How to stop knocking on client’s doors, and get them to call you instead!
Knocking on a client’s door is the hardest way to get business – yet we do it all the time
In order to get the client’s attention, we send out sales letters; we make presentations; we do everything we can to try and sell to clients.
The more we try to sell, the higher the client’s hackles go up. The more we try to convince; to persuade, the more the client starts avoiding you. Or at the very least, they put off buying from you till much later.
Next Step: Click to read about The Article Writing Home Study Course. For the live course check dates on http://psychotactics.com/article-writing1-live-course
P.S. If you have already used the product, do leave your testimonial below.
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I couldn’t afford another course
When I looked at the Article Writing Course a few months ago, I knew it was something I simply couldn’t afford. It was expensive, and there was clearly a lot of hard work ahead. Couldn’t I become a better writer from just reading a book out of the library? I knew Sean was good, but he was asking a lot from me – money and time.
But then Sean decided to trial a group approach – a bunch of strangers, all across the world, supporting one another under his leadership. What an inspired moment!
Like a mixed grill
A mixed grill has several kinds of meat, each one a potential meal in itself. Never before had I studied using a mix of printed notes, mindmaps, audio, a forum and direct conversation. So, what stood out?
For me, it was the forum and the conversations. I knew I wasn’t working alone. Somewhere, at any time of any day, at least one of my writing buddies was reading, or listening, or banging on their computer, honing their writing skills. That’s inspiration!
But, like a sauce on top of the whole thing, there was Sean, in the background, watching, and prodding us when each of us needed it. Oh, and he gave out lots of praise, too. But it was satisfying praise, not just lip service – you only got it when you’d really earned it.
Don’t like tough meat?
Of course, if you don’t like your meat served tough, you probably won’t like this course much. It’s not for the faint-hearted. It’s hard work. You write, and review, and critique, and suffer, and then you write some more. And more. At times it’s hard to swallow, but with all that protein Sean feeds you, you soon develop a pretty muscular brain.
But it’s not just a writing course
What I’ve gained from this experience is a huge sense of confidence – real confidence, not just bravado. I used to write a lot – never really able to tell the good from the bad.
I’m now publishing regularly in a national magazine, and being paid to do so! I’ve got an e-book under construction. The other day I was asked to write articles for a client’s website. I’m convinced none of this would have happened if I hadn’t learned the skills that Sean’s packaged up so neatly.
Where to next?
For me, it’s Fiji. I’m off on holiday soon, taking my new prized possession – a smart new laptop. I bought it so I can write anywhere. Even under a palm tree on a sun-soaked beach. Has Sean driven me insane? No. I’m a writer now. And a writer is someone who writes.
My biggest apprehension about this course was the limits of my English abilities, my first language being French. I had taken an English-Writing-for-the-web Course prior to this one, and knew how difficult it was to translate my ideas into words in English.
I did not hesitate very long to join the Article Writing Course though, because I saw that feedback on the Psychotactics website was always helpful and nice. So I knew I could tackle the course at my own level and improve from where I was, without it being embarrassing.
Not without work though
I struggled all the way through. As a starter, the task of writing every day was an enormous challenge. But I knew the importance of it.
That’s when I discovered how helpful the group feedback could be. Feedback was supportive with helpful tips, alternate ideas and cues to align you with the course material. There was a lot of humor in the group which made it really fun. Soooo many good laughs did I have in the privacy of my home-office! I learned as much from feedback given to other members, as from those addressed to me.
The process of getting a grip on the writing skills was enormously interesting. People were exchanging on “how to do this exercise”, “what does that concept mean”, “how do you find more topics to write about” etc. It was a learning experience to read other people’s thought processes unfold.
About the course material
Sean was right that listening to audios just one time was not enough to fully grasp the ideas. So I listened to the audios several times. I found the exercises to be the most effective tools to put concepts into practice and to break into new writing territory (or hone down new writing skills?).
In hindsight
What I grasped mainly from this course is how to structure my articles. I now am confident that I can write about a wider range of topics without problem. The other aspects of writing – creating drama, hooking the reader to the end for example – I still have to practice with the course material and exercises on hand.
This article writing class is much superior to the one I have taken recently and has equipped me with lasting foundation skills I can readily use in my work.
Wow to Sean
I am very thankful to Sean who made the online formula possible by creating the “helpful and kind forum environment” essential for exchange, feedback and practice. Sean graciously offered so much material to bounce back from and move forward when we were stuck. It was genuine to-the-point help.
This course will improve anyone’s writing skills by giving one structure to write on wide array of topics and by giving tools to keep the reader interested to the end. But it will not happen without work and practice. This course is not for someone who cannot do the practice, because the skills sink in only through practice and feedback and practice again. Reading the course material will not in itself improve one’s writing skills.
I am sad this course is over because it was truly interesting, and the “ambience” in the writing forum dynamic and fun. I was amazed to see my fellows writers leap forward in their writing skills. I send them many “bravos” and thanks for their inspiring work.
Money and time were my biggest apprehensions (and whether I’d actually complete it or not). Actually, completion was the kicker- I’d purchased other, smaller courses throughout the years and let them sit on the shelf. This one was up there in price and the risk level was higher because of it.
My original plan was to do the live headline course- I figured it would be a short one with a comparatively low cost- but then there was the talk of a mastermind group for the home study Article Writing Course. But really, it was the mastermind group that clinched it for me.
The part I struggled with most, would have to be to focus on one thing
The “one thing” part was definitely a struggle. That and the daily writing, of course. As for the “one thing,” I still work on it, but most days, I know when I’ve got it or not. As for the daily writing—it was a commitment I made. So to me, writing everyday with the group—and getting feedback from them—helped a ton with keeping that commitment.
