect for me, especially whilst I am spending 12 hours a day at my computer (being housebound has it’s advantages!) and looking at the content, it will give me what I need to look for work outside of my own specialisation which would be great both for the experience AND the financial gains.
I also like the fact that the course comes across as being very straightforward, without a lot of the mumbo-jumbo padding that many other courses I have considered seem to comprise of. I want to learn about article writing in a way that covers all aspects of it as a paying gig – I don’t want to get nothing more than a mere summary of information available on the internet from various websites – if I wanted to learn that way, which I don’t, I could simply type a list of “How do I” questions in Google, read the info that came top of the searches, then claim to be an article writer! I like structure. I like to have things all in one place. I need to know that the time I am investing in a course, therefore my future, is well spent on exactly the right kind of material a potential editor will want.
Whoever does win the course, I hope they update us all with news on how things are going, and news, of course, of their publishing successes having done the course. It is always great to get informative feedback about student progress.
Best of luck to all in the running for the course!
Have a great Christmas and New Year everyone,
Bev
I’ve been writing for awhile, but not as successfully as I’d like. When I read abut the training course, I realized *confidence* is what is holding me back. I didn’t go to school for writing, so sometimes I feel like I’m missing something or not good enough. I need confidence and I believe that course would be great for that!
The biggest benefit of the Article Writing Master Class will be the feedback and critique from experienced writers. As a new writer, I simply don’t have any experience with the business side of writing. Getting real world guidance on my writing, how to work with editors, and how to style and format articles will help me move forward as a writer.
Thanks for the emails. I’ve enjoyed keeping up with the website and learning a little along the way.
And it’s not just feedback from us, Darin — we have 3 pro magazine editors who review your drafts, so you get a ‘real world’ experience of writing for and pleasing editors. We even have 2 weeks all about dealing with editor requests for rewrites. 😉
Thanks, Carol. My biggest challenge by far has been simply not knowing where to start with what an editor is looking for. Getting feedback from both sides of the business is a wonderful thing. I’m looking forward to getting to that rewrite stage.
Thanks for the offer of the Masterclass. I think the greatest benefit for me would be to work through my fear that my work is just not good enough. I am looking to branch out and gain a platform that would allow me more time with my family, but the fear does hold me back. Thanks again!
Thanks for the wonderful insider tips in this article. I especially like 7: Sculpt your quotes. I’ve always tried to get quotes right and, for whatever reason, I have issues. Learning how to pull out only the tastiest, most memorable, pithy remarks will be golden. While soaking up the strategies for handling quotes, attributions, and transitions would also make my life and writing so much easier.
One more thing… Bonus point #8: Win free training! is pretty cool too!
Dawna, if you’d like to see what it looks like to get a great interview for 20-25 minutes, and then pull out just the two best quotes, you can check out this interview-driven post I recently did for Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/caroltice/2014/12/11/comedian-tommy-chongs-plan-to-become-legal-pots-sam-walton/
Thank You Carol!
Great article!
Yes… I’m seeing the way you added the two quotes into the story. And how they blend in. This helps a lot!
Yeah, I’m gonna get this! 🙂
It might be easier for me to list ways attending this course wouldn’t benefit me. Or perhaps I could sketch a venn diagram that for you that compares the benefits of taking this course to taking a one about bobsledding, which I’m certain won’t help my writing career nearly as much.
I’ve been writing for two years and met with some success, but I know I have more in me, and I’m dead set on making this my career.
Sometimes I wish I didn’t aspire to be a writer, because there’s a slew of professions out there that are easier to crack into, like professional bobsledding for instance. Alas, writing is all I ever think about, so I must pursue opportunities to hone my craft, such as taking this wicked cool course.
I want to wow the publishers with my writing skills. Please enter me for a chance to win the free class writing master class. Thanks Larry
Hi Sophie and Carol, great post! The biggest benefit of my taking the master class would be to have a blueprint for writing articles. I’m afraid of not being able to deliver. Its always been my fear. Now, I want to take that fear and channel it into developing a great article writing system for me. 🙂
Heiddi, you definitely leave this class understanding every element of what needs to be in a magazine article, from first sentence to last. Hope you can join us!
