A Potent New Content Tool and the Power of "No"

This week we’re talking about chatbots, ruthless editing, and the impressive power of the word “No.”

On Monday, I unpacked some of the reasons why I’m now a chatbot cheerleader. If you’re already familiar with this tool, feel free to mock me for not knowing about it sooner. (And really, I should have, because way back in October of 2016, Brian Clark was telling us that this type of tech would be the next great opportunity for writers.)

I predict that the Copyblogger-style, audience-driven, “poet and killer” approach will be a huge factor of success with chat.

On Tuesday, Stefanie Flaxman revealed that not only is her name No, but her sign is No, and her number, also, is No. And she gave some suggestions about what you should be saying Yes to, with all that free time you’ll gain. It’s a super useful post.

On Wednesday, Loryn Thompson showed how “ruthless editing” can actually help us find the balance between soulful artistry and pragmatic craft.

On The Digital Entrepreneur, Sean Jackson and Katy Katz interviewed Melissa Fach about the smart way to score more guest posts. This is still a fantastic way to grow your audience, but you need to approach it with care.

On Site Success, Jerod Morris talked about how to decide on what kind of content to create for your site. That process slows down so many people, so hooray for Jerod for tackling it.

And on Copyblogger FM, I wrapped up my interview with Contently’s Shane Snow and Joe Lazauskas on the principles of telling great stories with your content. If you like the episode (or just dig the topic), I recommend their new book The Storytelling Edge, as well.

— Sonia Simone
Chief Content Officer, Rainmaker Digital