We are always slightly amused by the amount of people who, in conversation, exclaim that they “can’t write.” While there indeed is an art and talent to writing (just as there is to playing an instrument or making a movie), there are ways that anyone can become a better writer – and the first step is opening oneself up to it. There are times when the average young professional (YP) may be required to write, whether it is a wedding speech, a meaningful birthday card, a cover letter, or even a love letter (let’s hope this still exists in more than just our daydreams). Here are some tips that help us and make our day full of deadlines a little less daunting:
Be in the right place
It helps to be in a location that is conducive to writing and creative inspiration. This may be a library for some, a park on a nice day, curled up in front of the fire in the winter, or even shamelessly in bed on the weekends with a cup of tea. Of course, this place of inspiration may be different for all, but choose a location free of distraction, but also with windows so you don’t find yourself staring blankly at a wall. The weather can have a huge impact as well, especially on those overcast, calm days that have somewhat of a dreamy vibe that make us want to lock ourselves indoors and write the afternoon away. Keep in mind though that being in the right place will have little benefit if you have left the task until the 11th hour – when no environment can save your high levels of anxiety and frantically typing fingers.
Get it all out
We had a teacher in PR school that always insisted on writing a “crappy first draft.” The designation of “crappy” was simply meant to avoid lamenting over each word, sentence and punctuation mark as you go along, but rather to get all of your thoughts out on paper first and foremost; then go back and cut and paste, refine, reword and reformat. Some of the most powerful examples, beautiful imagery and sound opinions can come from the open-minded, free-typing “crappy first draft” approach. Remember, it is easier to take away from a piece than to add. With that said, write down your 5-10 key messages and points ahead of time so you at least have a roadmap of the general direction.
Take a break
Writer’s block happens to the best of us. It can be frustrating and time consuming to feel like you are staring at the computer screen in vain while nothing seems to be working. If you’re not on a tight deadline, take a break to meet a friend for lunch, hit the gym or take a walk. Not only will revisiting the piece with a new set of eyes aid in detecting errors and subpar arguments, you may gain inspiration in terms new ideas and key messages in the time spent away from it.
Make it your own
Unless you’re writing a professional or legal letter (or something of the sort), don’t let the intimidation and formalities of the written word take away from your unique voice. If it is a speech or a letter you are writing, ask yourself if it sounds like you. Does it flow the way you would in natural conversation? Good writers give their work character. For certain stories, each journalist is sent the exact same press releases and promotional material and it is therefore each media person’s job to make the information their own. Otherwise, they would all simply state the same facts. So, if it is a love letter that you are writing, rather than repeating the words “I love you” over and over, explain exactly why you love that person. If it is a restaurant review, don’t simply call the food “tasty, delicious and memorable,” but explain exactly why it is that way in your opinion.
Examples and visuals
Meaningful writing is full of supporting examples and anecdotes and rich with colourful images. Much like we were taught essay writing in grade school, try to support each key point with examples. Something that a particular teacher told us years ago has stood out in our mind: “Who cares?” With every point made, ask yourself why the reader(s) should care…and let them know. Some of the best examples and ideas come in your daily life when you are not even thinking about that writing project currently on hold on your laptop. Make a note of such things on your smartphone—an accumulation of fresh ideas may inspire a revisit of that Word Doc and to get back to work.
A our final piece of advice: just go for it. To be honest, the biggest challenge is sitting down and getting it done. What are you waiting for?