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A masterclass in writing well – author Berkun has had a popular blog since 2003. He’ll offer no-nonsense advice about the forgotten core of what makes a blog, and books, succeed: good writing. From picking great topics, to writing drafts, to steel-eyed editing, to discipline and motivation, you’ll get a pro authors best lessons on the craft of writing. With plenty of time for Q&A.
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Write or Die
Scott Berkun / @berkunscottberkun.com
WordCamp Seattle, June 8th, 2013
YOU ARE HERE
GO HERE (LATER)
Pre-order now On Amazon – On Sale Sept 2013
1. Popular vs. Good2. Write or Die3. Insight vs. Style4. Pick an angle5. Sentences 6. Paragraphs7. How to write 1000 words
Scottberkun.com By the Numbers
• Started 2003• ~1500 posts• 12k daily pageviews*• 16k RSS• 20k mailing list• 17k twitter
Not all traffic is equal
Most traffic is drive-by trash
2. Write or Die
A blog post
An essay
A novel
,
,
.
..
If you can’t figure out how to write as often as you
want, stop trying
Writers who wrote in Prison
• Ezra Pound• Oscar Wilde• O’Henry• Daniel Defoe• Marquis De Sade• Voltaire• Cervantes (Don Quixote)
• Machiavelli • Thoreau• Nelson Mandela• E.E. Cummings• Martin Luther King• Marco Polo
betweenthebars.org
1. Writing well Is hard2. There is no secret, only effort3. You must write often to write well4. Really, stop looking for secrets 5. Don’t be precious
3. Insight
Style
Story
Style
4. PICK AN ANGLE
MY THOUGHTS ON CHEESEBlah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah ANGLE STARTS HERE blah blah blah blah blah blah blah BUT GETS LOST HERE blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah TOUCHED ON BRIEFLY HERE BUT ABANDONED blah blah
Blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
THE SECRET OF CHEESEBlah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah ANGLE STARTS HERE blah blah blah blah blah blah blah BUT GETS LOST HERE blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah TOUCHED ON BRIEFLY HERE BUT ABANDONED blah blah
Blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
(SAME SHIT, BETTER HEADLINE)Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah ANGLE STARTS HERE blah blah blah blah blah blah blah BUT GETS LOST HERE blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah TOUCHED ON BRIEFLY HERE BUT ABANDONED blah blah
Blah blah Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
WHY YOU SHOULD MAKE YOUR OWN CHEESE
ANGLE STARTS HERE blah blah blah blah blah blah blah EVERY SETENCE SUPPORTS THE ANGLE blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
OBVIOUS OBJECTIONS READERS WILL HAVE ARE ANSWERED NATURALLY blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah THE WRITER SHOWS RESPECT FOR THE READER BY BEING CONCISE blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blahblah blah blah blah
WHY I WILL NEVER EAT CHEESE AGAIN
ANGLE STARTS HERE blah blah blah blah blah blah blah EVERY SETENCE SUPPORTS THE ANGLE blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
OBVIOUS OBJECTIONS READERS WILL HAVE ARE ANSWERED NATURALLY blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah THE WRITER SHOWS RESPECT FOR THE READER BY BEING CONCISE blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blahblah blah blah blah
THE MAN WHO KILLED HIS EVIL UNCLE WITH VELVETTA
ANGLE STARTS HERE blah blah blah blah blah blah blah EVERY SETENCE SUPPORTS THE ANGLE blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
OBVIOUS OBJECTIONS READERS WILL HAVE ARE ANSWERED NATURALLY blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah THE WRITER SHOWS RESPECT FOR THE READER BY BEING CONCISE blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blahblah blah blah blah
5. Sentences
The cheescake was mildly excited about being sort of unique and not unhappy.
The cheescake was mildly excited about being sort of unique and not unhappy.
The cheescake was thrilled to realize she was special.
The cheesecake was special.
Cheesecake exists.
7. Paragraphs
You only write as well as what you read
DRAFT 1 DRAFT 2
?
DRAFT 1 DRAFT 2
?This is what separates good
writing from crap
“The first draft of anything is shit” -Hemmingway
7. How To Write 1000 words
Video and final essay
http://bit.ly/1000wordslive
Photo Credits
• Protractor: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisinplymouth/3240722779/
YMMV
Thanks.Questions?
Scott Berkun / @berkun
www.scottberkun.com
@berkunwww.scottberkun.com
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