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How I learned to write like James Chartrand*

By Elizabeth H. Cottrell

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The writing course that turbo-charged my professional non-fiction writing is being offered again soon. Read about it below and note that registration opens every March and September. But in between, she sends terrific free tips to improve your writing.


Writing Course taught by James Chartrand: Damn Fine Words


In the beginning I could write.

I was a nuts-and-bolts writer for twenty-five years. I did technical writing for an engineering company and medical writing for physicians. For both, I turned obscure terms and concepts into writing a lay person could understand. Subscribers found my home-business content valuable when I wrote for a home-based entrepreneur website. At a local community foundation, I became the go-to person when a written piece needed just the right touch.

On a personal level, I’ve always gotten warm feedback from my handwritten notes of thanks, sympathy, or encouragement.

I thought I was a decent writer.

Then the blogging bug bit me.

I started Heartspoken.com and began writing about topics near and dear to my heart, but I needed an entirely different result than in my previous writing. I wanted to inspire and educate…

…but the practical, utilitarian writing of my past was too often flat—and rarely compelling.

I hired a proofreader, Karen R. Sanderson, thinking she would at least save me from embarrassing typos. Her first proofreading job came back covered with comments and red lines.

I was horrified!

Little did I know she was an accomplished editor who believed in giving extra value by making suggestions beyond correcting mistakes. As I absorbed each comment and saw how her subtle changes added kick and direction to my writing, I came to a startling realization:

I really needed to crank my writing up a few notches!

I thought writing classes were just for imaginative souls who wove characters into fiction plots, so I hadn’t considered there might be a writing course for bloggers.

I found plenty of blogs talking about blogging, though. I signed up for updates from Men with Pens and Copyblogger. I eagerly anticipated posts from James Chartrand, Sonia Simone, Brian Clark, and Jon Morrow. Their writing was strong and compelling; they became my rock stars.

It never occurred to me I could learn to write like they do.

Damn fine timing brought me a writing course on steroids.

The next thing I knew (ah, the Universe is a wonderful thing), I received an email from James Chartrand, A-list blogger and founder of Men with Pens, about her writing class called Damn Fine Words (my affiliate link).

The course description said I would learn how “to create compelling, engaging content… the kind of content that reaches your target market, increases your readership, pulls in new clients, boosts your sales and brings you better success…”

Yowzer, this looked good.

And that was only the beginning. The course would help me smash writer’s block and teach me how to write quickly and easily on any topic, regardless of my niche. I’d be able to overhaul my website copy, write the ebook that has eluded me, and write marketing copy and newsletters like a pro.

But here was the clincher: The course included personal coaching from James Chartrand herself!

I couldn’t get to the sign-up form fast enough.

Damn Fine Words delivered!

My classmates included bloggers, entrepreneurs, artists, an attorney, a comedian, a martial arts instructor, and a handwriting analyst. What bound us was a commitment to becoming better communicators, and by course design, we learned from each other as well as from our teacher.

Ten weeks and 20 value-packed lessons later, I feel like Superwoman, with a commanding new arsenal of writing weapons that empower me to take charge of my writing.

The practical, immediately implementable strategies included learning to:

  • Create a writing space and ritual that makes me much more productive.
  • Be clearer on my goal for each piece before I even start writing.
  • Develop a system for capturing ideas immediately. (I have filled my editorial calendar for months ahead!)
  • Crank out lots of “shitty first drafts” to ensure a supply of pieces that can be quickly whipped into shape when needed.
  • Recognize where breaks and formatting add punch and readability.
  • Spot unsupported statements in my own and others’ writing.
  • Write with the reader’s needs in mind.

There were highs and lows, to be sure. I got behind in a couple of spots, and I still need to practice, practice, practice. But thanks to James Chartrand’s Damn Fine Words, I write with much more confidence and authority.

That makes me a Damned Fine Writer, and you can become one too. Depending on when you’re reading this, the next university-level class starts in early May or early September, so Click here right away to start receiving free information and updates, with absolutely no obligation. These emails alone, from course designer James Chartrand, are loaded with writing tips, tricks, and free information.

Aren’t you just a wee bit curious?

Headshot of James Chartrand, founder/owner of Men with Pens
James Chartrand, founder of Men with Pens and creator of Damn Fine Words writing course

This was the best investment I’ve made in myself in years, and if your source of income or your mission in life depends on your ability to communicate clearly and passionately, this could be your best investment too. It costs nothing to learn more about what the course covers, who it’s designed for, and all about James and her staff. Click here NOW. After reading the course description, you’ll know whether or not the course can help you. And she offers a great satisfaction guarantee.

