10 Essential Content Writing Tips for Success

From SEO to Storytelling:

10 Skills Every Content Writer Should Master

In this blog, we'll cover 10 important subcategories of content writing, ranging from the importance of storytelling and crafting compelling headlines to optimizing your content for search engines and using visuals to enhance engagement. We'll also explore strategies for writing for different mediums, maintaining consistency in your brand voice, collaborating with other writers and experts, repurposing existing content, and analyzing and measuring performance to inform your content strategy.

1. The importance of storytelling in content writing and how it can enhance engagement with your audience
   
   
2. Tips and tricks for crafting compelling headlines that grab attention and entice readers to click through to your content
   
   
3. The value of research and how it can elevate the quality and credibility of your writing
   
   
4. Best practices for optimizing your content for search engines, including keyword research and on-page SEO tactics
   
   
5. The power of visuals and how incorporating multimedia elements like images and videos can enhance your content and increase engagement
   
   
6. Strategies for writing for different mediums, such as social media posts, blog articles, and email newsletters
   
   
7. Tips for maintaining consistency and a cohesive brand voice across all of your content
   
   
8. The benefits of collaborating with other writers, editors, and subject matter experts to improve the quality and depth of your content
   
   
9. Ways to repurpose and recycle existing content to extend its lifespan and reach new audiences
   
   
10. The importance of analyzing and measuring the performance of your content, including metrics like engagement, traffic, and conversions, and how to use that data to inform future content strategy.

By the end of this guide, you'll have a deeper understanding of the various aspects of content writing and how they work together to create engaging, high-quality content. So, let's dive in and take your content writing skills to the next level!

The Power of Storytelling: How to Engage Your Audience through Effective Content Writing

As humans, we are naturally drawn to stories. We love to hear about other people's experiences, their struggles, their triumphs, and their journeys. Stories have been used as a form of communication for thousands of years, and they continue to be a powerful tool for connecting with others.

When it comes to content writing, storytelling is essential. Whether you're writing a blog post, social media update, or marketing copy, telling a story can help you connect with your audience in a way that simply presenting facts or statistics cannot.

Here are some reasons why storytelling is important in content writing:

1. Stories create an emotional connection
   When you tell a story, you engage your audience on an emotional level. Stories have the power to make people feel something, whether it's empathy, inspiration, or excitement. By creating an emotional connection with your audience, you increase the likelihood that they will remember your content and take action based on what you've shared.
   
   
2. Stories make information more memorable
   Have you ever heard a story that stuck with you long after you heard it? That's because stories are more memorable than dry facts or statistics. When you weave information into a story, it becomes more engaging and easier to remember. This is especially important in content marketing, where you want your audience to remember your brand and the message you're trying to convey.
   
   
3. Stories help you stand out
   In a world where we are bombarded with information 24/7, it can be difficult to stand out. But by telling a compelling story, you can capture your audience's attention and differentiate yourself from the competition. A well-told story can make your content more interesting, engaging, and memorable.
   
   
4. Stories inspire action
   Ultimately, the goal of content writing is to inspire your audience to take action, whether it's to make a purchase, sign up for a newsletter, or share your content with their friends. Stories have the power to inspire action by creating an emotional connection, making information more memorable, and helping you stand out from the crowd.

So, how can you incorporate storytelling into your content writing? Here are a few tips:

• Start with a strong hook that grabs your audience's attention and draws them into the story.
  
  
• Use descriptive language and sensory details to create a vivid picture in your reader's mind.
  
  
• Focus on the conflict or struggle in the story, and show how it was resolved or overcome.
  
  
• Make your audience the hero of the story by showing how your product or service helped them achieve their goals or overcome their challenges.
  
  
• Use storytelling techniques like foreshadowing, suspense, and humor to keep your audience engaged.

Storytelling is an essential component of content writing. By using stories to create an emotional connection, make information more memorable, stand out from the competition, and inspire action, you can create content that resonates with your audience and helps you achieve your marketing goals.

Crafting Click-Worthy Headlines: Proven Tips and Tricks for Capturing Attention

In the world of content marketing, headlines are everything. Your headline is the first thing your audience sees, and it can make or break whether they decide to read your content. Crafting a compelling headline is essential if you want to capture your audience's attention and entice them to click through to your content.

