According to many writing professionals, persuasion is the effort to change someone’s moods, beliefs, or behaviors. Hence, the goal of this message is to help you pinpoint the needs of your audience members, and to honestly empower them to make insightful, informed decisions related to your message.

You should know that the process of informally influencing your audience is quite different from the process of formally persuading your audience via written document formats. Consequently,the following paragraphs present four formal plans you can instantly employ to increase your skill to persuade.

For example, the AIDA plan can be used to induce your audience’s reflections in each of four elements.

ATTENTION. To inspire your audience interest about your ideas, write a short, but insightful beginning statement, without adding any exaggerations or unrelated points. Instead, focus on a few common similarities amongst you and the audience.

INTEREST.Make plain the connection of your statements to your audience. Then, using those ideas of your opening, create a more insightful image via your words.

DESIRE. Encourage readers to consider your views by mentioning how reflecting on your perspectives will benefit them. Additionally, think in advance about any questions your viewers may ask. Also,include evidence which improves your points. Most people appreciate someone who states that their challenges can be answered via proven systems which have worked for generations.

ACTION. Encourage your audience to take the approach that your recommend. Create more alive statements by including “Please institute this plan soon.” Re-encourage your readers about the rewards of taking action, and make that action(s) a breeze.

A few of the other speakers had better more instantly usuable content in my opinion. Some of the best Internet marketers were there…and I was shocked at what a few of them shared for the price (find out more about Michael Penland’s next event here which I will be speaking at again).

What did he have that held attention better than the top Internet marketers? He told simple stories…about himself, about animals, and about those around him. He is a master storyteller. I watched every minute he was on the stage holding attention like none other.

Not only do stories hold people’s attention better than anything else, they also get the point across. You might forget the speaker’s three points within a couple of hours. You remember the story that resonates with you.

Tell me a story if you want me to pay attention to what you have to say. This applies to every form of content you create, including:

• Sales Letters
• Websites
• Emails
• Blog Postings
• Public Speaking
• Teleconferences
• Webinars
• Videos

Tell stories if you want people to pay attention. I take on a few copywriting clients at times (it’s not my main business although I enjoy taking on a very profitable project now and then). A key element to copywriting for any client is to look for the story. You become a detective. You interview the business owner, their employees, and their clients. While you’re picking up other information along the way, your goal is to find the story.

What happened? Why was the product or service developed? What is an authentic story that created the business? What results have people achieved?

What’s the attention grabbing story that makes people pay attention?

Not only do stories hold people’s attention better than anything else, they also get the point across. You might forget the speaker’s three points within a couple of hours. You remember the story that resonates with you.

That’s why you see me tell about how I lost one job after another before I started online. I talk about delivering pizzas for Little Caesar’s. I tell about how my wife and I looked through the couch for change to go to McDonalds. I talk about all the failed business opportunities, door-to-door selling, and network marketing that buried us in debt.

Then how I came online…and succeeded. It’s embarressing. Yet it’s my 100% true story…and it’s a marketing advantage because people remember it.

My most popular article of all time was the “Internet lifestyle.” It was about how you could live anywhere and run an Internet business. It talked about the cow named Oscar that was my nearest neighbor (we have since moved). People forgot the article title.

They remembered the cow. They remembered the basic message…you can run an Internet business from anywhere. The message of the story beat the step-by-step instructions. It beat the “great copywriting” in other articles. Just a simple story about a cow better shared the message I wanted people to hear…

Are you using stories in your sales copy, on your blog, and in your emails? If you’re not, you’re missing out on a good portion of your money. Your readers don’t want to be lectured. They want to be entertained. What story do you have that shares the message?

I shouldn’t have to say this, but I’ve been around long enough to know I do. Make sure you’re sharing a TRUE story…not a made up one. Some marketers find it so easy to exaggerate and lie throughout their stories. They make up stories about “leaked documents.” They add a couple of extra zeros to the amount they made or the weight they lost.

In fact, I think more marketers give up their integrity in this area than virtually any other area I’ve seen. Your copywriter might tell you…well if we just add this little detail to your story, it will sell more. I agree. Details sell. The big question is whether the detail is true or not. Is it worth giving up your integrity for a little bump in response?

Do a little investigative work. Have someone else interview you about your business. Find the selling story. Discovering this one principle will improve everything you write or produce instantly.

