White Paper Writing
To get clients, learn how to call a moose
“Where do you find clients?” I get the same question almost every week. But I don’t have a ready answer. That’s like asking a hunter where he got that moose he just bagged. What are you going to do? Run off to the very same spot in the woods, and expect to get another moose?…
Read More9 ways to break through writer’s block
You know how they always show writers in Hollywood movies? Crumpling up sheet after sheet of paper, and tossing them at a trash can? It just doesn’t happen like that in real life. At least it shouldn’t, when you’re writing white papers. Maybe novelists, poets or screenwriters can suffer from writer’s block.…
Read MoreWhy you should write in short bursts of time
People frequently tell me they don’t have the time to write. “I’m too busy,” they say. Or “I know that white paper is important, but I just can’t seem to get around to it.” And while writing, say, a short report or article is daunting enough, when faced with a longer piece of work—like a…
Read MoreWhy not use hype in a white paper?
While every company is unique, a lot of white papers share the same problems. How can I put this delicately? Many white papers suffer from an over-abundance of wishful thinking, unattributed factoids, vacuous logic… and good old-fashioned hype.And there’s no place where hype is less welcome than in your next white paper. Hype doesn’t work…
Read MoreWhat is a white paper, anyway?
Ask any 10 people this question and you’ll likely get 12 different answers. Here is the best short definition I’ve ever found, after years of looking: a white paper is a persuasive essay. To expand on that a little, a white paper is a persuasive essay that uses facts and logic to promote a recommended…
Read MoreHow to write a white paper with Google Docs
White papers are team projects. So why do we all work on separate PCs? Why do we all look at separate drafts, and e-mail around separate comments? Isn’t that a little… old-fashioned? About 10 years ago, I wrote a white paper for the first time with Google Docs. It was a challenging document with…
Read MoreHow to write a white paper title that sizzles
Which white paper would YOU sooner read: If you’re like most people, the title on the left makes your eyes glaze over…while the one on the right has a fighting chance to get your attention. Here are 11 tips on putting together compelling titles for white papers. Title tip #1: Understand the title is critical Think…
Read MoreHow to write a white paper for translation
Do you need to write a white paper—or anything else—to be used in different languages? Then you must write properly for translation. Here are six simple tips that will make your text easier for translators to work with, and cut down any chances of embarrassing gaffes. We came across a great little booklet called Borderless English:…
Read MoreHow to write a white paper, by the numbers
Let’s talk about a different way to write a white paper: as a numbered list. You know what I’m talking about—any document with a title like: 5 Secrets of… 6 Steps to Success in… 7 Ways to Boost Profits with… I’ve actually written white papers with all of those titles, and dozens more. Sometimes called “listicles”—a…
Read MoreHow to write a white paper as tips
Try Googling a phrase like “7 tips” and you’ll see at least 100 million hits?! Check out any newsstand and you’ll find “tips” on the cover of most magazines. Self-help books sell $2+ billion every year. And what is a self-help book, if not a series of tips? So why do “tips” rule newsstands, bookstores…
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