Here are some tips and tricks for crafting compelling headlines:

1. Use numbers and statistics
   Headlines that include numbers and statistics tend to perform better than those that don't. Numbers give your headline a sense of specificity and make it more tangible. For example, "10 Tips for Crafting Compelling Headlines" is more appealing than "Tips for Crafting Headlines."
   
   
2. Make it clear what your content is about
   Your headline should give your audience a clear idea of what they can expect to learn or gain from your content. Avoid vague or misleading headlines that don't accurately represent the content of your article.
   
   
3. Use power words
   Power words are words that evoke strong emotions or make a bold statement. Using power words in your headline can help it stand out and grab your audience's attention. Examples of power words include "surprising," "shocking," "proven," and "ultimate."
   
   
4. Create a sense of urgency
   Headlines that create a sense of urgency can be very effective at driving clicks. For example, "Don't Miss Out on the Ultimate Guide to Crafting Compelling Headlines" creates a sense of urgency that makes readers feel like they need to click through to your content now.
   
   
5. Use questions
   Headlines that pose a question can be very effective at engaging your audience and sparking their curiosity. For example, "Are You Making These Common Headline Mistakes?" is more engaging than "Common Headline Mistakes to Avoid."
   
   
6. Keep it short and sweet
   Your headline should be concise and to the point. Aim for a headline that is 6-12 words long. This makes it easy to read and understand at a glance.
   
   
7. Use humor or wit
   Headlines that use humor or wit can be very effective at grabbing your audience's attention and making them want to read more. Just make sure the humor is appropriate for your audience and the subject matter.

Crafting compelling headlines is essential if you want to capture your audience's attention and entice them to click through to your content. By using numbers and statistics, making it clear what your content is about, using power words, creating a sense of urgency, using questions, keeping it short and sweet, and using humor or wit, you can create headlines that grab attention and drive clicks.

Elevating Your Writing with Research: The Key to Building Credibility and Authority

In the world of content writing, research is key. Whether you're writing a blog post, an article, or an e-book, conducting thorough research can elevate the quality and credibility of your writing. Here are some reasons why research is so important:

1. It adds depth and context to your writing
   Conducting research on a topic allows you to add depth and context to your writing. By including relevant statistics, facts, and quotes from experts, you can provide your readers with a more comprehensive understanding of the topic you're writing about.
   
   
2. It helps you stay up-to-date
   Research can also help you stay up-to-date on the latest trends and developments in your industry. By staying on top of the latest research and news, you can provide your readers with fresh, relevant, and useful information.
   
   
3. It increases your credibility
   When you conduct research and include credible sources in your writing, you increase your own credibility as a writer. Your readers are more likely to trust you and view you as an authority on the subject if you can back up your claims with solid research.
   
   
4. It helps you avoid plagiarism
   Conducting research can also help you avoid unintentional plagiarism. By ensuring that you're not repeating information that's already been published elsewhere, you can maintain your own integrity as a writer and avoid any potential legal issues.
   
   
5. It helps you connect with your audience
   Conducting research can also help you better understand your audience and what they're looking for. By analyzing the data and insights you gather through your research, you can tailor your writing to better meet the needs and interests of your readers.

So, how can you conduct effective research for your writing? Here are some tips:

1. Start with a clear research question or objective
   Before you start researching, make sure you have a clear question or objective in mind. This will help you stay focused and ensure that the research you conduct is relevant to your writing.
   
   
2. Use credible sources
   When conducting research, it's important to use credible sources. Look for sources that are published by reputable organizations or individuals, and avoid sources that are biased or unreliable.
   
   
3. Keep track of your sources
   Make sure to keep track of all the sources you use in your research, including the author, publication date, and URL or other identifying information. This will make it easier to cite your sources properly and avoid plagiarism.
   
   
4. Analyze and synthesize your research
   After conducting your research, take the time to analyze and synthesize the information you've gathered. Look for patterns, themes, and insights that can help you better understand the topic you're writing about.

Research is an essential part of quality content writing. By conducting thorough research, you can add depth and context to your writing, stay up-to-date on the latest trends and developments, increase your credibility, avoid plagiarism, and better connect with your audience. So, make sure to prioritize research in your writing process, and you'll be sure to produce high-quality, valuable content.

