“Consider the postage stamp: its usefulness consists in the ability to stick to one thing till it gets there.”

– Josh Billings

Step 1:

When you get a project, take a look at the item or webpage and find a handful of features that you feel you can wax on about a little – such as the figurine’s base is made of polished walnut wood, or the webpage offers visitors the chance to sign up for a store newsletter.

Protip: In general, it’s a good idea to break ideas or features down into 100 to 200 word paragraphs, leaning towards the 200-sized chunks for larger projects that range in the realm of 800 words and up. This will speed up writing a bit and give you a clear framework to begin with.

Step 2:

Start strong. If it’s a bank, a short statement about how important it is to have your money in dependable hands would be a great beginning. You want the point / name of the company / item to show up no later than 2 to 3 sentences in –

“The future can hold a lot of uncertainty, which is why it’s important to do your banking with a proven name you can trust. Trustybank USA has been serving it’s customers for over 3,000 years with products such as …..”

(In this case, “Trustybank USA” is the name of the organization to be focused on. )

“The splendor of nature can be found in the dance of butterflies over flowers, and now on your favorite shelf at home with the Butterfly Beauty art sculpture. This lovely rainbow-hued piece brings one of the most treasured heralds of spring indoors to be enjoyed….”

(In this case, “Butterfly Beauty” is the name of the item being showcased.)

Step 3:

It’s natural to run out of steam about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way through, especially if you’re just starting to write for money. Don’t get discouraged, just take a break from typing away and look at the product or website again with another round of scrutiny. Are there any features you may have missed that can be included in your project? Even something as simple as browser security or smartphone-enabled services can be turned into a very respectable 100-word block if you work at it a little. Are there guides or articles on the website about the subject? Be sure to point these out as well – they’re a great addition to the buyer’s list of benefits for visiting or using that item or page.

Step 4:

Glance through the piece, read it aloud, give it to a friend to look over – anything to run it through one last check before submitting it. Watch for words that may not be used correctly but will still make it through spellcheck – “He laughed at her hare, which was a real mess.” Your writing program probably won’t catch issues like homonyms.

Protip: Unless specifically requested, exclamation points should be used sparingly, if at all. As a culture, we don’t tend to shout in the middle of a conversational sentence, so the written word should reflect that as well.

Step 5:

Close on a strong note as well. Don’t trail off – readers of all varieties prefer a strong ending to sum up the story.

“If you want your financial security in the hands of professionals that care, open up an account at Trustybank USA today and start enjoying the benefits of better banking.”

This sort of phrasing is called a call to action, a term you’ll hear repeated throughout your time in the pro writing circuit. This is basically the communication of an idea that encourages the reader to do something – visiting a site, signing up for a newsletter, buying an item and so on.

Step 6:

Send the client a message through your website’s messaging system thanking him or her for the opportunity to work for them. This step is, of course, optional but may very well lead to a series of privately assigned projects down the line for your polite eagerness.

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