• Profile picture of AllyBerthiaume

    AllyBerthiaume

    2 years, 7 months ago

    @abbyabacussolutionsfinancialcoaching-com @aimzdeehotmail-com (I hope I’ve found my right Zoom mates from the May sessions)

    I’m looking for feedback on my Myth Buster copy … Would you mind giving me your thoughts? This is my latest version.

    MYTH: I need huge time blocks and to write every single day to write a book.

    FACT — Large blocks of time are unrealistic and hard to prioritize but smaller chunks are easier to establish and stick to.

    Think about the number of hats you wear on any given day and how that translates to the number of hours you spend in those other roles. Big blocks are probably not realistic in your very busy schedule but finding a small amount of time to do focused writing is.

    FACT — We all get exhausted when we do something every single day. That’s not actually a winning strategy.

    We all need breaks and time to reset. Think about exercise. You need to take some days off to let your muscles rest before you go back at it and continue to strengthen your body. Writing is practice and a muscle to strengthen. Not writing every day doesn’t make you ineffective, it can actually be helpful.

    FACT — This overall belief is likely based on old, dead writers who used to write by candlelight at the early hours of the morning before doing anything else.

    That isn’t the time we are in. That isn’t the life you live. That isn’t a luxury you have.

    Hear me when I say: You’re not failing at writing your book because you don’t have huge time blocks or not writing every single day. It’s about developing a practice that works FOR YOU – your life, your reality.

    If you want to approach your book in a way that serves you, your life, and your schedule, and makes you feel like a success then join me for my next Writer’s Block Party.

    The focus of this next gathering will be on developing a personalized plan to write your book that works with your schedule and your current reality.

    Let’s let go of that myth that you need huge amounts of time and you’ll never get it done and embrace new perspectives and tools to actually get your book across the finish line.

    Join me by registering here >> [link]

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    14 Comments
    • I really like the flow of everything but the first FACT – it seems a little clunky to me, not smooth. Would it be smoother if you remove the “but” connector and just used a semicolon?

    • Hi Ally, really great stuff in here. Shannon & Amy often talk about focusing on one idea. So, I would be curious if they would see needing “huge blocks of time” & “writing every day” are 2 concepts or 1. Also, “block” has multiple meanings. And could be fun to play with some of it’s meanings at the end, as in you “Writers’ “Block Party” vs. “Writer’s Block” Party, you might consider in the earlier text if you where & when you want to use “block”. You are talking about helping them find ways to create smaller units of time to write in your party. Can you use “blocking out” an hour here & there, & use another term for “huge blocks of time”? so “blocks” feeds back into your premise and the goal of the Party.

    • Based on previous comments above, switch “blocks” & “chunks”. I would consider using more emotionally charged words & metaphors. Here is a potential example for Fact 1: FACT — Large chunks of time are stressful and hard to prioritize but smaller blocks are much easier to put in your day and stick to.
      Think about the number of tasks you have to accomplish every day. Big chunks of time are probably not realistic in your very busy, hectic schedule but finding small amounts of time to do your writing is.

    • Please forgive for this. I’m not sure if your last 2 Facts are potentially wandering from fact to opinion. I would advocate for making sure your facts are inarguable.
      Fact 2 – I would consider adding something about, if you have a regular job or a host of responsibilities, then …. is exhausting.
      Might also help you define your audience to people who don’t have the time to write full time. And your example might need tightening, there are people who exercise every day, but switch up muscle groups & types of exercises.
      Fact 3 – I believe. there are modern writers who write every day, and advocate for it. (an example, if I remember correctly might be Steven Pressfield in “The War of Art”????), and I imagine there might be others. If you emphasize that most people or 1st time writers don’t have time to devote hours, patrons who will pay their bills while they write, etc., again, it might help define your audience.

      You do have an absolutely brilliant event title in “Writers Block Party”. Block out time to join our Block Party, and learn ways to get past your writers block.

      • I felt that line was getting a little wobbly (fact v opinion), too, Joel. I think I was seeing ‘Fact’ more as ‘reframe’ and ‘myth’ as the current belief. Maybe I should try changing it so BELIEF and REFRAME to be more accurate?

        • I think Nancy Chen & Karen Joy Fritz make some nice suggestions on how you can reframe the facts (beliefs) you stated. You can ask whether these are technically MythBusters, but regardless, still seems to be a totally useful article.

    • Hi Ally, Good points here leading to your CTA, I think your copy may be even more effective if it were tightened up and punchier. E.g., Myth: I will never finish my book unless I devote huge blocks of time to write EVERY SINGLE DAY. Fact: I have helped dozens of /many clients finish their books on deadline by co-designing a personal writing system /schedule that lets them DO IT THEIR WAY. Also, not sure what “that luxury” refers to. Hope this helps.

    • I like this! I lke how you compared it to working your muscles. And I like how you recapped the myth at the end.

    • Fact #1, while true, is not helpful to your cause. The fact you want is that a book CAN get done in small chunks.

      Fact #2: Not writing every day doesn’t make you ineffective, it can actually be helpful

      Fact #3: You can complete your book in a way that serves you, your life, and your schedule

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