And, frankly that’s what helped this course come alive and stay active, instead of gathering dust on the shelf.
Mostly the audio was what I used—with occasional visits to the written material.
The audio was something I could listen to in my car or doing other stuff. The other part that was great were the action and assignments in the group. I don’t remember using the mindmaps much- I guess I peeked at them every so often.
You know that saying “if you want to go fast, go alone; If you want to go far, go with a group?”
Well, it rings true. Doesn’t matter if it’s geese or article writers on a home study course; learning with others allows you to be both student and teacher. Which solidifies the learning. The journey has been good so far- it’s the commitment to writing every day that does it- and making those small advances. (And I almost wrote every day- except when on vacation).
I appreciated that Sean checked in on our homestudy group—it helped quite a lot.
Article writing- like any other skill that you hope to improve or learn—requires commitment. Not 5 hours a day, but some days 30 minutes, others 90. If you plan on dabbling with article writing, know that to ramp up, it’s going to be a daily gig—at least until you’re proficient- and even then it will need to be.
And you may not think you can do it, or want to write every day, but that’s what it takes. Don’t do it if you think it’ll just take a weekend and then you’re done. It doesn’t work that way. (Does anything?)
My confidence in writing is now at a level that I feel comfortable enough with the quality to put up that website I’ve been putting off for years. And now I know how to keep adding valuable material to it, too.
Thanks for your help, Sean. And special thanks to those in my group.
Brian Doherty
I signed up for the Article Writing Course at Psychotactics, not so much because I needed to learn how to write — I was already pretty good at that — but because I wanted the discipline, accountability, and sructure of writing every single day. Knowing that my classmates would be writing along with me, and that Sean would be checking in daily, was the biggest attractor for me.
The price was a huge obstacle.
But the funny thing is, I decided the course was important enough that I was willing to do whatever it took to come up with the money to pay for it. I created a taking-action thread in the Cave to track my progress toward the financial goal, and I exceeded it. I had the money to pay for the class right in time.The fact that I knew he’d be reading every day, and that my classmates would be reading too, put some added pressure to do my best work.
Unlike my college classes where I learned the professor’s style but didn’t know much about most of my classmates, the forum gave all of us a chance to get to know each other. Building up that community in the beginning made it easier to critique each others work.
I’ve taken online classes before, and I have NEVER seen the same level of instructor involvement.
Sean is right there during the course, and he tells it like it is if you need to make a change. I also enjoyed the back-and-forth, almost-real-time tutorials Sean held with some students to get them over a hump. I was able to follow along as he helped my classmates, and it helped me at the same time. Sean is a gentle hard-ass. He reminds me of Shi-Fu in Kung Fu Panda, except he doesn’t seem to have the bitterness that the master had in the beginning of the movie.
I liked that he didn’t pull punches with critiquing our writing. If something could have been done better, he told it like it was.
The results?
1. I see articles everywhere
2. I’m more in tune with seeing how other authors and speakers are using connections
3. My opening paragraphs and headlines have become stronger
4. My articles are tighter — and when they start to meander off the path I’ve learned to just copy the irrelevant text out and save it as a portion for a new article
5. My writing speed has improved
6. I realize that I will never run out of things to write about
I don’t know exactly when it happened, but at some point I started realizing just how important the subheadings were for readability. Then there was the time I sat down, wrote a longer-than-usual article, looked at the clock and was shocked to see I had done it all in about an hour. The concept of writing based on research that falls into my lap instead of going out and doing research was eye-opening too. The ability to come up with so many different ideas for articles, and having a step-by-step system to follow when writing is the greatest benefit of this course.
Sean’s insistence on daily writing was probably the single biggest factor that contributed to my success.
It gave me TONS of practice opportunities, so I had a chance to make mistakes, struggle along, fix mistakes, and eventually get better and faster.
This knowledge will give me more focus in creating content for my website and my clients. It also helped me realize that I will never run out of things to write about. And it showed me how much time I should plan for writing an article.
I would recommend this course to anyone who wants to:
- increase the amount of content on their website
- use e-mail marketing to stay in touch with clients and prospects
- be a more effective speaker
” I wasn’t sure I could pull it off. I wasn’t sure I could commit to writing every day. And yet I ended up writing almost every day for over 135 days”
My biggest apprehension before signing up for the course was whether or not I could I commit to writing every day. I remember thinking there’s no way I can do this; I wasn’t sure I could pull it off.
The turning point came after a month of writing every day. Writing became second nature.
Because we started off slowly, without many demands, writing became something I looked forward to every day. And yet, during the course, sometimes I struggled finding a particular topic to write about.
It’s the writer’s group (that we had in 5000bc.com) that helped me to get into the clear.
Reading other ideas and asking for ideas inspired me to find new things to write about as well as push me to keep writing. The group dynamic and support was phenomenal. Every day someone was giving me feedback, encouragement, ideas, critiques that I never would have had otherwise.
While I read and referred to the notes and mind maps from time to time, it was the audio sessions that I found most useful. I would take one-hour walks every day and listen to the audios. The audios brought to life the lessons and techniques found in the notes.
Simply put, the article writing journey has been an amazing journey.
And here’s what I found out after taking the Article Writing Course
Once I have a topic to write about, I can:
• Never look at a blank page and wonder how to write an article
• Outline that article in less than five minutes.
• Create drama in the beginning of the article to hook the reader into the article
• Write an 800-word article in about two hours.
• See where the article misses the mark and know how to correct it.
