Posts by Gordon Graham
White Paper World, August 2022
A regular newsletter for B2B writers and marketers keen to learn more about white papers Issue 7 • August 2022 Fresh content: New episode of The White Paper Review This just in: How to write an exceptional white paper from CMI Quick tip: Teach, don’t preach What I’m reading: White Papers For Dummies?! Just for fun:…
Read More3 keys to readable white papers
Many white papers are just too hard to read. Fortunately, three simple techniques can make any draft easier to read. Use shorter words. Use shorter sentences. And use shorter paragraphs. In other words, three keys can make your next white paper easier to read: Delete to eliminate long words Period (.) to break up long…
Read MoreThe White Paper Review: Catch all the episodes here!
The only YouTube show that asks the burning question: Is this white paper any good? Presented by two writers who care intensely about the white paper format: seasoned content writer Brian Boys + Gordon Graham, That White Paper Guy. Every episode, we look at one white paper we think has a lot to offer, and…
Read MoreWhite papers versus e-books
So a client asked me to write an e-book. Before I started, I searched high and low for guidance on what makes a good e-book: How long should they be? How many graphics should they contain? Landscape or portrait format? Any other distinguishing characteristics? Unfortunately, it sounds like an “e-book” can be just about any…
Read MoreQuick Tip: Write AS you speak
Some classic advice to writers is “write like you speak.” So why not write AS you speak? Why not dictate the first draft of your next white paper? Here are just a few of the benefits: It’s 2.5X faster than typing. It leaves your hands free to juggle through sources. It removes more of the…
Read MoreWhite Paper World, July 2022
A newsletter for B2B writers and marketers keen to learn more about white papers Issue 6 • July 2022 Fresh content: White papers and… backgammon?! Quick tip: My secret weapon for “writing” white papers What I’m reading: Another fine book by Bob Bly Just for fun: Amaaazing dinosaurs Fresh content: White papers and… backgammon?! Believe…
Read MoreWhite papers and… backgammon?!
Yes, playing backgammon is a lot like doing a white paper. If you don’t know what backgammon is, see the intro below. If you already know the history of backgammon, skip down to “6 similarities between backgammon and white papers.” Intro: What is backgammon? Backgammon is an ancient game that dates back at least…
Read More5 reasons white papers are challenged: data and stories
Let’s compare a white paper to a dessert soufflé. Done right, a soufflé is an extraordinary dessert that gets people talking. But making a great soufflé takes the right ingredients, the right recipe, and an oven and soufflé pan in tip-top shape. If you’re missing one of these, your soufflé will fall flat. By the…
Read More6 reasons white papers fail: data and stories
Not every white paper that’s started ever gets finished. In fact, my data shows 1 in 6 white papers fail. At That White Paper Guy, I recently analyzed 300 of my white paper projects going back to 1997. I was shocked to discover that 50 of these white papers—1 in 6—were abandoned and never published. …
Read MoreHow I analyzed 300 white papers
I recently reviewed all the white papers I worked on from 1997 to 2020. The results were fascinating. Of these 300 white papers, a full 50 were abandoned and never published. That’s 1 in 6. Three dozen more were published, but with clear defects. That’s 1 in 9. That means 214 of my papers (71%)…
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