Terry Dean helps business owners Earn More, Work Less, and Enjoy Life. Receive his Special report, “10 Key Strategies for Any Business Owner to Earn More, Work Less, and Enjoy Life” along with “Live the Internet Lifestyle…Retire Young and Wealthy” here: http://www.theterrydean.com

Headlines make you care. Write them in a conversational tone and design them to reach the specific audience that has a need or a desire for what you’re promoting. Notice I say “desire” because people “need” very few things. The more direct you are the better. In other words, entice then deliver.

Below are each one of the secrets followed by an example:

1. The How-to.

“How to Get on Oprah in 10 Easy Steps.”

When people want to learn about something they turn to “How-to” information as their quickest source. Using numbers is one way to let your audience know that what follows will be easy to digest. “How to” in the title immediately alerts your reader that you plan to give them something they can put to use today in a format they can follow.

2. The Command

“Become an Internet Millionaire!”

Though this is a frequent cry, it still has an immediate effect. Why? Commands assure you that there is a way to get what you want from the advice that follows. They touch the “I want that!” place inside you. They tell the reader that it’s possible to achieve the benefit you’re “advertising.” Your copy then backs-up your claim.

3. The Shocking Statement.

“Wives Who Don’t Want Sex.”

Oprah did a show on this topic stating that “experts now estimate that up to 40 million women suffer from a loss of sexual desire–and it’s likely their partners suffer too.” She even calls it “A secret epidemic.”

Who knew? Bring up the unlikely, the counterintuitive (Even women who loved their husbands in every other way, just didn’t have the desire for sexual intimacy. One woman who ditched the headache excuse, came up with a new approach to avoiding sex: Start an argument). Provocative statements get our attention like an electrical shock. They make you sit up and say, “Really?”

4. The Question.

“Do you really know your mate?”

People often unconsciously answer the question you pose in their minds. Your body copy will piggyback with an answer that includes statistics. Something like: “55% of all couples say that they do, but then are shocked when they find out about a partner’s hidden desire.”

5. The “New” News Item.

“Find out about the only drug that cures unhappiness.”

The latest news flash needs to introduce something truly new in order to be valid. To be newsworthy, “new news” promises excitement, informs, or states something helpful that will benefit a lot of people. Words like “only, new, introducing, powerful, and first,” are a few words that insist on attention. But use them sparingly and carefully, producers and reporters have a low tolerance for any kind of hype. Also, if you say you’re first, it needs to be true.

© Susan Harrow. All rights reserved. Get tips like this and more than 100 pages of insights and hot tips in Susan’s new book “The Ultimate Guide to Getting Booked on Oprah: 10 Steps to Becoming a Guest on the World’s Top Talk Show.” You’ll find dozens of ideas, advice on how to pitch Oprah producers, and insider secrets from the best publicists in the business. Click here to find out more and read chapter excerpts.

2. Offer basic and deluxe options to your offers. While this may or may not increase your conversion, it will increase your income per visitor. Some will choose the basic. The ones who choose the deluxe boost your profits.

3. Use bullets whenever possible to describe your offer benefits. Very few people “read” online sales letters. They skim them so use bullets, sub-heads, graphics, etc. to keep pulling them back in.

4. Test deleting your first few paragraphs or even your first few pages of copy. Even experienced copywriters sometimes do a little warming up. Get the point as quickly as possible.

5. Make the checkout process simple with as few clicks as possible. The more pages you add in between the sales page and checkout, the more dangerous your sales process becomes.

6. Give proof for anything you say. Your visitors don’t believe you. Give them facts, samples, videos, and demos. Show checks, charts, endorsements, etc. If you can’t back it up, they don’t believe it.

7. Check your page load speed. On long sales copy sites, you may want to break up your tables with one table up top with a page or so of your text, and the rest in a second table. The top table will load up first.

8. Collect opt-in email leads and follow-up. This one should be no surprise to you if you regularly read this blog, but it’s vital to increasing your conversion rates. At least get their email address. Get their physical address and phone number for even higher response.

9. Keep the navigation very simple on your page. The more options or confusing your page is, the worse your conversion rate will be. That’s why you see many sales pages with almost no navigation at all.

10. Restate the offer and guarantee on the order forms. Shopping cart abandonment is always an issue. Do your best to curb this by making the offer again on the order form.