• Move a reader to the next step
• I wrote (almost) every day for over 135 days.
You’d think writing for over 135 days is impossible, right?
That’s what I thought, too. But it was possible for two reasons:
1. The group support was extraordinary.
2. Sean’s gentle, but firm, guiding hand was there every step of the way. Whenever we had questions, Sean was there. Every week we had directions to follow, so there was no guesswork as to what was next.
I remember very clearly my first Skype call with Sean and the group.
I had these two mixed feelings of fear and excitement. That fear and excitement actually fueled my desire to learn and make the most of this experience.
The other benefit I loved about the course (Shhh! The hidden benefit)
About two months into the writing course, I realized the structure of the course not only pertains to article writing but to all communication needs; presentations, e-Books, videos, etc.
Oh, yeah, and meetings, too. I even used the structure in a big meeting one time. You should have seen the look on everyone’s face as they said, “Wait. Stop what you’re saying. We need to write this all down wouldn’t recommend this course to anyone who isn’t willing to put in the time to make the commitment to improve their writing and communications skills. Writing every day is critical to your success.
I did the home-study course, and when I received my course materials, I remember reading Sean’s handwritten note to me.
It said: “What’s the secret? Write every day. That’s the secret.”
So now you know the secret to the course and to successful article writing.
Sean is like a nun I had in high school; she was so passionate that she would get red in the face…like her head was going to explode!
I mean this as the greatest compliment, but Sean is like a nun I had in high school; she was so passionate that she would get red in the face…like her head was going to explode! She insisted that her students LEARN and she wouldn’t take “no” for an answer. She could get a little testy, but you always knew it was in your best interest. I don’t know anyone in high school who didn’t have the utmost respect for her. And, I would say Sean is just as dedicated. I can’t see him, so for all I know, his head may be exploding while he’s busy typing away in the forum…
The biggest objection I had to this course was the factor of time. Would I have the time?
I figured there would be classes and assignments in between classes. The forum is a bit overwhelming to me. I wasn’t prepared for navigating/managing the forum.
I’ve taken classes from Robert Middleton and Perry Marshall. Both of their courses are like this one…action-oriented. I think that is key. The forum and the feedback was definitely very different. Ultimately, the forum allows for greater learning for those that take the time to take advantage of it. I appreciate all of your feedback and intervention on this course. That accessibility was different and that is a good thing.
The biggest achievements are that I’m writing more! I’ve written more articles in the last two month than I have in the last two years.
I liked the exercises on the phone calls. Those helped drive home a lot of good points. I like having podcasts, written materials, the forum…when I was stuck on outlining, I learned a lot from looking at other people’s outlines and from the one-on-one exercise you were willing to walk me through.
I feel like the content of this course was as natural as taking a stroll…picking up good bits of info and insights all along the way. The application of writing as much as Sean recommends is difficult. But, I am feeling that my “resistance” to writing is fading.
I would recommend this course to any non-lazy person who wants to have a business that needs content…sales letters, articles, tip-sheets, anything.
1) What was your biggest objection/hurdle before joining this course?
My biggest hurdle prior to joining this course was the amount of time that Sean was asking for. He insisted that we should be ready to spend as much time as with “a newborn”. Having had a baby in the past few years, and starting to be able to sleep consistently through the night, I was very worried about missing out again on those beautiful hours of sleep.
2) What did you imagine the course to be be like?
At first I thought that we would be learning something every day – just like when going to school. I also expected to have homework every night (practice) as well as constant evaluation. And it was exactly that: through daily practice, I learned something every day and I got constant feedback from Sean and from my fellow course mates.
3) Can you compare it with any other course you’ve done? What was different?
I haven’t done a course on-line like this one before. I can’t really compare it.
4) What were some of the biggest achievements for you in this course?
1. First I realized that outlines were my friends. I never had a problem following an outline but knowing when to keep bloat in check and also putting in enough thought into the outline helped tremendously when writing the article later.
2. When we learned to create drama, I had an eye-opening experience. I suddenly liked writing because, when I wrote, I wasn’t just following a checklist anymore. I had finally found a way to be creative and to have fun expressing my ideas.
3. When I was able to write an article in a little over 1 hour, I was very excited. A big part of this achievement was the structure that we had learned, but much of it had to do with constant practice. I was able to go through the steps of selecting an angle and outlining the article without spending much time thinking about the structure – because I had already done it many times before. This freed my brain to actually focus on what I wanted to write and not how I wanted to write it.
5) What were some of the methods of teaching that appealed to you in this course?
It was a very relaxed learning atmosphere. It was almost a transparent process – very much in the “wax on, wax off” method of learning. We followed instructions for apparently simple exercises and next thing we knew, we were pretty good at drama, for example.
I also responded very well to the breaking down of the learning elements into very small pieces. When learning in tiny increments, there is almost zero overwhelm and very successful outcomes.
6) How would you describe Sean as a teacher?
Contrary to what I was led to believe that he’d be on top of us, he was very relaxed. He stuck to his principle to focus only on one element at a time. And, especially at the beginning, when it was clear that we were missing many things, he simply commented on the one thing that we were focusing on that day. His approach helped us with getting things right one at a time.
7) How has this course changed you? How do you see it helping you going forward?
My confidence level in writing is much higher now. I used to dread having to write because I didn’t know where to start. The ideas were like a jumble of spaghetti in my head. This Article Writing Course gave me the comb to straighten out my spaghetti.
Going forward I can see myself getting really good at article writing. I feel like I only got a teaser of how to write and now I’m hooked.
8- How would you change your “teaching” if you were to teach in future (now that you know what you know)?
