Aligning Content For Story Telling

When you learn how to understand your target audience, it is the most significant factor in strategizing your content marketing concept. If you don’t know what your customer’s goals and interests are, then you will find it very challenging to submit content that is engaging and that tells a story. Keep this in mind when writing content. A reader is better able to identify with a story rather than a concept. I am not saying our readers are not as savvy as we are, but when you tell a story about a product, for example, rather than the features of the product, it gives the reader a better perspective and helps the customer to identify with the product.

Let me explain further: I have written a book titled, “The Man in The Shadows: He Touched Me Where It Hurt.” 

Although, the title somewhat describes what the book is about, if I were to take sections of the book and place it in this piece of content or write a synopsis of a similar story, I would get a better reaction from my audience. Who are my target audience? I would say it would be parents, teenagers, young children and child sexual abuse victims. You must first identify your audience before writing content. Without having to place sections of my book here, I would align the content of my book with a similar short story about a fictitious character, Jessica.

Jessica

The loud squeaky noise from the opening door startled Jessica and woke her from a not-so sound sleep. Grabbing her sheets tightly with her clenched fingers, she peered through the dark to see who it was. Adjusting her eyes to the dark was not easy, but she could finally see the silhouette of a very tall figure in a pair of familiar black pants and white shirt. As the figure boldly entered the room, Jessica softly lay back down on the bed and pretended to sleep. She was hoping that he would go away, but suddenly, she felt a well-manicured hand over her mouth, preventing her from screaming. She tried to bite the hand while she forced herself to look up at him. Unable to gasp with horror, she stared up at her older cousin, Willy as he placed his index finger of his other hand over his mouth to hush her up. Once he noticed signs of obedience, he quickly began his planned and desensitized attack on her body. She cringed in disbelief and could do nothing but surrender because she remembered in that moment that no one was at home to hear any possible screams. Her parents had left for a dinner engagement and Cousin Willy was supposed to stay at the house until they got back. He was staying alright, but helping himself to her slender body and childlike innocence.

The Story Alignment

Do you see how this short synopsis about Jessica’s experience aligns to the title of my book? That is how you should write content to feed your readers. I didn't talk about what is in my book, other than mention that it is a similar story. I gave the readers a sneak of what they could expect from my story. Impact your audience – don’t believe for a second that they don’t know what to expect because they do. If you enjoyed this short story, you will enjoy my book, “The Man in The Shadows: He Touched Me Where It Hurt and my other book, “For The Wounded Soul.” 

Check them out by clicking the described title hyperlinks. If you buy the first one, I will give you a free audio book download coupon to get the other. What are you waiting for? Don’t you love an interesting story? I know you enjoyed this one and you will enjoy the others. So act right now and CLICK HERE to buy The Man in The Shadows: He Touched Me Where It Hurt!” Email me with proof of purchase and I will send your free audio download coupon for “For the Wounded Soul.”

When Your Writing Mind Wanders – Creative Writing Prompts

If you are a writer like me or you are attempting a writing project, what happens when your mind wanders or you have writer’s block? What do you do? Well, you can give yourself creative writing prompts, even if it is just to get started. Of course, you could start with your lexicon by flipping the pages or writing down words that you see. You could write a letter to your child abuse offender or you could write a letter to the 40 year old child abuse survivor that you want to be.

The Letter From The 8 Year Old Child Within

It could probably begin like this:

I was only eight years old when you molested me and yet at age 32, I am still reliving the experience almost every day. I remember the barn outside and the chair that you put me to sit on as you vehemently tore off my clothes. The chair legs were a little shaky and I had to hold on so I wouldn’t fall off. I heard the owls outside so I knew it was late when you took me from my bed and carried me over the meadows. No one heard you because they were all asleep. I panicked that night because I was really so afraid and called out your name to stop, but I saw that wild look in your eyes and knew that my screams were futile. Your heavy breathing still haunts me and I cringe once more at the thought of it. I never could figure out what your thoughts were to want to seduce a little girl who you called your niece. I still haven’t told mom. Your doting sister would probably not believe me anyway as you so confidently told me that night and I believed you. For all these years, I hung on to the words that were shouted menacingly in the dark at me, “If you tell anyone, I will kill you.”

The Creativity

Do you see how creative this can become? I could do a lot with this story now. Of course, you probably wouldn’t write about such tough and difficult topic. At least, most people don’t want to, but did you know that child sexual abuse is still rampant in our society? And did you know that even if you turn a blind eye, you will be a part of the problem and not the solution? Yes, while you might not think so, it is true.