From Keywords to Conversions: Best Practices for Optimizing Your Content for Search Engines

If you're a content writer or marketer, optimizing your content for search engines is essential to ensure that your content gets noticed and reaches your intended audience. Here are some best practices for optimizing your content for search engines:

1. Conduct keyword research
   One of the most important steps in optimizing your content for search engines is conducting keyword research. By identifying the keywords and phrases that your target audience is searching for, you can create content that's more likely to rank well in search engine results pages (SERPs).
   
   
2. Use keywords strategically
   Once you've identified your target keywords, use them strategically throughout your content. This includes in your headlines, subheadings, meta descriptions, and throughout your body copy. However, it's important to avoid keyword stuffing, which can hurt your rankings and make your content seem spammy.
   
   
3. Optimize your meta tags
   Your meta tags, including your meta title and meta description, are important for both SEO and click-through rates. Make sure to include your target keyword in your meta title and meta description, and write a compelling description that entices users to click through to your content.
   
   
4. Use header tags
   Header tags, such as H1, H2, and H3, are important for both SEO and readability. Use header tags to break up your content into smaller sections and make it easier to read, and include your target keyword in your H1 tag.
   
   
5. Use alt tags for images
   Alt tags, or alternative text descriptions for images, are important for accessibility and also for SEO. Make sure to include a descriptive alt tag that includes your target keyword for all images on your website or blog.
   
   
6. Optimize your URL structure
   Your URL structure is also important for SEO. Make sure your URLs are descriptive and include your target keyword, and avoid using dynamic URLs with long strings of numbers and symbols.
   
   
7. Use internal linking
   Internal linking, or linking to other relevant pages on your website or blog, is important for both SEO and user experience. Make sure to include internal links throughout your content to help users navigate your website and improve your website's SEO.

Optimizing your content for search engines is essential for ensuring that your content gets noticed and reaches your intended audience. By conducting keyword research, using keywords strategically, optimizing your meta tags, using header tags, using alt tags for images, optimizing your URL structure, and using internal linking, you can improve your website's SEO and increase your chances of ranking well in search engine results pages.

Captivating with Visuals: How Multimedia Elements Boost Engagement and Interest

In today's digital age, multimedia elements like images and videos are essential to creating engaging and compelling content. Whether you're a blogger, marketer, or content creator, incorporating visuals into your content can help capture your audience's attention, enhance your message, and increase engagement. Here are some reasons why visuals are so powerful and how to effectively incorporate them into your content:

1. Visuals capture attention
   As humans, we are naturally drawn to images and videos. According to a study by HubSpot, articles with images get 94% more views than those without. By incorporating visuals into your content, you can instantly capture your audience's attention and encourage them to continue reading.
   
   
2. Visuals enhance your message
   Visuals can also help enhance your message and make it more memorable. Whether you're using images to illustrate a point or incorporating a video to demonstrate a product or service, visuals can help clarify complex ideas and make your content more engaging and relatable.
   
   
3. Visuals increase engagement
   Visuals can also increase engagement by making your content more shareable and interactive. When you include visuals in your content, you're giving your audience something to engage with beyond just text. This can lead to more likes, shares, and comments on social media, which can ultimately help increase your reach and visibility.

So, how can you effectively incorporate visuals into your content? Here are some tips:

1. Use high-quality visuals
   The quality of your visuals matters. Make sure to use high-quality images and videos that are clear, well-lit, and visually appealing. Low-quality visuals can actually detract from your message and turn off your audience.
   
   
2. Use visuals strategically
   When incorporating visuals into your content, make sure to use them strategically. Use images and videos to illustrate a point or add context to your message. Don't include visuals just for the sake of having them.
   
   
3. Use a mix of visuals
   Mixing up the types of visuals you use can help keep your audience engaged. Use a mix of images, videos, infographics, and other multimedia elements to make your content more interesting and dynamic.
   
   
4. Use captions and alt tags
   Captions and alt tags can help make your visuals more accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. Make sure to include descriptive captions and alt tags for all images and videos.

Incorporating visuals into your content can help capture your audience's attention, enhance your message, and increase engagement. By using high-quality visuals strategically and mixing up the types of visuals you use, you can create more compelling and engaging content that resonates with your audience.

Writing for Every Medium: Strategies for Tailoring Your Content to Different Platforms and Formats

As a content creator, you may find yourself writing for different mediums, such as social media posts, blog articles, and email newsletters. Each medium has its own unique set of requirements and best practices, so it's important to understand how to adapt your writing style to suit each one. Here are some strategies for writing for different mediums:

1. Social media posts
   Social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram have character limits and require concise, attention-grabbing content. To effectively write for social media, focus on writing short, snappy sentences that get straight to the point. Use hashtags to help your content get discovered by new audiences and include visuals like images and videos to make your posts more engaging.
   
