By: Sarah Vogel
Actually, I should make that five. The first tip is developing a title or headline that piques a reader’s interest. Didn’t the title of this post do that? Using numbers in titles is a great way to get your content noticed.
While I can’t promise that the other four tips will make you a great writer, I can promise that they will help your writing become more strategic, and hopefully, more effective.
Tip #1: Don’t forget the first rule of communications: know your audience.
Before you put pen to paper (or realistically, fingers to keyboard), think about who your audience is, what you want to tell them, and how they want to receive the information you have to share. Let’s say you’re writing a press release. How do you get reporters to read it?
First, make sure the content is short and answers the “5Ws” (Who, Where, When, What and Why). Reporters prefer facts over fluff. Next, make sure it has credible content, like a quote from a government official and a point of contact for more information. Most important, the press release should have a sentence or two that emphasizes why the information you’re sharing is actually newsworthy. The fact that your organization is hosting a gala isn’t newsworthy. The fact that the funds raised at the gala will pay for 10 local students to go to college is.
Tip #2: If there’s a simpler word, use it.
Writers are often so entrenched in a particular topic that it’s difficult for them to step back and remember the power of word choice. When writing, avoid reaching for the SAT vocabulary book. Instead, use simple and easy-to-understand words that will help make a piece of writing clear and memorable.
Words like “use,” “show,” and “find” are common for a reason. It’s because people understand what they mean when they are used. Words like “utilize,” “illustrate,” and “ascertain” have similar meanings, but selecting the simpler versions of these terms ensures your message doesn’t get lost in the clutter of complicated vocabulary words.
Tip #3: Ask yourself: “Who did what?”
My mom is a former English teacher who never forgets the power of good grammar. One of her pet peeves is when writers use passive voice. That is, when people make the subject of the sentence the object of it. For example, “I love you” is an easy sentence to understand. I (the subject) love you (the object). This sentence is in the active voice.
When this sentence is written in passive voice, it reads “You are loved by me.” You can still understand the sentence, but it’s not nearly as clear or concise.
To help me remember the active voice, my mom told me to think about “who did what.” Using that lens will help you tighten up sentences and make them easier to read and understand.
Tip #4: Never underestimate the power of a good ending.
Mrs. Isaac, my fourth grade teacher, was another writing mentor of mine. One of the best lessons she taught me was that the end of a piece of writing is like the bow on a present; if it’s tied right, it will bring everything together.
As you write, think about how you want the last sentences of your piece to impact the people that read it. Do you want them to start thinking about something? Do you want them to visit a website or learn more about a topic? Ask yourself how your ending can inspire a call to action.
Speaking of endings, here we are at the end of this post. Now, I’d like you to share your favorite writing tip. What tidbit has helped take your writing from good to great (or at least to strategic)?