I took a journalism class at a community college over 10 years ago, and the most valuable piece of advice was “kill your darlings.” I can be a bit wordy, so this was priceless. The “raisin bread” and “sweater knit” rules have me intrigued, and if they are half as helpful, I will carry them with me forever. I’m constantly amazed by how powerful words can be. That’s where my passion for writing stems from, and why I would LOVE to take this class. My skills need honing. Feedback is gold. Darlings will be sacrificed.
This is awesome! Thanks for the opportunity Sophie!
I would say the biggest benefit of the Article Writing Master Class training would be building the confidence in my skills.
I have high expectations of myself – which is good – but it also tends to hold me back from going after opportunities for fear I won’t be able to deliver high-class results.
I believe this course would be extremely beneficial in giving me the confidence to go after those opportunities knowing I’ll be able to deliver my best work.
Thanks so much!
Ashlei
Hi carol
Well the biggest benefit of the this training is someone will complete his/her dreams of writing. Someone’s entire life will change from the training. Someone would learn that how he/she can be a one of the best writer like you and Sophie. Its the one of the biggest opportunity for writers to learn from skillful and experience writers and writers will reach the next level of his/her writing.
Carol Tice is a legend, folks.
I just don’t have words to express my gratitude to her, one more article full of the best information as always.
The best benefit of this amazing course it will be my mindset changing for sure, since the articles has this huge quality I can’t imagine how good the course is it.
2015 will be THE YEAR!
Winning this contest, and having the opportunity to learn from this class is a synchronistically timely event!
Just last night, watching the movie Gandhi, I was inspired by the world class journalist Margaret Bourke-White who covered not only Gandhi, but Buchenwald concentration camp, Stalin, etc. A woman in a man’s world, doing a man’s job, and a fine job at that. They say she had an impeccable sense of timing for being in the right place at the right time. She must’ve been very ready and skilled at getting and conveying information for the many articles she wrote and photographed in her career. If I could cultivate a tenth of her skill, I would be off and running! This is the perfect opportunity for me to do just that. Thanks!
Thanks a bunch Carol for the excellent article and to both you and Sophie for this amazing opportunity to win a free masterclass.
The biggest benefit I could derive from this meticulously thought of course would be to break the shackles of mediocre pay rates and distinguish myself from the “crowd” of people who fashion themselves as “content writers” and “professional bloggers.” It is due to this “crowd” that we have been at the receiving end of arrogant and insensitive clients and content companies who wouldn’t pay even minimum wage to writers for “quality work that is plagiarism free.” As if writers are born with silver spoons in their mouths. I’d get the confidence to pitch my work to discerning clients who would not think twice about paying me a dollar for every word.
And oh! the best part is that if I win a free masterclass and I get two gigs worth a dollar a word, I’ll pay half the amount for one deserving student to do the same course and benefit from it!
Thanks for the opportunity!
Have a Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year!
The Article Writing Masterclass is quite something! I think the biggest benefits for me would be that it would help me become more efficient and effective in my writing. That would help me deliver more value to my audience, resulting in benefits for them, the publisher, and me as the author. Win-win-win!
These tips are spot-on. I think the biggest area of learning for me in blogging is that the approach is more like journalism.
I’d love to sign on to the master class. I get stuck on trying to be thorough, which slows me down. I’m eager to learn the organization skills that would help me write quickly, and how to write more concisely.
I learn a great deal from your posts and emails, as well as Carol’s. Thanks for the chance to get a spot in the master class!
This class offers two great guides for someone like myself. I was writing news articles for 30 years, before I began creating online content material. I know how to give an article a good opening, but I need help with the closing remarks. I also need to learn more about how to indicate the source of my information.
Well, I love nothing more than a contest and when you pair it with a PITCH, that’s irresistible.
2015 looks to be an interesting year for online content creators. Mark Schaefer predicted the onset of what he called “content shock” back in January. The glory days when hundreds, nay thousands, would flock to a blog post because there was nothing else to read are long gone. We’re overwhelming consumers with content, and they’re going to start shutting us down – unless we create stuff that’s so readable, so impactful, that they can’t ignore what we have to say.
I loved Carol’s blog post because she hit on a tactic that’s essential for success in 2015: shake things up. Be more human. Be more astonishing. Find an angle no one else has discovered. Brand journalism is the hot new term because it gets at a level of quality and investigation that is often absent in online content. Bring back the standards of journalism, apply them as a tactic to meet business goals and I think you’ll find the anecdote to content shock.
