Nicole Bianchi

Writing, Copywriting, & Marketing Strategies

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…]

Two Essential Journals That Will Help You Achieve Your Goals

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Brown leather journal with compass on cover rests on top of a laptop | Two Essential Journals That Will Help You Achieve Your Goals
Photo by Colton Sturgeon
Want to connect with other writers? Make sure to get your invitation to my private writing community on Facebook!

Have you set a big goal for the year? Maybe you plan to finally write a novel or start an email list or go to the gym each morning or learn a new language.

But maybe you’re also a little worried because you’ve broken New Year’s resolutions in the past.

You made significant progress towards your goals at first, but then your schedule became busier than you expected, your motivation ebbed, and those goals looked further and further out of reach.

Studies by Dr. John Norcross show that 60% of the people who make resolutions in January will no longer be following them by July.

Why are resolutions so difficult to keep?

“It’s human to slip up,” Dr. Norcross says. “Our evidence-based research shows that people who are successful at keeping their New Year’s resolutions slip as many times as people who are unsuccessful.”

It’s just that people who are unsuccessful slip up and give up. But people who are successful have systems in place that ensure they stay positive, pick themselves up, and learn from their slip-ups, tweaking their plan of action so they don’t fail again in the future.

Journaling is one of my favorite systems to use to help me stay accountable to my goals. In today’s post, I’m sharing my two journaling methods that help me track my progress on different projects, learn from my slip-ups, and motivate me to keep working towards my goals and not give up.

These journals have helped me build a successful blog and email list, learn three foreign languages, and finish many writing projects. I can’t wait to hear what they will help you achieve.

Let’s dive in. [Read more…]

A Look Back At August 2019

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

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…]

12 Books That Will Make You a Better Writer

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Colorful books on bookshelf

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…]

5 Writing Tips from Ernest Hemingway

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Closeup of paper in a typewriter displaying sentence "It starts with one word"

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

In the spring of 1934, an aspiring writer named Arnold Samuelson hitchhiked from Minnesota to Florida to see if he could land a meeting with his favorite author. Feeling discouraged over his writing, Samuelson believed he needed a mentor to help him improve his craft.

The writer he had picked to be his mentor? Ernest Hemingway.

Samuelson showed up at Hemingway’s front door and begged the famous author for just a few minutes of conversation. Much to Samuelson’s delight, Hemingway agreed to talk with him and read some of his work. Although Hemingway wasn’t particularly impressed by Samuelson’s writing, he was impressed by the 22-year-old’s seriousness and dedication.

Unfortunately, Hemingway had planned to leave Florida soon on his boat Pilar. But luckily for Samuelson, Hemingway invited him to join the crew. While at sea, Samuelson had the rare opportunity to pick Hemingway’s brains about writing.

In a 1935 article for Esquire magazine, Hemingway shared some of the advice he had given Samuelson. Read on for five of Hemingway’s tips that we can use to improve our own writing.

[Read more…]