Journalist Chip Scanlan says, “Good writing may be magical, but it’s not magic. It is the by-product of a rational series of decisions and actions.” He says writing requires a process of reporting, focusing, organizing, drafting and rewriting information into clear and lively prose.
While Scanlan was speaking specifically of newswriting, his advice also applies to other kinds of writing.
Good writing starts with an idea that is shaped into a “story” that answers who, what, when, where, why and how. Writers take the background information from our clients, the learnings we have around the product or service, and anything else we can dig up, and focus the copy on the most important point(s), organizing it in a way that makes sense.
With the first draft done, we rewrite it again and again (and sometimes again and again), self-editing and often re-focusing and re-organizing along the way.
A writer of any kind has the responsibility to uncover the story and tell it in a way that captivates an audience, leaving a lasting impression. Does your copy do that? If not, check out my web site for more on when a professional writer can help.
No CommentsEdie Falco, the actress who portrayed Carmelo Soprano on the HBO series The Sopranos, said that as long as she knew her lines, her only job was to react to James Gandolfini’s character, Tony Soprano. She says that with acting she merely needs to stay out of its way.
And so it is with writing.
Sometimes writers in corporate marketing departments try too hard to get all their desired and mandated messages, buzzwords and taglines into a block of copy, resulting in a forced, internally focused message.
Communicating with your audience should be more akin to Edie interacting with Jim: Engage in a two-way dialogue, and react to what the reader will think, do and feel. While you may never win an Emmy for it, your readers will thank you — by buying your product, becoming loyal to your brand, returning to your web site, or by telling their friends.
No CommentsTightly written copy is worth the time it takes to create. A professional writer can take copy written by you or someone else in your organization and pare it down so the message — not the words — shine through.
My favorite example is a phrase of three little words. No, not those three little words; these three little words: “Pass with care.” Simple. Clear. Meaningful.
Here’s a short list of extraneous words to cut first:
actually
back
basically
due to the fact
in the final analysis
individual
is located
kind of
of the
most probably
most especially
particular
really
reason was because
seemed
somewhat
sort of
specific
the fact that
type of
up
I’ve invited my writing colleague, Jennifer Hodroge, to be my guest blogger today. For many of you, this topic will hit home in a big way. So, stop multi-tasking and take just one minute to read on.
What keeps you up at night?
Why are Americans and Europeans spending more than $3 billion dollars each year to relieve symptoms of sleeplessness? Are stresses at work and at home leading to an inability to shut-down? Unfortunately, it’s not as easy to power off your mind’s computer as your laptop. How is insomnia affecting you?
Sleep deprivation can lead to depression. Depression can lead to sleeplessness. Sleeplessness can lead to the inability to stay awake during the day. Falling asleep during the day can in turn cause more sleeplessness at night. Add to that, symptoms of fatigue and irritability and your whole life can quickly change.
So what is the answer?
I’m sure there are many, but something to consider is to reduce the number of items on your to-do list. How, you might ask? Get help! Delegate where possible. Don’t always say yes and push back when you can. Outsource where it makes sense. And, believe it or not, do less at one time. Multi-tasking can actually slow you down and prevent you from focusing on fine details.
For me, I see clients who have too many projects and not enough resources to get things done. No place do I see this more than within marketing and communication teams who are being asked to do less with more. Companies are constantly reinventing themselves or their products and need to update their internal as well as external messages. I see stressed out practitioners who know what they want to say but don’t have the time to put it together, let alone proactively plan for the future. While marketing teams are dwindling in-house, communication needs are skyrocketing.
Meanwhile, if you’re up late at night unable to settle down to sleep, do what mom always said: take a warm bath, or drink warm milk. And, as hard as it might be: skip the coffee break late in the day!!
Jennifer Hodroge
Freelance Writer, Columbus Ohio
http://www.jhcomm.net/
It’s not uncommon for me to work with clients who’ve had trouble clarifying their message.
Here’s my way of getting to it quickly: Write a newspaper-style headline.
Whether it’s an email, case study or brochure, writing the main idea as a headline (you don’t have to use it) forces you to focus on what’s most important — and on what you really want to say.
Remember that headlines are attention-grabbers. They have to make immediate sense to the reader. For inspiration, cut out some of your favorite headlines from local and national newspapers and magazines and add them to your swipe file.
No CommentsHere’s a better title for this post: Editing for Clarity.
Writing concisely and clearly takes careful self-editing of your prose. Give your copy a makeover by looking at each individual sentence. Eliminate unnecessary words and jargon, replace complex words and phrases, and chop long sentences into shorter ones.
I chose this sentence from the Johnson & Johnson web site to make my point.
BEFORE: Our corporate giving is inspired by Our Credo responsibility to the communities in which we live and work, and to the world community as well.
Huh?
AFTER: Making a difference in our neighborhood, across the country and around the world matters to us.
BETTER STILL: Making a difference matters to us.
No CommentsAs a brand, Chipotle Mexican Grill is unique. Some say their taglines are brilliant; others say they’re silly. Regardless of how you feel about their marketing (or their food), there’s no denying that Chipotle’s voice is distinctive.
Voice is who your audience hears talking when they read your offline or online marketing materials. It’s simply the way the writing “sounds” to the reader.
Most of us would never confuse Charles Dickens with John Grisham. That’s due, in part, to each author’s voice. Like authors, companies both big and small need to define, understand and then use their voice consistently to build brand loyalty and engage their customers.
To see just how unique your voice is, choose a section of copy and try swapping out your competitor’s name for yours. Sounds like it could be them? Then it’s time to rewrite that copy with your own unmistakeable voice.
But even if you think your company’s voice is unique — and especially if it isn’t — conduct a voice audit. Spend some time thinking about the voice you have or want your company to have. Write down some words to describe the voice, such as “authoritative” or “zany.” Ask contrasting questions such as, “Should/does our voice sound more like Mary Poppins, Mary J. Blige or Aunt Mary?” Look at what others are doing and find examples of what you like both inside and outside of your industry and then pinpoint what it is you find so appealing.
Once you’ve identified your voice, describe it in a few sentences and share it with your employees. Everyone in the company from the receptionist to the COO should know what the company’s voice is, how to recognize it and, most importantly, how to project it.
Still not convinced? Stop a second and think about Tom Bodett of Motel 6. You know the voice, the words, the cadence. And, most importantly, you know the company and what they stand for.
No CommentsI’m not the only writer on the planet so I’m more than happy to point my clients (and my readers) to someone who makes just plain good sense.
Enjoy this oldie-but-goodie blog post from Michel Fortin called “How to Write Carrot-Wielding Copy!”
No CommentsIn the age of blogging, texting, pinging and user-generated content, it’s easy to forget an important fundamental of good communication.
Good communication, ergo successful communication, still boils down to this: A message must be sent, received and understood.
No Comments