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Three Simple Steps to Better Writing It’s a thin line that separates an amateur writer from a professional. Amateurs simply write to write. This can create loads of content, and maybe give them a feeling of satisfaction, but it accomplishes little to increase business or move a reader to action.
So what is the goal of great writing? Professional writers have one main goal in mind with their writing: to change their audience. Great writers try hard to help their audience see through different eyes, act differently, and change the way they interact with the world.
Who can’t string together a bunch of words and make a sentence? Just take a peek at the majority of blogs out there… there’s not much talent required. But to have real power in your writing you have to impact the audience. Not merely educational, but it’s also influential. And powerful writing requires only three easy steps: 1) writing for a targeted audience, 2) publishing in the correct medium, and 3) appropriate conversion.
Specific Audience
If you want to get in touch with your audience, it’s absolutely crucial you understand them. Get out of your own viewpoint, and write from their perspective. One of the first things I do with everything I write is identify my target audience. Consider things like age, gender, location, income level, purchasing habits, hobbies, talents, interests, etc.
As soon as I’ve identified whom it is I’m talking to, I create a custom message for that audience. If I’m writing for a younger audience, say 18-25, I will use words like fresh, cutting-edge and innovative. Words like that have far less impact on the 60+ crowd, who are more interested in whats proven, safe and effective.
Correct Medium
Right medium means the location of your message. There are many different places you can publish, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. You can use magazines, newspapers, books, journals, even radio and TV. There are also blogs, websites, ezines and other online mediums, as well. Which medium you use is determined largely by your audience.
For instance, if I’m writing an article on monetary policy (my intended audience might be economists), the best venue is probably an academic journal rather than an online method. Few people can stand to read long blocks of important text on a computer screen without eye fatigue.
A newspaper or magazine would not generally work in this instance either. There’s simply not enough space. However, if I am covering a topic that is short and sweet, it makes perfect sense to use newspapers.
The typical reader will skim over the words looking for things that catch their eye, especially when reading online. But if you were to publish in another medium – one more suitable to your readers expectations – they are far more likely to slow down and read. Choose the medium that best fits your topic and your audience.
Correct Conversion
The three main types of conversion are know, feel, and do. When you write a know piece, you’re seeking to inform the reader with new facts, or possible old facts arranged in a new light. You’re trying to help them learn. With a feel article, then point is to develop a strong emotional reaction from the reader. And with a do piece, you’re trying to get them to do something, to take some form of action.
An amateur, when they realize there are three forms, tries to cover all three in the same article. Big mistake. A pro will concentrate on only one outcome, because he or she knows that it will affect the other two. You should ask: How does the readers life change as a result of reading this article? What do I as the writer want to see happen to them? Do I want them to know, to feel, or to do something? Know that if you pick only one focus, and you write well, the rest will take care of itself.
If you want your message to actually have impact, you must learn to write for change. Know whom you’re writing to, use the right location to reach them, and choose the right conversion and execute it well. After all, writing that changes you is the only writing worth reading.
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