OYE DARA

📢 NEW WRITERS ALERT 📢

Do you want to know the ONE thing that holds 90% of writers back from success? 😲
Here’s the truth: Most people have the talent but fail because they ignore this one key… and it has nothing to do with skill!

🔥 If you’re tired of feeling stuck, this is for YOU 🔥

Drop a comment below and let’s talk about it 👇
Hit the ❤️ if you’re ready to make 2024 your breakthrough year!

My mentor called me last week in the early hours of Thursday morning and said "Oye, I had a revelation through the night and I want you to tell me what it means."

I am glad he allowed me the luxury of my thoughts and opinions even when he knew the answer.

In his voice......pay attention.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

A man had #500,000 in his bank account and needed to feed 400 adults urgently.

He did his calculations and rushed out to buy #1000 bread each for each person. Then, a voice grabbed him from behind and said this.

"What are you about to do?" The tall frail man with bloodshot eyes demanded.

"I need to go get a thousand naira bread for these 400 persons as fast as possible." He answered desperately.

"Baba I am late already." He groaned, about to leave.

The man shook his head and said "How much do you have with you?"

" #500,000 sir"

Instead of buying a thousand naira bread to feed just 400 persons, why not buy a bakery that will produce bread not just for these 400 persons but for generations to come?

That way, you will not only feed mouths, but you will have saved lives and generations unborn.

I will stop here so you can draw out life lessons from this parable. Relate and apply this to your business and see what happens.

In my next post, I will address the insights hidden in this single revelation. Think about this now!

Share your interpretation of the above powerful revelation in the comments below.

I am waiting.

In your client's voice...

"If I can think it, can you develop it?"

Your readers have the right not to read your book.



They have the right not to finish your book.



They have the right to skip or just skim through.




They have the right not to read it again.




They have the right to mistake your book for real-life




They have the right to read your book anywhere




Lastly, they have the right to throw your book behind a couch.

As a writer, what powerful charm have you got, to fix your reader's indulgences through your book?

You have the power to change all of that.

Excuse me, let's talk about 𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒 in the Writing industry and the misconceptions writers have attached to them.

Is there any word called rules in the Writing industry or you have been leading your mentees astray?

Unfortunately, there are no rules in the industry and I did not understand that effect until I was faced with the challenge of creating a full book cemented on a nonfiction interface with fiction interference, for a client.

A few months before that time, I had read a writer's assertion. "It is completely wrong to merge fiction with nonfiction. If you are creating fiction, let it be mainly fiction and vice versa"

I swallowed that hard with the remnants in my pocket.

Dear, the writing industry has had modifications through the years and is still being modified. So, what you call 𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒 is what I call 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐈𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐒.

Why did I decide 𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄 is the wrong word?

Rules are peculiar to language and semantic structures. They are prescriptive, universal ( I mean, you cannot just wake up and decide to change anything unless you are planning to be the next woke Soyinka), clear-cut, and non-negotiable. Writing rules are enforceable, often by grammar checkers, editors, or style guides.

Do you know that you can be corrected or marked down for violating established rules, especially in formal or academic writing?

Writing rules are unchangeable and timeless and as language evolves, core grammar and punctuation rules will remain consistent over extended periods. On the other hand, principles are subjective and flexible. This is where your creativity comes in.

For a better understanding of this, I will show you a few examples.

𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄: "Never end a sentence with a preposition."

This is a strict rule that defines a particular grammatical structure.

𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐈𝐏𝐋𝐄: "Avoid ending sentences with prepositions for clarity."

The above is a guiding principle that suggests what you should do if you want to achieve clarity in writing but allows for flexibility when necessary.

𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄: "Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction in a compound sentence."

This is a grammatical rule with a clear-cut application.

𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐈𝐏𝐋𝐄: "Use commas to help readers navigate complex sentences, but avoid excessive use to maintain readability."

This is a flexible principle that balances the need for punctuation with readability considerations.

In the writing industry, there is enough space for context and creativity. You are allowed to be yourself while you explore your style and voice.

Well, I hear writers say " If you do it this way, then you are not a writer." That is not completely true. As a writing expert, I am here to tell you the truth. You must not break the rules attached to writing but when principles are evaded, be sure you are not going to have any result to show for your hard work.

Nobody will penalize you for ignoring principles, but you will always receive feedback suggesting improvements or enhancements to your writing based on these principles.

