Nicole Bianchi

Writing, Copywriting, & Marketing Strategies

5 Strategies to Boost Your Productivity While Working From Home

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Photo by Sixteen Miles Out

Since I’ve worked from home for over ten years, my daily routine hasn’t been affected very much. Everything feels like normal until I read the news or hear my neighbor’s high school age son playing basketball in the driveway during school hours.

But maybe you’re like many of my friends and family members and suddenly find yourself working from home for the first time. It can be a big adjustment from working in an office, especially if you have kids at home too.

That’s why I’ve written this article for you.

I’m sharing several tips and strategies I’ve collected over the years that help me boost my productivity while working from home.

I hope they will help you too as we all adapt to this difficult situation we’re currently experiencing.

Let’s dive in. [Read more…]

A Look Back at January 2020

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Notebooks with words "Field Notes" on cover and compass
Photo by Jordan Madrid on Unsplash

Hey, friends! Last August, I wrote up a recap of the month and thought it was a fun way to keep you updated on projects I’m working on as well as a way to share books I’ve recently read or movies I’ve watched that I thought you might enjoy.

Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to write any more monthly recaps in 2019, but I thought, “Why not try to revive it this year?” If you like this format and would like to see future posts like this, let me know in the comments.

Without further ado, here are some highlights of what I wrote, what I read, and what I watched this past month: [Read more…]

5 Exercises From Famous Authors That Will Sharpen Your Writing Skills

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Hand gripping sharpened pencil and writing in notebook | 5 Exercises From Famous Authors That Will Improve Your Writing
Photo by Thought Catalog

Pianists practice scales to strengthen their skills like rhythm and timing. Artists might sketch a hundred human hands until they’ve mastered drawing that body part realistically. Dancers will practice a dance move countless times until their footwork and technique are flawless.

Just like those other artists, writers can sharpen specific skills through deliberate practice.

Are you struggling to write vivid descriptions? Or craft concise sentences?

In today’s post, I’m sharing five powerful creative writing exercises from famous authors that will help you practice those essential skills and many more.

Let’s get started. [Read more…]

How to Write Captivating Headlines: A Powerful 5-Step Process

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Person working at computer | How to Write Captivating Headlines
Photo by Austin Distel

You’ve spent hours pouring your heart and soul into a blog post.

You’re writing about an important topic that you’re sure will help readers, and you want to convey your message as effectively as possible.

So you’ve edited each paragraph until your eyes ached from staring at the computer screen. You’ve crafted a compelling introduction that will entice readers to keep reading, and your conclusion is powerful with a memorable final sentence.

Unfortunately, however, all of this time and effort will go to waste if no one reads your article.

Often, there’s only one way to get people to read: you must craft a headline that is so irresistible it draws people like a magnet to click on your piece.

People’s social media feeds are flooded with a constant stream of articles and online content. If you don’t have an attention-grabbing headline, your post won’t reach the potential readers it could help and inspire.

But don’t worry!

In today’s article, I’m sharing my five-step process that will help you write captivating headlines so your target audience reads your valuable blog posts.

Let’s dive in. [Read more…]

5 Powerful Writing Tips from Award-Winning Editor Jack Hart’s “Storycraft”

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Yellow typewrite on table next to vase
Photo by Luke Lung

Several months ago, I wrote an article sharing twelve of my favorite writing craft books. These books focus specifically on teaching you how to strengthen your skills as a writer and storyteller.

They get into the nuts and bolts of how to structure and edit your writing so it will captivate your readers.

Recently, I enjoyed re-reading one of the books on the list: Storycraft: The Complete Guide to Writing Narrative Nonfiction (Amazon affiliate link) by Jack Hart.

Hart served for many years as managing editor at The Oregonian, the Pacific Northwest’s largest newspaper. He also guided several Pulitzer-prize winning articles to publication.

In this book, he teaches everything that he learned from his many years as a journalist. Using examples from books and newspaper articles, he shows how to tell a captivating story. He covers everything from how to develop characters to choosing point of view to bringing scenes to life.

Even though his book is aimed at writers of nonfiction, I believe there is much that writers of fiction can glean from its pages as well.

In today’s post, I’ve written up my top five takeaways from my most recent read. [Read more…]