Drum roll please…

The book is finally here.  Yes, that’s right.  The book.  THE book.

The book of the blog is finally here.

199 Ways to Write with Confidence is a compilation of the best of the Confident Writing blog.

According to the blurb (which admittedly, I wrote):

It’s packed full of writing tips, virtual coaching, ideas and inspiration to give you the self-belief and writing skills you need to write with confidence.

I got a lot of help from all of you in writing and publishing the book: giving me the idea, then the encouragement, and the motivation to keep going – not to mention all the feedback you’ve given me on the posts which have worked their way into the book.

Now I need a bit more help with what happens next.  Here’s how:

5 Ways You Can Help

1. Buy a copy of the book

You can buy a copy of the book from the Writing Space online store. Click here to purchase a copy, or click on this image of the store front (that’s the site you’ll get taken to).

It costs £7.99 plus postage and packaging.

[Update: that's about $13 USD, plus p&p - Paypal will calculate the exact amount for you.]

If you’d like a signed copy please let me know in the ‘instructions to merchant’ box in the final page (on Paypal).

2. Buy a copy for a friend

3. Tell other people who might enjoy it

4. Let me know if you write about at your place

(I’ll include a link to reviews and references in the buy the book page)

5. Share your good ideas for spreading the word

Marketing isn’t my strong suit, so if you’ve got ideas for things I could or should be doing to get the book out there, to make it easier to find or to buy, please do nudge, hint, cajole, encourage.

Thank you

The labels you’re given, or that you learn to apply to yourself, can hold you back.  Limit your sense of what is possible.

Peeling off those labels, and replacing them with words that create space, opportunity, and possibility can be a powerful thing.

I wrote that back in April of this year and I think, to be honest, I’ve been reflecting on what it means for me ever since.

Was the label of Confident Writing limiting me in some way?  Was there another structure, framework, or label that would make sense and help to create a more powerful sense of what was possible?  Was there a different way to channel my ideas and energies?

Big questions that have been rumbling and rolling around for most of the last six months.

Working out how to manage the blogging demands of comments and conversation has brought some of those considerations to a head, at least in terms of how I organise myself online.

I’m still trying to figure some of this out, and I know I haven’t yet worked out all the answers.  And that’s just the answers that I think will work for me.  I’m not pretending this is advice that others ’should’ follow.  But I did want to share some of my thinking with you, both to help me work through how I take these strands forward, and to help shape the future development of this blog (of which you are a crucial part.)

I’m not sure how to make this a short post… so I think I’ll just allow it to be the length it needs to be.  With no further apologies and explanations, I’ll begin.

~~~

I’d been thinking for a while that some of the labels I applied to myself or let others apply were getting in the way of where I wanted to be.  The words around ‘writing’ seemed to fit uncomfortably with me.

I didn’t really think of myself as a writer: rather someone who enjoyed using words to create space and possibilities for others. (Was that just semantics?)

Although I was grateful for the recognition of Confident Writing as a blog for writers that sat uneasily with me: I didn’t blog about publishing, or creative fiction, or short story writing, or freelance rates and getting writing gigs… so how did the blog sit within that genre?  (And did it matter?)

It wasn’t so much the writing that interested me as the people who were doing the writing… often people who didn’t or couldn’t dare to apply the label of ‘writer’ to themselves either.  They were ‘just’ people who wanted some extra encouragement and support to find the confidence to write.

(Yes, I know, some introverts can think too much about things that don’t really matter )

I knew there were other things that I wanted to work on, to write about, to learn about and to teach.  Things that were around natural inspiration and tapping into the source, about trusting our own creativity, about mindfulness and being mindful in our writing, about walking and what happens to our words and our writing when we spend more time outside, about writing just for the sheer hell of it not to fit any genre or form, just for the pleasure of the words falling on the page.

But I couldn’t work out what those things were about.  What brought them together.  What kind of label I could apply to them that would be big enough that I could stop searching, and manageable enough that I could write about, blog about, teach, market and sell.

A friend said to me it was like a search for the Rosetta Stone. (The Rosetta Stone was a key that allowed linguists to translate ancient hierogylphics.  It’s now also used as an expression for something that is a critical key to the process of decryption.)

The analogy made a lot of sense.  But as the summer went on and I looked harder and harder for the Rosetta Stone, the further it seemed out of reach.  It was like chasing a piece of soap round the bath.  The harder you squeezed, the faster it flew.  (Yes, I realise that searching too hard is generally not a good idea in such circumstances, but it’s not always easy to take your own medicine, is it?)

I started working with a client who was re-organising her online presence into one place.  One brand, one identity, one home.  Integrated, strong and confident.

I was jealous.  I wanted some of that too.  I wanted that… that label, that space, that brand that would encompass everything I was about, and everything I did.

But the more I tried to contain things in one idea the more other ideas kept on bursting out at the seams.  (I think there is a game analogy here but I can’t think what it is: you’re trying to hit a target with a hammer, but as soon as you knock one down another appears somewhere else.  Am I imagining this, or can you help me out by reminding me what it is?)

Before I knew it, new websites were in danger of being born, and my domain name purchasing fetish was getting out of hand…