All the links to the course here are affiliate links, which means I get a commission if you sign up. If you know me, you know I would never endorse something I didn’t believe in wholeheartedly.

I’ll sweeten the pot for you with two offers:

  1. Feel free to call me at 540-436-3969 between 10am and 5pm Eastern Daylight time to ask me any questions you want about my experience with the Damn Fine Words class. Or email me at elizabethc@heartspokendotcom.
  2. Anyone who becomes a paid class member through my affiliate link will get a prize. Just email me your receipt with your name and snail mail address and I’ll send you a gift of personal stationery.

Don’t wait to find out about this terrific course today.

 * James Chartrand founded and owns one of the world’s most respected copywriting and website design companies and its wildly popular blog, Men with Pens.

 

Author

  • Elizabeth H. Cottrell
    Elizabeth H. Cottrell

    Elizabeth H. Cottrell is a writer, speaker, and award-winning author whose #HeartspokenMovement and message strengthens the four essential connections of the Heartspoken Life: with God, with Self, with Others, and with Nature. She teaches readers how to turn note and letter writing into a superpower for authentic Connection. Learn more from her website and newsletters: https://heartspoken.com/newsletters

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Cyndi Briggs says

    May 8, 2012 at 8:34 pm

    Elizabeth, I’m definitely keeping this on my wish list for the future. Stay an affiliate and if I sign up, I’ll sign up through your link 🙂

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Cottrell says

      May 8, 2012 at 8:46 pm

      Will do, Cyndi. Thanks so much!

      Reply
  2. Brad Boardman says

    April 18, 2012 at 8:31 pm

    So, Elizabeth, it looks to me like you’ve done James Chartrand proud. What a terrifically written post and review of the class.

    I, of course, will second all of your comments about DFW, having had the good fortune of being one of your classmates…for the first 15 lessons, at least.

    I won’t be surprised when you are counted among those “A-List-ers.” Nice job!

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Cottrell says

      April 18, 2012 at 8:49 pm

      Brad, you were my biggest cheerleader from day ONE! Thank you so much!

      Reply
  3. Karen S. Elliott says

    April 18, 2012 at 6:50 am

    Thank you for including me in this post, Elizabeth. What a testimonial! 🙂

    I now have DFW at the top of my list of “classes I must take,” and I have signed up for their newsletter.

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Cottrell says

      April 18, 2012 at 12:15 pm

      You’d be the ideal candidate, Karen, and you’d contribute a lot to any class too. Almost all of my active classmates (and there were lots of people who signed up who weren’t active in the forum) had a good bit of writing experience under their belt, as I did.

      Just to make it very clear, this is NOT a creative writing class, though many of the skills taught (e.g. tapping into the life and emotions of your target reader) would certainly carry over into multiple genres.

      Reply
      • Karen S. Elliott says

        April 18, 2012 at 12:31 pm

        Yep, understood. I think this class might be very helpful for blogging and general article writing, both of which I do. I also believe that any time you learn about making your writing more clear, more concise, it carries over into fiction.

        Reply
        • Elizabeth Cottrell says

          April 18, 2012 at 6:36 pm

          I agree completely. I just didn’t want anyone to sign up without realizing this.

          Reply
          • Vijaykant says

            May 23, 2012 at 1:57 pm

            Hey, James, this is one of the sharpest erentpreneurial pieces I’ve ever read. It has given me lots of food for thought.I learned lesson #3 the hard way. Slogging through the creation of my blog-business, I felt I really should do it all by myself. Until I did the math on what it was actually costing in lost opportunity. So, I bit the bullet and outsourced stuff that really was either outside of my area of expertise (so, to do it, I was spending hours learning) or was chargeable at a lower hourly rate than my regular fees. Sure, it involved putting out money, but it was a great investment, giving me more time to write, connect with people, and make money from the resulting coaching income.

            Reply

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Elizabeth H. Cottrell, Author

I am a writer and blogger called to encourage readers to strengthen the bonds of faith, family, friends, and nature; to live a life of purpose; and to cultivate the joy and impact of personal, handwritten notes and letters.  Together we are creating a #HeartspokenMovement! More Info.

 
 
 
 
 
 

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