11. Have a potential customer go through the site for you. Is there any parts you’ve missed? How can you better explain it? Is there anything they don’t understand?

12. Have a second opinion from another copywriter. It’s very easy to miss something on your own sites. That’s why you should always have another copywriter take a look.

13. Offer outstanding guarantees. Many companies offer full money-back guarantees. You can offer double your money back guarantees, keep all the bonuses guarantees, etc. Offer a guarantee that’s unusual!

14. Add more testimonials. The closer those testimonials are to your target audience, the better they are. Your visitors want to see testimonial from people just like them.

15. Include phone number and address along with other company information. People buy from those they know, like and trust. Giving them this type of information increases the trust factor.

16. Test headlines, intro paragraphs, graphics, pricing, etc. Even top copywriters often have headlines produce two or three times the results of their original.

17. Make sure the unique selling position of your offer is easily noticed on your website. Why should someone buy from you instead of every other option out there?

18. Tell a story. Find a sales hook in a story about the business owner, product, or service you’re offering. The easiest way to grab and hold your visitor’s attention is through a true story.

19. Use teleconferences, webinars, direct mail, and the phone. Increase conversions using multiple contact methods instead of just website and email.

20. Offer different payment options such as three payments or even a try before you buy offer (have them pay shipping upfront and the rest in 30 days).

21. Display safe shopping logos such as Hackersafe and Better Business Bureau.

22. If your product is high ticket enough to pay for live support, run a live support button on the website…and have your operators actively contact the visitors.

23. Add audio to your website…an introduction, recorded teleconference call, or interview.

24. Use video to demonstrate use of your product. This has to be tested, but well done video demos of the product will often improve response.

25. Use multi-variant testing software such as Google Optimizer (built into Google Adwords).

Terry Dean helps business owners Earn More, Work Less, and Enjoy Life. Receive his Special report, “10 Key Strategies for Any Business Owner to Earn More, Work Less, and Enjoy Life” along with “Live the Internet Lifestyle…Retire Young and Wealthy” here: http://www.theterrydean.com

What if it costs less than $100?

I love information products. I have hundreds of CDs, DVDs, eBooks, and manuals. I’ve attended dozens of seminars. My education has cost me at least $100,000 over the years.

My absolute favorite information product is the simple…lowly physical book. Everyone is a little different in which form they prefer to learn from. I love to sit outside and read. It’s fun. It’s enjoyable. And it beats every other information format for me.

My office is filled with books. My wife and I also have a game room in our house with bookshelves lining the walls. It is full of books. Books have flowed into another room of the house. They take up a lot of room, but you won’t get me to part with them anytime soon.

I remember at a conference where another speaker was talking. He said that if you ever get into financial problems, you sell your books for cash. Kirt Christensen leaned over to me and said, “Forget that…I’ll sell my clothes before my books!”

I wholeheartedly agree.

Today I want to share with you how to get a top notch copywriting education for under $100. Yes, there are some great courses out there for $200, $500, and even $2,000. They often go into more advanced strategies. But you can get started on a budget with just these resources to start.

Tested Advertising Methods
by John Caples – $10.15

This is one of the must read classics that virtually every copywriter uses and recommends. It shows you why testing is the only way you can really measure an ad. It also teaches you the basic systems to get started writing.

Web Copy That Sells: The Revolutionary Formula for Creating Killer Copy That Grabs Their Attention and Compels Them to Buy
By Maria Veloso – $14.52

This book isn’t often mentioned when talking about copywriting, but I love it. Many copywriting books talk about what you should do, but they don’t give you the How. Maria has included in her book tools…a checklist…a list of emotional words…and more. In other books, you would be told to pay at least $200 for a “backend” course to get the meat she gives in the book itself.

The Ultimate Sales Letter: Attract New Customers. Boost Your Sales
By Dan Kennedy – $9.23

Dan’s book contains a lot of valuable insight and a system for writing your sales letter. There are a lot of nuggets throughout the book you can immediately take and use. The promotion for his other courses and products is a little heavy though compared to all the other books in this list.

Internet Integrity: The Truth About How Any Business Can Increase Profits Online
By Terry Dean – $19.95

This book isn’t about just copywriting, although a 15 step copywriting system is included. It also covers how to generate visitors to your website and how to use email to close them. There is also a chapter dedicated to local businesses and people who are just starting out without a product to sell. It’s a great beginning Internet marketing education for under $20.