   
2. Blog articles
   Blog articles typically require longer-form content that is more detailed and informative. When writing for a blog, aim to provide value to your readers by offering in-depth analysis, expert opinions, and actionable tips. Use subheadings to break up your content into digestible sections, and incorporate multimedia elements like images and videos to make your articles more visually appealing.
   
   
3. Email newsletters
   Email newsletters are a great way to stay in touch with your audience and share updates, promotions, and other important information. To write effective newsletters, keep your content concise and focused on a specific theme or topic. Use a clear, attention-grabbing subject line to entice your readers to open your email, and include calls-to-action to encourage engagement and drive conversions.
   
   
4. Whitepapers and ebooks
   Whitepapers and ebooks are longer-form content pieces that are typically used to provide more detailed information on a specific topic. To write effective whitepapers and ebooks, focus on providing in-depth research, analysis, and insights. Use a clear structure to organize your content into sections and chapters, and include multimedia elements like charts and graphs to illustrate your points.
   
   
5. Video scripts
   Video content is becoming increasingly popular, and writing effective video scripts is a crucial part of creating engaging video content. To write effective video scripts, focus on creating a clear narrative structure with a beginning, middle, and end. Use simple, conversational language and avoid technical jargon. Use visuals and other multimedia elements to help illustrate your points and keep your viewers engaged.

Writing for different mediums requires different strategies and approaches. By understanding the unique requirements and best practices for each medium, you can adapt your writing style to create more effective and engaging content. Whether you're writing social media posts, blog articles, email newsletters, whitepapers, or video scripts, these strategies will help you create content that resonates with your audience and achieves your goals.

Consistency is Key: Tips for Maintaining a Strong Brand Voice Across All Your Content

Maintaining consistency and a cohesive brand voice across all of your content is crucial to building a strong, recognizable brand that resonates with your target audience. Here are some tips for achieving consistency in your content:

1. Develop a style guide
   Creating a style guide can help you establish a set of guidelines for your brand's tone of voice, messaging, and visual style. This guide should include details on your brand's personality, vocabulary, tone, and style of communication. By referring to this guide consistently, you can ensure that all of your content is aligned with your brand's voice and values.
   
   
2. Create templates
   Using templates for your content can help ensure that all of your pieces follow a consistent format and design. For example, you can create templates for social media posts, email newsletters, blog posts, and other types of content. These templates should be designed with your brand's visual identity in mind and should include elements such as color schemes, typography, and logos.
   
   
3. Use the same language and terminology
   Consistent use of language and terminology across all of your content is essential for building a strong brand voice. Using consistent language and terminology helps reinforce your brand's key messages and values. This can also help your audience identify with your brand and understand your offerings better.
   
   
4. Implement an editorial calendar
   An editorial calendar is a tool that helps you plan and organize your content in advance. It enables you to stay on track with your content strategy, ensuring that you are creating content regularly and consistently. This can help you maintain a consistent brand voice and messaging across all of your content.
   
   
5. Get feedback and make adjustments
   Getting feedback from your audience can help you refine your brand voice and messaging. You can use surveys, polls, and other feedback tools to gather input from your audience. Based on this feedback, you can make adjustments to your content strategy to ensure that you are meeting your audience's needs and expectations.

Maintaining consistency and a cohesive brand voice across all of your content is essential for building a strong brand identity and engaging with your audience. By following these tips, you can ensure that all of your content aligns with your brand's voice and values, helping you to build trust and loyalty with your target audience.

The Power of Collaboration: How Working with Experts Can Improve Your Content Quality

Collaborating with other writers, editors, and subject matter experts can be incredibly beneficial when it comes to improving the quality and depth of your content. Here are some of the key benefits of collaboration:

1. Diverse perspectives
   When you collaborate with others, you gain access to a diverse range of perspectives and insights. This can help you broaden your thinking and consider ideas that you may not have otherwise considered. By incorporating multiple perspectives, you can create more well-rounded and comprehensive content.
   
   
2. Expanded expertise
   Collaborating with subject matter experts allows you to tap into their expertise and knowledge. This can help you create more in-depth, accurate, and authoritative content. When you work with experts, you can also gain access to new research, data, and other resources that can help you create more impactful content.
   
