Ivey Ink

NaNoWriMo: Day 3

L. Burke Ivey — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 19:54:24 +0000

# of Words Today – 2272
# of Words This Week – n/a
Total Wordcount: 8443

# of Active Characters – 7, plus a roomful of bit parts, a junior arsonist, and four magic-wielding thugs
# of Points of View – 1
# of Days with No Nanoing – 0

# of Betrayals – 0
# of Deaths – 1
# of Is This Love? Moments – 1
# of Spells Cast – 15
# of Epiphanies – 1

* borrowed / adapted from karenchii

Today’s Unexpected Events:

Interrupted a deathbed vigil to arrest a crying girl, lie to an old man, and beat up some teenage punks.

Stuff I Didn’t Know I Needed to Know:

do thuggish young sorcerers still punch? or is it all, you know, “Accio my fist in your face, beeyotch!”?

I Am Disappoint:

Seriously considered burning down a house with a disabled old man in it today.

.. in the story, I mean. *ahem*

Darling of the Day:

Good and active writing, but there was nothing beautiful or even funny. Tomorrow’s menu includes high drama and friendly character mockery, so maybe some good will come of that.

Highlights of Tomorrow:

Inter-party drama!
Betrayal by supervisors!
The hero stops running from the call of adventure!

Yesterday I said “he might be a Gary Stu.” Well, I ran through The Universal Mary Sue Litmus Test (he scored a 7 – not a Sue! Woo!), and realized my understanding of how characters *should* act has improved significantly since I found the test a year or two ago. So that was nice in an ego-boosting sort of way.

Yesterday I also said “he’s not nearly as much Alan Rickman as I’d like.” This remains true, but now I plan to

a) spend some time trying to pinpoint exactly what aspects of Mr Rickman I want to exploit.. er.. include;

b) study and attempt to describe those aspects from examples;

c) care less about whether or not he resembles anyone at all.

Oh, and also, used my first Hungarian swear word today: fascz kivan!

Update tomorrow!

Five Reasons Why Zombies Would Make Great Journalists

L. Burke Ivey — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 15:00:21 +0000

I’m not a journalist.. yet. I did my stint on the high school newspaper and that was the end of it. I admire good journalists, and I adore good journalism – but it seems, as the Internet increases in popularity and usefulness, quality journalism becomes more difficult to find.

We have reporters – for pay, for free, or for fun – millions of them, and some are excellent sources of information. The rest are polluting the pool with their incoherent, ill-informed drivel, and that lack of ability is lowering the bar for every blogger, writer, and wanna-be journalist coming onto the scene.

Today I arrived at the perfect solution. The industry is dying, so why not re-animate it with the undead? Here’s five reasons why zombies would make better journalists than our current roster.

1 – A zombie isn’t afraid of the truth. He’s not afraid of losing his job, his house, his wife, or his freedom for exposing the corruption of the world in which he lives. Fleshy journalists are all too easily swayed by their primal need for things like “shelter” and “companionship”; a zombie journalist would have no such compunctions.

2 – You can’t bribe a zombie. Modern journalism is tainted by greed. We don’t get news anymore, we gets news as approved, paid for, and sanitized by a number of large corporations and for-profit interests. Newspapers, blogs, and individual reporters have their cash flows altered depending on what they print and what they keep quiet. Zombies don’t need your money – they only want your brains. Trying to hand a zombie journalist wads of cash in exchange for favorable press would only result in you being eaten.

3 – Zombies demand brains. The best journalism comes from finding intelligent, credible people and coaxing them into telling their side of the story. We still get these kinds of stories, once in a while, but in most cases the “inspiring portrait of humanity’s virtues” story has been replaced by the “adorable small animal being adorable” story, as relayed through the fantasy land of the Internet. Intelligence used to be the name of the game in journalism – you had to be smart, pick smart stories, find smart people to support your story, and write for a smart audience. Journalism has become stupid, but zombies will never stop wanting their readers’ brains.

4 – Zombies don’t give up. Any writer knows that stories require effort, investigation, long hours of chasing down the facts or just getting the facts down on paper. Modern writers are lazy. They’d rather construct “news” out of Google and Wikipedia snippets than invest the thought, time, and effort into getting the facts. But zombies are constantly on the go. The only time they’re sitting still is when they’re looking for something to chase, and once they spot it, they don’t stop. No zombie journalist is going to be deterred by a security guard, a police officer, or a locked door. They’re going to get to the beating heart of that story, and they’ll go through you to get it, if they must.

5 – Zombies understand how to “go viral”. In the fast-paced world of Internet journalism, getting your message out to the multitudes must happen fast and in as many places as possible, all at once. Writers have to launch a multi-pronged attack on Twitter, Facebook, Google, and the blogosphere in order to be just a blip on the worldwide news map. For a mere mortal, this can be exhausting and very confusing. For a zombie, it’s second nature. A zombie journalist would innately know how to spread the word around the world within 24 hours.. 28 days at the most.