Advertising Secrets of the Written Word: The Ultimate Resource on How to Write Powerful Advertising Copy
By Joe Sugarman – $39.95

I could have easily listed at least 2 or 3 other books if I left this one out. It really is that good. It includes his 24 psychological triggers, the slippery slope, and many other strategies. There are two additional books to the series, and while they’re good, they are not as good at this one in my opinion.

All 5 books above add up to $93.80 today at Amazon. Get started in copywriting for under $100 with these resources. If you master this skill, you’re on your way to success. No money changes hands until something is sold. Copywriters hold the key to selling on the web, through the mail, on video, and in person.

Terry Dean helps business owners Earn More, Work Less, and Enjoy Life. Receive his Special report, “10 Key Strategies for Any Business Owner to Earn More, Work Less, and Enjoy Life” along with “Live the Internet Lifestyle…Retire Young and Wealthy” here: http://www.theterrydean.com

WHAT IT MEANS: Every ad, brochure, e-mail, or direct mail is an opportunity to win customers and drive sales—but people don’t buy things to keep you in business, they buy what they think they need. Your challenge is to discover those needs and address them. To the extent that you can identify problems and position your products or services as solutions, your marketing messages will be more effective. Many business owners are so enamored with their offerings that they focus—to their disadvantage—on features.

For example, having an ergonomically designed shovel handle is a feature that provides the benefits of being able to work more comfortably and for a longer period without hand fatigue. Having the shovel zinc-plated means that it will never rust, which could mean that it’s the last shovel that you’ll ever have to buy. Let your benefits drive your ads, and your ads will drive more customers through your doors.

ACTION PLAN: Review all your ads and marketing materials. Are the benefits clearly stated? Could they be stated with more zing? Also, keep in mind that not all benefits have equal weight. Focus on the two or three main benefits for clarity and impact. You can include the others, but giving your readers too much information (at least when trying to spark initial interest) can dampen interest.

You might very well have nine or ten great reasons to buy your product—but your prospects’ eyes are likely to glaze over before they get that far. Also, read a book on copywriting to gain a better sense of how the pros do it.

EVEN BETTER: Look for hidden product benefits—those that might never occur to you—by surveying or talking with customers. You can incorporate these newly found benefits into future ads, and you may even come away with some valuable and quotable customer testimonials!

By Rick Frishman
Reprinted from “Rick Frishman’s Author 101 Newsletter”
Subscribe at http://www.author101.com and receive Rick’s “Million Dollar Rolodex”

My husband was out of town so it was just my kids and me. The new phone book had arrived earlier in the day, and someone (probably me) had left it face down on the dining room table. “Why?” asked my son Isaac with a grin. He knew what was coming. At 14 ½, he’s deep into the let’s-dissect-reality stage. Even though he’s not into advertising, he enjoys the process of picking ads apart.

“Because there’s no offer,” I said.

The ad in question was for a home improvement magazine, and occupied the entire back of the book . Prime real estate. Not cheap. It was eye-catching in its simplicity: a logo, a tagline, a graphic of the magazine, and – way down at the bottom and contiguous with the border – a URL.

“What do you mean, ‘offer’?”

“It doesn’t give you a good reason to buy anything,” piped up my daughter Clara. She’s 11, and loves advertising. Mostly because she loves to shop. “Not like the Highlights ads. They’re always saying, ‘go here, win this, get that.’ It drives me crazy, ’cause I end up wanting everything. “

“Right,” I said. “What if these guys offered a free trial issue, don’t you think they’d get more people going to their website and ordering? And then they’d have names they could keep selling to. If their magazine is any good, a lot of those people would end up buying a subscription.”

“Yeah,” Clara exclaimed. She was getting excited. “Or they could have a contest.”

I have to admit, my daughter can be brilliant.

“Oh, yeah!” I said. “They could have people sign up for a chance to win a whole year’s subscription. It would cost less than sending everyone a free issue. Bet they’d get ten times more people to their site, too. Heck, I might even sign up.”

Out of curiosity, I visited the site. And there it was. Not obvious, but definitely present: an image of their magazine cover, and in small print on the corner, ”Click Here for your Issue.”

They had an entire issue posted online, for free! Couldn’t they have mentioned that in the ad? I clicked. To my amazement, they didn’t even ask for my contact information. Just gave it to me. Some pretty nice stuff, too. Video, even.