In 2015 I want to learn to apply journalistic principles to my writing and create posts that are eye-opening, shake-‘em-till-their-teeth-rattle explosive. Carol’s and her crew can teach me that.
Thanks, everyone!
Whoa, Marianne, that is a hard pitch to match – I love what you wrote and how you wrote it!
Hi Carol,
This article is right on time for me. As someone who finds her blog post to sometimes be lengthy because I often find it hard to juggle between my creativity and being “tight” and “concise”, this really helps me realize areas that I can sharpen to turn blog posts into higher quality pieces.
The biggest benefits for me in taking this class will be to truly step out of this “fear” zone and get back to the energy I had in J-school at Temple University. I also believe I will benefit greatly by capturing the tools needed to get editors attention and build long-lasting relationships so I can kick down doors in this crowded business.
I believe this class will benefit me most by helping light a fire under my butt (although I’ve already sent out queries before the holiday – rule breaker??) and to help me hone my voice and not be afraid of it, regardless of the publication I’m writing for.
Thanks!
The biggest benefit of training for me will be education in how to effectively research. As one of the testimonials said, I too have clips from years ago. They were from my newspaper employment in a support-level position, and I interviewed people for each one.
That job is gone. Freelance is the way to go. I’m just getting started, I’m excited about it, and at the moment, due to unemployment, time is of the essence.
Research today is a far different animal. Technology has made it possible and necessary to click far afield to find those gems that add the right non-interviewing meat to your article. I need help with this and with every facet of writing and publishing articles in the new media. I think this course will contribute to my understanding and my success. Thank you for giving us this opportunity.
I am most in need of knowing how to match a publication’s style and figure out their article formats. I have pitched articles to publications I have read, but never managed to break in.
In the last year I’ve started following the likes of Copyblogger, Jon Morrow, Carol & Linda, Neil Patel, and others. (Sophie just last week)
Collectively those sites can bury a newbie in content overload pretty fast.
I have a bit of a problem concentrating on one topic.
A great place to focus would be Article Writing Masterclass.
Instructors with 35+ years of experience in the real world of writing, affords students a unique & powerful experience.
10 weeks is a good time frame for a newbie to develop more productive learning habits.
Article marketing is a perfect point of entry for up and coming writers.
Getting a shot at this would be outstanding.
Thank you for the chance Sophie & Carol.
This training sounds awesome! Two amazing benefits it offers are the opportunity to learn organizational skills and tightening up copy.
Thank you for this post, you just saved me from an “email interview” I was going to schedule in January. Now, I know – phone or Skype it!
Obviously then, I have a lot to learn. The class will help me to research the publication and determine its style – something that utterly eludes me every time I attempt it in a doctor’s office. Also, I need help writing quickly and efficiently. I am the slowest writer on the planet, I’m certain!
Thank you for the opportunity!
Ooooh, how exciting! I’ve been eyeing this class for a while but it hasn’t really been in the budget for me right now. Would love the chance to check it out!
The most exciting thing about it, I think, is the part about learning to match a publication’s style. This seems really important not just for articles themselves, but in pitching and even coming up with ideas. That and the lessons on working with editors through revisions really has me excited for this course.
Great to see something on interviewing. Admittedly, I am still trying to get over this hump because I’m shy. Introducing myself to others is impossible–I have to have someone else do the opening stuff for me. After that, I’m fine.
But this Master Class. I want to take it and would prefer the free space. The largest benefit: Confidence. It would help me write better, introduce myself to new situations better, and feel less risk-adverse when making an attempt to get published for higher-paying gigs. Sometimes, I believe the reason I stayed in ghost writing for so long was that while I was getting good feedback, I just did not want my name associated in case people hated the writing.
In 2015, I want to spend less time thinking and more time doing. I have hid for far too long and now, it is time to branch out of my comfort zone.
The opportunity to learn from some of the best would be a dream come true. It may be the realisation of being paid for something that I love. I may even be able to quit my day job. How many can say that! I would love to win a place at the Article Writing Masterclass.
I would just love to be a student here. I think it would give me the confidence to just get off my tush and write those articles. Unfortunately I’m so broke (I’m on SSD) I can’t even afford the $185 payments. I would like to win a seat and I would not dribble away the opportunity. Thank you
This is a great article! 🙂 I know interviewing is a big deal, but it isn’t something I’ve managed to get excited about, and this information makes it a little easier to wrap my head around.
