When you have an online biz, good writing is essential.
The written word propels your business forward. Whether it’s on your blog, in articles, or on sales pages, the writing is what brings people back. Again and again.
Good writing, that is.
We’ve all been to the beautifully laid-out website, with catchy colors and eye-appealing graphics only to begin reading and find it either rambles endlessly, has jumbled-up thoughts, is boring as heck, or worse, doesn’t even make sense!
Learning how to write is like anything else. Practice makes perfect!
Here are a few of my favorite tips that will make your writing sing:
- Be concise. Don’t use a million flowery words when a few will do. Get to the point and do it quickly!
- Keep it simple. Newspapers write on a 5th grade level. There’s a reason. We all know you’re smart, but leave the four-syllable words at home!
- Forget your English teachers. I don’t mean throw out everything you learned totally, but communicating through online writing is not the same as writing a term paper.
- Be conversational. Just be yourself. Some people find it easier to connect with their audience by picturing one person and having a conversation with them. It works for many. Try it!
- Remember your audience. They have schedules too. Rambling is no good for either of you.
- Show some passion. This is your territory, on your turf. You fully enjoy the subject matter. This is the time to let your passion shine!
- Proof read. This is a no-brainer. Grammatical and spelling errors ruin your credibility.
- Show it to others. If you think you need help, let another pair of eyes critique it. Ask for honest feedback and be willing to make changes where needed.
When it’s all said and done, there are three words that will help you:
Just Do It!
Learning to write takes time, but you won’t get better at it if you don’t continue to do it. Write daily. Whatever comes to mind. You can edit and re-write later.
Take it from me. My writing is still evolving.
You can do this!
Peace,
-Martha
p.s. If you are really struggling, send me an e-mail (marthagiffen@gmail.com) and we’ll talk 
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey Martha,
You are right on the money. The ideas may be yours but your are writing for your readers.
My writing is evolving to. Especially when I enter new arenas, like writing short reports or ebooks. But the more I write the faster I become and the more my writing becomes me and my style.
It certainly is easier to write copy today compared to when I first started. However, there’s always room for improvement… and I appreciate the patience of my readers.
I have found the blogs that I gravitate too are the one’s where I enjoy the writing style as well as the content.
I have to say… that I don’t get very far reading content that is mashed together in large solid paragraphs. White space, as well as great writing style and good content keep me on the site longer.
I just loved this post. One of the most important gifts we can give in all that we do, is that of being “true” to who we are. Your advice about “Being You” when you write is so very fabulous. Once I took the social worker out my writing and expressed what I know while being who I really am…my writing engaged more people and I was much more productive. Thanks for being in my world Martha!
xoxo
Dabney
You’re absolutely right. It took me a long time to learn how to write like this . . . and I’m still learning too. I was used to writing the “term paper” way when I came online. I had to learn to write conversationally and in a concise, bullet-point kind of way (and it was fun throwing out what my teachers taught me). Ken Evoy is a great resource for writing like this. Have you read any of his stuff?