~~~

At the same time, I was taking stock of Confident Writing, and working through some of those tricky blog equations.  These were the conclusions that I reached:

1. I need space beyond Confident Writing, but that doesn’t mean I don’t still want, need and love this blog.  I do.

2. I need to find a way to slow down the posting frequency, because each bright idea I share generates comments and conversation that I need to (choose to) find time to respond to.

3. I need to adjust my comment policy so I continue to respond to each comment (while that’s feasible), but based on ‘real thoughtful‘ rather than real time (which is self-imposed nonsense when you think about it).

4. One of the ways I could slow down the posting would be to create other outlets for some of my ideas.

5. That didn’t need to mean more social media interaction though.  Remembering the advice on the blogging equations, it is possible to blog (to create and publish online) in a way that doesn’t demand a response.  You can do it in a myriad of ways: to share some material  you’ve found, to pass on information and tips, or to process your own thoughts.  The trick is just to get clear which is which before you start.

6. The focus for Confident Writing should be community and conversation: creating space that encourages you to write with confidence.

7. I need to get better at asking my readers for help in the things that I’m doing.  And I will.

I’d ended up in a place I wasn’t expecting when I started.  Not one streamlined site, but several new outlets.  Not one key, one rosetta stone, but several new strands of thinking, playing out in tandem.

It didn’t seem that wise.  It didn’t seem that sensible in terms of brand management.  It didn’t seem to be what I’d advise to someone else in similar circumstances.  But heck: does that matter?

It seemed to work for me, which should be enough.

And then I read something that gave me the nudge and the permission that I needed.  It was just one line, following on from another, well loved, sentence:

Life shrinks or expands according to one’s courage. Anais Nin

A call to expand our lives into the space available, and beyond! ~ Jan Scott Nelson, Grow Your Own Life

The space available, and beyond.  Indeed. Grow your own life.  Grow your own space.

And if I need more space to think, and learn, and grow just now then that’s what I shall do.