I would focus on ONE concept at a time. I would break down the concepts into the tiniest pieces and made sure that my students understood them clearly before moving on.
9- Why would you recommend this course? And to whom?
I would recommend this course only to people who are seriously committed to learning about article writing. The level of commitment required is definitely not like having a newborn but there is an expectation of daily practice which is absolutely necessary for successful learning. This course is fantastic for people who want to write articles or books to enhance their businesses – and who have a project in mind.
My before and after picture of myself as a writer before this course?
I used to think of myself as a writer monk in long, dragging brown robes, slogging my way across a writer’s bog, frequently bumping into old logs of resistance, boulders of writer’s block, and hidden quicksand of topics that were too large.
Now I think of myself as a writing ninja in rainbow colors with a sack full of writer’s tools, magic releases from writer’s block, and a bright sword of clarity.
Was I a writer before I took this class? Yes and no. I wrote a book, but it took ten years. My biggest hurdle to taking this course was believing I was that writer monk, and that slogging my way across the writing bog was the way it had to be for me.
How did I turn into a writing ninja?
This class.
Writers are made, not born – Practice makes perfect
Sean’s method for teaching this class is completely unique. I have never seen anything like it. The class begins with the idea that writers are made, not born. I suspected he was lying at the beginning, but now I know it is true. From that thought, we are all potential writing ninjas. It is simply a matter of practice. Practice is what matters.
Practice doesn’t have to be a slog
I now know that practice doesn’t have to be a slog. I have two tools from this class that Sean has taught me to vanquish this idea: one is the 15 minute rule, and the other is the write-anything technique. And it is all supported with the practice of writing every day. Every day is not impossible. I think almost everyone managed it most of the time. Of course, sometimes there were days when it was impossible – like the day I was on an airplane for 24 hours. But the way the course is set up, you crave writing, because you can see your progress, and also the progress of the other students in the class.
Progress happens through practicing technique
Everyone in the class made progress in learning the techniques, like writing the first fifty words to captivate the reader, and using drama to pull in and hold onto the reader’s interest. We honed our ability to be clear and defined, and to connect the paragraphs so the reader would not end up mired in writing quicksand and bail out to the next page. Sean has a lot of techniques that are simple and clear to use, and beyond that, are unforgettable because they are so defined. This makes practice easy. We always knew what technique we were practicing.
Techniques are easy to master if they are simple and easy to remember
Sean set the class up so that each new aspect we had to learn was clearly defined and easy to remember. Each idea had audio and written versions, so no matter what method of learning you preferred, it was there for you to work on. I like the audios, and loaded them into my mp3 player and listened when I was out walking the dogs or walking to work. This made it all much easier to learn and remember.
After listening to the audios on my walks, I was more in tune with what was going to happen because I was prepared for each new training session. The teaching method was simple. When we focused on producing and refining topics, we just did that. If we focused on structure and outlining, we just did that. If we focused on connecting paragraphs, we just connected paragraphs. The sequence was logical, and we built skills on top of other skills. That way it was never overwhelming. Skills just added up like taking any set of lessons – one on top of the other. This makes it much easier.
Sean is a Master Writing Ninja
Sean has the ability to easily focus any student down to the essentials, and has created some short but precise practice routines that not only help you understand his meaning deeply and throughly, but that give you the key to go ahead and use that skill. We had training in defining topics using the notion of cake and slices of cake, training in outlining that was based on questions your five year old would ask you, and training in ways to trim your topic down to one thought. And more.
What I think and where I will go from here
I will admit that I spent more time on this course than I intended. Much more. But I really enjoyed each day. This class has given me tools I have never learned before – either in school or in other writing classes. Other classes I have taken gave guidelines, not specifics. Now I consider myself a writing ninja, with a sack full of writer’s tools, magic releases from writer’s block, and a bright sword of clarity. I know how and when to use the skills I have realized in this class, and with this training, I can write about almost anything. Even help you with your writing. In fact, what I have learned has carried over into my own teaching as well, and I am now a better teacher too.
Thanks Sean, You are the best.
” I have dyslexia and Irlen syndrome, which is why I have so much difficulty reading.
Words on a page look like a waterfall to me– a fuzzy one at that. So I could not see how an article course was going to help me write.”
Our business was just starting to grow, when we hit an almighty hurdle. We realized that to grow the business further we were going to have to write articles.
Andy did not have the time to do this and, saying he has no imagination at all, it fell to me (Debbie).
Horror is the only way I can explain how I felt at having to write articles, as I had avoided reading and writing all my life. At the time of the Article Writing Course I had never (and I mean never) read any story books, not even at school (I managed to fake it at school by watching movies etc.).
Reading and writing to me was the worse nightmare ever
We came to realize I have dyslexia and Irlen syndrome, which is why I have so much difficulty reading. Words on a page look like a waterfall to me– a fuzzy one at that.
So being dropped in at the deep end on this course was a huge thing for me – the hurdle I faced felt about 20 feet high. And I could not see how an article course was going to help me write.
How wrong can you be?
The course was interesting, and laid out in simple steps on how to write. At first I could not do it, or so I thought. With Sean’s help, I kept plugging away. At times I felt like I was hitting my head against a brick wall.
With persistence (and the help of a Dictaphone), out of nowhere the hurdle that was 20 feet high started to lower. And before I knew it, I was writing articles and rewriting everything Andy had written previously.
The best thing of all was that I was beginning to enjoy it.
We implemented the course in several ways.
I now have articles published in magazines. I have rewritten our website and adverts, and I’ve written the intro to our technical book that’s currently being worked on by Andy.
