Coffee, Tea or Something Stronger?

Tune in to hear Nick discuss:Why nailing tone of voice is so trickyExamples of companies who’ve got a great tone of voiceStorytelling for business – how to do it wellThe key features of a great storyHow to explain things clearly

Tune in to hear CC discuss:- The attractions of horror as a genre- What scares him- London as a character in his work- His creative process – and why he always starts with an elevator pitch- Why you need to get feedback on your work- How to deal with negative criticism- The importance of networking and self-promotion as a horror writer

For this episode of Coffee, Tea or Something Stronger?, Clare Lynch talks to Sophie Green and Charlie Yarwood, local organisers for the London NaNoWriMo region.

Tune in to hear Kathryn discuss:The need to know your audience – and have a purpose when you talk to themThe one word you should always use to engage your audienceHow to develop a conversational styleWhy the ‘rule of three’ works well when presentingHow to bring things to life with stories and picturesHow to hook your audience in with a strong openingHow to adapt written text for videoEngaging with your topic and with your audienceTailoring your approach to different platforms.

Tune in to hear Robbie talk about:Conversion copy – what it is and how to write itWhy copywriting is like method actingHow to research your target reader to craft copy that makes them buyThe realities of living the remote working dreamThe secret to being attractive to clients when you’re working remotelyThe remote working sites to avoid – and one to useThe mindset you need to succeed as a remote workerCreative ways to win your dream clientsThree real-life listener case studies with clever strategies for winning work

Tune in to hear Jamie discuss:How to structure a story with rule of 3The Aunt Marjorie test for explaining ideas clearlyHow to use numbers to support your storyWhat makes a good storyHow to find a good angle on your storyHow examples can bring a story aliveWhat it’s really like working in a newsroomHow to break into broadcast journalismWhy you don’t need to be able to write well to be a journalistThe power of the full stop

Tune into to hear Vin discuss:The benefits of writing to a tight word countWhy it’s important to create a sense of ease in your readerHow to use storytelling techniques to hook your audience inThe importance of writing with your audience in mindHow to know if a piece of writing has succeededThe benefits of taking risks as a writerWhy good writers aren’t afraid of ‘dumbing down’How to revise a piece when your first draft is terribleHow to use storyboarding to create an effective presentationHow to give helpful feedback on someone else’s writing

Tune in to hear about:- The role of writing skills in debating- How debating skills can be applied in the workplace- How to structure an argument – the three essential elements- How to research an argument- Why you don’t need to be an expert in a topic to win an argument- The benefits of defending a position you don’t hold

Writing as part of a portfolio freelance careerHow to gather interesting material by interviewing peopleThe discipline required to perform well in both writing and musicWhy you should always read your work aloudWhy you need to expose yourself to different ‘voices’ – in writing and musicThe advantages of coming to music and writing late in lifeHow to cope with performance anxiety – as a writer and musicianThe benefits of ‘free’ writing and writing every day

- What good thought leadership looks like (and what it doesn’t)- The four essential ingredients for any thought leadership piece- Two key skills – in addition to writing – you need to produce compelling thought leadership- How to measure the effectiveness of a piece of thought leadership- How to balance original thought leadership with the brand voice- Why you need to appeal to readers at an emotional level – even in professional services

How to write a text so it’s ‘speakable’The two essential criteria every sentence in a speech must meetThe uses and abuses of ancient rhetorical techniques in modern speech writingHow to kick-start the speech writing processThe three types of speeches – deliberative, judicial and ceremonialThe importance of having a topic for your speech, not just a subject (and knowing the difference)How to use ‘how’ or ‘why’ phrases to establish your pointThe powerful five-part structure for quickly assembling a speechHow to break into speech writing as a profession

Tune in to this episode to discover:- What internal communicators do – and how they use writing and writers- The problem of ‘corpspeak’ in large organisations- The “T-T-T” rule of communication- How to stand out as a communicator – by asking the right questions- The qualities internal comms people are looking for in a writer- Why great listeners make great writers- How internal comms has changed over the years - current trends- Opportunities for copywriters hoping to break into the internal comms niche-The importance of building strong relationships with your clients

Listen to this episode to discover:- Poetry’s relationship with music, film and rhetoric- How to ‘train’ to be a poet- How to tap into your voice as a poet- The benefits of ‘free writing’ to kick start a poem- Why even business writers can benefit from understanding poetic technique- How social media has changed the purpose of blogs in recent years- Writing as a way of thinking through a problem or answering a question

Corpora (singular "corpus") are large databases of texts that are used for research into the way language is used.Tune into this episode to discover:What is a corpus? And why are they useful?How learners of English can use corpora to write and speak like native speakersUsing corpora to overcome particular writing challengesBeating writer’s block with corporaHow to approach publishers with your manuscriptHow to get started when writing a piece

Tune into this episode to discover:- Why it helps to play dumb when you’re writing about tech- How to deal with feedback on your copy- The benefits (and challenges) of working remotely- The importance of having a routine when you’re working from home- Shannon’s strategy for winning new clients- How to make an income from writing about your hobby or passion- How to pitch an article that an editor can’t resist

Clare Lynch interviews her fellow writers about their lives and work. Whether you're a copywriter, blogger, novelist, poet or professor, "Coffee, Tea or Something Stronger?" is designed to give you the shot of inspiration you need to finish that novel, submit that thesis or launch that freelance career.

Tune in to discover:- How Ella and Martin choose which writers to publish- The relationship between design and the written word- How they run a creative business around their day jobs- How print-on-demand technology has allowed publishers to take more creative risks- Why they haven’t listed their books on Amazon- Details of their latest project (submissions welcome - deadline closes soon)

Tune into this episode to learn more about:- The particular challenges of writing at post-graduate level- Cultural factors that can undermine the effectiveness of your academic writing- How to bring focus and clarity to an academic argument- The advantage that comes from writing in English as a second language- Plagiarism – and how to avoid it- Writing tips from a Cambridge academic

Tune into this episode now to hear about:- How to help clients see the value you offer as a copywriter- The value of being part of a network of copywriters- Dealing with the solitude of the freelance life- What Douglas Adams can teach you about writing marketing copy- Pro tips for better B2B copy

Tune into this episode now to hear about:- Spotting trends – and how to use them to get a publishing deal- How to carve out time to write a novel around the day job- The benefits of taking a writing class – even once you’re published- Why an author might choose to publish under a different name- The challenges of writing for theatre – and writing academically!- Tech tools to help you finish that novel

Tune in to learn about:- The different grammars of English- The problem with following the ‘rules’ of grammar- The differences between spoken and written grammar- The importance of designing your writing for your audience- The peaks and valleys of writing - what a good piece of writing looks like- How to use “What” clauses to bring out your main point- How to get started when sitting down to write