I’ll let the new sites be born, and worry about the Rosetta Stone another day.

~~~

So, without further ado, let me introduce you to three of my new spaces.  There’s one more – the most important – that I’m still working on… I hope to share more on that in the next week or so.

Here’s what I have so far.  They’re not perfect, but that’s okay… I hope they’re adding some value, but the  main thing is they’re giving me space.

1. Naturally Creative on Tumblr

Tumbling is a great way to share links you find online, as well as quotes, photos, and random thoughts.  I’ve used Tumblr blogs before from time to time… I’m enjoying my new creation as it’s a celebration of natural creativity: the site looks pretty (I think anyway) and it makes me feel naturally creative when I pop over there

2. Writing with Rapport

I’ve long been intending to write a book on writing with rapport.  To make it more likely that this will happen, I’ve reduced the gap by a) creating this site (and the expectation that goes with it) b) changing the intention to publishing an ebook.  I can see the end point for that within sight.

I will of course let you know when it’s available and will promote / sell it from here too

I’m going to update this new site on a weekly basis with short writing tips on how to write with rapport.

Writing tips seem to fit more naturally in this kind of information giving site than they do here, and it’s another way of creating a bit more space at Confident Writing.

3. Journaling for Life

I realised over the summer that a large part of what I teach and advocate is journaling as much as writing.  I love the verb “to journal”: it seems to offer more freedom to express, play and create than “writing” which can get weighed down with rules on form.  (My only problem is the way it looks when written this way: journaling seems to beg for an extra l, don’t you think?)

I’m also studying to teach Journal to the Self workshops, and I wanted a site where I could write about and promote those classes.  There’s a connection here, of course (and yes I’ll let you know about them) but I knew I could explore ideas around journaling more fully in a site dedicated to that, rather than as an adjunct here.

~~~

And that, dear readers, is that.  Where I’ve got to, in rather less than a nutshell.

I realise there will be challenges aplenty in keeping the connections going between these different places.  I realise I might not be able to maintain all these sites in the long term, and might add to the web clutter that flies around the internet… I realise I might find a different answer in 2010 that demands I unpick this work and bundle these ideas back up again.

But for now: it’s what I need.  It’s more and different space, and it gives me the chance to grow and expand into it.

I’m still trying to figure out just how this will play out for Confident Writing.

There are some things I need to ask for your help with over the next few weeks.  There are some things that I am going to adjust, like the way I answer comments, and forcing myself to post less frequently here when 2010 opens her doors.

Beyond that: we’ll see.  I’m content to let the rest unfold.

And if my Rosetta Stone ever turns up… don’t worry.  You’ll be the first to know.

Just a quick note to let you know I’ve a post up at Joyful Jubilant Learning talking about why I write to a theme.

Seeing as it’s all about my writing, thinking and blogging process here at Confident Writing, I figured you might find it of interest

I asked for some advice a while back about how to solve one of the tricky blog equations that presents itself once a blog starts to become more ’successful’.

My particular challenge was how to continue to find the time and energy to respond to the flow of comments that come in.

I’m still working through my own answers to some of these questions (informed by your words and your wisdom).  I’ll be sharing some of the conclusions on where I’ve got to, and where I’m going soon – along with some of the thought processes (in case I’m wildly off track, so you can help to keep me right.)

Meantime I wanted to share some of the suggestions and perspectives that you wonderful members of the Confident Writing community came up with in the comment box.

I know this particular challenge is one that many bloggers face, so  I hope that the thoughts shared below will help you solve some of your own tricky blog equations.

How to Solve Tricky Blog Equations: by the Confident Writing Community

1. Adjust the time you take to respond to each comment

Accept that some comments don’t require a detailed response, and indeed that many commenters aren’t looking for or expecting a response.

Answer in batches if it’s easier and less time consuming.

Reply to some of the most important points, but not each and every comment.

[I understand the reasons behind this last point but am wary of it myself - it can quickly look exclusive and cliquey]

2. Reduce the frequency of your blogging

Reduced frequency = less posts = fewer comments.

Most people follow through a feed reader or email notifications, so they’re still going to get your posts if your schedule becomes less regular. They don’t need to remember to check.

Remember that many readers might be glad to have less material to read and thank you for reducing the frequency.

Sometimes when bloggers post less, I’m interested in reading them more – I look forward to their occasional treats ~ Brad Shorr, Word Sell

3. Find other ways to value the contribution of readers

Use things like the top commenters plug in to highlight those who are contributing the most.

[There are lots of ways you can highlight the contribution of your community - I explored some of them here: 10 practical ways to boost blog comments and conversation. I have to say - unless they're automated through a plugin they're all going to take more time and energy than just replying to comments.  Though you will get other benefits through a richer conversation and a strong sense of community.  It's worth doing if that's the purpose of your blog - see more of that below.]

