Social Entrepreneur Site

WHEN WRITING BECAME PERSONABLE

I woke up late again today and on day 83 with a broken leg. For the curious, it was due to a four wheeler accident while doing a project in California resulting in a fractured tibia and fibula. Needless to say, I have a bit more time to write =)

You may have noticed my posts have been rather sporadic through last year. This year I hope to change that and post with a bit more consistency. So here I sit, laptop open just finished eating a snack, got comfortable ready to rock and roll when I find ideas just weren’t coming to me today! It happens as I’m sure a lot of bloggers and online writers have experienced. Sometimes lack of sleep just leaves us scatter brained or writers block sneaks up on us.

It’s nice when we have the luxury of visiting our comfortable spot, a place of zen where we go and prepare to churn out our creative works. But some of us don’t always have that luxury. It’s for this reason I’ve put together a quick little outline to help you, as well as myself get the ball rolling. First and for most…

DEVELOP A WRITING SCHEDULE

Writing schedules are quick way to give yourself some consistency in writing and makes for a successful blog since new posts are fuel for growth. Of coarse keeping yourself on the schedule is another story, please refer to my Improving Self Discipline article for more about keeping yourself motivated and sticking to your plans as well as the Improving Creativity and Innovation article to help you find the inspiration for a new article. However below is a simple bulleted list how you can always have something to write about.

• Create and maintain a List of 20 New Ideas to write about in cue for Outline
• Keep 5 Bulleted Outlines in queue that include Main Ideas and notes
• Keep at least 5 ROUGH DRAFTS in reserves
• Publish at least 3-5 Posts Per week

DECIDING ON FORMAT

It’s noteworthy to mention some mediums might be better than others depending what kind of message you are trying to get across. You may want to combine various mediums the more complex the message is. Every person is different some soak in audio better than reading, others may grasp pictures easier. The more mediums used to describe your message the more it lends itself to being understood.

• Video
• Photos
• Audio (voice music or both)
• Mixed Media (video,photos,text, art)
• Art (drawings, digital design)
• Interactive (forms, applications, flash, learning programs)

TYPES OF MESSAGE TO CONSIDER

Here are some general types of messages or communication that you may want to consider. Again depending on the message your trying to get across will determine which type may be the better choice. Example: a Funny post might be used to neutralize some of the harsh opinions prior to addressing a serious or abrasive issue. You can also use a mix of these in the same post, Example: Use a Motivational portion of your article leading to a call to action to purchase a related product or service.

• Persuasive
• Informative
• Entertaining
• Funny/Comic
• Advertisement
• Inspirational
• Motivational
• Spiritual Message
• Call to Action

SPECIFIC WRITING TYPES

It helps if you mix up the writing types in your posts, It keeps things interesting. Changing styles may also help spur additional inspiration, creative thinking or a new way to relay a message.

• Q & A:                          Someone poses a question and then you answer it.
• Tips/How To Steps:     Include a few paragraphs of explanation followed by tips or steps
• Story:                          Personal story or experience used to relay a point
• List:                             This might be a list of great websites, great books etc.
• Quiz or Test:                You pose a series of questions or offer a check off list reader must figure out.
• Review:                        Review of Products or services
• Opinion:                       Write an Opinion article about a “issue” in your market
• Testimonial:                  Testimonial on Products or services
• Top 10:                        Write a top 10/50/100 list on something
• Growing Trends:           Write about or highlight Emerging trends
• Sarcasm:                       Eg, tell people how to make sure their site fails, list how to be a failure
• Event:                           Competition, Challenge or Test encouraging Interactive participation by readers
• Statistical:                    Similar to trends however more focused on the numbers, charts and graphs

TIPS FOR WRITING TITLES

Ok for most I don’t have to tell you the importance of your title. There is lots of research you can do on the perfect title, however you want it to stir an emotion or strike our curiosity. You want to include an emotional hook that will encourage others to continue reading your message.

An Emotional Hook in your Title should

• Have a Theme:           What’s the overall theme of your message?
• Evoke an Emotion:      What emotion do you invoke or target in your title?
• Hook:                       What method will you use to invoke the emotion?

1.   A top 5 or top 10 list with a must-read adjective like “Fatal”: Top 5 Fatal Mistakes Bloggers Make That drive readers away

2.   Title describing a secret that everyone must know: The Secret to Doubling Traffic on Your Web Site that Will Drive Your Competitors Crazy

3.   Title describing a Problem or Dilemma: Do you really want your children in today’s Public Education System?

4.   A warning: Warning: How Your Web Site is Ruining Your Personal Brand

5.   A compelling question and answer: Q: Who knows how to write a title that increased traffic by 700%? A: Your Do!

6.   Title describing a Setting: It was a clear night, the moon was full, then it happened

7.   An irresistible story, this example is considered to be one of the best ad titles in the 20th century by John Caples: “They laughed when I sat down to play the piano…But when I started to play!”

8.   Comparison Title or one successful and one unsuccessful person: A tale of two brothers, both smart, both handsome, both had a college education… one subscribed to the Wall Street journal and became a successful stock investor.. the other… didn’t... From Wall Street Journals commercial.

9.   Title with a Comparison: He was as audacious as a 7yr old in his writing

10.  An irresistible benefit: Now you can finally double your online sales conversions at 1/4 the price

11.  A headline that creates urgency via a deadline or other means:
       This is the last day to win a free Corvette, Sign up now this offer will expire forever at 12 midnight

12.  Use a descriptive Metaphor to describe your title: The world is a Vampire (Smashing Pumpkins), His life is like a Picasso

13.  Begin your title with a definition or defining sentence: Humble would be how they described him, yet subtly full of life.

14.  Title with quotation or something you were told:
       “Life is like a Box of Chocolates, you never know what your going to get”
       “He told me, its not who you know, its how bad you want it” Mike Herrera

15.  Title describing the future: In 10yrs they will say this was Horrible!

DO YOU FEEL WHAT IM SAYING

Invoking an emotion does not only apply to titles, it is also very important in persuasive writing, ad writing or if you want draw a call to action. People act whether positively or negatively due to their emotions. When they read something, they will not take action in either direction until an emotion has been triggered. That being said, you want to write in an “Evocative” manner.

Provide your message with words that make the reader FEEL a certain way, they evoke an emotion. When trying to write evocative text, it is worth considering the different senses that might be activated or triggered in the mind of the reader such as possible sights, sounds and interpretations.

Some words simply lend themselves more to stirring up an emotion, words like "excruciating" or "slithered" may trigger feelings of perhaps helplessness or disgusted respectively. Nouns on the other hand are more specific descriptors and may conjure up remembered images, sounds, smells or actions which can also help your message, but might not trigger as strong an emotional response.

Make your writing more Passionate by including Evocative descriptors

DO YOU SAY WHAT YOU FEEL

Lastly, from my own experience, and as you may have noticed from some of my previous posts, some were very technical, but they could have been very personable. This is something I’m working to correct.

In today’s social networks, readers like personable, they want someone or something they can relate to. We are sociable creatures by nature so it shouldn’t come as a surprise people want “Real”. We want to know the Blog is more than a website alone in the vast World Wide Web with lots of words on it! We want to know YOU! The person behind it all.

SO don’t be afraid to let your unique personality come through. This will make for unique articles as well. It also keeps your from having to write in a manner where your holding back, or writing in a overly structured robotic or mono-toned manner that might leave your readers snoring on their keyboard.

So back to my broken leg… its almost healed! I can’t wait.. broken tibia's are no fun!