20 Easy Ways to Write Better for Business: Bits of wisdom from a copywriter — now available instantly on Kindle!

Scott’s Blog

How long does it take to write a white paper?

using stopwatch to determine how to write a white paper

“How long does it take to write a white paper?” It’s a valid question. Even if you’re someone who frequently handles writing as part of your job or volunteer work, you may not have any idea of how long it takes to develop a white paper. That’s because white papers are different from a blog … Read more

Put the power of questions to work for you

Boy wondering about asking questions

It’s a concept so simple most marketers and companies don’t even think about it. When humans want to know something, we ask questions. Paying attention to common questions and sharing the answers is a remarkably powerful form of communication. The FAQ (frequently asked questions) document or web page is one of the most important messaging … Read more

Research paper vs white paper: how are they different?

research paper vs white paper

Research paper vs white paper is a conundrum white paper writers frequently encounter. Most people had to write research papers when they were in high school and college, and many people work in industries where researchers and scientists publish research papers to inform colleagues and industries of what they’ve learned. So when they hear someone … Read more

Seven easy ways to improve your writing

improve your writing

Whether you consider yourself to be a skilled writer or you dread reaching for the keyboard, writing probably plays a critical role in your daily work. You may not be authoring articles for professional journals, but you probably have to create emails, memos, reports, and other items that require some writing skill. Following a few … Read more

What’s the difference between a white paper and a case study?

difference between a white paper and a case study

There’s more than one difference between a white paper and a case study, even though they’re remarkably similar strategies. If you’ve heard terms like “white papers” and “case studies” tossed around by colleagues and not been sure you knew what they were describing, don’t feel bad. You’re not alone. There’s a lot of jargon used … Read more

Quotes in white papers: how to use them and why you should

quotes in white papers

If you’ve ever wondered about the roles played by quotes in white papers, I can tell you as a professional white paper writer that quotations are a source of anxiety for many people. I’m not sure, but I think it results from (barely) surviving seventh-grade English and later learning plagiarism could get us tortured. Including … Read more

How to get more than average value for white papers

average value for white papers a tough calculation

The average value for white papers varies, depending on how and where a company uses them. Whether a company devotes staff time to develop white papers or hires a professional white paper writer to handle the process, it normally involves a significant investment, so the company hopes to get more than average value for white … Read more