Hey, we just happen to be remodeling our house. My husband is a real do-it-yourselfer. (I’m not a bad hand with a cordless drill myself.) In many ways I’m a prime prospect for these folks. But the only reason I left the dinner table to visit their site was to take a look at their marketing strategy. Had I been a normal person, would I have bothered?

Without a stronger incentive than a picture of their pretty covers, not likely.

Pass the potatoes.

Folks, never assume your prospect is going to be interested in you. Even if you’re perfect for them. Even if they really, really need you. It’s up to you to catch their interest and lure then in. And that means think the way your prospect thinks, not the way you do.

What about your last ad? Did you give your prospect a real reason to look you up? Or did you just feature what you found exciting? How did your prospects respond?

Anne Michelsen helps Green companies build sustainable connections with their customers with her dynamic sales copy and marketing expertise. Visit GreenInkCopywriting.com for a free copy of her report, “Making Sense of the Green Sector: What Every Marketer Should Know About Selling Sustainable Products and Services.”

Whether your reader is a potential buyer, media professional or someone who wants to hire you for your expertise, your book’s back cover has to communicate to your target audience: buy me!

Authors often spend months or even years writing their book, yet give little time to what is on the back cover. Summarizing your book into 200 to 300 words can be a daunting task. Here are some tips for improving this vital area of your book.

• 30 Second Elevator Pitch: If you only have 30 seconds to tell potential readers about you and your book, what would it include? Your goal is to give readers enough information to intrigue them into buying it. What may help is to ask a someone who has read your book to give you his or her 30 second pitch about your book.
• Novel: Detailing every character and plot twist is not necessary. Read the back cover copy by your favorite authors in your genre to see examples of how to entice readers without giving away the entire plot. Your goal is to make an emotional connection with the reader so they will want to be transported into your world.
• Non-fiction: Tell the readers what they will learn, what problems your book will solve, and why your book is different. The goal of a non-fiction book may be to inform, inspire, educate or entertain. Make sure the reader understands what is inside your book—and why you are qualified to write it. Bullet points work well with non-fiction books.
• Author Bio: Less is more. Only include relevant information. For non-fiction, make your credentials clear by listing education, work experience, professional memberships, past books and awards. For fiction writers, consider including where or how you grew up, professional experience, writing awards or training, acclaims, past books or information explaining how you came to write your book.
• Website: Include your website so people (especially the media!) can find out more about you and contact you!
• Author Photo: If you chose include one, use a professional, uncluttered, current headshot. Keep your audience in mind. We worked with a book geared for children/families in which the author’s pose literally looked like an evil character from a B horror movie.
• Reviews: Only use reviews from known sources or credentialed people. Professional colleagues in your field are especially helpful for non-fiction books. It can actually hurt you if you include, “Thrilling page turner!” ‘by Amazon reviewer.’ It’s better to leave this out.
• Proofread: Last but not least, although it seems obvious, proofread your text. In the rush to complete what is often the final stage of a book, back cover copy can be neglected. We’ve seen outstanding books marred by typos—and yes, the media notices. Back cover copy needs to be proofread by professional eyes.

If you are working with a publicist early enough in the process, run the copy by him or her for feedback on content. Back cover copy is crucial for transforming the browser into a buyer. Don’t skimp on this essential piece to your project.

Sandy Diaz is the President of Smith Publicity, Inc. Beginning in 1997, Smith Publicity is one of the world’s leading promotional firms, specializing in book publicity. Fueled by a passion for making good things happen for clients, the company has worked with over 900 individuals and companies–from authors and entrepreneurs to publicly-held companies and businesses representing a wide range of industries. The Smith Publicity reach is international with offices in New Jersey, New York City, Los Angeles, and London. For more information about Smith Publicity, Inc., please visit www.smithpublicity.com.

On the porch were two little waifs, not much more than three feet tall.

“Do you want to give us some money?”  the smaller of them peeped.

Uh, no.

“What for?” I asked.

“For our class,” said the other one, a pink-cheeked boy in a red checked scarf.

Isn’t that why I pay property taxes?

“So your class is raising money for something?” I ventured.

“Uh huh.” “Yeah.”

I looked around for the parents. Nowhere to be seen.

“Um…what is your class going to use the money for?”