I also use all of the course teachings in every aspect of our lives now. Now I can take a boring technical subject (we write articles about ignitions for classic bikes), and turn it into something that everyone can understand and enjoy–which helps educate our customers better.
My confidence in my ability has grown
And I am now communicating with people better than ever. You do not realize how much not being able to write rules your life (it stops you doing things, and holds you back).
I also now read story books, and study the writing styles. Something I never thought I would be able to do (and enjoy). After this course I am now unstoppable. Nothing is too hard, and I am seeing the world with different eyes.
For people who say they cannot write, I would say to them: everybody can (no matter what you think). You just have to find the right teacher, and luckily we found Sean. And you must trust that you can do anything you put your mind to, because if I can do it, then you can too.
The Article Writing Course is unique in many ways
It’s not about writing per se, it’s about the structure of writing, the rules and the whys and wherefores, which to me was a godsend. It made sense, and with a bit of practice is now easy to do.
I still have trouble with my spelling, but have a wonderful husband Andy, who corrects for me.
My hurdle at the start was 20 feet high.
It’s now non-existent, and I have Sean and the Article Writing Course to thank for that.
Thank you, Sean.
Debbie & Andy Perkins
Pazon Ignitions
New Zealand
“Right after I signed up, I got dizzy. Literally: my head swam a little and I had to sit down. This was the biggest-ticket line item I’ve ever bought, other than my house. (I don’t own a car.)”
Before joining the Article Writing Course
The biggest obstacle in my mind that would have prevented me from joining the Article Writing Live Course
was the price. I didn’t doubt it was a good value, but my business is very very small, and I didn’t have that much money set aside. I broke my “incur no business debt” rule to take this course.
My 3 biggest objections?
a) Scheduling was a big concern. I have a day job, and I had to rearrange my schedule and get permission from my boss to take 90 minutes in the middle of the afternoon.
b) Spending so much on one course. For perspective: I spent about as much on this course as I do on a year’s worth of dance classes.
One Week After Joining
Right after I signed up, I got dizzy. Literally: my head swam a little and I had to sit down. This was the biggest-ticket line item I’ve ever bought, other than my house. (I don’t own a car.)
1 month into the course
After a month the 3 biggest benefits I found.
a) After one month, I wouldn’t say that I was writing well, but I understood what I had to do.
b) The course gave me some great tools for generating article ideas (ask for questions) and content (answer them).
c) I felt pretty comfortable with the other students.
What progress had you made in the month?
The who/what/why/how structure made a HUGE difference in my writing.
The feature I liked most about this course?
The course did a good job of giving us bite-sized pieces of information. None of the concepts or tasks felt intimidating.
The three biggest benefits from completing the course are that:
- I’ve got an action plan for writing. I know how to get started and get moving.
- I’ve developed a habit of writing every weekday morning. I turn off the alarm, make some coffee, and get back into bed with my laptop. If I don’t write, my whole day feels off.
- I know how to audit my own writing. It isn’t always easy, but I can get it done.
I would definitely recommend the course. If you do the work and ask questions, you can learn a lot. I always know that I will learn something good from Sean: after all, when he tells you exactly how he goes about selling you something and the sales process still works, you know it has to be good!
Teaching Style
Sean is a very friendly teacher, which makes me feel less self-conscious about making mistakes.
Course Material
It was helpful to get the notes and audio in advance because it allowed me to do some of the preparatory work in advance if I knew I’d be busy the following week.
Nadira Jamal
Boston, USA
“My writing was already OK – I’ve done a ton of fiction writing over the years (I always wanted to be the English Stephen King!), and I’ve read a gazillion books on writing in those years too. So I actually thought there might not be much I could learn. (What a dufus!)”
Before joining the Article Writing Course
The biggest obstacle in my mind that would have prevented you from joining the Article Writing Live Course was definitely cost. The year had been a terrible year for my main business – maybe turnover down to 40% of the previous year. And so finding $1600 was a bit of a stretch.
But I wanted to do it – really, really badly. So I took a punt, and fortunately the punt came off.
I didn’t really have any objections because I’d done the Infoproducts course last year – so I knew totally what to expect. (except of course that I didn’t – because Sean pulled the trick of making us write daily out of his little trick bag!)
Actually I’m lying – I just realised I did have one. My writing was already OK – I’ve done a ton of fiction writing over the years (I always wanted to be the English Stephen King!), and I’ve read a gazillion books on writing in those years too. So I actually thought there might not be much I could learn. (What a dufus!)
One Week After Joining
I loved the detail of the material. The way articles were broken down into constituent parts and techniques so you could work on these parts and techniques in isolation.
And immediately realised how powerful this could become.
1 month into the course
After a month the 3 biggest benefits I found.
a) Firstly the discipline of daily practice. It was something I kind of discovered on the Infoproducts course last year, but then it kind of drifted away. But rediscovering it, and realising the power of it, was a great benefit.
b) Secondly The Forum. A level of interaction built up amongst a core of the students. So sometimes you’d get help and advice from them. And sometimes you’d learn things from seeing other people’s mistakes and seeing how Sean
addressed them.
c) And I just counted how many articles I wrote in the first month. Twenty Freaking Seven. IN the first month. And some of them I’ve not looked at for two months, and they’re actually pretty good.
How’s that for a benefit!
What progress had you made in the month?
a) Ummm…did you not read the last paragraph. Twenty freaking seven articles. That’s progress, baby.
But seriously it was not just the volume of articles, as with everything the more you do it the better you get (usually). And prodded with the appropriate feedback I did get better. And that leads to…
b) …increased confidence. That I could turn out a high quantity of interesting and quality articles. That I would then be able to use to help further my bass playing business.
c) Um…..can I say 27 articles again.