   
3. Improved quality
   Collaborating with other writers and editors can help you improve the quality of your content. By working together, you can review each other's work, provide feedback, and suggest improvements. This can help you catch errors, clarify your messaging, and improve the overall structure and flow of your content.
   
   
4. Increased productivity
   Collaborating with others can also help you increase your productivity. When you work with a team, you can divide tasks, delegate responsibilities, and take advantage of each other's strengths. This can help you work more efficiently and effectively, ultimately resulting in higher-quality content.
   
   
5. Enhanced creativity
   Collaboration can also help you enhance your creativity. When you work with others, you can brainstorm new ideas, explore different angles, and experiment with new approaches. This can help you create more engaging and innovative content that stands out from the crowd.

Collaborating with other writers, editors, and subject matter experts can be incredibly valuable when it comes to improving the quality and depth of your content. By working together, you can tap into diverse perspectives, expand your expertise, improve the quality of your content, increase your productivity, and enhance your creativity. So, if you want to create content that truly resonates with your audience, consider collaborating with others to bring your ideas to life.

Repurposing Content: Smart Ways to Extend Your Reach and Maximize Your Efforts

Creating great content is no easy feat. It takes time, effort, and creativity to produce high-quality pieces that resonate with your audience. But what if you could get even more mileage out of the content you’ve already created? By repurposing and recycling your existing content, you can extend its lifespan and reach new audiences. Here are some ways to do just that:

1. Turn blog posts into social media content
   If you have a library of blog posts, you can repurpose them into bite-sized pieces of content for social media. Pull out interesting statistics or quotes and create graphics to share on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. You can also break down longer blog posts into shorter, more digestible pieces of content that are easier to consume on social media.
   
   
2. Transform blog posts into videos
   Another way to repurpose blog content is by turning it into videos. Create short videos that highlight key points from your blog posts or record a video version of the post itself. Videos are a great way to engage with audiences and can help you reach new people who prefer video content over text.
   
   
3. Create email newsletters from blog content
   If you have a blog, you can easily turn your content into a newsletter. Pull out the most interesting and informative posts from the past month and send them out in a newsletter to your subscribers. This is a great way to keep your audience engaged and informed while also repurposing your existing content.
   
   
4. Compile content into an e-book or guide
   If you have a lot of related blog posts, you can compile them into an e-book or guide. This is a great way to add value for your audience while also recycling your existing content. Plus, e-books and guides can be great lead magnets to help grow your email list.
   
   
5. Create infographics from blog posts
   Infographics are a great way to visually display data and statistics. If you have blog posts that contain a lot of information, consider creating an infographic to highlight the most important points. This is a great way to recycle your content while also engaging with audiences who prefer visual content.

Repurposing and recycling your existing content is a great way to extend its lifespan and reach new audiences. By turning blog posts into social media content, transforming them into videos, creating email newsletters, compiling them into e-books or guides, or creating infographics, you can continue to provide value to your audience while also recycling your existing content. So, take a look at your content library and see how you can repurpose and recycle your existing content to get even more mileage out of your hard work.

Measuring What Matters: The Importance of Analytics in Content Writing and Strategy

As a content creator, you know that producing high-quality content is important, but that's only half the battle. To truly succeed, you also need to analyze and measure the performance of your content. By doing so, you can gain valuable insights into what's working and what's not, and use that data to inform your future content strategy. Here are some reasons why analyzing and measuring the performance of your content is so important, and how to do it effectively:

1. Metrics provide insights into your audience
   One of the most important reasons to analyze and measure the performance of your content is that it provides insights into your audience. By looking at metrics like engagement, traffic, and conversions, you can get a better sense of who your audience is, what they're interested in, and how they interact with your content. This information can help you create more targeted and effective content in the future.
   
   
2. Metrics help you track progress and set goals
   Analyzing and measuring the performance of your content also helps you track your progress over time and set goals for the future. By tracking metrics like engagement, traffic, and conversions, you can see how your content is performing and identify areas where you need to improve. This information can help you set realistic goals for your content strategy and track your progress towards achieving them.
   
   
3. Metrics inform your content strategy
   Another key benefit of analyzing and measuring the performance of your content is that it can inform your content strategy. By looking at metrics like engagement, traffic, and conversions, you can identify the types of content that resonate most with your audience and create more of that content in the future. You can also identify areas where you need to improve and adjust your strategy accordingly.