As for the Article Writing Masterclass, the main benefit would be learning how to get into magazines and websites where my work would benefit the largest number of people.
I do a lot of writing, and while I’m always up to learn more about making my writing stellar (because there is ALWAYS room for improvement) the writing part doesn’t scare me. But the reality of doing things right in order to get into a magazine or onto a blog with clout is something that makes me freeze up. I know I have things to share, and it feels like a duty to share them with the world . . . but I have no idea how to break into that world.
So that would be my #1 benefit: not feeling like I’m blundering around in the dark like an asshat as I try to make a name for myself as a writer! 😀
Avoiding the clients that are on craigslist!
I would like to take the Article Writing Course so that I can silence the little voice I keep hearing that tells me I’m still an amateur.
I’m a member of the Den, a student of Jon Morrow’s and I’ve been following Sophie. I am thrilled to say as a result, I wrote an article for Lifehack.org that has 1.9M shares. This has certainly boosted my confidence, but not enough to shoot for the stars.
I have been eyeballing this course since it was released. I am stuck between “I don’t need to spend $500 to learn how to write an article” and “I need to do this now if I want to continue to grow as a writer.”
Thanks for this opportunity.
AWM is really so much more than ‘learn how to write an article,’ June — it’s developing article ideas that sell (the HUGE stumbling block for most writers who try it), how to deal with editors’ revision requests, how to get organized to write efficiently, how to analyze markets and create ideas that are a perfect fit for them, and getting practice writing to an editor’s standards. How to find credible experts for your stories and good research statistics, and how to nail every element that needs to be in a magazine feature. Hope you can join us!
What a wonderful course! I live in a small island in the Caribbean (166 square miles with 300,000 people). I spark children’s creativity and imagination for life using creative writing as the tool. So far, I’ve taught over 1,300 children in the schools and privately. Some of them are winning awards for their writing and standing on the national stage reading their work; several of them aspire to go even further with their writing.
As the island goes through an economic downturn, I am on a quest to help young people discover alternatives to current traditional employment opportunities by making money from their passions. This includes making money from their writing on the world stage. The more ways I know how to do this for myself and lead by example, the more I can help others.
So the biggest benefit for me will be learning a new skill that I can increase my revenue but also learning a skill that will help open new possibilities and doors of opportunity for a new generation of Caribbean writers.
Your course sounds like just what I need! I have a blog which I have many ideas for but when it comes to writing my posts it takes me a while due to my thoughts getting all jumbled. I’m interested in writing articles as well as my blog posts as the start of a much needed new career. The professional reviews and feedback would be so welcome. I am very interested in learning how to write an article the correct way and in a more orderly fashion so I don’t feel overwhelmed with my thoughts. As for my blog, my intention is to be helpful to grandparents raising grandchildren and to also develop support for them. Also, as I stated, I am in need of a new, fun and exciting career due to my previous job industry being so slow that no one is hiring, and have my grandson to raise. It would be wonderful!
Lori
Carol and Sophie,
Thank you for getting together to make this contest possible. I have been dreaming of taking the Article Writing Master Class for a while, but it has been out of my budget, especially since I became the full-time caretaker of a sick parent.
In college, I majored in childhood development. I have always loved writing though. I wrote for my highschool’s newspaper and literary magazine; plus, I won an award for my college thesis, which was on children’s pictorial self-esteem. As you said on your landing page, citing sources and interviews is different in the pros! I’d really want to learn how to do this. I am a huge non-fiction lover; my mother use to read me these instead of fairytales.
I have heard of the rasin-bread method before (I think I read about it in one of your posts on Make a Living Writing), but I have never heard of the sweater-knitting rule–so I am intrigued. I also really need to learn best practices for the kicker and lede–like not burrying the nut graph. Mostly, I’d like to learn how to get an editor’s attention–and then keep it!
Thanks so much!
Cherese
That is definitely all covered in AWM, Cherese! We really spill ALL our tips and tricks — many learned the hard way, too. 😉
Such great information and tips Carol! Since I’ve started on my freelance path (in the last year!), your posts have been so helpful and I appreciate the concrete advice. I think that I’d benefit from two things from your class – How to match a publication’s style and figure out their article formats and how to write more efficiently!
Thanks so much for this post, the tips are really useful and inspiring. I’d love to take part in the course. I think it would help my writing in many ways, especially writing in ways that attract and keep readers attention (and doing that with every article!), and in building relationships with editors. I believe it would also help my confidence, which is a real stumbling block in even thinking about approaching editors!
