White papers and… Harry Potter?!
Who here loves Harry Potter? Ask that just about anywhere, and a lot of hands will go up. These days, a new generation of fans is being introduced to the stories by the original fans, their parents. Last year, my family went to see the phenomenal stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in Toronto.…
Read MoreWhite Paper World 15: January 19, 2023
Quick Tip: Don’t start your research with Google This just in: Survey says, white paper use is up again Tools of the trade: Passion Planner January Book Giveaway: Share your 2023 career resolution Quick tip: Don’t start your research with Google Yes, you need a lot of research for a white paper. No, you don’t…
Read MoreQuick tip: Read a draft to your reviewers
Did you ever work with a SME who kept putting off reviewing a white paper draft? Maybe English wasn’t their first language. Or maybe they weren’t sure how to express their comments on your draft. But they were too embarrassed to admit it. Here’s a smart way around that: 1. Schedule a meeting or Zoom,…
Read MoreQuick tip: My favorite way to polish a draft
Read it out loud. That quickly reveals any awkward phrases or run-on sentences. To me, reading out loud is the absolute best way to revise a white paper draft. But it can be awkward to read a draft to yourself and try to make changes at the same time. There’s a simple solution… Did you…
Read MoreWhite Paper World 14: December 2022
Fresh content: White papers and… letters to Santa?! Quick tip: My favorite way to polish a draft Holiday shopping: Just a little time left November book winner What I’m listening to: Huron Carol, with a little history Fresh content: White papers and… letters to Santa?! Do you know anyone writing a letter to Santa this…
Read MoreWhite Paper World 13: November 23, 2022
Fresh content: Tools of the trade, all in one place Quick tip: Don’t cross the red line Tools of the trade: Rate your headlines for originality and SEO What I’m thankful for: Great books! Just for fun: November book giveaway Fresh content: Tools of the trade, all in one place From time to time, I…
Read MoreQuick tip: Don’t cross the red line
I’ve worked on some white papers that suffered from what I call “The Kitchen Sink Syndrome.” This often happens when a company is publishing their very first white paper. They tell me they want to generate leads. But they’re also dying to tell the world about their brilliant new product. And they come up with…
Read MoreA great example of a numbered list
I recently came across an excellent example of a numbered list. You know, strawberry? It was a political column published in, of all places, The Guardian online newspaper. It’s clearly not a white paper. For one thing, it’s only 700 words long. And it’s an opinion piece in a newspaper, not a piece of B2B…
Read MoreQuick tip: Case studies vs white papers
You can include a case study in a white paper. But you can’t include a white paper in a case study. Remember the key differences between these formats: A case study tells the story of one happy customer A white paper describes a better way to solve an industry-wide problem A case study usually runs 1,000…
Read MoreWhite Paper World 12: November 10, 2022
Fresh content: Let’s deconstruct a numbered list Quick tip: Case studies and white papers Holiday shopping: Writers love books! Just for fun: October book winner Fresh content: Let’s deconstruct a numbered list I recently came across an excellent example of a numbered list. You know, strawberry? It was a political column published in, of all…
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