Looking at our younger daughter’s high school yearbook last night, I was drawn to the words, not the pictures. I’m an anomaly, certainly, but there are still people like me in the world who look at “what” is being said to see if it’s original, worthwhile or interesting as opposed to just glancing at pictures or skimming a few lines.
There were many repetitive phrases in write-ups of the students in the yearbook, and I quickly stopped reading each of those. The ones with a unique tone or message kept my attention. That’s a simple equation to consider that helps your writing: Stay away from clichés; think about what you have to say that stands out; write it in your own words, not someone else’s.
Several of the accolades for the seniors used the phrase, “she is beautiful inside and out.” On the face of it, there is nothing wrong with that line, and it’s nice. But it’s also a stereotype (did anyone write “he is beautiful inside and out?”). Witness that the exact phrase was used at least three times and you see it’s nothing new.
Writing is work, and you can’t expect everyone putting something into words for a high school yearbook to be a pro writer. But in a business environment, you should guide yourself by remembering that many people are drawn to your words, not just the pictures, charts or graphs. Make what you say meaningful. Take extra time to craft it using examples that speak directly to your case and illuminate your points in ways that resonate with the reader.
If you follow these tips, more will read what you wrote, and once you capture their attention, they will be far more likely to read it thoroughly.
There were many repetitive phrases in write-ups of the students in the yearbook, and I quickly stopped reading each of those. The ones with a unique tone or message kept my attention. That’s a simple equation to consider that helps your writing: Stay away from clichés; think about what you have to say that stands out; write it in your own words, not someone else’s.
Several of the accolades for the seniors used the phrase, “she is beautiful inside and out.” On the face of it, there is nothing wrong with that line, and it’s nice. But it’s also a stereotype (did anyone write “he is beautiful inside and out?”). Witness that the exact phrase was used at least three times and you see it’s nothing new.
Writing is work, and you can’t expect everyone putting something into words for a high school yearbook to be a pro writer. But in a business environment, you should guide yourself by remembering that many people are drawn to your words, not just the pictures, charts or graphs. Make what you say meaningful. Take extra time to craft it using examples that speak directly to your case and illuminate your points in ways that resonate with the reader.
If you follow these tips, more will read what you wrote, and once you capture their attention, they will be far more likely to read it thoroughly.