Adam Avitable of Avitable.com shares the secret to great writing. Presented at the 2015 FLBlogcon.com

1. How to incorporate nude models
in your blog posts: a guide to
profit and insane traffic

2. Adam Heath Avitable is a published
author, comedian,ordained minister,
lawyer,unsolicitedunderwear model,
social media whore, bacon lover,part-
time gorilla,Tinder user, and expert at
absolutely nothing.

3. #FLBLOGCON
Today’s workshop sections:
• Avoiding trite language
• Evoking emotional responses
• The power of editing
Tomorrow’s workshop sections:
• Why is nobody here?
• I’m all alone on a Sunday
• Who wants to have brunch?

4. #FLBLOGCON
To be honest, clichés are something you should
avoid like the plague. First, it’s important to
think outside the box and avoid the low hanging
fruit. Second, in our society, it’s easier than pie
to rely on clichés rather than think for ourselves.
Finally, at the end of the day, words are plentiful
– there are plenty of fish in the sea, so pick and
choose a baker’s dozen to use instead.
How many clichés do you count?

5. #FLBLOGCON
To be honest, clichés are something you should
avoid like the plague. First, it’s important to
think outside the box and avoid the low hanging
fruit. Second, in our society, it’s easier than pie
to rely on clichés rather than think for ourselves.
Finally, at the end of the day, words are plentiful
– there are plenty of fish in the sea, so pick and
choose a baker’s dozen to use instead.
12

6. #FLBLOGCON
• Calm before the storm
• You don’t know the half of it
• Larger than life
• In an instant
• Before she knew it
• Only a matter of time
• Winds of change
• Bitter end
• Leaps and bounds
• In the same boat

7. #FLBLOGCON
Actively avoiding trite language makes you a stronger writer.
Pursuing alternative means for expressing yourself in emotionally
charged situations can help your messagebe unique.
1. You’ll have 15 minutes.
2. Express condolences without using any of the following
words/phrases:
1. Sorry
2. Loss
3. Condolences
4. Better place
5. Sympathy
3. Be prepared to share your work!

8. #FLBLOGCON
My examples:
• I will always treasure my memories of her and I am keeping you
in my thoughts during this difficult time.
• She was a beautiful soul and she will be deeply missed.
• There are no words to properly express my feelings of care and
love for you while you deal with this unimaginable pain.

9. #FLBLOGCON
IT’S TIME TO
EVOKE EMOTION
WITH OUR WORDS,
DUMMIES.

10. #FLBLOGCON
A good writer will be able to exercise creativity and skill to evoke a
reaction from the reader.
1. You’ll have 15 minutes.
2. Read the situation described on the next slide.
3. Choose one of the reactions listed.
4. Write the next sentence (or two) in a way that will describe the
situation and evoke that emotional response in your reader.
5. Be prepared to share your work!

11. #FLBLOGCON
Setting:
A couple goes on a road trip. They stop for gas at a small service
station they find on a side road.

12. #FLBLOGCON
My chosen reaction: Fear
My example:
A couple goes on a road trip. They stop for gas at a small service
station they find on a side road. The door, hanging askew, swings
loudly on his hinges as John tentatively approaches. Cupping his
hands over the dirty windows and peering inside to no avail, he
tentatively enters the darkened building, leaving his wife behind,
forever.

13. #FLBLOGCON
Choose one reaction and write a few sentences describing the setting
that will evoke that reaction in the reader.
Setting:
A couple goes on a road trip. They stop for gas at a small service station
they find on a side road
Reactionsto evoke:
• Pity
• Excitement
• Pride
• Befuddlement
• Relief
• Persecution
• Surprise
• Discomfort
• Fascination
• Condemnation
• Resignation
• Goofiness
• Jealousy
• Insecurity
• Embarrassment

14. #FLBLOGCON
aka
EDITING
The process of selecting and preparing written media in order to convey information
to an audience, using techniques such as correction, condensation, organization, or
other modifications, with the ultimate goal of producing a correct, consistent,
accurate, and complete work that properly conveys the message without
overwhelming the reader with an abundance of words or superfluous concepts that
obscure the true meaning or focus of the original work being created.

15. #FLBLOGCON
Editing can increase the potency of your message. Twitter forces
you to condense your content into 140 characters.
1. You’ll have 15 minutes.
2. Read the paragraph on the next slide.
3. Figure out the underlying theme, thesis, or message.
4. Create a tweet that successfully conveys the same messageas
the paragraph.
5. Use #FLBLOGCON.
6. Be prepared to share your work!

16. #FLBLOGCON
When John F. Kennedy, Jr. gavea famous speech in Germany in 1963, showing
support for West Germany, his oft-repeated quote “Ich bin ein Berliner” was
designed to demonstrate that at that moment, JFK was a Berliner; however,
many German satirists said that the inclusion of “ein” in the statementactually
translated into JFK stating that he was a “jelly doughnut”. What was a
powerful statementalso had humorous repercussions that could have
adversely affected the support that the United States wanted to provide. With
plenty of talented speech writers and linguistic experts at his fingertips,
President Kennedy should have been able to speak flawlessly (with the
exception of never including the “r”s especially when he “pahked the cah in
Hahvahdyahd”). If he – the mostpowerful man in the world - got tripped up
by language, just imagine how meticulous we have to be!
Use #FLBLOGCON and send a tweet that edits down the above
paragraph without losing the message! Be creative!

17. #FLBLOGCON
My examples:
It only took one wordto transforma worldleader froma citizen
into a pastry. Choose your words carefully. #FLBLOGCON
Words have the power to tear down walls as long as you choose
the right ones. #FLBLOGCON
Intentions are only as good as the words you use to convey them.
#FLBLOGCON

18. #FLBLOGCON
Adam, tell me what I learned today:
• Clichés are stupider than a box full of hammers.
• By evoking emotions and reactionsindirectly, your words have more impact.
• Alwaysedit.
• A Berliner is someone from Berlin but also refers to a jelly doughnut in
German.
• Adam stuffs his underwear with socks when he models for CalvinKlein.
• Adam is also an attentionwhore who wantsyou to follow him on ALL OF THE
SOCIAL MEDIA!