Nicole Bianchi

Writing, Copywriting, & Marketing Strategies

A Look Back At August 2019

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Notebooks with "Field Notes" on cover and a compass
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Writing projects, books read, inspirational quotes, musings, and more!

Today, I wanted to try something new and write up a recap of the past month.

I thought it would be a fantastic way to keep you updated on projects I’m working on as well as a way for me to share books and articles I’ve found inspiring and thought you might enjoy too.

We’ll see if it becomes a recurring series. 🙂

First, here’s what I did in August:

At the end of July, I went to a copywriting/business conference in Nashville, Tennessee and returned with lots of ideas for new articles and resources to create for you. In August, I dove into working on those.

Also got away from my desk, enjoyed the summer weather, and had some fun adventures, like going to a Triple A baseball game — the home team won and there were fireworks after the game.

Here are some highlights of what I wrote, what I read, and what I watched this past month:

[Read more…]

How Crafting A One-Sentence Synopsis Will Strengthen Your Writing

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Whether you’re writing a blog post, a sales page, a short story, or even a book, you have something of value you want to share with your readers.

Maybe you have an incredible productivity tip that will help them finally achieve their goals or maybe it’s a fantastic product that will make their lives easier or maybe it’s a personal story that will help them feel less alone in their struggles. [Read more…]

12 Books That Will Make You a Better Writer

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Stephen King observed in his memoir On Writing,

“If you don’t have the time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that. Reading is the creative center of a writer’s life.”

Of course, all different kinds of books can help you develop your skills as a writer. Well-written novels can show you how to tell gripping stories and paint vivid pictures with your words. Motivational books about writing can help you develop your confidence and find your voice.

But in today’s article, I’m sharing twelve books that 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. [Read more…]

How to Create a Captivating Mood and Atmosphere in Your Writing

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Imagine you’re watching a thriller film.

The protagonist, a detective pursuing a serial killer, has decided to investigate a basement in an abandoned house.

As she slowly descends the rickety stairs, the soundtrack softly dies. The creak of each step is magnified. The lights flicker. There’s a close-up of her face, and you can see the fear in her eyes.

You want to scream at the television “Don’t go down those stairs!” because you’re sure the murderer is lurking below.

With a combination of cinematic techniques, the director has succeeded in making your heart race. They’ve created a suspenseful atmosphere by increasing the volume of certain sounds, pulling the camera in close, and dimming the lights. [Read more…]

How to Make Your Writing and Marketing Captivating with the Cliffhanger Technique

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Cliffhanger endings have been delighting and frustrating readers ever since the 1800s.

The term “cliffhanger” was coined when Victorian author Thomas Hardy serialized the chapters of one of his novels in a newspaper.

One chapter ended in suspense with the hero hanging desperately from a cliff. Would he plunge to his death or not?

The Victorian ladies and gentlemen were probably quite flustered during their games of whist as they traded fan theories and waited impatiently to find out what was going to happen in the next chapter.

I’m sure you can probably relate to their plight. Cliffhanger endings have become a staple of TV show episodes and sometimes even appear in movies.

This year, you might have been one of the Marvel fans who flocked to see Avengers: Endgame. The previous film Avengers: Infinity War ended with a cliffhanger — the seeming victory of the film’s villain, Thanos.

Fans were left in suspense, wondering how the superheroes would manage to defeat the villain and undo all of the destruction he had caused. People were so eager to find out what was going to happen in Endgame that it became the second highest grossing movie of all time. (Shhh–no spoilers in the comments. I haven’t seen it yet.)

Something similar happened back in 2003 when Return of the King was released in theaters. The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers had both ended on (you guessed it) cliffhangers, and fans rushed to see the final installment in the fantasy trilogy.

Funnily enough, back then Return of the King became the second highest grossing film of all time too.

That’s the power of a cliffhanger ending. It makes people become so invested in your work that they wait with bated breath for your next creation.

In today’s post, let’s look at how you can use the power of cliffhangers to make your writing and marketing captivate your audience too. [Read more…]