Sometimes we need to loosen up our writing by doing straightforward things.
Complete the following sentence. As I waited at the bus stop, standing next to me in the queue was...
Let your imagination go. Or remember a time you stood in a bus queue.
You don't have to show this to anybody You can delete everything you write. Or you can use the idea as a basis for a story.
This exercise is taken from my book The Writer's little book of Big Ideas. To see more about the book go to the home page. http://www.writerslittlebook.co.uk/
Wednesday, 29 February 2012
Inspiring quotes for writers
"Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." Abraham Lincoln
Tuesday, 28 February 2012
Happy birthday Michel de Montaigne
"Even on the most exalted throne in the world, we are only sitting on our own rear end."
I can't remember at this late stage what made me buy his Essays back in the 1960s but unlike other philosophers I bought then because I thought I should, his book still sits on my shelves. Well thumbed.
There have been several articles and this last few months even a radio play about him. Maybe his time has come again. All I know is that from the first he made me laugh and something in his down to earth words clicked with me.
I can't remember at this late stage what made me buy his Essays back in the 1960s but unlike other philosophers I bought then because I thought I should, his book still sits on my shelves. Well thumbed.
There have been several articles and this last few months even a radio play about him. Maybe his time has come again. All I know is that from the first he made me laugh and something in his down to earth words clicked with me.
Monday, 27 February 2012
Writing for your business; how to change your mindset about writing
Recently I was talking to a woman trying to set up a business from home. She was committed, passionate... overwhelmed.. Then she said, ‘And I’ve got to write for my website.’ I almost laughed because she sounded so tragic. But I didn’t because I knew for her it was a difficult task. So we sat down and I tried to find a way to help her write about something she loved doing.and wanted to share with others.
She mentioned three difficulties that were preventing her from writing.
1. I hated writing in school.
2. My mind goes a blank when I start to write.
3. Nobody will want to hear from me; what do I know?
Let's unpick what's happening with each of these mind blocks.
1. I hated writing in school.
Writing in school is specific to school work, passing exams and getting good grades. Ticking the boxes often. If you’re not naturally good at writing, it gets worse if you receive bad grades. Especially when teachers either don’t have the time or won’t show you an easier way to tackle the writing.
How do you blow this obstacle out of the water? By realising that you’re when you write about your business you're not writing an essay. That’s not what’s needed. You do have to follow some kind of order in your writing but that’s because you want people to understand you.
Think back to how you found out about what service or product you offer. What excited you about it? Was it because you had a problem and it provided the solution?
If so then write down what your problem was and how the product or service solved it. Create how you felt at the time with this problem and then how you felt when it was solved. Use emotional words in your writing. That’s important because it’s the emotion around the problem and its solution that will create the connection with your reader..
2. My mind goes a blank when I start to write.
Accept that writing may not be your biggest talent at the moment. But you may be great at talking to people about your business. I’ve seen many women freeze when they start to write even though I know how responsive and articulate they are when speaking.
So make the most of the skill you have. Value it in a positive way and record what you want to say about your business. If you still feel self conscious about doing that, then ask a friend to interview you.
Choose some questions they can ask you and then record your conversation. In some ways this is better because they can prompt you as the conversation develops and remind you of things you may have overlooked.
Transcribe the conversation (TOP TIP for transcription – record in small sections. You won’t have to go backwards and forwards on the tape then). What you’ll have in your transcription is a basic piece of writing about your business. Polish it over time but you’ll have done 80% of the work.
3. Nobody will want to hear from me – I’m not famous and I’m an every day kind of person.
Which would you prefer the gentle advice or the harsh?
Gentle is to say you have your own identity and unique take on what you’re doing.
Harsh is to say get over yourself.
Take your choice.
My Mum used to tell me off for being shy. She said it was selfish because I was making people work harder to get to know me. And I had a responsibility to make other people feel comfortable.
(Great technique for parties or networking by the way if you are shy; imagine you’re the hostess and it’s your job to make sure nobody feels lost or alone. It always gives me the courage to approach people on their own and start a conversation.)
