If you’ve ever tried to write your own financial blog post, I’ll bet you’ve been in this dark place before: You’ve got so much to say … but where to begin? Struggling to discipline your thoughts into tidy rows on that disarmingly blank page, you despair. There has got to be a better way. One way is to hire a professional to help. (Let’s see, who might that be?) If you’re resolved to take on some or all of the writing on your own – good news – you’ve now got a great new resource to help you hit the page running: Susan Weiner’s “Financial Blogging: How to Write Powerful Posts That Attract Clients.”

At its rack rate of $39 for the PDF file, $49 for paperback, the book will be one of the best investments you’ll make this year.  

Here are some of my favorite features.

It walks you through clear, manageable steps for financial blogging. Susan’s got you covered – from coming up with something to say, to figuring out how to say it well (and in compliance), to sticking to a schedule for posting and promoting your brilliance.

It’s not one-size-fits-nobody. Given my profession, it’s unsurprising that I think far more in words than in pictures. (Mind-map-schmind-map, who needs them when paragraphs will suffice?) That said, I know there are plenty of others, with plenty to say, who are visually oriented. Susan has strategies to suggest for all of us — right-brain and left-brained alike.

You won’t have to read it all to reap the rewards. If you’ve already got portions of your blogging process working well, congratulations, you can skip those chapters and still find good ideas on the topics you find more challenging. In particular, there are some great resources in the Appendix, with checklists and worksheets to help you think through any hold-ups you may be experiencing.

Susan’s own writing is light-hearted, upbeat and encouraging. Even so, if there’s one concern I have, it’s that you may find the abundance of advice overwhelming. As I read, I found myself repeatedly nodding my head, thinking of all the same steps I go through when I’m helping advisors with their blog posts. I’ve been doing it for so long, I didn’t realize how many steps there are.

So especially if you’re new to blog-writing, think of Susan’s book as the equivalent of training wheels on your shiny 10-speed bike. At first, all the formal steps may seem unnatural. But lean into them. Trust them to keep you upright as you play with your limits. Relax and have some fun. Soon you should find your own balance, your own voice. Eventuallyyou may be able to ditch some of the formalities and really fly.

By the way, if you would like a riding buddy as you proceed, check out Chapter 10 on working with a professional writer or editor … and consider giving me a call.