Not All Publicity is Good Publicity: Why You Can't Save a Sinking Ship

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, publicity is defined as "an act or device designed to attract public interest; specifically : information with news value issued as a means of gaining public attention or support." In the case of Todd Rutherford, the saying "there is no such thing as bad publicity" is a misnomer.

If you didn't catch the New York Times article this week, Rutherford is the fake book reviewer who was outed by a disgruntled customer and was caught by Amazon for posting fake five-star book reviews. His clients paid him a pretty penny to write the fake reviews, and those pennies added up to a whopping $28,000 per month. I wrote about Rutherford a few days ago and warned authors/writers to steer clear of  paid book review scammers.

The reviews are mixed about the "ethics and morals" behind Rutherford's actions. The general consensus in the book/publishing industry is that he is a swindling con-artist. Unfortunately, self-published authors are taking the heat as a result of the article's whistle-blowing; it's just bad publicity all the way around. He has literally bit (OFF) the hands that fed him at one time, and he has pissed off legitimate, ethical self-published authors in the process. And I don't blame them for being mad.

After digging around to see what I could find on Rutherford, I stumbled upon an interesting revelation via a Publisher's Weekly blog post, Paid Reviewer Goes Down Honest Path (thanks Gabe Habash for sharing this interesting tidbit). I had a sneaking suspicion that Rutherford pulled his own publicity stunt - trying to save face after he completely obliterated his business. He emailed Publisher's Weekly a press release a few days before the  New York Times article was published. In his press release, Rutherford announced the article would make a "big splash" and he was making a career comeback..wait for it...in "book publicity".

Habash sums up exactly how I feel about Rutherford's attempt to save face with his press release. It backfired on him.

The email, meant to drum up more interest in Rutherford and his “comeback,” is a clear sign that he doesn’t think he’s committed any fault and further reinforces the image of an individual who’s only aware of his enterprises, not of his enterprises’ context or their consequences. In other words, he’s out of touch with reality (in a way that’s reminiscent of “publisher” PublishAmerica). Rutherford’s email is evidence that he doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with manipulating the system if it allows him to manipulate it. The only problem is that he doesn’t seem aware that he’s been caught.

In Rutherford's case, sometimes you just can't save a sinking ship.

Writers Beware: Why You Shouldn't Pay For Book Reviews

I came across a very interesting article in the New York Times that talks about a hot debate in the publishing industry: paid book reviews. While reading the article, I recognized a familiar name - Todd Rutherford. A former author client hired (and then quickly fired) Mr. Rutherford due to his "questionable" ethics concerning marketing his book. My radar went up instantly and I dug around to find out more about Mr. Rutherford and his background. I quickly learned about the complaints against him, and told my client to steer clear of him. I always tell my clients never to buy book reviews.

For Mr. Rutherford, his once booming $28,000-per-month "fake book review" company took a nose dive,  which led him to close up shop and is now currently selling RVs.

"When Ms. Lorenzana found GettingBookReviews.com, $99 seemed reasonable. But the review did not show up as quickly as she expected. She posted a long, angry accusation against Mr. Rutherford and his service on several consumer sites, saying she had received better treatment from a reviewer whom she had hired for $5. (“You could tell that the person had really spent a few minutes checking out the information about my book and getting a feel for it before just diving into writing a meaningless review.”) 

Mr. Rutherford refunded her fee, but his problems were just beginning. Google suspended his advertising account, saying it did not approve of ads for favorable reviews. At about the same time, Amazon took down some, though not all, of his reviews. Mr. Rutherford dropped his first name in favor of his middle name, Jason, so that people who searched for him through Google would not automatically see Ms. Lorenzana’s complaints." (Source: New York Times) 

What's the moral of Mr. Rutherford's demise? Scammers don't last long, and fake paid reviews are NOT considered ethical book marketing. If you want to be taken seriously as a writer and don't want to damage your reputation and credibility, do not pay someone to write fake "five-star" reviews for your book. 

Content Writing Tips: 4 Common Grammatical Mistakes

When writing content, don't rely on spell and grammar check. Even simple grammatical mistakes on your website and social media can make you look amateurish and unprofessional.

Here are common writing mistakes to avoid:

#1 Their, There, They're

Their is a plural possessive. There can be used as a pronoun or in reference to a place. They're is a contraction (they are).  

Examples:

The students have their books.

There is an old house.

