{"id":15362,"date":"2023-02-09T00:00:18","date_gmt":"2023-02-09T05:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thatwhitepaperguy.com\/?p=15362"},"modified":"2023-02-25T23:02:16","modified_gmt":"2023-02-26T04:02:16","slug":"white-paper-world-16-february-9-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thatwhitepaperguy.com\/white-paper-world-16-february-9-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"White Paper World 16: February 9, 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"
When my wife, Angie, faced a health crisis a couple years ago, our family dove into the world of Harry Potter.<\/p>\n
Our nightly readings and periodic movie nights gave us a sense of stability as we shared his adventures.<\/p>\n
Last year, we went to see the phenomenal stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child<\/em>\u00a0in Toronto.<\/p>\n Now we\u2019re planning a trip to the Warner Brothers Studio Tour London<\/em> to see where the movies were made.<\/p>\n All that got me wondering: Are there any similarities between Harry Potter and white papers?<\/p>\n So here\u2019s a tongue-in-cheek look at how these two compare\u2026 with tips on white papers sprinkled throughout. <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n And if you don\u2019t know the stories, this article has no spoilers.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Maybe English wasn\u2019t their first language.<\/p>\n Or maybe they weren’t sure how to express their comments on your draft.<\/p>\n But they were too embarrassed to admit it.<\/p>\n 1. Schedule a meeting or Zoom, and read the draft out loud to them.<\/p>\n This works best with a group of three or four reviewers max.<\/p>\n 2. Invite everyone to interrupt if they have any questions, if they disagree with anything you just read, or if they can\u2019t understand something.<\/p>\n 3. Listen carefully, don\u2019t get defensive, and attempt to resolve each comment. At least ask around the table if anyone else has the same view.<\/p>\n 4. Try to re-word any troublesome sentences on the fly and get everyone\u2019s okay.<\/p>\n This reading-out-loud approach can feel like slow-going.<\/p>\n But it\u2019s really a win-win:<\/p>\n This simple trick can save days or weeks of review time or get a white paper that\u2019s stuck in reviews moving again.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Did you know I have a YouTube<\/strong> show with my buddy Brian Boys<\/strong>?<\/p>\n Click here to check out the latest episode<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every show, we review white papers the way movie critics review films.<\/p>\n We choose a white paper we really like\u2014a good example\u2014and then one we think needs a lot of help\u2014a bad example.<\/p>\n By watching along, you’ll learn how big companies can embarrass themselves with a bad white paper and how much small firms can level the playing field by doing a good white paper.<\/p>\n Now we’re getting requests from marketers for custom reviews of their draft white papers.<\/p>\n So\u2014by popular demand\u2014we’re announcing a new service for 2023.<\/p>\n Now you can hire us to review your white paper and give you concrete advice to make it better.<\/p>\n You get our undivided attention in a 45-minute private video, plus a PDF of our “Top 3 Recommendations.”<\/p>\n And we’ll be nice, we promise. Our goal is to help you make your white paper even stronger.<\/p>\n Here’s what a recent client said about this service:<\/p>\n “Thank you so much for your excellent review of my white paper. Lots to digest but it’s the kind of gentle, constructive observations and recommendations expected from two experts.”<\/p>\n \u2014Carl Husa<\/strong>, white paper writer<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The cost is a one-time fee of $500… one-third less than I used to charge for a written review.<\/p>\n So if you have a white paper you’d like us to review, just let me know.<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Last issue, I asked you to send in your resolutions for your writing career in 2023.<\/p>\n We got more entries than for any other Book Giveaway yet!<\/p>\n Once again, we selected one entry at random. And our winner is Redante Asuncion-Reed<\/strong> from the Philippines, who specializes in tech for non-profits.<\/p>\n Here, with his permission, are his career resolutions for 2023.<\/p>\n
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Quick tip: Read a draft to your reviewers<\/h2>\n
Did you ever work with a SME who kept putting off reviewing a white paper draft?<\/h3>\n
Here\u2019s a smart way around that:<\/h3>\n
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\nNew service<\/strong>: Get a video review of your white paper<\/h2>\n
Need expert help on your white paper?<\/h3>\n
\nCongrats to our January book winner!<\/h2>\n