I help small companies and freelancers grow their business online.

My Newsletter, Books & Programs About Writing For The Web

  • Get this 35-page Web-Writing Guide FREE when you sign up for Nick Usborne’s Excess Voice Newsletter.

    Get your copy of Writing For The Web #1 -- Plus, in each issue of my weekly newsletter, you’ll receive my latest post and news of my products and services. Sign up NOW and I'll send you the link where you can download this 35-page guide. (You'll be free to unsubscribe at any time.)

  • Affirmations for Freelancers - and anyone else who works alone.

    positive affirmations for freelancers

    39 Affirmations to help build your confidence, dissolve self-doubt, and grow your business.

    As freelancers we spend much of our time alone. This means we are alone with our thoughts – for better or for worse. The trouble is, we often get overwhelmed by negative thoughts and feelings. We don’t feel good enough, or ready enough, or valuable enough. My book, Affirmations for Freelancers, helps you change that balance, and tip your life towards confidence, optimism and positivity.

    Learn more about Affirmations for Freelancers...

  • Popcorn Content – The craft of writing short-form content for social media.

    popcorn content how to write social media content

    Now available both as a Kindle Single AND a PDF Download.

    Writing for social media is a whole new craft. Social media streams move quickly, so you have to hook your readers fast. But you also need to listen attentively…all of the time. And you have to engage with people. This, my latest book, teaches you how to write this critically important type of content. Popcorn Content is available as a Kindle Single or as a regular PDF Download.

    Learn more about Popcorn Content...

  • How to Write Your Own Money-Making Websites.

    write money making websites

    If you have a hobby or interest, and would like to write a website about it, now you can do just that -- and make a healthy second income at the same time.

    This is the complete "how-to" package.

    You get complete instructions, including lists of the tools and services you might want to use to make sure your website attracts plenty of visitors and generates a healthy income.

    Learn How to Write Your Own Money-Making Websites...

  • Copywriting 2.0 - Your Complete Guide to Writing Web Copy that Converts.

    online copywriting course This course is about 300 pages in length - plus videos and a Workbook - and is designed to teach you the best practices in every major aspect of writing for the web.

    After taking the course you'll have the expertise required to write any kind of web page – whether it be a homepage, sales page, landing page, information page, subscription page, catalog page...and so on.

    Learn more about Copywriting 2.0...

  • New e-Book - 101 Web Content Ideas, Tips and Resources

    This 152-page downloadable book is focused on writing quality web content.These ideas, tips and resources will help inspire you to create a wider variety of quality pages...all them designed to rank well with the search engines, delight your readers, and get shared enthusiastically through social media.

    In the post-Panda world of web content, new rules apply. And this book will give you a head start on learning those new rules.

    101 Web Content Ideas, Tips and Resources

  • Writing Kick-Ass Website Sales Copy


    		 This is a 45-page downloadable guide and is focused just on writing web pages that are intended to sell.

    In other words, if you want to focus on sales pages and landing pages, this guide will take you through every step in the process.

    Writing a sales page online is not the same as writing a print ad or a sales letter. Some of the skills are similar, while others are very different.

    Writing Kick-Ass Sales Copy...

Freelancers: Repeat after me, “I am a Rolex”.

Published on December 20, 2012 by

rolex perceived valueIn a fair world, every freelancer would be paid what they actually deserve. But, of course, it isn’t a fair world. So you have to do something to make sure you get paid at least what you truly deserve, and preferably more.

As an example, I spoke with two different coaching clients a few weeks ago, both of whom had just picked up projects to create a monthly e-newsletter for a client. One was charging $200 per issue, the other was charging $2,000.

Was the second guy ten times better than the first? Not at all.

The difference was that the second freelancer genuinely felt his work was worth $2,000. So that’s what he estimated, and that’s what he got.

The value of your work has less than you think to do with its real value, and more to do with its perceived value. That perception resides both in your own mind and in your client’s mind.

Continue reading...

Monday Spark: How to avoid chronic pain as a writer [VIDEO]

Published on December 17, 2012 by

freelancer with back painSitting at a desk for 8 hours a day is not very good for your health. In particular, it’s bad for your spine.

For years I used to suffer from back pain. Just too many hours sitting in front of a keyboard.

I tried a few things. Not pills, because I avoid those like the plague. But I went to a chiropractor, I tried scheduling times during the day when I would get up and do some walking around and stretching, and I even tried setting up my computer so I could work standing up.

There was nothing wrong with any of those approaches, but the solution that really worked for me was to throw away my regular chair and use a kneeling chair instead. Not every office supply store carries them, but some do. Failing that, you can find one online.

To go a step further, watch the video below. It contains some interesting information and some tips on strengthening your lower back.

Continue reading...

Why writing great headlines is like creating a soap opera.

Published on December 13, 2012 by

writing great headlinesOne of the things you’ll notice about soap operas is how hard the writers work to let you know that the best part is yet to come.

For example, just before each commercial break the drama is built to a point of peak suspense…so you just have to sit through the commercials to find out what happens next.

The same devices are used at the end of each episode to make sure you tune in again next time. Will she run off with the pool cleaner? Did he survive the plunge off the cliff? Will she be found guilty and sent to jail? And so on.

Continue reading...

Monday Spark: If you believe in your plan, don’t give up.

Published on December 10, 2012 by

don't give upI have a coaching client who, alongside his writing work, is working to launch a stand-alone business aimed at the boomer generation.

He’s excited by the business idea, because the information he wants to share is so important and timely. Give him a few minutes of your time, and you’ll be hooked.

As part of the plan to develop and launch his business he recently booked a meeting room for two evenings. We wanted to fill the seats and then run through his presentation.

He has back-end products, but his plan at this stage was simply to get his message in front of an audience and measure their response. It was a test run.

Once he had booked the room, which would seat about 30 people, he then ran an ad in his local paper. He ran it three times in the run-up to his event.

Continue reading...

How to catch your first lucky break as a freelancer. And your second. And your third.

Published on December 6, 2012 by

lucky freelancerThis is the third in a series of three posts, all on the topic of how a lucky break or two can accelerate the growth and success of your business. (Post 1 and post 2.)

If you feel a little uncomfortable with the idea of luck playing a part in your business success, don’t worry, you’re not alone. The story we all tell ourselves – the accepted narrative - is that successful people make their own luck. That’s what makes them successful.

In part, that’s true. And this post is largely about how to make your own luck. But, as I mentioned in the first post in this series, sometimes you are just plain lucky. Something unplanned for and unexpected just comes your way at exactly the right time.

Does business success depend on being lucky? No. Can you blame a lack of success on the absence of being lucky? No. One way or another, you’ll get the level of success you deserve. But getting a lucky break or two certainly helps.

Continue reading...

Monday Spark: Networking makes you feel good.

Published on December 3, 2012 by

enjoy your networkAs a freelancer it’s almost impossible to achieve any significant level of success by hiding behind your desk all the time.

You need to build a network of people to connect with, a group of business friends who can help and support you. (And you’ll do the same for them.)

Build a strong enough network, and you’ll find you no longer have to spend much time looking for work, because most of your work will come to you through referrals, via your network.

Who are these magical people?

Continue reading...

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