15 Key Questions to Ask in a Case Study Interview

Posted by & filed under Content Writing.

Case Study Interview Question Header - Pile of Question Marks

Got a case study on your to-do list? To create a case study that converts, it’s crucial that you ask your customer the right questions—otherwise you’ll end up with 1,000 words of sales talk and unconvincing fluff. (“Company X is great! Rah rah rah!”)

My team and I recently created a compelling case study that earned our client a lot of kudos, and we pulled together a list of the interview questions we routinely ask to create tension-filled, reader-grabbing case studies like that one. (Want a free PDF copy of this list? Download it here…no form to fill out, just click and grab!)

(more…)

Beyond the Content Idea: 6 Real Elements of Content That Converts

Posted by & filed under Content Writing, Journalism.

Good writers know that there’s more to captivating an audience than coming up with a killer content topic. Anyone can come up with an idea, but it’s what you do with that idea once you have it that makes all the difference.

Ready to earn more attention with your content? These elements have been repurposed from journalism best practices to bring authority, trustworthiness, and relevance to your content.

You can also download a handy infographic version of this list. Here’s the PNG version, and this is the larger PDF.

(more…)

Not All Good Writers Are Good Writers (+ What to Do About It)

Posted by & filed under Content Writing.

Man surprised at bad content writer

Before I launched Hero’s Journey Content this year, I spent 22 years writing magazine articles, books, and content on a freelance basis.

Now I’m in the editor’s seat, testing out writers to make sure we onboard the very best talent.

We typically give a writer one or two small assignments to see how they fare before adding them to our team. And, sadly, I’m not surprised at how many writers with amazing samples just…can’t write.

(more…)