So, how do you go about analyzing and measuring the performance of your content? Here are some steps to follow:

1. Identify your goals
   Before you start analyzing your content metrics, it's important to identify your goals. What do you want to achieve with your content? Are you looking to increase engagement, drive more traffic to your website, or generate more leads and conversions? Once you've identified your goals, you can focus on the metrics that are most relevant to achieving them.
   
   
2. Track your metrics
   Once you've identified your goals, you need to track your metrics. Use tools like Google Analytics, social media analytics, and email marketing analytics to track metrics like engagement, traffic, and conversions. Make sure you're tracking metrics consistently and regularly so that you can spot trends and identify areas for improvement.
   
   
3. Analyze your data
   Once you've tracked your metrics, it's time to analyze your data. Look for patterns and trends in your metrics, and identify areas where you're performing well and areas where you need to improve. Use this information to inform your content strategy and make adjustments as necessary.
   
   
4. Use your data to inform future content strategy
   Finally, use your data to inform your future content strategy. Create more of the types of content that are resonating most with your audience, and make adjustments to areas where you need to improve. Use your metrics to set realistic goals for your content strategy and track your progress towards achieving them.

Analyzing and measuring the performance of your content is essential if you want to succeed as a content creator. By tracking metrics like engagement, traffic, and conversions, you can gain valuable insights into your audience, track your progress towards your goals, and use that data to inform your future content strategy. So, make sure you're consistently tracking and analyzing your metrics, and using that data to improve your content and achieve your goals.

Final thoughts on the 10 subcategories of content writing and their impact on your success.

In conclusion, content writing is an art that requires constant learning, innovation, and practice. Each of the 10 subcategories discussed in this blog is critical for creating high-quality content that engages, informs, and delights your audience. By incorporating storytelling, crafting compelling headlines, conducting thorough research, optimizing for search engines, using visuals, writing for different mediums, maintaining consistency and brand voice, collaborating with experts, repurposing content, and analyzing performance, you can develop a content strategy that resonates with your audience and achieves your business goals. Remember, great content starts with a clear purpose, a deep understanding of your audience, and a commitment to continuous improvement. Keep these principles in mind, and you'll be well on your way to creating content that stands out in a crowded digital landscape.

_________________________

About the author(s): This post is the result of the first assignment given to the 10 students in a writing class I recently taught at a local university.  

Work together as a group to produce a blog post: 10 Skills Every Content Writer Should Master ... but you cannot write a word of the post. It has to be 100% written by artificial intelligence. 

The reason behind the assignment was to teach them that AI can be a valuable tool in their careers as writers, but that AI is just that. A tool. The students got high marks for their work on this submission which, in subsequent classes, we broke down to show how a human writer could vastly improve on it.

Joe Namath's Hair

When I was a kid living in suburban New York, there was nobody cooler than Joe Namath, Super Bowl winning quarterback for the New York Jets.

They called him "Broadway Joe". He partied until dawn with celebrities. He sported fur coats. He wore white shoes when playing. White shoes. Nobody wore white shoes. Nobody else could pull it off. Joe Namath could.

And he wore his hair long. This was when athletes had short hair and hippies had long hair.

A lot of us on our school teams had long hair, too.

To be like Joe Namath.

The first day of football practice, when the coach saw hair curling out of the back of helmets (carefully manipulated to look the way Joe Namath's hair curled out of his Jets helmet), he ordered those with offending hair to get haircuts or not bother coming back to practice.

I wasn't a football player. But I played lacrosse and the football coach also coached lacrosse. I had been dreaming of the spring when I would don my gear and become the heartthrob of every girl in school when they saw my Namath-like hair flowing out of my helmet.

Of course, I looked nothing like Namath and had none of his athletic ability. No celebrity friends. No fur coat either. My hair wasn't even the same color. 

It also outside the range of my raging teen-aged hormones to imagine that hair sticking out of a helmet would have absolutely no appeal to any female outside my fantasies.

None of that mattered when lacrosse season arrived.

The first day of practice, those of us with long hair were instructed to get haircuts by a coach who made it clear that he "didn't need hippies on his team and that we looked like girls." Coaches were different back then.

The next day, I was one of three without haircuts. The coach noticed and reiterated his edict.

