Leading grit expert Angela Duckworth’s research was again validated in a recent study on what makes professional creatives go the distance. — (This article is part of a series called The 700-Word Read: journalistic, anecdotal posts that park under 700 words, to practice succinct storytelling.) A growth mindset has many advantages. Helping you achieve your goals may not be one of them. Research psychologist and MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient Angela Duckworth specializes…

The triple Oscar® winner, 35, said onstage his impostor syndrome was at “an all-time high” upon receiving the award for best original writing. — (This article is part of a series called The 700-Word Read: journalistic, anecdotal posts that park under 700 words, to practice succinct storytelling.) The better you get at your craft, the louder your impostor syndrome often becomes. A side comment from “Everything Everywhere All At Once” co-director and co-writer Daniel…

His desk was incredibly messy, a setup that works in some scenarios, but not others. — (This article is part of a series called The 700-Word Read: journalistic, anecdotal posts that park under 700 words, to practice succinct storytelling.) A disastrous desk might lead to your next brilliant idea. Nearly 70 years ago, on the day of Albert Einstein’s passing, a photographer visited the scientist’s office…

3 tips to speed up your research efforts. — Want to earn your readers’ trust faster? Show them the receipts. In journalism, scholarly research, and many other forms of professional writing, in-text citations that show your references are mandatory. Fortunately, there are marketing and visibility benefits to showing your work and linking out to these sources. More than ever…

Persuade your readers to take action—without being sleazy. — It’s not just you: there’s been a tidal wave of sloppy copy on these internet streets lately. Between Great Resignation fever and a shitload of layoffs this winter, more professionals are exploring the idea of self-employment and business ownership than ever before. Together, they filed nearly 14 million trademarks in…

Research shows that weak product descriptions are responsible for 20% of all unsuccessful online sales. Implement these quick tips to move the needle. — Compelling product descriptions are so underrated. Product descriptions are little slices of marketing copy on a product page. An e-commerce business will have lots of product descriptions — one for every item, technically — and it’s good for service providers, creators, and professionals to know the ropes, too. …

The shame researcher shared a fascinating reframe with Tim Ferriss in a recent interview. — (This article is part of a series called The 700-Word Read: journalistic, anecdotal posts that park under 700 words, to practice succinct storytelling.) Many of us hate narcissists. They hate themselves, too. Dr. Brené Brown is a professor and researcher who specializes in shame resilience. Her work became mainstream after…

Having a “word hoard” might not be such a bad idea. — Go on, then — start hoarding. Words that take your online writing from drab to fab are called trigger words. When used correctly, trigger words inspire your readers to take action, and having a list of them handy as you write can help produce better copy. …