I’m not saying all modern journalists are bad people, or that zombies should take over the field of journalism. There are still some fine journalists, reliable newspapers, and trustworthy reporters out there.

There’s also the Daily Mail, Yahoo! News, and MSN. There are wealthy, unscrupulous politicians and corporate entities who want to manipulate your view of them. There are ugly, secret things going on behind the scenes which may very well have a direct impact on our quality of life.

And Hunter Thompson can’t help us sort them out anymore. The whole purpose of journalism – hell, the whole purpose of writing – is to tell the stories that need telling. So bring forth the zombies, I say, and let’s arm them with micro-cassette recorders and mini notebooks, give them their own news network (ZNN?), and get back to seeing humanity the way it truly is. Not through a lens of Prozac and cat videos, but from the viewpoint of someone who has seen it all, the best and the worst of mankind, and who remains to tell the tale.

How to Make a Brochure

L. Burke Ivey — Wed, 25 May 2011 19:21:23 +0000

A brochure is a basic but high-impact marketing tool used by millions of modern businesses.

Brochures are eye-catching, portable, and filled with useful information. When people see a brochure display, they’re likely to browse and select a few to take home. Brochures are often forgotten in a purse or briefcase, mixed in with the mail, or kept by the phone or in a desk drawer. People hate throwing away information – it might be useful, after all – so brochures act as “hidden agents” in their homes, discovered during cleaning or when there is a need for a particular product or service. Then, boom, all your information is right in front of them, ready when they need it.

This roundabout method of connecting with your customer creates a relationship based on gratitude and pride – the customer congratulates themselves on having chosen to take and keep your brochure, and they’re grateful to you for providing the right information at the right time.

So, how do you create a brochure that will grab attention when the time is right?

Going back to the criteria mentioned above, good brochures are eye-catching, portable, and informative. Let’s examine those.

Eye-Catching

A brochure without pictures risks being left behind in favor of more colorful options. Making your brochure more aesthetically pleasing doesn’t need to involve ClipArt, goofy fonts, random splotches of color, attempts to look “hip” or modern, or licensed artwork. It just needs a little common sense.

Did you know people are more likely to pick up a brochure with a picture of happy people on the front? Happy people doing an activity your customers would enjoy have an even stronger appeal. Brochures from hearing aid manufacturers often show couples over 50 enjoying family time, going to the theater together, or having a picnic in the park – all fairly common activities made possible by the company’s product. People with difficulty hearing may not be able to enjoy those activities without the product advertised in the brochure.

Think about what your product or service does for customers. Will it boost sales, increase cash flow, or improve security? Does it give them opportunities they otherwise wouldn’t have? How does it make their life easier? The images used in your brochure should reflect these answers.

Portable

The standard format for a brochure is called an A3. It’s basically an 8 1/2 x 11 inch sheet of paper, standard letter size, folded into thirds. The A3 model is popular because it’s easy to make, fits comfortably in a pocket, purse, or briefcase, and is generally cheaper to produce in bulk. But it’s not the only brochure model in existence.

Feast your eyes on the multitudinous varieties of the brochure-based art form! This is just a small sampling – there are nearly infinite variations on this theme. Fat ones, square ones, ones with little brochures nested inside, custom-cut shaped ones, ones, that expand out like an inexplicably smart snowflake chain intent on selling something.

Any size, shape, or style of brochure is possible – but portability is the key asset of the most common type of business brochure.

It may seem clever for Five Star Sheet Metal Fabricators to order six-inch-tall metal-stamped star-shaped brochures, but unless there’s a break-in at the office and the secretary is a secret ninja, those brochures probably aren’t going anywhere.

For giving your customer base something to read, think about, and hold on to, the A3 “point of sale” style brochure is your best bet. If you have to pitch your product or service to other businesses, you may want to look into more elaborate options. Presentation counts for a lot in the B2B world.

Informative

Here we get down to the nitty-gritty. This is the meat of your brochure, where you tell your customer every little detail they need to understand what you’re selling, why they should want one, and how they can get it.

Many businesses forget to include one piece of that all-important three-piece puzzle. Sometimes they get so excited about promoting their product, they forget to include the address and phone number. Sometimes the contact info is there, but they’ve neglected to give much detail on their product. Sometimes – and this is the worst – they’ve remembered contact information, they’ve described the product, but they haven’t bothered to explain why the customer should want one.

This problem is common with technical products and construction products. It’s easy to assume your customer is already aware of your competition, knows as much about them as you do, and doesn’t need to be told why your product is obviously superior.

But this assumption is entirely wrong!

Even if your customer DOES know everything about your competition, he still may not understand why your product is better. Especially when it comes to technical products, whose capabilities and specifications change every six months to a year!

