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I feel like it’s been a bit since I’ve given you a really valuable, tactical, science-backed writing lesson.
So today, I want you to pick your own adventure.
Below, you'll find my three best, most in-depth posts on writing.
Choose the one that best lines up with whatever you need help with this week (or could use a little refresher on.) Here are your options:
Read moreDo you ever feel like your writing voice is a little...droning?
As you read back something you've written, maybe you hear something reminiscent of Ben Stein’s nasally voice saying, “Bueller?...Bueller?”
Sometimes when we forget to vary our sentence structure, the end result feels a little stiff and boring. The flow just isn’t there.
In the past couple weeks, I’ve written a bit about the why and how when it comes to transforming your ideas into words.
I’ve also encouraged you to take the plunge and dive in and just start writing.
But...what if your idea isn’t quite ready yet?
In most cases, here’s the general rub: You have a few general ideas you’d love to dive into in writing...but translating them into actual sentences (that flow well, use proper grammar, tell a story, etc.)...that’s hard.
The bad news is there’s no quick fix. I can’t snap my fingers or wiggle my nose and solve this for you. However, you can start chipping away at the roadblocks that go along with this issue. You do that by working through some of the things that can trip you up along the way to getting your butt in a chair and writing the thing you wanna write.
Do I *really* have to put together an outline before I start writing? Is it entirely necessary?
I say the answer is yes.
At least for me, outlining has been a tactic that’s helped me manage writing articles and blog posts both large and small in a way that’s both logical and piecemealed so it's more manageable. Bonus: It helps me get past the blank page with ease.
Interesting subject line, eh?
I’ll be honest...it was a little clickbait-y.
BUT — it’s also true.
See, I’ve been taking some MasterClass courses to get me through the cruel, cold winter.
I started with the classes on comedy (because there’s nothing funnier than having someone break down the nuts and bolts of a joke to you, right? Hehe...heh...no.)
Writing takes practice. It takes an openness to critique. It takes a desire to improve.
Most of the people I know want that quick shortcut that’ll instantly make their writing better. So today, we’re going to talk about that.
I love it when I get questions from readers of this newsletter in my inbox. LOVE. IT. Laura Bosco sent me a question last week.
She asked: How can I help one of my clients sound humble and confident when we write for his brand?
On one hand we want to be confident in what we know, but on the other hand, we don't want to come across as arrogant. A lot of advice is situational, there are many gray areas, and plenty of folks are smarter than we are. So how do you strike a good balance between the two?
Such a great question. An important one, too.
When you hear the world explicit, your mind might go straight to that parental advisory sticker you see on CDs sometimes.
Today, I’m not talking about being explicit in that context. I’m talking about being explicit in the sense of communicating clearly, as in: “She was explicitly clear about her directions.”
Why? Because so often a major failure of communication (written or otherwise) happens when we aren’t explicit.
I want you to picture me wearing a black turtleneck for this newsletter, k? Channeling all the Sinead O’Connor vibes.
Ugh. Sorry. I’m old. That joke probably landed for about 15% of you.
Whatevs, let’s move on!
Today, I wanna talk about the problem with comparing ourselves to other writers. Because it is, indeed, a problem. And there are things you can do about it.
The first draft of anything I write (when I’m writing as me, not a client) is pure stream of consciousness onto the page. And by putting my inner dialogue onto the page (unfiltered), the writing voice is a reflection of my personality, my quirks, and how I sound in my most natural state.
Guess what? You can do that, too.
Ever tried writing something without clear direction before? It’s a freakin’ nightmare.
You don’t know who you’re writing for. Or why. Or really what you’re writing about. I’ve been there, and I’ve learned that it just doesn’t work.
That’s why now, I start every writing assignment with a creative brief (which I plop right into the top of the Google Doc for reference as I write.)
This fall, I’ll have my first *ever* intern through one of the local colleges.
Working alongside me, said intern will get some hands-on experience with writing, running a business, and working in the online/freelance environment (mostly with software and eCommerce companies.)
There’s one thing I hear from writers more than anything else.
Know what it is?
It’s that they don’t feel confident in their writing abilities.
I gathered six of the best pieces of writing advice from writers and authors who are ~way~ smarter than me.
My hope is that these bite-sized pieces of writing wisdom will help you with whatever type of writing it is you’re working on this week.
Is there anything worse than submitting a piece of writing somewhere and getting it sent back with endless edits?
Opening a document filled with notes is like an instant gut-punch.
It says, “You didn’t nail this one.”
When it comes to writing, sometimes getting started is the hardest part.
It can result in hours of procrastination, sweaty palms, and a last-minute scramble as a deadline approaches.
So what’s behind the first draft intimidation — and how can writers overcome it?
The title of today’s writing lesson is inspired by the book 10% Happier, which I’ve been listening to lately on audiobook.
Dan Harris (the author) talks about being a fidgety skeptic in regard to meditation...and that got me thinking:
That’s how I feel about a lot of sales-oriented writing.
Fidgety. Skeptical. It just doesn't work for me.
Today’s not so much a writing how-to in the traditional sense; it’s more of a how-I-do.
Cue the Montell Jordan!
Ahem, sorry about that.
Anyway: I wanted to share a few of my favorite things that help me write in hopes that maybe they’ll help you, too. Even if you’re not a writer, some of these items could make a nice addition to your workspace.
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