The writing industry is majorly built on the foundations of principles you must not disregard. Don't call minor grammatical elements principles when they are just rules. Weigh your options. If you make mistakes about rules, an editor can always fix your problem but when principles are boycotted, you might have to change your approach.

I hope you have learned something.

Oye Dara
The Iconic Writing Entrepreneur
Editor-in-chief and project book consultant, IWES Africa

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Oye Dara
The Iconic Writing Expert
President, IWES AFRICA 🇳🇬

Writing offers flexibility in terms of where and when you work. You can choose to freelance, work remotely, or establish your schedule as a writer. This flexibility can provide a sense of freedom and autonomy in your professional life.

Oye Data
The Iconic Writing Entrepreneur
Book Project consultant, Editor in chief, Author and more
I receive questions via [email protected]

What you write is as important as what you mean. However, both are different and can be misunderstood.

Enjoy Wednesday Iconic Authors ♨️

Do not let anyone tell you that your income goal is too high as a writing entrepreneur. I remember setting an income goal I beat ×10 last year. This year, I am on the ride again.

Always want what you want but make sure you are moving at a reasonable pace.

The fastest way to hit your income goal as an author depends on a variety of factors, such as the size of your target audience, your marketing strategy, and the quality of your writing. However, some strategies that may help you achieve your goal includes an extensive explanation I have created.

Read it below in the comments section 👇

I am glad to be back here after a long break I didn't plan for. Thank you for holding the fort. Now, let's dive into it. I've got a lot to teach you.

Oye Dara
The Iconic Writing Entrepreneur
Book Project Consultant & Coach

So I woke up one cold morning. My window dropped rain droplets. Weak rays forced their way to my face and I glanced at my laptop. I still remember that morning and that old laptop.

That morning, I quit trying to do it alone. I decided to pay my way to get my dreams. Now, not the bad way but the more intelligent way.

Why struggle for months to get what I can pay someone to get done in weeks?

Why try to figure it out on my own till I wear out when somebody out there has all the results I want?

Why can't I just pay someone to EMPOWER me?

Did you catch that? Oh no, you didn't.

EMPOWERMENT!!! That is the first thing you should be doing.
You have nothing to bring to the table if you are not empowered. You have been untrained!

I ask young people....why would I want to buy your dreams? What can you offer me?

Get a skill, attend conferences, build your expertise, pay for mentorship, and be trained! Be tanned! Be triple times worth people's time.

Look around you. How many successful people do you see who did not spend a couple of hours per day sharpening their skills? What have you got that no one else has? That's empowerment.

Through those months, I was busy taking classes. I wanted badly to make money but something just keeps telling me " You are not ready"
I kept grooming and implementing until I realized the second powerful structure for my business.

GROW. Grow up! Grow up! Grow up!

You will never hear anyone say grow down. The moment you get empowered, it's not just you involved. Your mind, your vision, your dreams, and your abilities get enlarged. You begin to see a bigger picture. You see a magnifying platform in your field and you say " yes, can do more than that"

It's not because you can do it, it's actually because you now have what to grow with. The journey of growth begins with Empowerment. Your business begins to reflect it. That is how far growth can bring you.

I was at a conference last week. I like to take on daunting tasks so while the announcement for the public speaking competition saturated the room, I stood up to go get a card for participation. I was handed a number by the volunteer in charge and I sashayed back to my seat, nervous. Hoping I don't get picked.

In 2 hours, and 14 minutes the participants for the competition were called randomly. My number was called so, I walked up the stage to deliver one of the most dating public speeches ever in just two minutes with only 30 seconds to brainstorm on a topic you heard right there on stage.

I grabbed the mic and did it! Halfway, the whole room gave a round of applause while I concluded my speech.

Growth!

To win that competition, you must not stutter, or mince words, your vocabulary must be on point and you must be calm, collected, and spontaneous at the same time.

Who said you can't think while you talk?
It wasn't easy but I came second place in the largest gathering of young Entrepreneurs in Kwara state.

This is where I am going.
Growth requires deliberate LEARNING. We learn every day. The moment you stop doing so, you, your business, and your career become a mess.

Gather information as much as you can. Read, binge on the right words, buy books, and pay for your dreams by learning everything about where you are going. Everywhere I go, every encounter, every meeting I usually make sure to bring something back home.

Remember, if you are empowered and your words or business ethics say otherwise you probably just went on a learning spree.

If you haven't joined the IWES family, you need to right now. Do not waste another second thinking you might get to join later. We are a family of pundits all around Africa changing the narrative of the world of work.