The most important part of your brochure is the information it contains. You may have the prettiest pictures, the most appealing shape, but if there’s nothing interesting inside, your brochure will wind up in the trash. You must make sure to include all the details about your product or service: What does it promise to do? Who is already using it, and how do they feel about it? Why do I need it? How much does it cost? What options are available? Where can I get it? How soon can I have it? What happens if I’m disappointed with it? .. and so forth.

It’s not difficult to make a good brochure, but it does take attention to detail, graphic and writing skills, and an in-depth knowledge of your product or service. It also requires a few days to create, edit, proof, and print. Many business owners don’t have the time or the ability (or, hey, let’s face it, the desire) to make their own brochures, which is why it’s one of the services I provide.

Have you made a brochure for your business? Has it been bringing in customers? Have an old brochure that needs revamping but you don’t have the time? Leave a comment below and let’s talk!

Doing Business with Ivey Ink

L. Burke Ivey — Mon, 16 May 2011 01:14:20 +0000

Most people come to my site with an idea already firmly planted in their head. They might recognize their website copy needs work, for example, or maybe they’ve just noticed errors in their brochures and would like to have them updated. Whatever you need, I can do – and here’s how we can work together.

Once you’ve reviewed my site, all you have to do is contact me. I’ve provided my email address and phone/fax number at the bottom of every page, but in case you missed them, my email is burke.ivey (at) rocketmail dot com, and my number is 586-991-6074. I’m available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST. You’ll hear from me within three business days.

There are three crucial pieces of information to include in your message. This information will not only hone your idea of what you want, but make it easier for us to work together as a team. You might want to consider these points, or do some old-fashioned pen-and-paper brainstorming, before you contact me.

First, tell me about your business. What do you do? How long have you been in business? What are the unique challenges your business has to face, such as working with a difficult consumer base, or selling highly technical products and services?

Tell me what type of copy you need. Do you need a new brochure, or several different types of brochures? Do you need better ad copy for your local paper or a trade magazine? Are you unsure of your needs, but you have an idea for several different ways you’d like to approach your business copy?

Finally, tell me what you hope to accomplish with this copy. If you need a brochure, for example, specify whether it’s for use by salesmen to promote your product, or for consumers to educate themselves. Do you need direct mail to reclaim lost customers, bring in new ones, or simply get the word out about your business?

If you need multiple kinds of copy – several types of brochures and an entire direct mail campaign, for example – I can do that, too. Don’t be afraid to overwhelm me with information!

Once you’ve contacted me, you can expect a response within 72 hours. We’ll review your business copy wants and needs – a discussion which can take place in person, over the phone, via Skype, through emails, or in a fax exchange – whichever manner suits you best. The goal of this discussion is to create a solid definition of the type, tone, and scope of your “ideal” copy.

If you decide I’m a good fit for your business needs, we can easily set things in motion. Determine the amount and type of copy you desire, and I’ll create an invoice (or, alternately, your company can create a purchase order) and present it to you for verification and signature.

This invoice will contain a clear description of the copy ordered and an estimated timeline for its production. If this is a very complex or ongoing order, the invoice may be separated out into “milestones”, which can be adjusted as you wish.

As soon as I receive your signature and a deposit of 50% of the total fee, my work begins.

It’s always a good idea to get a look at business copy you’ve had in the past, with your comments on what you liked and disliked about it. If you don’t have time to comment on past copy, feel free to send clippings you liked from trade magazines, competitor’s brochures, or just a list of general notes on what you’re looking for.

Since my goal is to try and lessen the burden on business owners and managers, at this point it would be wise to connect me with “Subject Matter Experts” and contacts at your company. These are people to whom I can relay questions and information about your copy.

An administrative assistant, assistant manager, and/or salesperson are three excellent contact numbers for your humble copywriter to have, and will guarantee we stay “on the same page” throughout the creation of your copy.

When I finish a draft, I will email it to the appropriate contacts for review. This is your chance to ‘tweak’ the copy to your own personal tastes. For example, if the tone is a bit too fluffy, simply say so. Don’t be shy! My content will create an image for your business – and it should be an image that pleases you.

I offer free revisions for 30 days after assignment, meaning that if you weren’t sure about that third paragraph on the sales letter, you have an entire month to speak up. After that time, revisions will be charged as a new project – so use your 30 days wisely!

If you already have business copy, but you aren’t entirely happy with it, I offer a discounted rate for polishing existing copy. If, during the course of my editing, I feel the entire project should be re-done, I’ll let you know - but my rate won’t change. My rate only changes if the nature of the assignment is altered, and even then, only after a signed invoice from your company.

You’re here, so you must know deep down that you need better writing for your business. Why hesitate? Drop me a line and we’ll talk. No commitment! No obligations – just two businesspeople seeing how they can help one another out.

Re-writing all your existing copy, or creating entirely new copy, can be the jump-start that gets your business out of a rut.

If you’re deeply dissatisfied with the state of your business copy – or if you have little to no business copy - contact me, and we can build it together!