The following day, I was the only one who hadn't visited a barbershop. I was channeling the rebelliousness of the day. Standing up to authority. Making my stand against the establishment. Giving the finger to authority. Burning the draft card I was still years away from being eligible for.

Unimpressed, the coach snarled at me that I had until Monday to get in line.

That Monday I stomped into the coach's office, slapped a large pile of hair on his desk and demanded, "Satisfied?"

He was momentarily stunned. Maybe by my boldness.  

Or maybe because he was relishing his power and the fruits of his bullying. 

Or perhaps he was just grossed out by the large clump of hair on his desk. 

"Fine," he said. "Suit up and get to your pre-practice laps."

I stomped out.

He couldn't see the wide grin on my face.

I hadn't gotten a haircut.

After seeing the football players get de-Namath-ized, I had saved all my hair from my haircuts from football season until lacrosse season. That was the hair I'd angrily presented to the coach.

That day when I hit the field I was Joe Namath. 

My hair curled gently from beneath my helmet and, along with the warm spring sun, I could feel the gazes of the adoring women. 

Why I Blog

I’m paid to write for other people. 

The writing in my blog is for me … it’s inexpensive therapy and It’s a good way to:

• EXERCISE my writing muscle (e.g., a post I wrote about sitting in a café in Amsterdam).
  
  
  
• EXPLORE things I’m curious about (e.g., a post I wrote about the working titles of famous books that changed for publication).
  
  
  
• GIVE BACK to my community (e.g., a post I wrote about an important way of getting info for copy/content).
  
  
  
• BE NOSTALGIC about my past (e.g., a post I wrote about a business friend).
  
  
  
• GO A BIT CRAZY just for the heck of it (e.g., a post I wrote about a website posted 50 years before the internet existed).
  
  

Also, MY BLOG is a way to show clients that I write consistently and let them see recent examples beyond my portfolio, which is not updated as often.

 

View from a sidewalk café. Amsterdam. (Part 3)

People walking with determination. A purpose. Somewhere to be.

I’ve reached my destination. My only purpose to be where I am.

The banker is on vacation. The starched white shirt, part of his uniform for the past 50 years, has been replaced by a startlingly pink one. His companion, toting a large treasure-filled shopping bag from Lacoste is wearing fluorescent green. No doubt she selected her partner’s shirt.

They wear their fanny packs across their chests like bandoleros. Two urban commandos ready to deal with any cold Heinekens that offer resistance.

With each step, the bulldog’s tongue flops to the other side of its broad mouth like a slobber-coated pink metronome. Almost as if it’s attached to its front feet.

Her hair color doesn’t exist in the natural world. Her shirt matches it exactly. Exactly. Which came first? Did she buy a few dozen shirts so she could pull off the look every day?

The notes of a lone saxophone drift through the bustle of Dam Square. The haunting tune more suited to a dark alley in a 1940s film noir.

Twins. Petite blonds with perfectly matching faces. Upturned noses and an odd arch to their right eyebrows. In this flowing river of unique faces, it seems impossible that two humans could be such exact replicas of each other.

Going totally limp. The last resort for getting attention when whining and screaming fail. In a practiced move mom lets go of the hand and scoops up the boneless child. Moving the shrieks from knee level to ear level but not hindering forward progress.

It’s a witch’s broom with long grey sticks lashed to a wooden pole. It doesn’t look like something from this century or the last. Yet it’s standard issue for the workers in orange jump suits sweeping litter into the demanding brushes of the following street cleaning machine.

Crop top. Chiseled 6-pack. Enormous stroopwaffle disappearing in aggressive bites. Cheat day.

With white hair and grizzled jowls, this pair is far too old for the matching black caps embroidered with the lips/tongue logo. The Stones are for cool, rebellious youth like me. I’m probably the same age as these two ancients… not as old as Mick Jagger, though. My self-image is not aligned with the reality of my time spent on this planet.

He walks with a purposeful stride that makes the leather combat boots seem lighter than I assume they are. His kilt swings and his sporran bounces in coordination with his steps. “What does a Scot wear under his kilt?” Given the rough khaki fabric, I would suggest something soft and thick. Maybe cotton. To limit chafing and sporran bounce fatigue.

Next to me, a game of solitaire with well-worn playing cards keeps the smoking man’s attention away from the parade of life that has captured mine.

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View from a sidewalk cafe. Amsterdam

Part 1

View from a sidewalk cafe. Amsterdam
Part 2