The kids want to go there.

They're going to school today. 

#2 It's, Its

It's is a contraction for it is or it has. Its is a possessive pronoun.

Examples:

It's my birthday. 

It's been a warm day. 

A cat is possessive of its territory.

#3 You're, Your

You're is the contraction for you are. Your is a possessive pronoun.

Examples:

You're my best friend.

Your article is fascinating. 

#4 Affect, Effect

Affect is a verb ("to influence") and effect is a noun ("result"). 

Examples:

The heat will affect my garden. 

The medication has a negative side effect. 

Why Every Writer Needs a Good Editor

Happy August! I just wanted to share my latest article that is featured on Women on Writing. I tackle the subject of book editing and writing for their DIY Self-Publishing Guide this month. I had the privilege of interviewing seasoned editors, Susan Malone and Karen Elliott. 

My article gives an in-the-trenches look at book editing, and the ladies share great advice on everything from how to choose an editor to how to beat writer's block. 

If you need more information about editing and writing, check out their helpful tips and resources detailed on their websites: 

Susan Malone - http://www.maloneeditorial.com/

Karen S. Elliott - http://karenselliott.wordpress.com/

A huge thanks to Karen and Susan for their interviews. Check out the other fantastic articles featured on WoW this month. Lots of great information for women about writing, self-publishing, how to market your self-published book, etc. 

Online Plagiarism & Why It Needs to Be Stopped

"You should just give away your art and share it with the world." That's the response that my artist/illustrator friend received when he kindly asked the person to remove his artwork from their site. The "online plagiarism" discussion fueled me to write about a subject that really irks me -- people who steal artwork and writing, and think they are "entitled" to it...without having to pay a dime.

My friend makes a living from his art, and I make a living from copywriting. I know there are some people who are not informed when it comes to copyright law, and not every person out there "steals" art and content on purpose. However, it's a slap in the face to artists and writers when they assume that we should just give away our talents and skills for FREE. Are they going to pay our bills and expenses, and put food on our tables? I don't think so!

My response to people who think it's okay to steal art, music, writing, etc.: Would you clock in at 8 am and tell your boss you will work for free today? Would you step into a lawyer's office and expect him to give you FREE legal advice? 


Most of us who "create" for a living are freelancers and independent contractors, and we work hard to earn our money. We probably works ten times longer and harder. Because we are freelancers, that does not mean we give away our time and skills for "free".


And online plagiarism doesn't end there. It has taken over education as well. I have a friend who is a high school teacher and at the end of the year, I always ask him how many plagiarizers he caught during the school year. He said it never fails and kids don't learn their lessons. He has flunked students for plagiarizing papers. Unfortunately, the internet makes it easy for students to plagiarize, but it also makes it easy for teachers to catch their students as well (if they are diligent and cross-check facts and information).

I didn't go to college and earn a degree in journalism for the heck of it. And my friend doesn't spend hours creating his artistic illustrations for his clients because he has nothing better to do.

Please be respectful of artists, musicians, and writers, and please don't steal their work. If you want more information about digital copyright laws, check out the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) .

Why Companies Need to Know the Difference Between Content Writing Vs. Copywriting

I read an article this morning on SiteProNews about creating the "perfect content marketing strategy." As a copywriter, I wish that content marketing sites would spend more time researching the difference between content vs. copy. Some may call it semantics, but copywriting is a different beast unto itself. Some copywriters also write content/articles (I write both), but most copywriters usually stick with what they know best: marketing and sales-focused copy.

The information presented gives erroneous information to business professionals who require writing services. Yes, she presented good information about getting what you pay for and  that content writing is an investment. I definitely agree, but she threw "website writing" into the general content category and that is not correct.

So what's the big deal and what's the difference? There is a BIG difference that companies need to understand before hiring a professional writer:

Copywriting 

Here is a typical scenario that companies face: 

Mr. Smith, CEO of ABC Company, is not happy with his company's website. He takes one look at it and cringes:"Our website reads like a first grader wrote it. Our sales are slacking, and our web site traffic is non-existent. When I talk to prospects at networking functions, they have never heard of our company, let alone understand how our products work!"


My recommendation to Mr. Smith: Hire a copywriter! A copywriter will sit down with Mr. Smith and his team, and figure out what's not working. He/she will review the company's marketing strategies, branding, and messaging -  from the top down. 