My Responsibility

As a writer, I have a responsibility or at least have taken on the responsibility to tell the stories, even if I have to create the characters, but my personal story was not make belief because it happened to me in real life, but for that 8 year old little girl who may still be going through this terrible experience, will you help me to spread the word against child sexual abuse? I am depending on you. You don’t have to be a writer. I will take care of that part for you. All I ask is that you spread the word. I have written a story that you might love to read, “The Man in The Shadows: He Touched Me Where It Hurt.”

If you loved the short paragraphs above, then you will appreciate this book. I want you to tell others about it and my hope is that it will get in the hands of the right people. I am also running a book special. Buy this book and I will give you a free coupon for downloading my 353 page audio book titled “For The Wounded Soul,” which is quite similar. It can be found on Audible.com. Proof of purchase will be required.

Act Right Now

So recapping, if you purchase “The Man in The Shadows: He Touched Me Where It Hurt,” I will give you a download code to get my other book, “For The Wounded Soul,” for FREE! What are you waiting for        ! Get “The Man in The Shadows: He Touched Me Where It Hurt.”  Email me at octane360@gmail.com your proof of purchase and I will provide the download code for the audio book. And tell your friends about it too! Thank you.

Exposing Your Personal Side with Blogging

Blogging is an ideal way to find a voice in such a huge online crowd. Of course, you can have a business website with all the features and product listings, but this doesn't provide the platform you need to ensure that your customers, visitors and readers know the ‘real you.’

People are always looking to learn more about anyone they do business with and you are no different. So you have to represent your ‘true self.’ You want people to trust you and feel your sincerity when reading your posts.

On your blog, you can say anything you want, but be careful with your freehand. People can take things out of context and when writing, remember that this blog is going to be a permanent addition to the online community, which means that you cannot take it back. Blogging is a way for you to show your personality and allow your readers to have a look into some parts of your life. Be aware, though, that a blog is extremely personal. You put yourself in a vulnerable position, but sometimes, it is required.

My Personal Story

One personal example for me is the fact that I have experienced child sexual abuse at a young age. I used this experience to write two books that would help other young children and their parents. One book is titled “For the Wounded Soul and the other titled “The Man in the Shadows: He Touched Me Where it Hurt.” I am very passionate about this issue and instead of hiding behind what I went through, I made a firm decision to become vulnerable. So for me, this isn't only about making money from the books. More importantly, this is about touching lives with my writing. Do I really want to become vulnerable? Honestly, no, but I have no choice. I didn't choose what happened to me, but I am in a position to help others so I have to share my story or I can’t sleep at night. That’s how serious it is for me!

Other Bloggers

My life like many other bloggers is not scripted, but if we find that what we blog about is an issue that will encourage or motivate someone else, by all means, we are going to tell the story. Believe it or not, we are all connected in some way or the other. Someone’s child may have been humiliated by a bully at school. The person may feel like sharing it on a blog. Another mother might stop by and read the blog after hearing that her child also has been bullied at school. Do you think that this information will help that mother? As long as it is written in a compassionate and informative way, it most certainly will.

Of course, there are some people who will misjudge your intentions, but that is the chance you have to take. Once you know that your intentions are pure, you have nothing to worry about. In real life, we all have so many issues to deal with. If sharing the solution is any way to help someone else, then that is what you should do. The Internet community has enough room for us to tell stories that will impact lives. Broadcasting your feelings and issues doesn't mean that you are oversharing. It means that you care about the issues that affect others. This is the difference between immature indiscretions and candid actions.

Now that you have read all of that, learn more about me by viewing my entire book line on Amazon. I have no more secrets. I am an open book to the world in order to save even one person and I make no apologies about that. Thank you for reading. Share this article with your friends and associates. It will do much good!

Writing for a Specific Purpose and For A Target Audience

When you understand the demographics of your audience, it will determine how you write, what you end up writing about, the choice of words and the tone of your content. Once you know who you are writing to impress, it will give you a sense of purpose on the point of your content and how you will bring those points across. Once you know and understand your purpose and the audience to which you share this purpose, you will be more focused in your writing.

In my case, I am very passionate about writing for victims and survivors of child abuse. My immediate audience would be parents who have had children survive this traumatic event and victims who have reached adulthood. I would also target child advocacy groups to let them know that I share their cause and possible share my writing with them so that they can in turn share with their members. The public-at-large is also my audience because they need to become aware of this issue.  Why?

Write to Educate

I try to take the opportunity to use my writing to educate the public on the seriousness of this issue. I would indirectly target the decision-maker of big corporations so that they can provide me with a wider audience reach? How? Well, these big nay-sayers are encouraged to buy my books in bulk (sponsorship) and donate it to the child advocacy organization in good faith. However, I could go one step further and offer to put a one page ad in my book for the corporation. This will provide a benefit to the corporation and give a reason to act.

