Articles

Lately I've been writing more articles, online and in print. Here are some samples from over the years.

ALSO SEE: More samples of my editorial and editorial-style writing

• EdgeStudio.com (voice-over recording and training)

During my relationship as a copywriter and content writer for this New York-based recording studio, their industry changed. Whereas talent used to travel to their client's ad agency or a recording studio to audition and record, these days most work is done from the talent's home studio. Accordingly, the range of training topics has expanded. In helping Edge Studio sell its comprehensive talent-training services, I wrote or edited a substantial portion of its website, optimized copy to meet specs given by my client's SEO service, interviewed coaches and talent, wrote bios, and authored more than 200 articles on a wide range of topics related to voice-over, from performance, perception and health, to business, technology and marketing.

• Earbuds and earplugs -- A heads-up on hearing health
• Ultimate Animal Dub: The addicting works of Andrew Grantham
• Who voices illegal robocalls? Should you remove certain telemarketers from your list?
• Ready, Set, Ready, Set, R... How to stop procrastinating
• What makes something funny? Especially in voice-over.
• Voice-over performance tips
• Koerber Paperlink (KPL) [PDFs]
• Please produce your Passport [manufacturing]
• Efficiency in folio-size sheeting requires more than an efficient sheeter
• KLM
• Livestock: Every animal, a pampered client
• Press releases (Click to see)
• Similar marketing communications copy (long copy, etc.) (Click to see)

Exactly what do YOU need?

• Press release?
• Advertorial?
• White paper?
• Editorial content (quaintly called an "article")?

What we call it, what we say, and how we say it, all depend on your objective.

So does the length. For example, if you want to give Google and other search engines something unique to chew on — positioning you as an authority in your field and improving your Search Engine Optimization — you can go long ... 2,000 words or more (if there's that much to say). But also use visuals and time-honored typographic "tools" (such as subheads, crossheads, bold leads, white space, insets, pull quotes and sidebars) to make it visually attractive and easy to scan.

On the other hand, to stimulate immediate response and/or reader comments, keep it short — say, 500-600 words. (If it's much less than that, Google may not consider it unique or substantive.) Then again, if it's to appear in a paper publication or on someone else's website, the piece will have to meet their editorial specifications. And if it's a general press release, write so as to give editors easy editing options.

In any case, if your ultimate goal is to sell, include an offer and call to action, and don't bury that at the bottom.

Another rule of thumb is the advice the Walt Disney's Cheshire Cat gave to Alice:

Go on until you come to the end. Then stop.

Don't stop here; click an article above.
For other types of work, click on Samples.