Some questions a copywriter might ask: 

•  Why don't their target markets relate to their website? 
• What's wrong or what's missing on the site? 
• Is the website design lackluster and needs a design overhaul? 
• Does the site have calls to action and testimonials on their website? 
• What does the company want to achieve with their website? etc. 

These are just a few areas that a copywriter will address BEFORE they even sit down to write the copy. Hire copywriters who work well with designers. If the copywriter  is worth his/her weight in gold, they will have an "eye" for design. Most copywriters don't actually design sites, but they need to understand how a website intuitively works, and how to create a strategic site map, etc.


You could hire a content writer to write "text" for your site, but that's exactly what you will get - words that won't do anything for your sales, lead generation, etc. Copywriting is a persuasive writing style that achieves a marketing purpose, and content writing does not always do that.

Content Writing 


So when should you  hire a content writer? If you need a well-researched blog article/post or need help with your content marketing (placement of articles on syndicated sites to showcase your expertise in your industry/niche), then a content writer would be a good idea. But do NOT hire hack writers who churn out $2 articles. You get what you pay for and many of these companies hire non-native English speakers/writers. Sometimes these cheap articles may be plagiarized, and you could get in a lot of trouble for publishing plagiarized content. It also helps if the content writer understands SEO (search engine optimization) keyword placement. 


If you need a slick, well-researched article, white paper, or report, hire a writer with a journalism or strong writing background who knows how to research. Because someone has an English degree, that does mean they understand how to write an article. If you need a twenty page academic research paper, an English major may work in that case.


If your company requires technical writing, hire a professional technical writer - there's a reason they are called "technical" writers. And they are well worth their money!


By understanding the difference between copywriting vs. content writing, you will save your company a lot of time, money, and headaches!

Professional Skype Etiquette: How to Use Skype For Business

I spend the majority of my work day on Skype. Between instant messaging and Skype calls, you can usually find me hanging out on Skype. It makes it convenient for me to instantly communicate with my clients and you can't beat free Skype calls. If you conduct business via Skype, it's important to follow these "etiquette" rules. Skype is free to use - just download it to your computer. Skype offers low-cost calling plans, but instant messaging and Skype-to-Skype calls (including video calls) are free.

1. Don't "shout" when you type. Shouting is the equivalent of typing with all caps. Just be careful when you instant message and make sure your caps lock is turned off. "Shouting" in the cyber world is considered rude.

2. Don't have a one-sided conversation with yourself. Don't blast out twenty instant messages at once. Remember that not everyone is tied to their desk, and the other person may have stepped away. Wait patiently until you receive a reply, and then continue your conversation. If you need to review a conversation, Skype archives your instant messages, and you can go back (even a year later) to review the conversation.

3. Be respectful and courteous. The same professional rules apply when you use Skype. Use appropriate language, grammar, etc.

4. Don't call someone until they are ready to receive the call. Send an instant message first and politely ask if the other person is ready for the call. The person might be away from their desk, in a meeting, or on another call. Also, don't assume that everyone wants to participate in a video call, and some people may not have a web cam. It's polite to ask first - would they prefer a phone or video call? Video calls are a great feature, especially if you want to personalize the call and see the other person's happy, smiling face.

5. Use the "away" feature when you are busy or step away from your desk or phone. This lets your contacts know you aren't immediately available. If you set yourself to "Do Not Disturb" you will not see the other person's instant messages, so use this feature sparingly. You can also set yourself to "invisible" if you don't want your contacts to know you are online (but you are able to see your online contacts).

6. Download the free Skype app to your smartphone. The app makes it easy to catch your clients on the go, and is a handy feature if you don't want to use up your mobile minutes.

7. Include your professional contact information on your Skype profile - email, mobile number, website link, and don't forget to add a smiling photo!

8. Skype offers a low-cost international calling plan so if you work with clients in other countries, this might be a reasonable option. Take advantage of Skype's call forwarding feature - forwards Skype calls to  another phone number of your choice.

9. Use Skype for small group/conference calls. Conduct the Skype call as you would any conference call. This feature works well for smaller group calls. You can also upload and send files during the call.

10. Create groups within your Skype contacts. This feature allows you to instant message a group of your contacts at once. If you work with multiple people at the same location, this is a convenient feature. You can conduct a three or four-way conversation, and you don't have to go back and forth in different screens.

For more user-friendly tips and information, check out Skype's help page. Happy Skyping!