If you’re running a business you’re doing it because you believe you can help other people. That means that you have a responsibility to share what you know. It’s not being selfish to want our point of view to be heard. I’ve been helping a coach writing a book with this same problem. Her version of this was, ‘there’s nothing left to say.’
So I asked her ‘has it been said from your point of view with your experience?’
And in terms of your customers, well they’re every day people like you with the same human problems and the same need for solutions. That’s your connection to them and you have no idea how much you can help them till you try.
She mentioned three difficulties that were preventing her from writing.
1. I hated writing in school.
2. My mind goes a blank when I start to write.
3. Nobody will want to hear from me; what do I know?
Let's unpick what's happening with each of these mind blocks.
1. I hated writing in school.
Writing in school is specific to school work, passing exams and getting good grades. Ticking the boxes often. If you’re not naturally good at writing, it gets worse if you receive bad grades. Especially when teachers either don’t have the time or won’t show you an easier way to tackle the writing.
How do you blow this obstacle out of the water? By realising that you’re when you write about your business you're not writing an essay. That’s not what’s needed. You do have to follow some kind of order in your writing but that’s because you want people to understand you.
Think back to how you found out about what service or product you offer. What excited you about it? Was it because you had a problem and it provided the solution?
If so then write down what your problem was and how the product or service solved it. Create how you felt at the time with this problem and then how you felt when it was solved. Use emotional words in your writing. That’s important because it’s the emotion around the problem and its solution that will create the connection with your reader..
2. My mind goes a blank when I start to write.
Accept that writing may not be your biggest talent at the moment. But you may be great at talking to people about your business. I’ve seen many women freeze when they start to write even though I know how responsive and articulate they are when speaking.
So make the most of the skill you have. Value it in a positive way and record what you want to say about your business. If you still feel self conscious about doing that, then ask a friend to interview you.
Choose some questions they can ask you and then record your conversation. In some ways this is better because they can prompt you as the conversation develops and remind you of things you may have overlooked.
Transcribe the conversation (TOP TIP for transcription – record in small sections. You won’t have to go backwards and forwards on the tape then). What you’ll have in your transcription is a basic piece of writing about your business. Polish it over time but you’ll have done 80% of the work.
3. Nobody will want to hear from me – I’m not famous and I’m an every day kind of person.
Which would you prefer the gentle advice or the harsh?
Gentle is to say you have your own identity and unique take on what you’re doing.
Harsh is to say get over yourself.
Take your choice.
My Mum used to tell me off for being shy. She said it was selfish because I was making people work harder to get to know me. And I had a responsibility to make other people feel comfortable.
(Great technique for parties or networking by the way if you are shy; imagine you’re the hostess and it’s your job to make sure nobody feels lost or alone. It always gives me the courage to approach people on their own and start a conversation.)
If you’re running a business you’re doing it because you believe you can help other people. That means that you have a responsibility to share what you know. It’s not being selfish to want our point of view to be heard. I’ve been helping a coach writing a book with this same problem. Her version of this was, ‘there’s nothing left to say.’
So I asked her ‘has it been said from your point of view with your experience?’
And in terms of your customers, well they’re every day people like you with the same human problems and the same need for solutions. That’s your connection to them and you have no idea how much you can help them till you try.
Saturday, 25 February 2012
How to write for your business: making that real connection with your reader
I’ve talked in other articles about the passion that led you into your business and how you need to project that passion in your writing.
3 strategies to use to energise your writing:
1. Create a picture of your reader.
2. Hold in your mind what you can do for them.
3. Connect at a deep level with them.
It’s easy to lose sight of these elements when we’re in a hurry to write for our website, an article or brochure. Deadlines, deadlines, deadlines can cause us to skate over the surface of what we want to say.
Taking time to dig deeper can have positive results and unexpected benefits.
1. Create a picture of your reader
When I was learning to write for business I was taught to create a profile of my ideal reader for the product or service I was writing about. Everything down to what type of shoes they might wear and what they ate for breakfast. At the time it seemed overkill to me but try talking to your audience individuals
After all, only one person at a time reads your words... even if someone is reading over a friend's shoulder, they're still reading in their own way at their own pace. Each person interprets what they read based on their experience. To prove that ask a few people you trust to read something of yours and watch as they each come up with a different reaction.
