Author Archives: Suzanne Harris Magnificent Publications Inc.
The Truth About Writing and Rewriting
November 11, 2009
“How to Write a Great Novel” in Friday’s Wall Street Journal quotes noted literary figures on their work habits, many of them idiosyncratic but all supportive of the maxim: Writing well is hard work.
Few of us mortals aspire to be short-listed for the National Book Award, but one element of hard work—rewriting—should be familiar to [...]
Posted in Writing and Editing 1 Comment
Content and Its Discontents
September 24, 2009
Several admired colleagues write intelligently about online content. This post is for the others who need a gentle reminder: think first, repurpose second.
My inbox is filling up with tips from marketing companies that treat content as if it were a commodity, like baking soda or apple juice. There is no such thing as “content,” just [...]
Posted in Writing and Editing Leave a comment
Make the Case for a More Usable Site
August 24, 2009
It’s tough being a pioneer. If your colleagues sometimes oppose your efforts to make a Website more user-friendly, here’s a way to dodge the arrows. Check out the Nielsen Norman Group’s usability site for guidelines on persuading subject matter experts to bring Web content more in line with the target audience’s needs.
The key is to [...]
Posted in Marketing and promotion Leave a comment
Why Not Show Me You Care?
July 27, 2009
I’m hardly a fashionista, but once in a while—usually when I decide that au courant toes no longer justify the pain—I buy a new pair of shoes. And I always buy them from Maryland Square, a mail-order house that carries every brand imaginable, ships promptly, and most important, inundates me with catalogues and e-mail. I’m [...]
Posted in Marketing and promotion Leave a comment
Good Works Make Great Stories
July 8, 2009
Peter Korchnak wrote about a presentation given by Roger Burks, senior writer with the 30-year-old charity Mercy Corps. The gist of it was that good storytelling can motivate action on the part of readers—for Mercy Corps, that usually means getting them to write a check.
The Editorial Advantage has published several posts on the role that [...]
Posted in Marketing and promotion Leave a comment
Must Winners Really Take All?
June 1, 2009
You can skip this if you’ve read the book Nudge and you’re already incensed about the proliferating “most popular” lists on the Web.
But maybe you want your organization to present “most popular” information in a positive way and need some more ammunition. Carl Bialik, “The Numbers Guy” of The Wall Street Journal, recently slammed the [...]
Posted in Persuasion Leave a comment
Tell Stories with All You've Got
May 26, 2009
The future of publishing is taking shape on the Web, and it is a mega mall.
The Nieman Marcus of the high end sites is Danilo Black, which designs and produces digital magazines. A co-venture of eminent designers Eduardo Danilo Ruiz of Monterrey, Mexico, and Roger Black of New York, Danilo Black has introduced “dynamic media” [...]
Happier Endings for Advertisers
May 12, 2009
Everyone loves a good story. So is it any wonder that the most effective online advertising is the story that includes brand information? It leaves most other types of online advertising in the dust, particularly pop-up ads.
This finding is reported by a company with a vested interest, ARAnet, which develops and distributes articles about clients’ [...]
Posted in Marketing and promotion Leave a comment
What’s Next in B2B Publishing?
January 19, 2009
Disappearing newspapers give rise to anguished discussions about impacts on the democratic process — who will keep an eye on the shysters at city hall, who will speak for the disenfranchised?
Business is different. Even massive dislocations get taken in stride. Unlike the newspaper industry, B2B consultants figure that as long as there are Bs needing [...]
Posted in Industry trends Leave a comment
Storytelling: A 2010 Resolution