About Us
Whenever you need an exemplary writer (copy/sales/ads, content/social media/informational, or to be featured in a magazine or newspaper) please reach out to me. Visit YellowBalloonPublications.com to read about my books (reviews, excerpts, editions) and hireme.wordwhisperer.net to get a look at my copy/content writing chops and client testimonials. I look forward to connecting with and serving you the next time you have a need I can fulfill for you. (I'm virtual--I write for people across the globe--so wherever you are, I am, too!)
“Without exaggeration you are the best copywriter I’ve ever worked with…and I’ve worked with many. You are not only fast, talented and reasonably priced, but you are a joy to work with and know. I know I tell you this all the time, but you have made my life vastly better. My husband would gladly buy you dinner for making it so that I can actually get home at a reasonable hour some nights.” Teryl McLane, Scholastic Book Fairs April 4, 2018
How We Got Started
I wanted to choose my own clients instead of having someone else choose them for me so I could unleash my passion for helping remarkable people do remarkable things for their remarkable clients, customers and patients.
The products and services we offer
Recommendations Received (17)
"She does a wonderful job proofreading and correcting my grammar when I ask her for help to make a..."
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"She does a wonderful job proofreading and correcting my grammar when I ask her for help to make a document sound more professional. I have read several of her books so I can say with confidence that her writing is very well done. "
"Kris' copywriting skill contributes to other skills like writing endorsements or blurbs for..."
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"Kris' copywriting skill contributes to other skills like writing endorsements or blurbs for writers. I know, because I was once graced with an unsolicited one that I use all the time--and treasure! "
Products & Services
Professional writer and editor serving small and medium-size businesses across the globe. Please visit WordWhisperer.net for writing samples, testi...
Need a speaker? I can teach you and/or your team how to write 30-second commercial/elevator pitch, core story, biography, web pages, LinkedIn prof...
Gallery
Recommendations Given (23)
"Great local newspaper. Angela and team rock!"
"Stych truly cares about making their customers look like a million dollars. Classy, elegant,..."
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"Stych truly cares about making their customers look like a million dollars. Classy, elegant, contemporary. Two thumbs up! "
Recent Activity
One of them, not all of them. YellowBalloonPublications.com
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One of them, not all of them. YellowBalloonPublications.com
I will, indeed. I write every day for myself (when I'm not writing copy or content for someone else), so of course much of what I write is about my experiences, and this one has been a real doozy. This is one for the history books!
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I will, indeed. I write every day for myself (when I'm not writing copy or content for someone else), so of course much of what I write is about my experiences, and this one has been a real doozy. This is one for the history books!
Right now my only writing/editing projects are COVID-19- related (how businesses are reacting to their circumstances and how they'll be taking care of their employees during the pandemic), and even those are slowing down now that the info on the virus is pretty much everywhere you look and the...
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Right now my only writing/editing projects are COVID-19- related (how businesses are reacting to their circumstances and how they'll be taking care of their employees during the pandemic), and even those are slowing down now that the info on the virus is pretty much everywhere you look and the measures that were being put in place by the businesses I serve regularly are in place by now...
A little background: I'm in Washington State, where this whole corona virus thing started in the U.S., so we've had a few weeks of recommended (and recently enforced) isolation already; other states are just beginning to come to terms with what will be required. It's quite the wake-up call when COVID-19 comes to your town, infects people you know, and shuts down the life you were loving living (no more pickle ball or wally ball for me until further notice; no more hanging with my best friend and business partner, who lives in another part of Tacoma...)
I think that, as hunkering down at home begins to feel less traumatic and more normal (we are, after all, in our sanctuaries--the privileged among us, anyway!), I expect some business owners and entrepreneurs will begin to realize that people will start wanting to read/learn/explore other matters while they're sequestered. Perhaps they'll turn to writers and editors to help them reach out, now that they have a truly "captive" audience ... providing, of course, that the audience is truly interested in what they offer, whether it's a product, service or helpful hints/insights/information...even entertainment!).
I'm sure mental health counselors are doing land office business right now. What other businesses or individuals can be truly helpful to shut-ins right now? Educators, food delivery drivers, even symphony orchestras are offering their services (frequently for free right now).
NOW is the time to build on the know-like-trust factor as never before.
People who are in the same boat usually bond over their shared experience. And this is one big boat right now!!!
Find someone new to bond with virtually now and become their almost-automatic go-to resource when things get back on an even keel. (That's the reciprocity principle at work.)
Think of ways to get closer (virtually). Virtual hugs... Face Time... Video Hangouts... Skype. Reach out to the extroverts in your life who must being going stark raving mad right about now just to let them know you're thinking of them (even if you're an introvert and loving your isolation.) Provide what your clients and potential clients need right now: the rock-solid belief that they matter to someone. To you!
The more positive and uplifting (or just virtually present) you can be right now (not constantly, but often enough to offer a pleasant surprise that brings a smile), the better...
It depends on how high profile the client is (and, of course, how good you are. Do you have scores of testimonials, awards, and ample writing history to back up your claim as a writer?) Example: if he's a well-known guru or well-regarded, popular individual (think Jimmy Carter or Oprah Winfrey...
