White Paper Writing
This just in: Most executives think big consulting firms are “no help at all”
A new survey shows most UK executives think big consulting firms are useless. More than 4 out of 5 (87%) executives complained that consultants from big firms like Bain, Boston Computing Group, and McKinsey dish out advice that’s “no help at all.” Now, this survey was commissioned by an upstart competitor, Emergn. So it’s no…
Read MoreMaster the art of white paper writing with these top 10 tips!
I’ve worked on 325 white papers over 25 years, and I’ve learned what works—and what doesn’t. Now, I’m sharing my top 10 techniques in a special tipsheet, all to help you create better white papers. Imagine your satisfaction at hearing: —”This is our best white paper ever!” —”We’re getting more leads than we expected!” —”When can…
Read MoreWhite Paper World 48: September 27, 2024
Quick tip: Think outside the list This just in: The enshittification of everything What I’m reading: The Canceling of the American Mind 6.5-minute read. 11-minute listen: Quick tip: Think outside the list 2-minute read. In an earlier tip, I described how to write better lists. But sometimes a list isn’t the best approach. Sometimes recasting a…
Read MoreQuick tip: Make every bullet count
There’s nothing like a set of bullets to make a list easy to scan. But are your bulleted lists as sharp as they could be? Here are four tips to help make every bullet count. Tip 1: Order bullets for quick scanning It’s obvious how to arrange a set of bullets, right? You put the…
Read MoreQuick tip: Fix a draft white paper that’s too long
So you’ve written a draft white paper, but it’s way too long. Now your reviewers and your sponsor are complaining. So can you shorten a draft that’s way too long? Yes, you can. And here are five practical tips how. What’s too long, anyway? Technical people may read a white paper 30 or 40 pages…
Read MoreWhat ChatGPT says about white papers (updated fall 2024)
Every writer is talking about the ground-breaking AI program, ChatGPT. We’re all wondering whether it means the end of our careers or the start of a new and exciting chapter. So I decided to ask the source. Early in 2023, I interviewed ChatGPT 3.5 on the issues every writer is concerned about: What it can…
Read MoreQuick tip: How to layer information for multiple audiences
Ideally you can create one white paper for every segment of your target audience. But what if you can’t swing that? What if for some reason—time, money, or whatever—you need to reach more than one audience with the same white paper? In another article, I described how to “clone” one basic document for various segments…
Read MoreQuick tip: 6 easy hacks for ChatGPT [with sample prompts]
After using ChatGPT for a time, we learn a few hacks to get better results. Here’s a quick roundup of six easy ways to pump up your prompts: The first three are common tips you may have heard already. The last three are strange “emotional engineering” to push the AI further. Plus, a bonus tip…
Read MoreYou asked: Is copywriting different from content writing?
That’s a great question. Here’s my answer, some lively comments, and some updated comments I posted after musing on this some more. I was fortunate to learn my craft writing for traditional magazines. From 1985 to today, I wrote close to 1,000 magazine articles, mainly about technology, for everyone from accountants to woodworkers. One thing…
Read MoreQuick tip: Use AI to make a Mini-Me
Remember the Austin Powers spy spoof movies? And the ones where supervillain Dr. Evil had a miniature clone of himself, called Mini-Me? Mini-Me dressed the same, talked the same, and shared many of the same silly tics as Dr. Evil. But he was a whole lot shorter. This is how to think about the executive…
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