Nicole Bianchi

Writing, Copywriting, & Marketing Strategies

Four Powerful Creative Writing Exercises From Famous Authors

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Pen resting on top of open book
Photo by Dewang Gupta

A few months ago, I wrote an article sharing five powerful writing exercises from famous authors.

Just as pianists practice scales to strengthen their skills like rhythm and timing, writers can sharpen specific skills through deliberate practice.

Since publishing that original article, I’ve been searching for more creative writing exercises, and I discovered four more gems that I’m excited to share with you today.

Struggling to write effective dialogue? Or craft vivid descriptions? Or maybe you’re facing writer’s block?

These creative writing exercises will help you overcome those obstacles.

Let’s dive in. [Read more…]

7 Editing Tips That Will Make Your Writing More Engaging

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Blank notebook next to pair of glasses and three sharpened pencils | 7 Editing Tips That Will Make Your Writing More Engaging
Photo by Jess Bailey

A few months ago, I wrote a review of award-winning editor Jack Hart’s book Storycraft: The Complete Guide to Writing Narrative Nonfiction.

(That’s my Amazon affiliate link above — I’ll make a small comission if you buy a copy at no extra cost to you. Thanks!)

Storycraft is one of my favorite books on the craft of writing (I share several of my other favorite books in my article here). Even though Hart aimed his book at writers of nonfiction, I believe there is much that writers of fiction can glean from its pages too.

In fact, there’s one chapter in particular that’s a goldmine of editing tips for any kind of writing. Recently, I collected my top takeaways from the chapter and arranged them as an editing checklist for myself when I work on blog posts, essays, and short stories.

I’ve found these tips incredibly helpful so, today, I wanted to share seven of them with you!

These powerful editing tips will help you breathe life into your writing, turn plodding sentences and paragraphs into fast-paced narratives, and capture the attention of your readers.

Let’s dive in. [Read more…]

7 Things I Wish I Knew When I First Started Blogging

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Computers on Desk | What I Wish I Knew When I First Started Blogging
Photo by Domenico Loia

The other day, a friend called me and asked if I could share advice about setting up a blog. She was now working from home and had a lot of extra time on her hands.

She wanted to devote some of that time to finally publishing her work and growing an audience online. Maybe, she thought, she could eventually turn the blog into a part-time income stream.

I imagine that there are many more people just like my friend who’ve been thinking about starting a blog and now are finally ready to take the leap.

So I decided to write up this post sharing the top seven tips I’d tell myself if I was starting a blog today.

I’m drawing on my experience from many years of blogging (I started my first blog when I was fourteen and have turned several of my blogs into income streams), and also my experience as a web designer and copywriter.

If you just want to blog as a hobby, this guide probably isn’t for you.

But if you’re interested in turning your blog into a business by building an audience and eventually promoting your own products and services or earning money through advertising, then these tips will help you get off to a running start.

Let’s dive in.

Please note: This blog post might contain affiliate links, but I only recommend services I think highly of and/or have personally used. Thanks for your support!

[Read more…]

How to Finish a Big Writing Project: Six Effective Strategies

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Pens, notebook, keyboard, and pair of glasses on a table
Photo by Plush Design Studio

Last week, I completed a big writing project. I finished working on expanding and updating a small eBook on email marketing that I’d written several years ago and turning it into an in-depth online course. (I’ll be releasing it soon!)

At the same time, I’ve been working to wrap up the first draft of a novel that I started writing at the end of last year. I’m not at the finish line yet, but this week I reached 52,000 words total.

Working on both these projects has tested my endurance. A big writing project comes with many more challenges than writing a blog post or a short story.

It requires far more motivation, especially on those days when it feels like you’ll never make it to the end of the project.

It requires far more time because you have to devote months to the project, not just a handful of days or weeks.

And it requires far more planning up front so you don’t end up overwhelmed and unsure how to move forward from one day to the next.

In today’s article, I’m sharing six strategies that have helped me overcome these challenges and work diligently on big projects from start to finish.

I hope these strategies will help you whether you’re working on a novel, a nonfiction book, a college thesis, an in-depth digital product, or any other type of big writing project.

Let’s dive in. [Read more…]

5 Strategies to Boost Your Productivity While Working From Home

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Woman sitting on couch holding mug and looking out window
Photo by Trent Szmolnik

I’m writing this from North Carolina where I’m hunkering down at home with my family.

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

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
Want to connect with other writers? Make sure to get your invitation to my private writing community on Facebook!

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…]