Article Writers...Knowing What To Stay Away From

16 years ago

Great point Steve! It amazes me how some people try to force something across in text, when stuff is best explained in videos. A prime example would be video games. I saw someone trying to narrate his entire GTA4 experience via articles! Wouldn't it be easier to just post a vid of his gameplay in Youtube??

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John Taylor

16 years ago

Steven,

Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim

I finally realized that there is just no way
to get these ideas across properly in text. Something like songwriting needs
audio at least and video at best.

I disagree. There's almost certainly a way that
a professional writer could get such an idea
across properly in text. Maybe you just haven't
found it yet?

I'd suggest going to your local library and looking
in the music section to see how other people have
communicated similar concepts.

John

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JohnMcCabe 16 years ago

You make a good point, Steven. I run into this in the fishing niche all the time, particularly when someone tries to write instructions for tying a knot. Text works poorly. A diagram is better, but video is best.
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Steven Wagenheim

16 years ago

Originally Posted by John Taylor

Steven,

I disagree. There's almost certainly a way that
a professional writer could get such an idea
across properly in text. Maybe you just haven't
found it yet?

I'd suggest going to your local library and looking
in the music section to see how other people have
communicated similar concepts.

John

That's fine John, but if you as a writer find that conveying certain
subjects that would definitely be easier done in video or audio difficult
in my opinion, it would be futile to waste time trying to develop the skill
if your immediate concern is earning an income from the niche in
question. You could be spending weeks, months or even years trying
to get a feel for something that may never come.

Therefore, if you find it difficult to convey those ideas across in print,
in my opinion, trying to force them is counter productive.

Again, this is just my opinion.

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bgmacaw

16 years ago

Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim

Point is, as an article writer, you need to be able to recognize when you're tackling a subject that is NOT going to translate well into print. Otherwise, you're going to end up writing articles that nobody is going to read or if they do, they won't get a lot out of them.

I'm thinking ad copy....

"Check out my music writing videos at stevesmusicwritingschool.com/introvideos and see how simple this process really is. Then, if you want to discover how to really write killer songs, join my music writing academy at stevesmusicwritingschool.com"

...to borrow a phrase from your blog.

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JayXtreme

16 years ago

I dunno Steve..

I've found some well structured content on the subject.. in print and online...

Maybe you just have an understanding that isn't conveyed very well in your words?

There are many that have found it possible. You make a very good point, but with this particular example, maybe not so.

Peace

Jay

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Steven Wagenheim

16 years ago

Originally Posted by JayXtreme

I dunno Steve..

I've found some well structured content on the subject.. in print and online...

Maybe you just have an understanding that isn't conveyed very well in your words?

There are many that have found it possible. You make a very good point, but with this particular example, maybe not so.

Peace

Jay

Jay, I probably didn't make my point clearly.

I didn't say that some subjects can't be put in print. I am merely
suggesting that some topics are more difficult to put into print than
others and that maybe you would be better served by putting it in
audio or video form.

That's all I'm saying.

I've been writing songs for 30 years and believe me, it's a lot easier to
show somebody how to do something especially when hearing it is so
important to the process.

After all, isn't music sound?

Anyway, hopefully now I've made myself more clear.

But to further clarify and as a disclaimer.

If you feel you can write something well enough...do it.

Better?

** Edit ** The line in my original post should have probably
read as such.

you need to be able to recognize when
you're tackling a subject that is NOT going to translate well into print
for you.

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Frank Donovan

16 years ago

Hi Steven

Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim

After all, isn't music sound?

Reminds me of that quote: "Writing about music is like dancing about architecture"

Although I've found that ebooks can sell well in the music niche, I've also dealt with potential customers in that market who'd sooner visit the dentist than an article directory.

Their default search engine tends to be YouTube, which may account, in part, for the trend toward info videos mentioned upthread.

As with any market, you do what you can to make the buying process as comfortable and natural as possible. There's nothing stopping you from linking an article to a separate audio or video file on your site.

But you're right - it's a multi-media world.

Frank

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JohnMcCabe

16 years ago

Originally Posted by steve39

I also tend to disagree. I'm in the middle of putting together a golf site and I've had to do quite a lot of research online and at the library. What I've found is that some authors just seem to have a way of describing things (the mechanics of grip, swing, and stance) so that you can picture clearly in your mind exactly how it's done.

Granted, some articles are not as clear or as helpful as others. It really depends on the author and the writing style. I find that the best will have a very detail oriented, descriptive style to their writing and also have an expert level of knowledge on the subject.

Having read a lot of books on golf while attempting to improve my own game, I agree that some writers have better descriptive powers than others.

I would question the assertion that "you can picture clearly in your mind exactly how it's done." Since you've studied the subject in preparing your site, you already have a mental picture of what the grip, say, is supposed to look like. Then you find a written description that jives with your existing mental picture. That convergence creates the perception that writer is describing exactly how it's done.

I could read the same description, follow the same instructions, and come up with something totally different than you would. Yet, in my mind, I'd be doing it exactly as described.

Show both of us the same series of photos to accompany the description, or a video showing the sequence step by step, and the odds of your grip and mine looking like the instructor's go up immensely...