Tired of your 9-5 job?

Are you tired of helping your boss build his dreams while yours waste away only to be paid a meager amount of money per month for every 24 hours of the month?

Are you conflicted between what works and what does not?

Just like the mantra in my bio on my profile, I can get you out of all your troubles. You don't even have to take a bus to make so much In a few months. Let me teach you how I moved from a broke undergraduate to a well-paid writer.

Plus, I don't struggle with high-paying clients. They keep coming to me
Want the same result?

Send me a message via the link in the comments section.

First, let me know your thoughts on this mind-opening discussion I have just had with you then next, let's talk business.

Enjoy the rest of your day.

It's a happy Monday morning and another day to review your grammar efficiency. I kept a list of these grammar mistakes as a result of detecting them regularly on people's posts and also to help you review your work. These individuals had no idea they were wrong.

As an editor, here are commonly misused sentences you'd hardly ever notice:

🔹"I could care less" - the correct phrase is "I couldn't care less".

🔹"Irregardless" - this is not a word, the correct word is "regardless".

🔹"Could of" - this is incorrect, the correct phrase is "could have".

🔹"Less" vs. "fewer" - use "less" when referring to quantity and "fewer" when referring to number.

🔹"Affect" vs. "effect" - "affect" is a verb meaning to influence, while "effect" is a noun meaning result.

🔹"Between" vs. "among" - use "between" when referring to two items and "among" when referring to three or more items.

🔹"Lie" vs. "lay" - "lie" means to recline or rest, while "lay" means to place or put something down.

🔹"Me" vs. "I" - use "I" as the subject of a sentence and "me" as the object.

🔹"Who" vs. "whom" - use "who" as the subject of a sentence and "whom" as the object.

🔹"Then" vs. "then" - "then" is used for a time, while "then" is used for comparison.

🔹"Alot" - this is not a word, the correct phrase is "a lot".

🔹"I'm good" - use "I'm well" instead because "good" is an adjective and "well" is an adverb.

🔹"Its" vs. "it's" - "its" is possessive, while "it's" is a contraction of "it is".

🔹"Nauseous" vs. "nauseated" - "nauseous" means causing nausea, while "nauseated" means feeling sick to one's stomach.

🔹"Compliment" vs. "complement" - "compliment" is an expression of praise, while "Complement" means to complete or enhance something.

🔹"Accept" vs. "except" - "accept" means to receive, while "except" means to exclude.

🔹"Adverse" vs. "averse" - "adverse" means harmful or unfavorable, while "averse" means having a strong dislike or opposition to something.

🔹"Peak" vs. "peek" vs. "pique" - "peak" refers to a mountain top, "peak" means to glance or sneak a look, and "pique" means to provoke or stimulate.

🔹"Your" vs. "you're" - "your" is possessive, while "you're" is a contraction of "you are".

Take note of the above and make sure to review your next written texts to avoid errors that could diminish your expertise.

Registration is ongoing for the Iconic Writing Entrepreneur School and participants are getting their admission pass already. Find more info via [email protected]

Oye Dara
President, IWES AFRICA

Do not send people messages about getting mentored if you are not serious about paying for the results you want them to impact you with.

Freebies only last for a while. The real value is for sale.
Meanwhile, nobody got it on a platter of gold so don't expect the same for yourself.

The results I achieved today, I paid for mentorship. I keep saying this and I will keep saying it.

Pay for mentorship.
I offer free services to people who seem determined but when it comes to actual results, I usually recommend payment. Something is amazing it does for you.

You'd suddenly not go late.
You suddenly won't respect African time. All of a sudden, you can't wait to implement what you are learning. That is the vibe!

More imbibed seriousness and many more.

Clout it. If you don't have the money for it, find it or borrow it. Majority of the services I paid for before I reached my financial goal were borrowed or from my savings. I saved up for books that enhanced my knowledge. I bought some information.

Well, I was broke back then so, to step up I went the extra mile.

You are where you are currently in your career because there is particular information you are missing. That info is with someone you look up to out here. Find that person and pay for value.

I mentor Entrepreneurs and I make sure they pay because first, I need you to have the right attitude towards your growth and secondly, I can't stress myself for weeks over anything. My time is money you know.

I didn't regret paying for mentorship. You won't too.
IWES AFRICA Mentorship with Oye Dara is ongoing, get registered and skip the stress of trying to do everything alone.

