#amwriting

Jargon – How and When to Use it in Writing

/ Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 12 Comments

Day 10: 
Jargon vs Slang copyJargon – What is it and when is it okay to use it in writing?

“Jargon is a literary term defined as a use of specific phrases and words by writers in a particular situation, profession or trade.” It is deliberately developed and used for a particular occupation or businesses. Consider legal or medical terminology.

Even though I retired from nursing twenty years ago, I still use medical jargon. Old habits die-hard. For example, a medication taken as needed is, in medical jargon, referred to as a PRN medication.

Twitter has brought the use of jargon into the mainstream. Here are a few examples:

  • BTW – By The Way
  • IMHO – In My Humble Opinion
  • FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
  • CYA – See You Around (most of us know of another favorite phrase)
  • FYI – For Your Information
  • LOL – Laugh Out Loud

Jargon is not the same thing as slang. What’s the difference?

“Slang, more often spoken than written, is a type of informal category of a certain language developed within a certain community and consists of words or phrases whose literal meanings are different from the actual meanings.” Think about the South. We have quite a few slang words and phrases. I’m sure you’re aware of the Southern slang expression, Y’all.  

When is it appropriate to use jargon in writing? 

Jargon is used in non-fiction, academic papers, professional documents, essays, and fiction. There’s a place for its use, but you most know the audience you’re writing for and provide enough explanation that the reader will understand.

Want to know more about when and how to use Jargon? Check out Write it Sideways article, How to Use (not abuse) Jargon, Slang and Idioms.

What about you? Have you used jargon in any of your writing? A2Z-BADGE 2016-smaller_zpslstazvib

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood,  Pinterest,  Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilagood, and Contently.

Inspiring Quotes for Writers and Other Fun Stuff

/ Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 20 Comments

Day 9: #atozchallenge

Who doesn’t like a bit of fun inspiration once in a while? Here are a few of my favorites.

 

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Do have favorite quotes that inspire you? Add them below in the comment section.

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood,  Pinterest,  Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilamgood, and Contently

 

 

How to Write Headlines that Stand Out in Search Engines

/ Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 33 Comments

Day 8: 

Writing the headline for an article or blog post seems easy, but easy doesn’t always get you the response you want.

Headlines play a significant role in how your posts rank in search engines. Some will get more social shares and click-throughs than others. Why?

It’s all in the words you choose. Think keywords, common, uncommon, and power words.

Statistics reveal lists, and how-to headlines get better traction while emotional or positive headlines get shared more often. Having the right combination of words and the right length will make your headline stand out.

The free headline analyzer from Co-schedule will help you learn to write the best and most compelling headlines.

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In addition to the analyzer,  CoSchedule provides word lists that will help drive traffic to your blog. Download your copy here.

Headline words

The headline for this post scored –  70 A+

What do you think? Do you think headlines make a difference? Do you think about your headline?  I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood,  Pinterest,  Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilamgood, and Contently.

Guest Blogging

/ Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 32 Comments

 Day 7: 

Have you considered guest blogging but don’t know where to begin? The first step is to determine what you want to accomplish.

What is your goal?

  1. Do you have expertise in an area and want to share it?
  2. Do you want to create more traffic to your blog or increase followers?
  3. Want to see an increase in backlinks to your content?
  4. Or, establish yourself as an authority?

Where to Find Guest Blogging Opportunities:

Once you know your motivations, it’s time to find the opportunities, and there are many.

  1. Begin with a simple keyword search for “guest post” on Google, Twitter, or preferred search engine.
  2. Utilize the connections you’ve already established – favorite blogs or other social networking sites.
  3. Look for blogs that best match your area of interest or expertise, have engaged readers, and is active on social networks.
  4. Check out sites like Contently, Huffington Post, or Angie’s Diary.

Things to do before pitching a guest post:

  1. Familiarize yourself with the blog; it’s content and readership.
  2. Have guest posts been featured before?
  3. Who were the guest bloggers? Authors? Other bloggers? Freelancers? Read their bios and get to know them.
  4. How did the guest post do? Was there a lot of reader engagement?
  5. Become a familiar face in the blogging community.

When to pitch:

  1. When someone mentions your blog on, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Google.
  2. When a blogger advertises, they are seeking guest posts.
  3. When a guest post is featured on another blog.

How to Pitch:

  1. Read the guidelines.
  2. Introduce yourself. Craft a guest post bio and include links back to your blog or author websites that show your work.
  3. As with any pitch, personalize your email.
  4. Explain what you can offer in a guest post.
  5. Provide links to your blog and other sites on which you have published.
  6. Format your guest post the same as the site in which you are submitting.
  7. Provide valuable and relatable information.
  8. Do not self-promote except within the author bio.
  9. Utilize internal links to some of the owner’s posts.
  10. Create a call to action for comments.

Want to know more about guest blogging? Check out these resources.

 Guest Blogging Opportunities:

Does guest blogging interest you? Have you been a featured guest blogger in the past?

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood,  Pinterest,  Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilagood, and Contently.