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Steven Wagenheim

16 years ago

Originally Posted by Frank Donovan

Hi Steven

Reminds me of that quote: "Writing about music is like dancing about architecture"

Although I've found that ebooks can sell well in the music niche, I've also dealt with potential customers in that market who'd sooner visit the dentist than an article directory.

Their default search engine tends to be YouTube, which may account, in part, for the trend toward info videos mentioned upthread.

As with any market, you do what you can to make the buying process as comfortable and natural as possible. There's nothing stopping you from linking an article to a separate audio or video file on your site.

But you're right - it's a multi-media world.

Frank

Frank, probably using a specific example, on my part, was a bad, bad,
bad idea.

I didn't want this to be about writing about music. My point was simply
that, again, in my opinion, there are some topics that translate better to
audio and/or video than text.

Of the top of my head, here are a few things I'd rather watch than read
about.

How to build a bird house
How to skip rope
How to dunk a basketball

Some information, especially in the MMO niche, is perfect for text, not
that it also can't be put to video. But some things, in my opinion, don't
translate was well and therefore are harder to write about.

But hey, if you're a crackerjack writer and feel that you can convey any
thought on paper, then go for it.

Ultimately, your audience will decide on whether or not you've succeeded.

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Frank Donovan

16 years ago

Hi Steven

Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim

Frank, probably using a specific example, on my part, was a bad, bad,
bad idea.

I didn't want this to be about writing about music. My point was simply
that, again, in my opinion, there are some topics that translate better to
audio and/or video than text.

Yeah, I get that. I was actually agreeing with you.

Frank

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Steven Wagenheim 16 years ago

Originally Posted by Frank Donovan

Hi Steven

Yeah, I get that. I was actually agreeing with you.

Frank

Yeah, I know... I was actually pointing that out for everybody else
because of the piss poor job I did making my point clear in the original
post.
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steve39 16 years ago

I also tend to disagree. I'm in the middle of putting together a golf site and I've had to do quite a lot of research online and at the library. What I've found is that some authors just seem to have a way of describing things (the mechanics of grip, swing, and stance) so that you can picture clearly in your mind exactly how it's done.

Granted, some articles are not as clear or as helpful as others. It really depends on the author and the writing style. I find that the best will have a very detail oriented, descriptive style to their writing and also have an expert level of knowledge on the subject.
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xiaophil

16 years ago

I agree with Steve - there are many topics which are difficult to verbalize and their explanations are better supplemented with diagrams and possibly audio and video.

A diagram can work with text to clarify and reinforce a point, and music is an interesting example as I know I can't hear what C# sounds like by reading it.

What about the other way around though? There are an awful lot of videos around which would be better suited to audio or even just plain text.

People seem to be making videos because nowadays it's relatively easy and the 'hot' new thing. There appears to be little thought as to whether their material is appropriate for the medium.

How many times have you seen a video of just someones head talking? Or a simple Powerpoint presentation with a voice over?

What's next? A video of a book with someone turning the pages?

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Steven Wagenheim

16 years ago

Originally Posted by xiaophil

I agree with Steve - there are many topics which are difficult to verbalize and their explanations are better supplemented with diagrams and possibly audio and video.

A diagram can work with text to clarify and reinforce a point, and music is an interesting example as know I can't hear what C# sounds like by reading it.

What about the other way around though? There are an awful lot of videos around which would be better suited to audio or even just plain text.

People seem to be making videos because nowadays it's relatively easy and the 'hot' new thing. There appears to be little thought as to whether their material is appropriate for the medium.

How many times have you seen a video of just someones head talking? Or a simple Powerpoint presentation with a voice over?

What's next? A video of a book with someone turning the pages?

This is an excellent point. Some videos, at least in my opinion, are
nothing more than a lame attempt to cash in on the video craze and
add nothing to the subject matter.

A short article would have done just as good a job if not better.

Of course this too is just my opinion.

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Jillian Slack 16 years ago

Kind of relates to the idea of finding out what people want before creating a product around it.

Although I'm sure there are TONS of people who want to know how to be a successful songwriter.

Steve is correct, though. Some things are more difficult to express in certain ways.

The key would be to realize your challenges and then take steps toward resolving those issues, whether that means giving up and moving on to another topic OR using another medium.

Jill
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KINGOS

16 years ago

Spot on sir. This can save so many head aches. it's just like trying to write an article on how to play the piano. There are some subjects that can never be fully described by writing even if they are written by the most gifted.

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LilBlackDress

16 years ago

I am with Jay, it may be more difficult for one individual to write about a particular topic and not so difficult for someone else.

BTW I read warrior forum member DanoSongs e-book on songwriting and it is outstanding.

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traces2757

16 years ago

When you are talking about music, you are talking to an audience that you already know is audio-oriented. Even if everything could be explained very clearly in words, the people you are talking to would most likely feel more comfortable if you at least did audio/video along with text.

All that long-winded writing was just another way of saying I agree with you.

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Jon Alexander

16 years ago

Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim

.

As some of you know, I've been a musician and a songwriter for over 30 years
but never did anything with my music as far as a business.

point us towards your stuff on the apple store and we'll all download it. Nice new rev stream Steve!

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Article Writers...Knowing What To Stay Away From

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