I'll say no more.
Enjoy sunday.
Photograph:
Temi Badru
OYE DARA

ONE BASIC LAW GOVERNS THE WORLD OF MARKETING

The law of PERSUASION

There is more but I will not be paying attention to that today.

Do not try to convince anyone to buy from you. He /she will not buy.

In the world of marketing, if you persuade prospective buyers the wrong way, you are 90% certain to lose the deal. So, how do you do it?

Keep reading👇

The "law of persuasion" refers to a set of principles that govern how people make decisions and take action. These principles are based on psychological, social, and cognitive factors that influence behavior. Some of the key principles of the law of persuasion include:

♨️ Reciprocation

People are more likely to comply with a request if they feel they have received something of value in return. Give out free stuff. Lend a helping hand but be careful that isn't going to stop your buyers from buying.

♨️ Commitment and consistency

People tend to be more committed to their decisions and actions if they are consistent with their past behavior. People want to trust you and want to make sure that they can always find you when they are ready to make a purchase.

I have come across adverts that I did not patronize but took screenshots, just to be reminded to purchase at a future date.

♨️ Social proof

People often look to the behavior of others to determine what is appropriate or acceptable in a given situation. They want to know who else is buying, who else is making enquires, who has bought that product, and what these people are saying about your product or services.

♨️ Liking

People are more likely to comply with requests from someone they like or have a positive relationship with. Like I said earlier, trust matters. The moment you meet someone, there are cases where you must not go all in and start shoving your products in their dad. Creàte à comfy relationship first. You are here on this platform to do just that. When they come in your DM, treat them nicely, not sell to them right away except if your services were requested.

♨️ Authority

People are more likely to comply with requests from someone they perceive as an authority figure. Build it, nurture it, and harness it. You know what I mean.

♨️ Scarcity

People place a higher value on rare things or in short supply. Nobody wants to miss out on an amazing offer and nobody will buy now when they can always access that opportunity later at will.

By understanding these principles, marketers, salespeople, and communicators can more effectively influence and persuade others. However, it's important to use these principles ethically and with integrity, avoiding manipulation or deceit.

Don't go around screaming your book in people's faces. They will not make buying decisions that way. Simply follow the rules.

Bode copywriter is what I call him. His works are always so real.
Writing for clients to him only took a few days for larger contracts. In a jiffy, he is done.

Ahhh!

' Bode, how do you do it? This client just gave you this book project last night and you are done? ' I exclaimed in awe looking like someone who was missing out.

' Na who know way sabi the work. You don't have to do much, just search online for ideas written around the topic you are working on, and help yourself ' Bode shrugged

Well, this guy earns quite a lot from this act if you ask me.

' You know you can be imprisoned for plagiarism Bode ' I grabbed a seat, trying to check out the amazing work he just did.

' Bode never gets caught ' he bluffed again spinning on the chair he sat on like its nobody's business

Ravaging through his work, I scrolled down to his reference page and found nothing.

' Guy! This is theft of intellectual property ' I screamed.

'No. It's called intellectual revamp jare.' Bode grabbed his laptop and walked out of the room.

'I've got a client to please' he mumbled

A few weeks later, Bode was flagged online. He had copied a brand mantra for his client without any settlement or agreement involved on the part of its original owner. He lost his client and everything he had illegally worked for. Even his client's books were being sued for plagiarism to their detriment.

That is sad. I still remember that situation and can feel nothing but sorry for him. See, even if you edit and rebrand someone's entire sentences, you still plagiarized.

Even if you picked your phrases from different sources while merging them to make them look like your original thoughts, you still will be sued for plagiarism.

You and I are guilty of it. Guilty in all its senses, consciously or unconsciously, knowingly or ignorantly, we could have been sued. But thank God we weren't.
This is why I am making this post. It only takes an explanation to get informed.

I'll explain it to you.

Plagiarism is the act of using someone else's work without giving them proper credit. This can include copying someone else's written work, ideas, or other creative works and presenting them as your own. Plagiarism is widely considered unethical and can have serious consequences, including legal punishment, damage to one's reputation, and loss of credibility.

Plagiarism can be direct and indirect.

It involves directly copying someone else's work without giving proper credit or citation.📌

It involves using your previous work without proper citation or permission.📌

It involves rephrasing someone else's work in your own words without giving proper credit or citation.📌

It also involves taking phrases or ideas from multiple sources and piecing them together without proper citation or credit.📌

Sadly, there are no advantages to plagiarism. It is considered unethical and can have serious consequences.