On completion
What I liked most about this course?
Daily Practice. And yep you can do it on your own, but man that’s hard. Especially when you’re learning something. So having the forum to post in and get feedback on was genius.
The three biggest benefits I got on completion?
-Daily Practice = Momentum.
-A quantity of high quality articles.
-The knowledge (confidence) that there’s a hundred more articles where those
ones came from. That if I need it to be, it’s unstoppable.
Would you recommend the article writing course?
If so, why? I would absolutely, recommend the article writing course because article writing is the foundation of an online business. It allows you to communicate expertise – whether that article ends up as an article, or a blog post, or a video article – and helps you attract people who may
end up becoming paying customers.
And there’s no course like this anywhere that I know of that will give you the writing tools you need in such a detailed and organised way.
About the course material
I got all the notes and audio in advance. It allowed a great overview of the course prior to starting it, plus the one thing the calls did do is it gives a structure to how the course plays out over the time frame, so you know which areas to focus on.
And because you’ve got the material you’re not racing to catch up.
I enjoyed – and am still enjoying – this course thoroughly. Without it I don’t think I’d have been able to do the ‘free to fee’ thing with my Ezine. But the bottom line for me is I got – and continue to get – results WAY beyond my expectations. And at the end of the day that’s all that counts.
Paul Wolfe, Carte Blanche
Wimbledon, SW London, UK
“The specific feature I liked most about this course was that only one specific subject was covered at a time. And the biggest benefits I got on completion was that I know that there is a pattern that can be used over and over again for writing successful articles.”
The biggest obstacle in my mind that would have prevented me from joining the Article Writing Live Course was…Do I have enough time to do this?
The 3 biggest objections?
-Will I get enough from it to make it worthwhile?
-Will it be worth the cost?
-Will it help me in my business?
1 month into the course
After a month the 3 biggest benefits I found.
a) I was learning more specifics than I expected
b) It was done one step at a time, one subject at a time
c) I was able to use on outline to give a talk.
The progress I made in the month?
a) I had a better understanding of where to start
b) I had more confidence
c) I knew I would be able to get more during the rest of the course
On completion
The specific feature I liked most about this course was that only one specific subject was covered at a time. The biggest benefits I got on completion was that I know that there is a pattern that can be used over and over again for writing successful articles. I would recommend this course because the more understanding and knowledge a person has, the more confidence they develop, which allows them to write better.
Teaching Style
Sean is very organized, ad specific. I also liked the individualized comments. I thought “how can one man do all this?”
Course Material
Did you find the training material useful? Did you use all media to learn? Eg. Notes, Audio, Mindmaps, Forum
I did not do well with the mindmaps. The forum was great.
Bob Bare, New Perceptions In Hearing
Texas, USA
“The biggest obstacle preventing me from joining the Article Writing Live Course was it was quite a large financial commitment for me and I also wasn’t sure I’d have the time to participate enough to make it worth the investment..”
Before joining the Article Writing Course
The biggest obstacle preventing me from joining the Article Writing Live Course was it was quite a large financial commitment for me and I also wasn’t sure I’d have the time to participate enough to make it worth the investment.
My three biggest objections?
a) Cost
b) Time required
c) Finding babysitter for times during audio calls.
One Week After Joining
Immediately on signing up I liked the excellent communication in the form of several emails outlining the course, welcoming me to the forum, etc. I also enjoyed the notes and audio that I was able to make use of immediately and prepare before the course actually started.
1 month into the course
After a month the 3 biggest benefits were:
a) Camraderie amongst participants. b) I was writing real articles almost immediately. c) Personal attention from Sean.
The progress I made in the month:
a) Real, useful articles. Better than I’d ever written. Actually I’d say this was true even after just 2 weeks.
b) Understanding that repetition and structure are the key to good writing.
c) Ability to realize when there’s a problem with an article.
On completion
Three biggest benefits I got on completion:
Personal attention from Sean – encouragement, some gentle criticism, and advice.
A wonderful stack of articles that I’ve already begun to publish – at least 30 usable articles.
An understanding of how structure is vital to all aspects of business (life maybe?) not just writing.
I would absolutely recommend the article writing course
- I could never have imagined how much I ended up enjoying the course. It was a huge amount of work but I learned so much. The atmosphere on the forum and on the calls was so supportive and productive. I felt like I really got to know the other students and we all were in it together. I still can’t get over the amount of individual attention Sean provided to everyone.
Teaching Style
What I liked about Sean’s teaching style
I liked how he’s very specific, he’ll offer to give suggestions but lets you try things yourself first. Every time I had a problem or felt like I had a problem, he always helped me find the answer and never made me feel like a fool. It’s obvious that he really does care about your success. I also loved how he wrote right along with us. I learned a lot from his articles, as well.
I could gush on and on about how much I enjoyed the course. I’m trying to decide which course I’d like to do next. I think I also need to work on implementing many of the ideas I’ve gotten from 5000BC, the Brain Audit and this course. There’s obviously tons to learn here and it’s a real challenge to absorb it all. I searched for quite a while for a marketing resource and I’m so glad I found it in Psychotactics.
I don’t feel the need to study any other marketing sites. There’s more than enough material here for me to cover in the next 10 years. I am just so grateful for the opportunity to participate with this amazing group of people and teacher. I hope my work will do it justice.
Sarah Mueller, Alphabet Garten,
NJ, USA
Nine months ago – in June 2009 – I was where you are now.
