Image courtesy Supertrooper/freedigitalphotos.net Think back to your eighth grade English class – all those literary devices and creative writing exercises. Well, you can forget all that, right? It has no place in the professional business world.
Wrong! A thousand times wrong.
Those creative writing techniques were designed to keep readers engaged, interested, and wanting more. Sounds like the ideal customer, yes?
While flowery metaphors and complex allegories are probably a little much for the business world, some basic creative writing techniques can help improve all varieties of communication.
Give these techniques a chance; besides being helpful, they can also be a lot of fun to write.
1. Hook
Be bold. Begin with an anecdote, a surprise, or a particularly interesting fact. Begin with a quote, a question, or an answer.
Begin with something unique.
Getting people interested in what you have to say is one of the hardest parts of writing, so experiment with the beginnings. Ask yourself, objectively, if you weren’t the writer, would you keep reading after the first sentence?
2. Descriptors
Imagine a weary student choosing between two articles:
“Antarctica”
or
“The Frigid Desert Few Have Ever Seen: Antarctica”
Description isn’t just for advertising – it’s for any time we want to evoke some extra spark in our readers. Be careful not to overdo it though. Description needs to be balanced with clarity and simplicity.
3. Plot
Every good piece of writing has a beginning, middle, and end. It has some action and some resolve. Plot gives the words and paragraphs a shape.
Flat line reading will usually induce sleep.
4. Practice and Have Fun
Writing is a muscle (Aha! A metaphor!). It needs to be exercised. Practice looking at things in new ways. Try different approaches. Rewrite the same opening in three different ways and see which one you like better.
Don’t be afraid to show some personality. Strangely, this does take practice. It can make you feel vulnerable, but your readers appreciate vulnerability. Readers connect to vulnerability. If you would like help in injecting your written communication with creativity, please reach out to us anytime and let’s talk!
Wrong! A thousand times wrong.
Those creative writing techniques were designed to keep readers engaged, interested, and wanting more. Sounds like the ideal customer, yes?
While flowery metaphors and complex allegories are probably a little much for the business world, some basic creative writing techniques can help improve all varieties of communication.
Give these techniques a chance; besides being helpful, they can also be a lot of fun to write.
1. Hook
Be bold. Begin with an anecdote, a surprise, or a particularly interesting fact. Begin with a quote, a question, or an answer.
Begin with something unique.
Getting people interested in what you have to say is one of the hardest parts of writing, so experiment with the beginnings. Ask yourself, objectively, if you weren’t the writer, would you keep reading after the first sentence?
2. Descriptors
Imagine a weary student choosing between two articles:
“Antarctica”
or
“The Frigid Desert Few Have Ever Seen: Antarctica”
Description isn’t just for advertising – it’s for any time we want to evoke some extra spark in our readers. Be careful not to overdo it though. Description needs to be balanced with clarity and simplicity.
3. Plot
Every good piece of writing has a beginning, middle, and end. It has some action and some resolve. Plot gives the words and paragraphs a shape.
Flat line reading will usually induce sleep.
4. Practice and Have Fun
Writing is a muscle (Aha! A metaphor!). It needs to be exercised. Practice looking at things in new ways. Try different approaches. Rewrite the same opening in three different ways and see which one you like better.
Don’t be afraid to show some personality. Strangely, this does take practice. It can make you feel vulnerable, but your readers appreciate vulnerability. Readers connect to vulnerability. If you would like help in injecting your written communication with creativity, please reach out to us anytime and let’s talk!
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