SIDE NOTE: By the way, if you are a corporation or company, feel free to purchase my books online and donate them to your favorite child advocacy organization or to Darkness to Light, an advocacy group, of which I have an interest.

Write to Give Hope

When I was writing my book, my first thought was the audience that I was writing for.  Initially, I started by writing for the parent who doesn't understand that he/she should be careful to observe their children. Or the child sexual abuse survivor who is still trying hard to deal with the issues related to their unfortunate ordeal. Then I will think about the precise point I wanted to make. In this case, I would want the survivor to know that he/she is not alone because I am a survivor too.

I write my books in such a way as to give hope. For the parents, I share my story, which shows that even a close family member can be the perpetrator. Therefore, my writing conveys the message that it is especially important to closely monitor children. I cannot say that enough!

I usually ponder on the questions that my target audience would ask. I go over those questions, find the answers and include in my draft. I will put a lot of thought into this step. If I have to do additional research, I will – including statistics to show how crucial it is to spread the word about child sexual abuse and the effects it has on children.

Conclusion

Whatever, you write about, let it be something that is dear to your heart. If you write a romance novel, for example, develop a story that people can identify with. If you write non-fiction, make it purposeful and choose the right audience before you put any words on paper.  If you want to help my particular cause and passion, purchase my book at Amazon or virally share this article or the link to my book on your social media pages. Help me to shatter the silence of child sexual abuse. There is a child out there that needs your help too!

The Effects of Child Sexual Abuse – Keven’s Story

I love to tell stories, even when they are controversial, not just for the heck of it, but because I want to grab the reader’s attention in what I am trying to say, especially when the issues are very serious or dear to me. Child sexual abuse is one of them. Some people might say that this topic is not appropriate on this particular blog, but it is. 

Let me tell you why. A blog should be streamlined into one niche. I agree with that, but as a writer of books pertaining to child sexual abuse, I can incorporate my writing by showing other writers and business owners how they can use the written word to build on their platform, product, service or cause.

A book is a powerful way to reach the public, but so is a blog. It is a portal where people come to read what you write. Since child sexual abuse is so important to me and I have written books with stories told of what others have gone through, I think this is the perfect timing to start a dialogue so that others will know what I stand for and join me in giving this issue a voice.

The story of child abuse may begin in the child’s home by a parent, baby sitter, uncle, aunt, sister, brother, neighbor or visiting stranger. No matter who commits the abuse, the act is still wrong. If you are a mother or father and your child tells you that he/she was touched in the private area of their body, what would you do?

Keven’s Story

Keven was such a boy. He had been going to his local church for some time with his parents. Pastor Lange took a liking to the boy and considering that his mother was a single mom, he would pick up Keven from school for her and take him to the church or to his house until he was picked up. Keven loved Pastor Lange. He thought the pastor was fun to be around. That is all his mother would hear him talk about – how Pastor Lange took him fishing, to a fast food joint, to the basketball court or to the museum. So mom, of course, felt that he was in good hands and Keven felt safe until…

One night Keven was having a sleep over, which had been a request made by Pastor Lange to Keven’s mother.  She thought nothing of it because Pastor Lange was a man of God, trustworthy and never proved to want to do harm to her son. Keven and Pastor Lange did homework together that evening, ate dinner, watched some television and then Keven went to bed, his tired body yielding to asleep almost immediately.

Keven awakened to feel a large hand caressing his body as he slept on his stomach. The hand ran up and down as Keven pretended to sleep for fear of alerting the intruder. Without looking, he knew exactly who it was. The hand went to the waist of his pajamas and pulled it down gently, after which the underwear was removed. Keven was terrified at this point and didn't know what to do. He remained in the same posture and cringed as Pastor Lange penetrated his little body from behind. He felt the sharp pain and screamed, but they were both alone in the room and Pastor Lange, too filled with passion and emotion was transformed into a selfish man that Keven did not know.

It Can Be Anyone

There are more Kevens in the world and so are more parents like Keven’s mom who are trusting because someone holds an esteemed and respected title. It could have happened to anyone. There were no signs to report initially until the first incident. Keven chose not to tell his mother and kept his little secret because Pastor Lange told him that God would punish him if he spoke up. Keven believed him.

The Impact

A child who has become a victim of sexual abuse will surrender to prolonged episodes for various reasons. Sometimes, the child may think that they may have done something to deserve it. Most times, the child is afraid. The long term effect is even worse. Some will have difficulty in future relationships. Others will become promiscuous. Some women become prostitutes during their adult years.