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It depends on how high profile the client is (and, of course, how good you are. Do you have scores of testimonials, awards, and ample writing history to back up your claim as a writer?) Example: if he's a well-known guru or well-regarded, popular individual (think Jimmy Carter or Oprah Winfrey as examples here) the book should reach bestseller status pretty easily and be worth multiple millions. If he's a low-profile or no-profile fellow (example, someone who wants to write his family history or on a topic that isn't widely sought after), the ultimate value of the book will be far less and you can't expect to have him pay (or to be able to afford to pay) a small fortune for your services. Remember: it's the VALUE you bring to a client that should determine your rates. For those who are thinking, "It's not fair to charge different rates to different clients!" you need to check out Chris Do. He makes the case (in longer form) than I have here. Here's his LinkedIn address:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/thechrisdo
My name is Kris M. Smith. I am a copy, content and features writer and the author of ten books. For more info and to read scores of testimonials, click on these links:
WordWhisperer Kris M Smith
Yellow Balloon Publications
I turn Browsers into Buyers and Looky Lou's into Loyalists. What's your...
(more)
My name is Kris M. Smith. I am a copy, content and features writer and the author of ten books. For more info and to read scores of testimonials, click on these links:
WordWhisperer Kris M Smith
Yellow Balloon Publications
I turn Browsers into Buyers and Looky Lou's into Loyalists. What's your superpower?
I am a copy, content and features writer and the author of ten books. For more info and to read scores of testimonials, click on these links:
WordWhisperer Kris M Smith
Yellow Balloon Publications
I turn Browsers into Buyers and Looky Lou's into Loyalists. What's your superpower?
(more)
I am a copy, content and features writer and the author of ten books. For more info and to read scores of testimonials, click on these links:
WordWhisperer Kris M Smith
Yellow Balloon Publications
I turn Browsers into Buyers and Looky Lou's into Loyalists. What's your superpower?
Look to the folks at work who aren't treating you any differently. They are your tribe. Gossipy, homophobic, unkind folks aren't.
(You are free to celebrate that happy fact right now to the tune of Frozen's "Let It Go!")
People gossip when they find out people are hunters/non-hunters,...
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Look to the folks at work who aren't treating you any differently. They are your tribe. Gossipy, homophobic, unkind folks aren't.
(You are free to celebrate that happy fact right now to the tune of Frozen's "Let It Go!")
People gossip when they find out people are hunters/non-hunters, Republican/Democrat, Christian/Atheist/Jewish/Muslim/Agnostic, sexist, misogynistic, xenophobic, intersex, transgender, etc. (If you do, please stop or you're guilty of the same pigeon-holing that you find distasteful in others.)
You need not jump every time someone says, "Boo!" or feel ashamed every time someone gives you the stink eye or shuns you.
Just continue to be the genuine, hard-working, professional person you are and let the gossipers pound sand. You'll come across far more mature and praise-worthy than they will.
I'm transgender (un-transitioned). Most of the folks who know me guessed it a long time ago, before I knew there was even a word for it.
I don't act like a female. I never have. People see my chest and assume I'm female (and you know what ass-you-me'ing does) but their minds question that reality as soon as they get to know me better; they feel conflicted and wonder what's up, as well they should!
I've been called androgynous and called "Sir" almost every time my chest is well-encased in a heavy coat. (OK. That's a telltale, pretty obvious clue!) And I'm male between my ears, so I no longer even try to hide it. Why would I--so more kids can kill themselves for being trans/gay/bi/asexual/non-binary, etc. because so few who are like me will name it and claim it? Fie on that! I wrote a book about it if you're interested; WOMB MAN: How I Survived Growing Up in a Booby-Trapped World. It has saved some lives and educated a lot of folks, which is why I decided to write it, even though I was probably (I thought) risking a lot to "name it and claim it. (I was wrong! My truth was embraced by all the people in my life who are significant to me. The rest? Not my concern!)
If you live your life worrying about others finding out about your "deep dark secret," you live only half a life. You want people to know and respect you for who you are, not for who they think you are. Let It Go!
"What other people think of you is none of your business." How you treat them is what counts!
Be kind, recognize their insecurities, prejudices and fears, and move on. Unless you fear retaliation or getting jumped in an alley by some of them, you're going to be okay. Just keep on keepin' on! (HR should be notified if you begin to be marginalized or shunned because that would affect workplace efficiency.)
The answer to this would depend on the day, my mood that day, and the topic.
I'm always reading pieces that educate me on topics I want to know more about, but I'm also eager to run across pieces that inspire me. Sometimes I even go after pieces that inspire me, if I'm in a particularly...
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The answer to this would depend on the day, my mood that day, and the topic.
I'm always reading pieces that educate me on topics I want to know more about, but I'm also eager to run across pieces that inspire me. Sometimes I even go after pieces that inspire me, if I'm in a particularly "spiritual" or "seeking" frame of mind.
1 Reply
I sure do, but not all freelancers feel the same. I guess if you're successful at it, you love it. If not, the security of a regular paycheck -- even if you're miserable earning it -- can become paramount especially if you have loved ones counting on you for support. I'm lucky. I'm single and...
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I sure do, but not all freelancers feel the same. I guess if you're successful at it, you love it. If not, the security of a regular paycheck -- even if you're miserable earning it -- can become paramount especially if you have loved ones counting on you for support. I'm lucky. I'm single and solo--I can get by on what I make plus my Social Security and a puny monthly pension check...
1 Reply
If they're lifting it wholesale (plagiarism, word-for-word), Google should be flagging it as duplicate content and the owner should send the violator a Take Down Notice. (Violation of copyrighted material starts at $750 a day for every day it's posted.)
But if they're using the same ideas or...
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If they're lifting it wholesale (plagiarism, word-for-word), Google should be flagging it as duplicate content and the owner should send the violator a Take Down Notice. (Violation of copyrighted material starts at $750 a day for every day it's posted.)
But if they're using the same ideas or set of facts in a unique way that doesn't violate copyright, it's permissible.
