Does using the words “white paper” create a negative picture in your mind?
Is the term overused?
Yesterday I had the great pleasure of teaching a teleclass with Bob Bly, an author of more than 70 books on writing and marketing.
One student asked the question, “Does it always make sense to call a white paper a white paper?”
This is a very good and important question. It spawns a number of other questions.
Bob’s answer was, “I don’t like using the term white paper.”
So here are my questions to you:
- When should you “not” use the term white paper?
- Does the label white paper carry any negative baggage?
- Are there positives that can be gained from describing a document as a white paper?
Please chime in. Your thoughts matter.Receive email updates when new articles are posted.