Plagiarism can damage your credibility as a writer, researcher, or professional, and can lead to a loss of trust and respect from others.

Plagiarism can result in legal action, including fines, lawsuits, and criminal charges.

Plagiarism can lead to expulsion from academic institutions or loss of academic degrees.

Plagiarism can damage one's reputation and professional standing, making it difficult to find work or advance in one's career.

Too much of a consequence to look over.
Let me not mention the legal consequences attached to such a delusive act. We all know what is right.

Nobody is asking you to write everything from your head. Only give honor to whom honor is due.

Who understands what I mean?

I haven't taken public speaking seriously but then, trying hurts nobody so I signified to contest in the impromptu Nonagon career convention which featured Tony Elumelu hosted at the prestigious university of Ilorin's main auditorium.

All speaking contestants were to speak spontaneously on a topic you have only 30 seconds to ponder.

I held the mic while the question reeked in the air. In two munites, I was through. I had concluded my speech and rounded off exemplary.

In memory of that moment, I am going to drop this here for future reference.

Unfortunately, I couldn't get access to majority of the photographs I took but beyond that, the goal was paramount.

Meanwhile, you can do it as much as you dream it.
If you believe that type 'I CAN'

Do not just pay for premium service and waste the premium opportunity that comes with it. Sometimes, it is okay to sit back and observe how the organization you are buying from, the individual you are ordering from, or the brand you are making purchases with goes about their business ethics.

You are sometimes asked to pay for premium services not because of the advantage of what you are paying for.

How did that professional respond to your request?
Observe his/her choice of words, manner of approach, and tone.

How did that individual close a sale with you? Were you persuaded to order that service?
Observe the process.

How professional was the service delivered to you?
Observe the presentation and packaging.

Do not! I mean, do not make the mistake of losing clients to your negligence. You have to go through strategic mentorship.

Mentorship from people who are not even aware you are being mentored by them. It is not all the time you only show up online for people to learn. Behind the bars, make sure you are learning too.

I teach a lot using my experiences in the writing, speaking, and business industry. I have watched and observed how professionals do things.

Simple ethics.

How do you respond to a question from a potential client?

What should you say or how should you react when a potential buyer is excited to order your service?

What do you say or do when you are asked why your service should be considered amongst many others?

What to do, how to do it, what to say, and how to say it.

Observe!

You should be closing deals too. Huge groundbreaking deals.

Right?

🎯 " I Signed a deal last week with a German based media company and yes, they could not resist my professional writing skills. I didn't have to do much. I only applied a few professional skills."

The above words could be yours, in two weeks

Nobody will hire a graduate with poor grammar skills, unprofessional portfolio (social media written contents)and a sloppy cover letter.

No company will recruit you if you cannot professionally converse with their investors and top clients via email.

79% of businesses and recruiting firms prefer candidates who are 99% proficient in the required competence. Do you?

🇲🇺 As a start up company your business seem to back track due to poor writing inabilities which is beginning to affect your business and revenue

🇳🇬. You have been losing clients as a results of your word choices which gives you away during sales conversion. Now you are fed up and you are wondering what you said wrong.

🇬🇭 Your colleagues at work are beginning to find you burdensome with simple tasks like memos, presentations, announcements, emails, presentations, that you cannot seem to do on your own. You need an exit strategy and a fast way to learn how to do them before your boss finds out

🇩🇪 About to attend an interview or send a professional email to the HR manager of the recruiting company you applied for. You want to sound impressive but have no idea where to even start.

🇨🇮 Seen several posts on LinkedIn and you wish you could actually write as professionally as they do stresslessly.

🇬🇭 How do you hope to keep your job if you do not know how to create emails, blog posts, Facebook statuses, company website, CV, résumé, cover letters, emails, memos etc your inability to write professionally can be your only disqualification.

Lastly, you need money and professional writing can pay you a hundred times a month.

Join this scholarship means we'll train you on how to sharply hone your writing skills, get clear and quick communication updates, events, projects, or other important topics to co-workers without requiring additional time for clarification.

Good grammar is credibility. Especially on the internet.

Don't loose a future contract because you ignored the power of your written words.

With IWES scholarship, you can collapse time, learn fast and get yourself published and hired.

You can still join the on-going scholarship spree for writers. Send me a message now via https://wa.me/message/QNZGQDSOUVSYG1 to get registered.🎯