1. Add value to your business giving you a 'heads up' on simple tips and techniques may not have heard about
Tip of the week - becoming a better writer
What are the problems?
Speakers are no different from many other people who work in the professional services arena, in that they plan far more articles than they actually end up writing. Everybody knows the value of writing - the credibility and extra marketing leverage that well placed articles can bring. However, so few speakers, it seems to me, actually end up applying their fingers to the keyboard.
Why?
"Lack of time" is the common reply and for sure, they'll be some truth in this. Without diverting this article into one addressing time management, what I'd like to focus on is how you can better use the time that you do actually manage to ring-fence for "writing". This then is an introduction to several techniques, the application of which should improve the efficiency with which you write and also improve the quality of the end result.
Technique 1 - Be specific
Write everything to a clear purpose. Have a specific audience in mind. If you are hoping to get your article published by a particular journal make sure you contact the publisher and acquaint yourself with their editorial schedule. Understand their readership and make sure that you re-read and edit your work from their perspective. In summary, do (pretty much) all you can to avoid a general article that will appeal to "everyone". It won't and for that reason won't be published.
Technique 2 - Be bold
Provide a clear focus for a debate of the salient issues, but make sure you have an opinion and clear state it. Build your case in support of your view. Practice creating single sentences that clearly encapsulate your view. In time you'll get so good at this that these will become the titles (or sub-titles) of your articles.
Technique 3 - Use a model
Using a model will help you in structuring your work. You will produce better work quicker. There are several approaches to models - experiment with some of these:
3a) Set 'em up and knock 'em down
This model is useful if you want to build your case by illustrating the weaknesses in others. So in an article on project management methods (for example), you might write about various methods, pointing out their weaknesses and strengths. Throughout the article you would be building you case as to why a particular method was best.
3b) Case studies
These are a great way of illustrating how stuff happens in the real world. You might start by posing a question (for example, "Does adhering to a project management method improve the quality of the deliverable?") and then set out to answer it via three-four different case studies.
3c) How to...
This formula is great if you're looking for a fairly simple, step-by-step approach to a particular issue. For example, "How to implement project management in the dog kennel construction industry".
3d) Survey expansion
This formula involves seeking out a survey that would interest you readers and then expanding on the findings of the survey itself. For example, following the project management theme above, you might find a survey on the usability of various project management software packages. Such a survey is bound to be full of interesting information capable of being looked at in a fresh way.
That's all for this week. If you have ideas for material you'd like us to cover in the Journal, then please let me know.
Regards,
Chris Davidson
Editor@ProfessionalSpeakersJournal.com
The Professional Speakers Journal is published by Active Presence Limited of the United Kingdom.
Registered Office: No.1 The Mews, 6 Putney Common, London. SW15 1HL
Registered in England: 45588126
VAT number: GB854 2129 33
Effective Networking
