My schedule got all wonky today. An old/new client postponed a meeting and a rush project came to a screeching halt (for the moment). I don’t mind. I always have plenty of projects going on and appreciate the opportunity to pick the one I feel like working on vs. the one on deadline.

While working a bit on my home-study web content/copywriting course, I got to the part about generating ideas. That led me to start a blog post about finding content in the everyday, which led me to thinking about blogs I like and why, which led me to revising my original post to the one you’re reading now.

Whew. A bit circuitous, but that’s how ideas work most times.

And it proves my point, which is that by writing about something very ordinary that happened to me (working a blog post), I can share an idea that may prove helpful to you (write about your everyday life no matter who you are or what your blog is about).

My favorite bloggers do just that. Leo Babauta, Brian Clark and Alaina Sheer continually, constantly and consistently write stuff worth reading because they write about their lives and how it relates to you and to me.

Business and political blogs, on the other hand, have a tendency to slog, drone and drag their way through post after post with a self-serving agenda.

Who wants to read that?

So I propose a business and political blog revolution.

I propose that business and political bloggers (CEOs, politicians, their ghostwriters and the like) stop writing about their business or agenda — and start writing about their life and the application of it to the rest of us.

Wouldn’t it be more interesting to read about Carly Fiorina the woman on the campaign trail than to read a deadly, dull post that goes something like this: “During this morning’s event, Fiorina rode in a parade vehicle alongside Huntington Beach City Councilman Gil Coerper; Councilman Coerper’s son, Major Michael Coerper …”

Oh, joy and rapture. Carly road in a parade vehicle. (Who even talks like that?)

Instead, do what Carly doesn’t do and use your blog to let people live inside your world (at least part of it for a little while).

Tell us something personal and meaningful and then make a point about it.

Let us get to know you, the person with ideas — instead force-feeding us the prim, proper and staid persona you want to project.

Agree or disagree?

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Ever since I bought a Venus Embrace razor, I shave my legs daily.

It’s soooo easy.

No soap.
No shaving cream.
Just zip, zip, done.

But recently I noticed my old razor sitting forlornly on a shelf in the medicine cabinet. And, along with it, three unused blades.

Frugality taunted me.

So, I temporarily retired the Venus Embrace and, ahem, embraced my old razor.

But the darn thing has a too-small handle.
It has a super-small shaving head.
There’s no handy-dandy shower holder.
And there’s no slime bar.

(Gillette calls it a “ribbon of moisture” but, hey, they’re not on my client list, so as a consumer, I call it “slime bar.”)

It’s a real pain to shave with the new/old razor.
And so I don’t.
Well, not often, anyway.

The problem is not the razor.

The problem is that it’s the WRONG TOOL for the job (shaving in the shower vs. shaving in the tub).

Which got me to thinking …

That’s what happens to writers: sometimes we use the wrong tool for the job.

And it doesn’t work as well — or as easily — as the right tool.

Take, for example, a thesaurus.

This one is good.
But this one is even better.

Why?

Because one is more literal and one is more thought provoking.

One gives me easy options but the other forces me to be more creative.
And that makes me a better writer.

Which tools do you use? Which tools make you a better writer — and which tools need to be dumped from your toolbox?

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I spend a lot of time on this blog talking about writing and communicating and all that. It’s what I do.

I love it, of course. And you, dear readers, seem to like it too. (Thank you.)

But sometimes I don’t wanna come up with another post titled “3 tips for better communication” or “How to write faster and better.”

Sometimes.
I just.
Wanna.
Write.
About.
Something else.

Sometimes I just wanna share my ideas, thoughts, opinions and experiences.

About nothing.
About me.
About life.

And life is a series of planned and unplanned conversations. Of good communication. Of bad. Of humor. Of sadness. Of humanity.

And so, that’s what I’m gonna do. Inspired by Christine, modeled by Dawn and informed by Alaina, I’m going to start writing about all kinds of things here.

I hope you like the change.

I know I do.

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Regardless of who the copywriter is on your next project — you, a colleague, a subordinate or a freelancer — make a vow to get or give proper feedback. Note that I said feedback, not criticism.

Feedback, according to Merriam-Webster, is “the transmission of evaluative or corrective information.” Criticism, on the other hand, is “the act of criticizing unfavorably.” (Isn’t that a typical dictionary definition?!) Criticism, in my opinion, does nothing to move the copy forward like feedback does.

Before learning how to use feedback to get great copy, you have to understand that copywriting is never done well when it’s done in a vacuum. Taking the time to get and give feedback — and then using that feedback to refine the copy — always leads to better results.

A couple of years ago I worked on a video script for a major pharmaceutical company. My first draft was solid, however, feedback from the project team really helped me streamline and sharpen the final copy. I’m grateful that the client provided clear and appropriate feedback; some of which was related to things surrounding the brand that I, as a consultant, could not possibly have known.

Here’s how to give the kind of feedback that promotes great copy:

1. When possible, allow the writer to briefly present the copy. Writers make a lot of decisions throughout the copywriting process and likely have a  reason for why they wrote what they did. If you go into the feedback process with insight into the copy process, you’ll at least be able to determine whether or not the writer succeeded in achieving what they said they would.
2. Read the copy to yourself. Not skim. Not scan. Not skip. Read the entire copy through once; then read it again, this time out loud.
3. On the third read-through, put yourself in the reader’s shoes. Ask yourself if the main message is presented early, clearly and succinctly. The copy should always address the benefit(s) to the reader in a way that’s both memorable and easy to understand.
4. Make note of the copy’s positives and start the feedback process there. You or your writer will be more open to hearing and receiving feedback that starts with the positive.
5. Conduct a SWOT analysis, looking for the copy’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. During your SWOT analysis, look for common copy mistakes such as vagueness, redundancies and overuse of jargon. Identify any potentially confusing areas, looking to see if the overall flow of the copy makes sense.
6. Watch for your own biases. If you prefer the word “prior” over the word “before,” don’t sweat it. Unless it changes the meaning of the message or is completely off-brand, let it go. Limit your feedback to the messaging of the copy rather than word-for-word commentary. That being said, be as specific as possible in your feedback. Instead of saying, “The copy is boring,” explain the ‘why’ behind your feedback, such as “The copy lacks an emotional connection. Use a success story to illustrate the point.”

So even if you choose to call feedback constructive criticism, make use of these six tips for giving good feedback. Your writer will thank you. But, more importantly, your reader will.

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