I was simply looking to write better, faster articles – because I wanted to establish a level of expertise in my industry. But I had two main concerns:
– I was S – L – O – W : I could already write, but even a short article took me forever! I was already tight on time with my existing business.
– There are some “big names” in my industry who also write – a lot. Deep down, I didn’t think I had enough expertise to compete with them.
Sean promised me three things.
If I did the work and completed the course:
– I would be able to write an article per day without breaking a sweat;
– People would love my articles – I would become a thought leader (and get more business);
– I would be able to write “expert” articles in ** any ** field, regardless of what it was.
I didn’t believe him.
I’m not saying I thought Sean was a liar – I just didn’t think one course could do all that. I would settle for just being able to write faster. So I signed up for the basic course – not the premium version.
Here’s what happened to me within six months of starting the course:
– I landed my biggest client to date – due in large part to some articles I had written (which, by the way, were actually class assignments!);
– I was writing and ghostwriting articles about all sorts of subjects. If I have sufficient research, I can put together an informative, readable article on just about any topic.
– I was able to take on more of the writing load in our business – freeing my wife up to do more of what she likes to do: talk with clients.
So I can honestly say that not only has this course helped my business – it’s even helped my marriage!
I’ll be honest with you, though: this course is no magic elixir.
You won’t get anywhere just by showing up. When we started in June there were 16 of us. During the course some of us wrote often, some seldom, and a couple didn’t write much at all. By the end of the course, we were down to only six. And without exception, those that consistently did the assignments were the ones that completed the course.
So here are a couple of tips that will help you get the most out of this course:
1) Listen to Sean. You’re here because of your interactions with Sean. You know that he knows what he’s talking about. So listen to him. Sean doesn’t always explain the “why” of something until after you’ve done it (ask me how I know this!). Don’t fight him – listen to him.
2) Make this course a priority. It’s a given: you don’t have time for this course. None of us do. And you’ll never – NEVER – “find” time to write. You have to “make” time to write. Perry was our role model here – he had many late nights, but he always posted daily to the forum. Jessica made it a point to rise an hour earlier (which she detested!) so she could write before heading off to work.
3) Ask questions. As soon as you don’t understand something, or the second you’re unsure of something: ASK! This is an international group, and people express themselves differently. So if you’re frustrated about something, speak up. Don’t keep it to yourself. Sean will answer any question you have.
4) Make lots of mistakes. This was a hard one for me. I’m a bit of a perfectionist. And let’s face it, no one wants to look foolish in public. But I found that I was a lot more willing to try different things if I was willing to make mistakes. And this is the place to do that – because Sean is committed to helping you become a better writer.
You’re in for a really great experience. Sean is and always will be the “go-to guy”. But if I can answer a question, or help anyone with something, feel free to PM me, or email me.
About me: I’m Wiz Withers, and I live in Maryland, USA – about an hour’s drive from Washington, DC.
In my first career I was a pilot, and flying remains a passion. Today I’m a business owner: my wife and I run a boutique marketing firm, serving clients in the nonprofit and business-to-business arenas. I’m also a Google AdWords account manager – I set up and run pay-per-click advertising campaigns for clients, including a major ad agency. When I’m not working I sing and play guitar with a local choral group. I also enjoy hiking, flying (did I mention that already?) and model railroading.
By day…
I repair medical laboratory analyzers. It’s not a 9 to 5 job. I often work all day and well into the evening. I drive long hours. Sometimes I spend the night in a hotel. Like tonight.
By night…
I’m a direct response copywriter and information marketer. I have actually stepped back from writing copy for other people temporarily. I’m working hard getting my information business on a stable footing. And I’ve learned how to write effective articles fast because of Sean’s materials and his teaching. We all volunteered to help out with the next class.
Why you might ask?
Many reasons come to mind.
A few stand out.
One…
I learned a great deal by reading and commenting on the articles the other writers posted. It really helps to make the learning stick. This way I can keep learning while giving back at the same time.
Two…
Sean gave so much to us, over and above anything I ever expected, that I wanted to give back a little. This is one way to do that.
Three…
The experience we all went through was extraordinary. And I’m hoping to be able to help a few more people get what we all got.
Four…
I’m looking way out into the future. At some point in time, Sean is going to start a university. I’d like to be around to be a part of that. We’ll see.
What can be accomplished in a few months?
Here’s some of what I accomplished. I just finished an ebook based on 16 articles, 12 of which I wrote during the Article Writing Course. Those 16 articles combined to make 12 chapters.
Of course, I did do some additional work to polish it into a book. It magically turned into 78 pages. I never imagined it would be that simple (not that is was easy) to write that much on the subject of composting. I actually had to stop writing and put it out. I could have written another 50 pages on the subject. That’s pretty cool.
You can do it too. That’s even more cool.
I attribute this mostly to the Article Writing Course.
Even more can be done…
Before you think that’s all, I have another 30 or 40 articles (I should count them) I wrote during the course too. I’ve used some as newsletters, some as content, the rest are waiting publication. They’ll all be in the wild over the next couple months. I’ll be using many of them to market my ebook and my website.
There’s really no reason you can’t do this for your own business. Just let us help you.
Why do I tell you this?
So you can see how much you can accomplish if you set your mind to it.
Why did I (finally) buy the Article Writing Course?
It’s an old story. Dreaming of writing and never getting any writing done. And when – then thousands of unorganized words.
I’ve bought dozens of books on how to get over my problem of procrastination. None helped but a couple put me in the right direction. I finally knew what I needed and joined Sean’s group of budding writers at the last minute. Literally. I didn’t even have time to download everything… That was a real iron ball on my leg. It took ages to catch up.