Listening to your customers, really listening, not merely trying to sell them, will lead to a deeper understanding of their needs. And that’s what we all want isn’t it? To be understood as individuals.
2. Hold in your mind what you can do for them
Whenever I write for a client, my focus is on what result they want. Yes of course I want to write the best piece possible. But it's not about my writing and how elegant or precise it might be.
I try to imagine the client they're aiming at. What are their needs, their desires, their fears?
My goal is to help my client make the best connection possible with those individuals. Holding that intention in your mind can cause you to write in a different way.
3. Connect at a deep level with them
What you write about your business has this possibility of changing someone’s life. In what I’ve helped clients to write I’ve seen the impact on individuals.
I’ve seen people who didn’t think they could write, create not only websites but books. I’ve seen people change their lives by means of coaching they’ve received from a generous spirit. And I’ve seen the business owner change as a result.
Let your writing express your emotions; create your individual position and trust that you’ll connect with those who need you.
3 strategies to use to energise your writing:
1. Create a picture of your reader.
2. Hold in your mind what you can do for them.
3. Connect at a deep level with them.
It’s easy to lose sight of these elements when we’re in a hurry to write for our website, an article or brochure. Deadlines, deadlines, deadlines can cause us to skate over the surface of what we want to say.
Taking time to dig deeper can have positive results and unexpected benefits.
1. Create a picture of your reader
When I was learning to write for business I was taught to create a profile of my ideal reader for the product or service I was writing about. Everything down to what type of shoes they might wear and what they ate for breakfast. At the time it seemed overkill to me but try talking to your audience individuals
After all, only one person at a time reads your words... even if someone is reading over a friend's shoulder, they're still reading in their own way at their own pace. Each person interprets what they read based on their experience. To prove that ask a few people you trust to read something of yours and watch as they each come up with a different reaction.
Listening to your customers, really listening, not merely trying to sell them, will lead to a deeper understanding of their needs. And that’s what we all want isn’t it? To be understood as individuals.
2. Hold in your mind what you can do for them
Whenever I write for a client, my focus is on what result they want. Yes of course I want to write the best piece possible. But it's not about my writing and how elegant or precise it might be.
I try to imagine the client they're aiming at. What are their needs, their desires, their fears?
My goal is to help my client make the best connection possible with those individuals. Holding that intention in your mind can cause you to write in a different way.
3. Connect at a deep level with them
What you write about your business has this possibility of changing someone’s life. In what I’ve helped clients to write I’ve seen the impact on individuals.
I’ve seen people who didn’t think they could write, create not only websites but books. I’ve seen people change their lives by means of coaching they’ve received from a generous spirit. And I’ve seen the business owner change as a result.
Let your writing express your emotions; create your individual position and trust that you’ll connect with those who need you.
Wednesday, 22 February 2012
Quotes for writers
"Substitute 'damn' every time you're inclined to write "very"; your editor will delete it and your writing will be just as it should be." Mark Twain
Tuesday, 14 February 2012
How to write articles for your business: common elements in all your writing
If you’ve ever admired someone who writes fast and without mistakes but worry that you’ll never be so proficient, here are some of their secrets to speed up your progress.
All professional writers have a system and you can develop your own method when writing anything for your business. Of course experienced writers can write faster than you, after all it’s their job. And it may take you some time to get into your groove. But being in charge of the writing for your company is the most valuable marketing tool you can develop. Believe me the practice will pay off.
All methods will depend on the same key points. Keep these key points in mind every time you write and you'll shorten the time it takes you.
1. Cut out unnecessary fluff.
Many of the new entrepreneurs I work with confused themselves by writing too much. They were so afraid of missing out anything important that they included everything. Rather like my history essays back in school.
That’s inevitable in the beginning because you may not have worked out exactly what is important in marketing terms. It isn’t a bad stage to go through because it does make sure you don’t forget anything.
