Esther Hooper

If you have to be a professional writer, you must be a professional reader. There's no two ways about it. The type of reader, and learner, that you are will determine the type of writer you become. ___ When I was in secondary school, I used to read a lot of development books And when I was done with school, I started writing. Precisely, I started writing 3 books, and completed 1 out of the three, but I decided to wait till I was 18 before launching it. But something happened along the line... I stopped reading, and i couldn't flow fluently with my writing. So, I gave it a break. ___ That was in 2022 But here i am, in 2024... I signed up for several writing classes, upgraded my skill, learnt what it takes to gain mastery... I've discovered many hacks in professional writing, I've started gaining back my reading habit, and guess what? I'm worth a thousand times better than I was when I started out. Regarding the books I started, I'll be editing them... And when I'm done taking out all the trash from them, I'll merge them into one, with more advanced insights for the next generations to come to also benefit from. ___ This is just a summary The main point here is... If you want to excel as a great writer, then you must submit yourself to great reading and learning. This also applies to every other scope of business. To achieve more, you must implement more. ___ I am Dee, The Essence Maven I am an Essencer I speak, write, design, and mingle with Essence #deebrands

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I was once threatened with the sack. For giving my opinion when I was asked for it. 🔹🔸🔹 It was a less than favourable opinion about a design template one of the managers had come up with. The manager had sat behind me and directed the whole design. Fonts, pictures, colours, layout. They were ecstatically happy with their creation and thought it was brilliant. Jumping up and down, clapping manically, and calling over all their manager friends so they could see it and give their congratulations. Then they asked me what I thought. Me, the graphic designer. The one who was going to have to use the template. 🔹🔸🔹 Objectively, the design was a disaster. The layout had no flexibility. The colour contrast made it hard to read. The vibrant colours made the pictures look terrible. The printouts were streaky because our printer couldn’t handle solid colours. And because that was my objective opinion, that was what I told them. 🔹🔸🔹 The manager chose to hear it differently. They reasoned I was being unduly negative and not a team player. They made a formal complaint against me and the higher management upheld it. 🔹🔸🔹 Did this change me and turn me into the ‘yes’ person they wanted? Hell no. If I’m being paid to do a job and I can see something won’t work, I have an obligation to say so. If you ask for my opinion, and I’m qualified to give one, it will always be objective, well-reasoned and for the good of the project. It will never be based on my personal feelings, likes or dislikes. There’s always a chance you might not like what I have to say. And if you think that makes me unduly negative and not a team player, so be it. Go find a ‘yes’ person who’ll champion everything you do, regardless of whether it’s working. But if your website is failing you and you would value an objective eye to help you work out where the problems are, my DMs are open. #Websites #Obectivity #RewildYourBrand

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" You're not capable enough!" These words from one of my client worked as a catalyst to my writing career! Okay don't laugh now, thinking that 'huh, here we go with a picky cliche hook again' But trust me , it's truth! So, it all happened 4 months back, when finally a client start assigning me tasks after a month of back and forth communication. Yes, the first task gone good, but there were certain things I wasn't sure of, ❗Not enough time for research,write and edit. ❗I wasn't allowed using AI at all, which I am okay with, but not with constant warnings ❗Expectation of being available to attend calls everytime, that's never manageable for me. However, it's not like I am complaining here for what I was draped with on first task, but the things I couldn't make it to good by the second task -The tight deadlines were no way possible for me for well researched, SEO optimized and humanized articles at a very average payrate. ➡️ Yes could be only my issue - At that time my mother's condition was deteriorating on daily basis, burdening my mental health ➡️ obviously only my issue - I couldn't answer call and messages all the time nor was able to deliver a good quality because of the pressure building up to not get lose of certain instructions. ➡️ Definetly my mistake At the end of the day, -I accepted my mistakes, --Got paid less than what decided ---Refused to work anymore, prioritizing my mental health and the ones who need my time. However, this all experience had a positive side for me 🙌 I understood I am not good at writing content that needs more than 1000-1200 words, Because then, I lose control of ✅Structure ✅Quality ✅Clarity I took Neha Shafiq 🔥 consultation and that is where my mind locks got all the keys 🙌 I now can finally say that I am copywriting person than content writing Not just because I can't write long form content, but the desperation to use my storytelling skills and creative mindset can't be fulfilled with mostly bland, keywords stuffed content. I do love research and love writing it in exciting yet simple sentences. And when it comes to SEO, yes I have been praised for good optimization, but can never be a harsh optimizer which most clients don't align with. So, here is what my first life-changing moment from my break looked like 🤭 I am now finally clear about my skills and niched down ♥️ I would lie if I say that I didn't regretted for my mediocre performance with that client. And this was a similar experience to what I face in last 6 months of 2023. But here goes a better, stronger and clearer 2024 with all new wings 🙌 P.S. Share your stories that helped you in making a strong decision? P.S.S. This was my first investment from my freelance savings back in Aug'23 Maa shaa Allah. More to come ✨

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One simple editing tip to make your blog post/article better- Remove Nearly All Adverbs! ~ I came to this conclusion after I started editing an article and realized that adverbs were just adding unnecessary words to your write-ups. ~ I had to remove words like • Really, • Very, • Definitely, ~ Once I did, my sentences became much clearer and fluff-free. ~ Also, when I used Grammarly to edit it, half of the things I had to remove were adverbs. So, if you want to make your blog post/ article more clearer and readable, remove all adverbs unless it is absolutely needed. (Like I just did) Have a wonderful weekend guys. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Do follow me Sarah Agagu for more tips on how and what to write for your company blog. #SEOBlogWriter #CompanyBlog #FreelanceWriter

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Struggling with Being Original!!! During my project writing, my supervisor always used to ask me, “What do you want to write or say that someone hasn't written or said before?” This always leaves me wondering about the usefulness of project writing and defending it, and why they will make you cancel and cancel till you are left with nothing but frustration. However, there is one thing I understood from all the stress; "All writing or creative endeavours are built on what came before and drawing inspiration from them is natural. Still, adding your unique twist or perspective is key to being or creating something truly original. " I am saying this to emphasize that: 🔸Nobody has a monopoly on knowledge 🔹Everyone has that one thing that makes them original. 🔸Why copy someone else when you have a unique feature that differentiates you from another just like our fingerprints. 🔹Instead of copying, draw strengths from other people's lives and experiences Struggling with being original, here are a few things you need to understand and maybe they can help you search for your authentic or original self. * Originality sets you apart from others and helps you stand out in a crowded field. It makes you more memorable and distinctive. * When you strive to be original, you are pushed to think outside the box and come up with new ideas and solutions. *It allows you to express your true self and show your unique perspective. It helps you stay true to your values and beliefs. *Original work tends to make a greater impact on others because it can evoke strong emotions, provoke thought, and inspire change. *Striving for originality can push you out of your comfort zone and encourage personal growth and self-discovery. Remember to overcome the originality struggle, you need to do the following 1. Reconnect with your values and beliefs 2. Practice self-compassion 3. Reflect on your strengths and weaknesses 4. Set boundaries and surround yourself with supportive people, 5. Engage in activities that bring you joy and fulfilment. Note:Be patient with yourself and allow room for personal development and self-discovery. Find your Unique Self. Welcome to May!! #Letmeknowwhatyouthink. #originality #creativity #contentwriting #uniqueness #uniqueibeabuchi

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