What problem did I encounter when I started the AWC?
I did manage to get on top – only to find a whole new set of problems. I was expecting an article writing course. But the AWC is not an article writing course. It’s much more than that. If you’re only considering how to write articles, then you’re restricting the view. The concept is “communication”.
To quote Sean: “It’s a course in structured, drama-based communication. Once you learn how, you can apply it to just about anything – Presentations, audio, video, books etc. It’s not restricted to article writing.”
Sean’s concept is “communication”. His big picture is to first get you confident enough to write. Then you can decide where you are going to write.
However, I ran into problems with the Where to write.
My colleagues in the AWC all had existing web sites. They cheerfully wrote with their web site needs in mind. I was pulling ideas out of thin air. That was tough. I wrote to the Cave asking for questions – I got feedback – and continued to write.
As Sean asked us to write something to you, I wondered what question I could answer…
Did the AWC get me what I hoped for when I enrolled?
What a laugh! I couldn’t remember any more. At some point I completely lost sight of why I enrolled for the course. I did manage to find my original post… and I’m wondering: Do any of my AWC course goals “echo” with you?
When I started the AWC, I posted these writing goals (verbatim):
1. To learn the art of writing that keeps the reader riveted and “turning the pages” so to speak.
2. To overcome procrastination.
3. To overcome the fear of not being good enough to write for publication or to sell my writing services.
4. To become a prolific writer. And this also means I have to learn how to kick out articles or writing jobs faster. I spend too much time on editing and re-editing and rewriting.
5. To establish where and what my so-called niche is. What writing am I particularly good at? This is important, as my goal is to earn a living with my writing. [Preferably a GOOD standard of living! ]
6. To have a fund of articles written and ready for publishing.
Tja! What can I say? That is what I wrote then.
Today…
I’ve just reached about everything I set out to do.
I’m still humming and haa-ing over how narrow my new niche web site should be; and keeping a reader riveted and turning the pages… well, perhaps I should ask a reader? I’m gaining more and more experience with each article.
What can you get out of the AWC?
Well, you get out what you put in Übung macht den Meister.. That’s basically it.
I hope this helps you all as you start. I’ll finish with a word of warning: You’ll never be able to read another article without pulling it to pieces when you’ve finished…
Finally, here’s a TIP you should take to heart. I’d even go as far to say: “READ IT”
If you suffer from procrastination, all of us (The One Buttock Writers) thoroughly recommend you purchase and read (it’s a very quick read and not expensive) the book The War of Art. Perry has already mentioned it in his post here. I have already spoken about it on the Cave. The book changed my outlook on procrastination. I did a complete about-turn after reading it.
Janine
Amazon (you may have to copy and paste the link as it wraps in this post)
http://www.amazon.com/War-Art-Through-Creative-Battles/dp/0446691437/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268767587&sr=8-1
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles
Steven Pressfield (Autor)
Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (April 1, 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446691437
ISBN-13: 978-0446691437
Price: $9.32
My biggest objection to the Article Writing Course was the price.
That was my big objection. But I had others too. I had done a lot of courses by “experts” before, and they generally left me feeling a bit unfulfilled. So when I saw the price of this course part of me thought that maybe this is going to be an “over promise and under deliver situation” where I wouldn’t get my moneys worth.
Besides I thought the course would be more of a traditional teaching course. I thought that Sean would give us assignments and then critique them once a week or so. This is how a lot of courses are done based on my experience.
As a comparison, I’d compare it with a copywriting seminar with Future Now and an online writing course with Wizard Academy.
The Article Writing Course was significantly different. Whereas the other two courses were geared toward professional copywriters and tweaking their craft, The Article Writing Course broke down the process to very detailed fundamentals. The other courses would say things like “write with verbs” or “Describe things so they emotion drips off the page” but they wouldn’t really tell you how to do it. Sean provided a system of breaking down and writing articles. The system is so good than literally anyone can do it.
The biggest achievement for me was losing the fear of the blank page.
Before this course I used to stare at a blank page, then write something then instantly hate it and delete it. I don’t have that fear anymore. My second biggest achievement was I was approached to write a four article series in an industry magazine due to one of the articles I wrote in the course. I did not feel I was ready for this but Sean walked me through the process step by step.
Sean is always available. He always comments and he helps you out by email in case you freak out while using the forum. I have even talked to him over Skype and he ALWAYS has time for you.
His teaching method while annoying, does work.
Sean preaches that you need to write every day. While it is very difficult to do, it absolutely works. So writing every day and having him there every day to instruct you is very effective.
Sean is one of the best teachers I have ever had, and I went to a prestigious college in the United States. He teaches you a system, but more importantly he explains why each step is important. He is quite demanding as well. But he does it in a way that makes you want to seek his approval instead of being harsh. Wanting to get someone’s approval is much more powerful to me than trying not to screw up.
I can now write. These articles are going to be a crucial part of my business going forward. I now have a weapon that I can use in my industry that no one else has. The power of having this skill gives me an angle that has literally changed the entire scope of my business. I am switching from trying to push product on to my customers, to creating a pull by trying to educate them as much as possible.
I would recommend this course without hesitation, because it simply is the best way to learn to write articles.
In my mind there is no other course out there that can do this for a person like me who used to feel like they had no writing skill whatsoever. Now I look at my father’s writing (who has a law degree and a masters degree) and I feel good. I think I can write as well as he does, and this is only after 3 months of training (Sorry dad, I’ve just learned so much).
I would recommend it to anyone who has a product or service they can write about and market. You are not just gaining a skill, you are potentially gaining a new life (sorry that was cheesy!)