Thanks again for the great articles.
Great tips! What would be most beneficial to me at this time in my writing career would be learning to write quickly and most efficiently.
Thanks to Sophie and Carol for providing this amazing opportunity.
After reading over the course description, I can tell that there are many ways that this class would benefit me. In the past, I’ve contracted for a content company and edited and wrote over 2,000 articles, most of which ended up on websites like Answers.com. Doing content is okay for a writer starting out, but now I’m looking to elevate my writing skills to a more professional level.
Even by reading Carol’s comments, I know that the class will help me out a lot in this area. Above Carol wrote, “we were *never* allowed to turn in a business profile without a quote from a customer or a competitor.” I recently included a business profile of a world renown Internet company in a free eBook I give away on my website. I got comments from the CEO, a product manager, and a couple of other individuals, but I did not get a customer or competitor quote. That would have been much more useful. I would have done that if I had Carol’s brain. Professional strategies for handling quotes, best practices for article elements like headlines, and learning to write quickly and efficiently–I need all those skills, and I know I’ll get them from these brilliant writers and editors.
I love picking the brains of experts for useful information. Getting access to a forum with professional magazine editors would give me such an edge, and I do great with instruction-and-homework type of learning. The lifetime access to the course materials is also a great advantage. I like pouring over important information until it converts to muscle memory.
I definitely want to have the skills to jump on top-notch opportunities, not just for me but for my readers as well. I want my communication skills to command authority across well known websites, so that I can share both my expertise and new discoveries. For example, a few weeks ago I purchased some silver bullion and received one year of free storage for it from a private company in Singapore. I did the transaction with Bitcoin, and it was a great investment. I want to share tips like that with readers on my website and readers of major publications. I want to work well with editors and keep my readers riveted.
Right now I’m signed up at Helpareporter.com, and I get queries for expert comments from reporters from The Huffington Post, Forbes, and other mega-sites. I haven’t responded to a single query yet, because I’m not quite sure how to go about the process. Also, my website just launched, and I’ll be doing a podcast soon, for which I’ll eventually be interviewing people with businesses in different countries. I really want to have a strong presence and have sense of how I should conduct myself.
Also, Carol’s right. My secret is fear. I commented on her blog about being intimidated by steep submission requirements. Carol said when she comes face-to-face with those kinds of publications, she just keeps pitching anyway. With a total of five such brilliant people teaching me, I know I can Karate kick my way through the brick wall I call my fear.
Thanks for reading this meaty bit,
Marissa
Marissa, if you want to write magazine articles, I think you’re on the wrong side of that HARO equation, from what you’re describing. You want to be one of the people posting a request for experts for your proposed article idea, and then look at the responses to find experts.
But using HARO in our view is more of a last-ditch way to find experts…we’ll be sharing some better ways next week as we get ready for AWM, so stay tuned for that!
Oh, okay. Yeah, I just signed up for HARO two days ago, and I wasn’t really sure what it was. I didn’t know the reporters were looking for article ideas. Someone referred the website to me as a way to promote my blog. Thanks for that info. I would love to learn more about your other resources.
Merry Christmas Carol!
Marissa
I’d love to win a place in the Article Writing course and what appeals to me most is learning to organise my writing so that I can do it quickly and efficiently. Most of my ideas don’t leave my desk because great quality work associates in my mind with spending forever on it and I simply don’t have forever!
What can’t I learn from Carol and Linda?
I’ve been out of journalism school nearly 15 years (yikes!) And it does feel like eons ago. While I’ve developed a great system for most of my articles, I think sometimes it gets stale.
I’d love to learn a fresh take on how to craft articles that are perfect for different publications. That will be the biggest takeaway for me.
Wow, what an opportunity. I’ve only been at this a couple of years, though it feels like more. Feels like we’ve become a family.
Hugs. 😉
Thanks for this!
I currently work from home in the IT industry, but my job is going away in February. I’m trying to learn all I can about freelance writing in the mean time. This training seems awesome, and I could really use some in-depth assistance, and some good feedback on where my skill level is at currently.
Wow!
What a synchronicity. I am currently doing interviews for Blueprint Entrepreneurs mag, published on the Apple Newsstand, and these tips are going to be MORE than helpful. I’m a Budding freelance writer, and this interview job is my first.