They looked at each other. Clearly they had no idea.

Back in the kitchen, something sizzled on the stove. I didn’t have time for this.

“You can write a check,” suggested the smaller one. Little wisps of blonde hair floated angelically above her impossibly large, round eyes.

“To Franklin school,” added her brother helpfully.

Sigh.  They had me.

“Wait here,” I said.

I found my purse, made out a check for $10, and handed it to the boy.

“Thank you!” they chimed in unison, then tripped off to hit up the next door neighbors.

What just went on there???  I’d never seen these kids before in my life.  Heck, they didn’t even have a good idea why they were there.  Yet they got me to fork over a chunk of hard-earned dough.

It didn’t hurt that they were adorable. (Remember that. It’s OK to use your kids and your pets as marketing gimmicks. After all, they cost money to keep, they might as well help earn it.)

But I’ve turned away kids selling candy bars and such many a time. What did these kids do to get me to make out a check and hand it to them?

Simple.

THEY ASKED FOR IT!

It’s so incredibly basic, a couple of snot-nosed elementary school kids did it without even thinking.

But it’s amazing how many times otherwise savvy salespeople and copywriters forget to ask for the sale. It’s so easy to do – after all, we’ve been trained to be polite, and asking for money just seems so… well…  unsophisticated.

Unfortunately, sophisticated doesn’t put money in the bank.

Always, always, always ask for the sale. Don’t be shy.  Give people directions and they’re WAY more likely to follow them. If you have a good product and you’ve qualified your prospect well, you’re doing them a favor.

When you’re writing a sales letter or any other piece of persuasive copy, tell them exactly what to do. Don’t leave anything to chance.  “Call 123-4567 for your free estimate today.”  “Go right now to www.whatadeal.com to download the seven super-secret money-making tips of the Trumps.” Or even, “Buy now.”

Just ask.

And if you need coaching, go down to your local elementary school and hang out with the kids at lunchtime.

By the way… can I have your cookie?

Anne Michelsen helps Green companies build sustainable connections with their customers with her dynamic sales copy and marketing expertise.  Visit GreenInkCopywriting.com for a free copy of her report, “Making Sense of the Green Sector: What Every Marketer Should Know About Selling Sustainable Products and Services.”

1) Persuade and motivate your reader.

It’s your #1 goal when writing. Provide your readers with smartly-expressed thoughts by choosing words that drive your sentences from one to the next and create a seamless reading experience. Think of the horse-before-the-cart analogy. That cart’s not going anywhere until the horse pulls it into action.

2) Paint a picture.

Would you rather eat a chocolate dessert or a creamy, chocolate layer cake? A piece of fruit or a crisp, juicy apple? Drive a car or drive a luxury Jaguar with soft, leather seats and new-car aroma? Your readers won’t see what you’re talking about unless you paint a vivid picture.

3) Clear the clutter.

Words like “that, so, very, and much.” Look at your sentences closely—how many times do you use these words in your writing? Are they necessary? If extra words are not adding to the sentence, leave them out.

4) Pick a style—and stick with it.

Whether you prefer formal or informal writing, use the same tone throughout your piece to create fluidity and keep your readers focused. Formal writing is used in professional writing, technical writing, and most business writing. Informal writing creates a more casual tone and uses contractions liberally (i.e., you’re vs. you are; won’t vs. would not, and so on).

5) Walk away.

Put your draft down and walk away for an hour, a day or a week. After a short break, you’ll view your draft in a different light and be able to pick up what you missed earlier. Sometimes all it takes is a new perspective.

6) Get another set of eyes.

Don’t be embarrassed (or too proud) to let someone read your work. Step back from your writing and let an objective set of eyes view your work from a reader’s point of view. Remember: feedback is your friend.

7) Edit, edit, edit.

Editing and proofreading will make the difference between mediocre and magnificent. It’s important to rework your writing, but it’s even better to hand your work over to a professional editor. An editor’s job is not to criticize, judge or take away your voice; their job is to make your writing better.

Karen L. Reddick, MVA, is an author, editor, and virtual assistant and owner of V And E Services and The Red Pen Editor providing author assistance and editorial services to authors, writers and publishers. Learn more how Karen can help with your next virtual book tour at www.VandEServices.com and sign up for The Editor’s weekly grammar tips at www.TheRedPenEditor.com