Parents should pay attention to subtle signs such as:

·         Rare interest in things related to sex

·         Insomnia and nightmares

·         Depressed or withdrawn

·         Seductive behavior

·         Saying that their bodies are filthy

·         Complaining about issues with the genital area

·         Behavioral problems in school

·         Refusing to attend school

·         Becoming very secretive

·         Drawings or artwork of a sexual nature

·         Aggressive

·         Displaying suicidal behavior

·         Guilty feelings

What Do You Do?

As a parent, if your child confides in you that he/she has been molested, try to be calm and offer reassurance to the child that you will get to the bottom of it. Explain that whatever happened is not their fault.

Seek medical attention and therapy for the child. Go to the authorities to report it. However, make sure that before anything happens to your child; educate your child on these issues. Let the child know that even though he/she must be respectful to adults or authority, this does not mean that they should put up with being touched in private areas of the body – they should always tell.

Child abuse is traumatic for a young child. Overcoming this trauma is going to take partnership of the parents, professionals and the school system. Whether you are a parent or not, you should always be mindful of small children around you. If you see something suspicious happening with a child and adult, report it. Spread the word and shatter the silence of child sexual abuse. Don’t turn away. 

I did something about it by writing a book and telling a story like this. You can help me to get the word out by also purchasing my books title, “The Man in the Shadows: He Touched Me Where It Hurt” and “For The Wounded Soul” to support the work for more books like these to come. Thanks for reading and please leave your comments below! You have permission to use this article on your website or blog without making any changes. 

Amanda’s story: Child Sexual Abuse

Amanda stared at the tall, lengthy silhouette of her neighbor, Mr. Condit, as he pulled up his pants and slowly buckled his belt.  Suddenly, he invaded the silence by calling her name seductively, “Amanda.” She reluctantly looked around at him and saw him waving the $10 bill he had in his hand. He quietly placed it on the table next to him. This was the routine every time she would come over to his house to get money for school. 

Amanda grew up in a household with 7 siblings and a single mother who tried her best to meet the family’s needs, but they were always in need. So, one day, Amanda approached her neighbor, Mr. Condit to ask for monetary help. Mr. Condit was always nice to her. He would wave from his backyard and smile at her. She felt safe with him until Mr. Condit told her one day, “You are going to have to give back something in exchange for my money, Amanda.”

“I don’t understand,” Amanda said quite innocently. “Come over to my house after school and I will show you,” he said with a mischievous smile.  

Amanda soon found out that Mr. Condit was not the man that she thought he was. He took advantage of her innocence and as she now grabbed her underwear and slipper, running out of the house was easy compared to the memories that would not escape her.

Most of the child abuse incidences are rarely reported. In Amanda’s case, Mr. Condit told her that if she told anyone, he would hurt her entire family. Amanda is not alone. Many children are fearful of their perpetrator, which is usually someone they know. Even when some of the parents (usually single mothers) know, they won’t say anything. In Amanda’s case, her mother had a notion of what was going on, but she knew that Mr. Condit was providing money that she couldn't, so she let it be.

This is not OK. Kids, like Amanda, who are being abused by adults that they once trusted, can be emotionally and psychologically damaged for life. I can attest to this because I am a survivor. Lucky for me, I found a way to channel my frustration by writing books on the topic. You can find some of my books on Amazon here. I have an innate passion for this subject because kids feel that they don’t have a voice and the idea that they can be violated in such a horrific way is not something that they can wrap their minds around.

No child can be prepared psychologically to cope with sexual stimulation; whether it is one time or repeatedly. Even smaller children (2 or 3 year old) who don’t know anything about sex will have issues later as a result of being violated. If the abuser is a relative, friend, neighbor or associate, it is even more difficult for the child since this is a person who the child may greatly admire. A child like this may want to please the perpetrator for fear of being unloved or hurt if he or she tells someone.

How do we break the silence? I did by writing my books, but what can you do? Don’t turn a blind eye. Look at this as a lifetime problem for a child and for society at large. I challenge you to buy my book, which is a similar story to mine. What this will do is to educate you on the effects of sexual abuse on a child. It will also give you an opportunity to introduce the book to someone who may have been sexually abused or a parent who may have a child in such a situation. In addition, proceeds of the book will go to a related charity. So buying the book today will lend a voice to this devastating issue that most of us don’t want to talk about and subsequently keeping it hush-hush!

Buy THE MAN IN THE SHADOWS right now and make a difference in a child’s or parent’s life!

Writer For Hire Now: Adding a Human Element to Your Content

Writer For Hire Now: Adding a Human Element to Your Content: Content marketing has seen a surge in the recent past and it is not letting up. However, not all content marketers get the hang of how to l...