What can I say? Hugs to you Carol!!!
Congrats on the gig! Listen and learn from your sources…sounds like a great opportunity.
Taking the article writing class will help me to wrap my brain around writing for health related trade magazines. There are a wealth of them out there and I feel like I am letting good money slip through my hands simply because I don’t have the confidence to push forward with it. I have gotten so used to blogging information related information that I believe that I have gotten lazy with my writing. Article writing will benefit both my ability to approach trade mags as well as tighten up my blogging abilities so that I can ask clients for more money simply because I have a more sophisticated skill set.
I’ve done several interviews over the years with less than spectacular results. Now maybe I know why. Having the concentrated directions of your training would certainly point me toward more successful results, organize my brain, and point me in a less scattered direction.
Hey Carol,
Great informative post, as usual. I’ve never done an interview so it’s good to have this kind post in preparation, as I plan to eventually!
Thanks,
Jake.
I feel the biggest benefit is to be able to write, present myself and act like a professional.
No more seeming to be a wanna be something but, instead, I am a real writer.
Increase of ability, confidence and ideas allow me to build a better life and have a much greater chance of success.
While success is now obtainable, I can help others along the way much easier and with a higher rate of satisfaction,I hope.
A class like this is something that means a lot to a struggling man in the modern world and a ton of blessings on anybody who gives such for free.
Excellent post, Carol!
I am an excellent writer (if I do say so myself). I love being able to help businesses get their point across with style 😉
I do, however, struggle with others’ perceptions of my writing. What if they hate it? How can I stand by my writing while also being flexible when it comes to customer demands.
The Article Writing Masterclass would be a great addition to my training—one can never learn too much, especially from experienced and knowledgeable writers. I feel it will help boost my confidence when it comes to approaching clients and showcasing my work.
Stephanie B.
I’d like to take Carol’s class; while it all looks useful to me, the feature I’d most appreciate is the Story Idea Lab. I can come up with ideas but I’d like some help in knowing how to find more of them and how to polish them into posts that will attract attention.
I’m dreaming about taking this class-would love to win a spot.
Learning about headlines and ledes would be wonderful. I feel like editors usually revise mine, and would love to learn to get it right.
Thanks for the great article. Interviewing is one of the things I’d like to brush up on.
I am a beginner freelancer who is slowly learning the basics. My people skills and business sense is solid, but boy am I ever nervous about things I don’t need to be nervous about. I see many such fears are addressed in this course. What is struggling is my writing quality. I spent my teens years pouring over fiction, and while most attributes of good writing are consistent no matter what type of work you create, what changes is how to create those attributes. Increasing interest with every sentence in a chapter is a different skill than increasing interest with every sentence in blog posts, for example. I’m convinced this is a quality course. Unfortunately my only chance in enrolling is with this giveaway! Thank you very much for the opportunity.
Thank you for having this giveaway Sophie and thanks for the tips Carol. I have been published in various publications in my country but would love to see my byline in some of the international publications I enjoy reading. I’m hoping this class will help me achieve this. Happy holidays!
The best teachers are themselves students. I want to be a great teacher. I know I don’t have to make mistakes to grow, just be open to learning from the success of others. Please enter me for a chance to win.
THIS CONTEST HAS CLOSED!
It’s so hard to choose only one winner. There are many commenters I think would benefit hugely from the Article Writing Masterclass, but we only have one “golden ticket” to give away.
So here’s what I’m doing: I’ve picked out 12 of you — people whose comments show they’ve pored over the training info and given their current strengths and weaknesses some serious thought. I’ve written down your names, numbered them 1 to 12, and now I’m asking a random number generator to make the final decision for me. So…
THE WINNER IS: Heiddi Zalamar!
Congratulations, Heiddi. You totally deserve this opportunity to master article writing, and I know you’ll commit to it 100%. 🙂
I’ll email you in a few minutes about how to access your prize.
Are you gonna tell us the top 12?
Thanks for this contest. I just signed up for a travel writing class and would not be able to afford this one, as much as I’d like to take it too. It was worth a shot.
Congrats to Heiddi Zalamar!
Hi Sophie and Carol!! Thank you so much! I’m so excited about the class. Lol though I already am fighting the fear. I’m going to push through it and work my butt off. Thanks again so much!
Heiddi no joke – this will be the best thing to happen to your writing career. I guarantee it. Congrats!