One way of sorting out what’s fluff and what isn’t is to have someone else look at your writing. If you can’t afford a professional writer to work with, then find a friend who knows something about the market you’re aiming at.
What you need is an objective assessment of your strengths and weaknesses in relation to the market. That’s what a professional would provide because they’re looking for the most powerful strengths in your history, your product and service they can find to put across to the reader.
2. Cover essential elements
Every piece you write will be slightly different depending on who it’s aimed at, where you’re placing it and what result you want from it.
You still need to build it around the same basic, sound, structure no matter its destination. This will be part of the method that will help you write fast, with a purpose and to create a result
Many business writers use open questions to help them construct a piece of text and I urge you to try it out if you haven’t used it before.
Who, What, Why, When, How. I've heard them described as the writer's best friends.
To walk you through how it might work for your business I’ve chosen the example of a coach providing career change services from a home office.
What type of coaching do you offer?
Can I see you face to face or have consultations by telephone?
Why would I choose your service rather than another coach?
What results might I see and how long would it take to see those results?
How can I pay for your services?
When can I access your service?
These and many other questions will come up about any type of business. Having the answers at the heart of what you write helps. Which leads us to:
3. Make it easy for your reader.
I'm busy, I'm in a hurry and I want to know NOW, please.
The questions I’ve outlined above offer you a way in to cover the essential and often repeated requests for information. Whatever our business, these days in a global market very few of us can claim a monopoly of service. That means we have to have something that draws people to us. More often than not, it proves to be us as business people. It’s the relationships we build that create the business.
That’s why creating easy to read text is vital in connecting with your reader. Develop your personal writing style centred and grounded in your passion for your business and belief that you can help people with your product or service.
All professional writers have a system and you can develop your own method when writing anything for your business. Of course experienced writers can write faster than you, after all it’s their job. And it may take you some time to get into your groove. But being in charge of the writing for your company is the most valuable marketing tool you can develop. Believe me the practice will pay off.
All methods will depend on the same key points. Keep these key points in mind every time you write and you'll shorten the time it takes you.
1. Cut out unnecessary fluff.
Many of the new entrepreneurs I work with confused themselves by writing too much. They were so afraid of missing out anything important that they included everything. Rather like my history essays back in school.
That’s inevitable in the beginning because you may not have worked out exactly what is important in marketing terms. It isn’t a bad stage to go through because it does make sure you don’t forget anything.
One way of sorting out what’s fluff and what isn’t is to have someone else look at your writing. If you can’t afford a professional writer to work with, then find a friend who knows something about the market you’re aiming at.
What you need is an objective assessment of your strengths and weaknesses in relation to the market. That’s what a professional would provide because they’re looking for the most powerful strengths in your history, your product and service they can find to put across to the reader.
2. Cover essential elements
Every piece you write will be slightly different depending on who it’s aimed at, where you’re placing it and what result you want from it.
You still need to build it around the same basic, sound, structure no matter its destination. This will be part of the method that will help you write fast, with a purpose and to create a result
Many business writers use open questions to help them construct a piece of text and I urge you to try it out if you haven’t used it before.
Who, What, Why, When, How. I've heard them described as the writer's best friends.
To walk you through how it might work for your business I’ve chosen the example of a coach providing career change services from a home office.
What type of coaching do you offer?
Can I see you face to face or have consultations by telephone?
Why would I choose your service rather than another coach?
What results might I see and how long would it take to see those results?
How can I pay for your services?
When can I access your service?
These and many other questions will come up about any type of business. Having the answers at the heart of what you write helps. Which leads us to:
3. Make it easy for your reader.
I'm busy, I'm in a hurry and I want to know NOW, please.
The questions I’ve outlined above offer you a way in to cover the essential and often repeated requests for information. Whatever our business, these days in a global market very few of us can claim a monopoly of service. That means we have to have something that draws people to us. More often than not, it proves to be us as business people. It’s the relationships we build that create the business.
That’s why creating easy to read text is vital in connecting with your reader. Develop your personal writing style centred and grounded in your passion for your business and belief that you can help people with your product or service.
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