Creative Data Networks
Writing Mistakes Writers Make: Letting Others Shame Your Genre
Everyone makes mistakes—even writers—but that’s OK because each mistake is a great learning opportunity. The Writer’s Digest team has witnessed many mistakes over the years, so we started this series to help identify them early in the process. Note: The mistakes in this series aren’t focused on grammar rules, though we offer help in that area as well. (Grammar rules for writers.) Rather, we’re looking at bigger picture mistakes and mishaps, including the error of using too much exposition, neglecting research, or trying to write for everyone. This week’s writing mistake writers make is letting other people shame your genre. […]
Writing Real Relationships: 4 Strategies Starting With What You Know
Sure, your characters exist next to each other on the page, but crafting relationships that feel real can be a different story. But the goal is to focus on your story, so what’s a writer to do? (Bring Your Secret Skillsets to the Page) As with so much in storytelling, you already have the depths inside you to write relationships well. Have you had a family? Friends? Neighbors? Those you didn’t understand or didn’t get along with? Those who you admired? Excellent. You’re officially ready to capture authenticity, no matter whether you’re writing fact or fiction. The bonds that tie […]
Google Search Results and Synonyms via @sejournal, @martinibuster
Google’s John Mueller discusses synonyms and search results and explains how context of the whole query is important The post Google Search Results and Synonyms appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
500 Response on Robots.txt Fetch Can Impact Rich Results via @sejournal, @martinibuster
500 response to a robots.txt fetch causes loss of rich results and while a bug in search console fails to diagnose the issue The post 500 Response on Robots.txt Fetch Can Impact Rich Results appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
17 PowerPoint Presentation Tips to Make More Creative Slideshows [+ Templates]
Creating a great PowerPoint presentation is a skill that any professional can benefit from. The problem? It’s really easy to get it wrong. From poor color choices to confusing slides, a bad PowerPoint slideshow can distract from the fantastic content you’re sharing with stakeholders on your team. Download Now That’s why it’s so important to learn how to create a PowerPoint presentation from the ground up, starting with your slides. Even if you’re familiar with PowerPoint, a refresher will help you make a more attractive, professional slideshow. Let’s get started. I like to think of Microsoft PowerPoint as a test […]
Wordy 30: Poetic Games
I’m going to be honest; I’m between poetic forms at the moment, and I’m getting ready for this year’s April Poem-A-Day Challenge. But I want to try playing a little poetic game this week. You see, I’ve been playing Wordle the past couple months, trying to guess a five-letter word in 6 guesses (or 30 letters). So I thought it might be fun to try writing a poem in 30 letters. Here’s how it would work: Write a poem using exactly 30 letters Each line should have the same number of letters Each line should use one word As such, […]
Diana Abu-Jaber: On Unearthing Family History
Raised between Syracuse, N.Y. and Amman, Jordan, Diana Abu-Jaber often writes about cultural identity. Her latest work, Fencing With The King, a novel of Middle Eastern intrigue and adventure, will be published in March 2022 from W.W. Norton. Her most recent novel, Silverworld, a fantasy with an Arab-American girl at its heart, was published last spring from Crown Books / Random House. Her award-winning novels include Silverworld; Birds of Paradise; Origin; Crescent; and Arabian Jazz. Her memoir, Life Without A Recipe, was described by Ruth Reichl as “bold and luscious.” The Language of Baklava, her first memoir has been translated […]
Are Reconsideration Requests A Google Ranking Factor? via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern
You may have heard submitting a reconsideration request can help remove a manual penalty and get your site ranking in Google again. But is it true? The post Are Reconsideration Requests A Google Ranking Factor? appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
How To Dominate SERPs By Focusing On Topics Instead Of Keywords via @sejournal, @jesseseogeek
Stay ahead of the competition by focusing on a topic-centered approach that complements the user’s search journey. The post How To Dominate SERPs By Focusing On Topics Instead Of Keywords appeared first on Search Engine Journal.
28 Best Email Newsletter Templates and Resources to Download Right Now
If you had to guess, how many email newsletters do you think you’re subscribed to? Ten? Twenty? Fifty? To be honest, I’ve lost count — and I know I’m not alone. Email marketers have a lot to compete within their subscribers’ inboxes. That’s why a solid newsletter template is crucial to designing an email that people are encouraged to click through. If done well, email newsletters can do wonders to help you build an engaged subscriber base, keep your business top-of-mind, and nurture leads that are already making their way down the funnel. However, “done well” means more than just […]