Begin at the end. Writing is about sending the reader on a journey. Knowing your landing spot helps you to connect your end goal to the rest of the content. It ensures the reader has a reliable road map that guides them through your topic. Otherwise, your writing risks getting off-topic or otherwise unable to achieve your goals. You might not know everything you want to include in your writing, and that's okay. But when you have a clear beginning and end, you're in a better position to fill the in-between with impact.
"If a 6th grader can't read your content, make it simpler." It's one of the most unique and effective pieces of writing advice I ever received. Writing engaging content doesn't have to include words or phrases that require the average person to google its meaning. After writing your first draft, go through it and replace uncommon & hard to pronounce words with simple ones. It'll help your readers to connect better with your content & get value out of it.
Before submitting your written work, always come back to it with a fresh pair of eyes. It's amazing how many mistakes and improvements you spot when you re-visit your writing after taking a break, especially if you have been working on it non-stop. This is something I always do with my own writing, and I advise other writers to do the same.
Where you would use a comma. Change it to a full stop. Got this from my co-founder and long time friend John Harrison. I found my writing became sharper. More to the point. And easier to read. It's not applicable 100% of the time, but, more often than not it's my go to these days.
Advice: start an editorial calendar One common problem for writers is, not surprisingly, writer's block. For me, the worst writer block is staring at a black page, trying to figure out what I'm going to write about next. This quickly turns into procrastination, then frustration. One of the things that helped me stay committed to writing something every day was an editorial calendar. You may think it's only something useful for journalists, but it's a clever trick to fix productivity for all writers. It doesn't have to be something too complicated. I did a simple Google Sheets document with a few columns: date, title of the article/piece of content/writing, and comments from the planning phase to help me when I start writing. I also use color codes to easily visualize what's going on: yellow means it's work in progress, green it's done, read means I skipped the day. Seeing a lot of green helps boost morale and seems to help with writing motivation. This was the easy part. Don't forget to add at least 10-15 calendar tasks for the upcoming days/weeks. I keep a separate sheet with ideas. Weekly or once every two weeks I pull ideas and add them to the calendar. This way I don't have to scratch my head every day to figure out what to write about.
One of the most impactful pieces of writing advice I've ever received came from Jon Morrow of Smartblogger. He emphasised that the power of a blog's opening paragraph goes beyond just SEO tactics like keyword placement. Instead, the secret sauce lies in connecting with your readers on a deeper level right from the start. Morrow advises using language that resonates with what your audience thinks, feels, and says about the topic. This approach isn't just about grabbing attention; it's about establishing a genuine connection. By showing readers that you truly understand their perspective, you encourage them to engage more deeply with your content. This advice shifted my approach to blogging, moving away from formulaic introductions to creating openings that speak directly to the reader's experiences and emotions. It's a strategy that not only boosts engagement but also builds a loyal readership by making each post feel like a conversation rather than a lecture.
Write for Yourself First The advice to "write for yourself first" essentially encourages writers to prioritize their own authentic voice, emotions, and experiences when crafting their work. It suggests that, instead of succumbing to external pressures or conforming to perceived expectations, writers should focus on expressing their genuine thoughts and feelings. This advice resonated with me in a social media post I was writing about a significant life experience winning compensation for the family of a victim who lost his life in a traffic collision. Initially, I found myself unconsciously trying to mold my writing to fit a conventional style or meet perceived expectations of what a compelling story should be. However, when I reflected on the advice and decided to truly write for myself, the narrative took a transformative turn. I delved into the raw and unfiltered aspects of my emotions, fears, and human loss during the challenging period I was describing. This shift in perspective allowed me to create a more honest and compelling piece. The real-life experience highlighted the power of authenticity in storytelling. By embracing my own voice and writing for my personal satisfaction rather than external validation, the post became more genuine and resonant. It reinforced the idea that connecting with one's emotions and staying true to personal experiences can lead to writing that not only feels more authentic to the author but also has a greater impact on the audience.
One piece of advice transformed my writing: "Write as if you're speaking to a friend." This nugget of wisdom shifted my perspective. Initially, my drafts felt stiff, like a formal suit that doesn't quite fit. But with this advice, my writing began to flow more naturally. Imagine chatting over coffee, sharing stories or explaining concepts. That's the essence this advice encapsulated. It broke down walls, making my words accessible and relatable. Why does this stand out? It bridges the gap between writer and reader. By adopting a conversational tone, I could engage my audience more effectively, making complex ideas digestible. This approach doesn't dilute professionalism; it enhances clarity. It's about finding balance, ensuring your message resonates. In a world cluttered with information, being understood is paramount. This advice was a beacon, guiding me to write not just with clarity, but with humanity.
One of the best pieces of writing advice I've encountered is to "write for one person." This advice stands out because it encourages focusing your message and tone as if you're speaking directly to a single reader, making your writing more personal, engaging, and effective. By envisioning a specific audience member, you naturally tailor your language, examples, and tone to resonate more deeply with your readership. This technique not only simplifies the writing process by clarifying whom you're writing for but also enhances the readability and relatability of your content, making it more likely to connect with your audience on a personal level. This approach can transform generic, broad communication into intimate, impactful exchanges that captivate and retain readers' attention.
Probably the best piece of writing advice I've ever been given is to write from one's own heart. It may sound easy, but being genuine and true is what writing is about. When you write from your heart, your passion is there, drawing readers in and making your writing more captivating and dynamic. A story is about taking the audience down to their hearts and getting the characters in the story to connect with them. I have been given this advice to write articles that are well-written, meaningful, and easy for my readers to understand.
Walk away. Taking a break and walking away from what you've written can make it so much easier to refine and improve your writing. Simply taking some time from what you wrote will make it so much easier to focus and really perfect your writing.
One of the best writing tips I've received is to write as if chatting with a friend, not someone at my level. This keeps things simple, especially for beginners who might not get complex terms. It ensures my message is clear, making it more engaging and understandable. This approach creates a deeper connection with readers, making the content informative but also relatable and welcoming.
One of the most distinctive writing advice I ever garnered was to 'treat writing as a conversation'. This counsel resonated with me as it reminded me that writing, like a chat, should be engaging, humanized and considering our audience reaction. As the CEO of a tech company, this inspired a more personable tone in our communication, making us more relatable to customers and stakeholders. It’s like transforming technical monologues into friendly dialogues, making even complex technology engaging.
One of the best pieces of writing advice I ever received was to "write like you talk." This simple yet powerful tip reminds me to keep my writing conversational, engaging, and relatable to my audience. By using a more natural tone, I can connect with readers on a personal level and make my content more enjoyable to read. So, next time you're stuck on how to write something, just imagine you're having a chat with a friend and let the words flow naturally.