4. Get clear on how important comments are (or aren’t) for your blog

Not all blogs are the same.  Think about the role comments and conversation play in your blogging – not so much what the ‘experts’ say blogging success looks like, but what it means to you – what motivates you to write, to find new ideas, to spend the time managing and developing the site, to keep blogging through the inevitable dips.

Comments are a key part of why I blog.  I know that – and it was good to hear some of you saying that.

a big part of your blog is the reader interaction. I’m sure I’m not alone in coming back to read the other comments, I’m interested in not only what you write, but in other people’s reactions and even in your responses ~ Bo Mackison, Seeded Earth

But that doesn’t mean it’s going to be the same for you.

How big a part do you want comments to play?  How do those interactions help / hinder you from getting to where you want to be?

5. Keep things in perspective

Give yourself some grace.

Be kind to yourself.

Look for ways to get back into a better balance between writing and comments, between blogging and life.

Be kind to yourself.

6. Come back to your blogging intention

Take a fresh look at your blogging intention – both what you set out to do, and what’s behind your blog now.

Ask yourself what kind of blogging you’re doing.  Is it information giving, or relationship building?

If you are blogging to build valuable relationships with people, then the top priority is the interaction – the two-way dialogue.

Here, comments and your response to comments ARE the blog to the extent that your content is aimed at facilitating this interaction – this exchange of value via relationship-building actions ~ Robin Dickinson, Radsmarts

7. Encourage a new blogging etiquette

I’m so intrigued by this idea from Leah Pauls!

Maybe there can be a box for responders to check if they expect or desire a response. Or maybe a “no response needed” box. Or maybe a new rule of blogging etiquette should be that commentors (new word?) say “thank you, no response is necessary.”

What do you think… is that something that individual bloggers can cultivate… or we can collectively start to do?

8. Give yourself permission to slow down and stop replying

If you’re so successful you have thousands of comments coming in…  you need to give yourself permission to stop replying to them all

With one vital caveat: So long as you’ve thought about how that slowing down and stopping fits in with your blogging intention (see point 6), and your own definition of blogging ’success’.

9. Work out what you’re going to do

So, what are you going to do with all this wonderful advice? ~ Karen Wallace, The Calm Space

Talking about it’s one thing… working out the solution remains the tricky bit.

Or the easy bit.

Because at the end of the day: it’s your blog, and it’s your intention.

How you make that work is up to you.

~~~

Thanks everyone for the contributions to this question.  If it’s an issue you’re grappling with I recommend you dip into the comment box below the original post on blogging equations.  You’ll get lots of food for thought there.

Meantime, any further pearls of wisdom before I move into the plan of what I’m actually going to do?

I wanted to let you know about a group writing project I’m supporting at JJL (Joyful Jubilant Learning).

It’s on a question I think you’ll find of interest:

How Do You Write to Learn?

You can find out more about how to join in here: How do you write to learn – group writing project.

Anyone’s welcome to contribute, but your posts need to be up by 22 November so we can include them in a round up post.

JJL is exploring the theme of writing to learn during November. If you’re interested in writing, and learning… you’re sure to find something of interest there over the next few weeks

I’m one of the regular contributing authors at Joyful Jubilant Learning – it’s a community site with lots of different voices sharing ideas from around the world.

I hope to see you there!

Time sinking

Fast moving

Link sharing

Focus busting,

Target setting

Mood shifting

Thirst quenching

Motivating,

Fast moving

Cool buzzing

Hash tag spinning

Exasperating,

Awe inspiring

Smile inducing

Friendship building

Inspirating:

Twitter.

~~~

With sincere apologies to the ’70s (?) Pepsi advert for the inspiration (?)

~~~

For more on the hows and whys of Twitter:

Why It’s Worth Sticking with Twitter

Why I Talk About the Weather on Twitter

~~~

Follow me on Twitter @joannayoung

I came across this quote on Twitter the other day.

Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love~LaoTzu

It made me think in a different way about confidence and writing. About how much kindness is an essential part of the mix.

Kindness in words creates confidence in others.

Kindness in words creates confidence in your self.

Writing with kindness is not hard. There’s no critic that stands in our way. Writing with kindness just means holding kindness in our hearts, and writing with the intention to share it.

Simple, isn’t it?

Kindness in words creates confidence.

Real humility is not denying the gifts you are offered; it is accepting them. – Alan Cohen

Where do the apologies that creep into our writing come from?

Thinking about that as I was writing the pieces on apologising, and reading your comments and feedback, I kept on coming back to fear.

That fear comes in many guises (and you probably have your own home-made version):

• Fear that you’re not an authority

• Fear that you’re not justified in the opinions you express

• Fear that you’ll be found out

• Fear that you’re not good enough

• Fear of criticism

• Fear of the bright lights of success

• Fear of the sound of your own voice

Those fears creep into our writing.  Get us to tone it down and tune it out.  Diminish what it is we’re trying to say.

Learning to change the words can help.  It gets you into the habit of writing with confidence, and listening to yourself speaking with confidence, clarity and kindness.

But there’s more to it than the words.  The words are reflecting the inner state.  And that means looking for answers beyond words.

Here are ten things that work for me (indulge me, you know I love numbered lists):

1. Set an intention

Focusing on your purpose rather than your words is a great way to get round the inner critic.  Think about the difference you want to make with your writing – something that’s more powerful than the gremlins can ever be.  Don’t fall into the trap of setting an intention that feels like another ’should’ (should write something meaningful, should write something powerful and inspiring).

Look for a purpose that makes you feel light, excited, motivated… and gets your fingers tingling, ready to type.  (For example, but don’t take my words or they’ll just become shoulds…to share something beautiful you’ve found, to express gratitude, to make someone smile.)

2. Manage your state before you write

It’s really hard to write with warmth, power, levity, authority, confidence… if you’re not feeling that way.  Get into the habit of managing your state before you start to write.  Get into the right frame of mind before you start – whether that’s music, reading, exercise, watching a youtube video or lighting a candle… find what works for you and do it.

3. Listen to the music of your words

Learning to recognise the pattern, rhythm, melody and yes music of your words will help you to love your own writing.  It will start to delight you.  It’s part of finding your own sweet spot, and recognising that it’s okay (and maybe even necessary) for you to share it.

Here’s more on sweet spots, tooting sweetly and recognising your own music:

Of all the values I teach, the toughest one for people is ha‘aha‘a, the value of humility. People don’t really get it. What most people consider ‘being humble’ to be, is actually a cop-out of being uninvolved, where they are less engaged in the guise of not stepping on someone’s toes, being shy and hesitant, and not tooting their own horn when their music would actually sound wonderfully melodic and sweet if they did. Folks, you need to toot away!

4. Go outside

Observe nature.  How does she do it?  Learn from that.

5. Go inside

Write, journal, reflect.  Going inside helps us work out what’s going on, what matters, what our values are (and why we want to pass them on.)  Think about standing deeper inside rather than the sense of exposure you worry about when  you focus on the outside (more on this here: Stand Out and Stand In)

When we “Stand Out,” or when we “step out” into what we want, what we’re actually doing is moving deeper inward. In fact, I’d wager to say that the inward movement is required in order to hold our center.

6. Find words that light your fire

These words from Marianne Williamson do it for many people, including me.  She hits the nail on the head when she talks about the fear of our power.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

7. Encourage others

One of the great things about blogging (the interactive sort, that includes reading and commenting) is that you get into the habit of writing positively.  Giving positive and constructive feedback, with the aim of encouraging and supporting others.  Reading and recognising the power of other people’s words – what kinds of things resonate, what has spirit, what can teach you something.  It all adds to the confidence mix.

8. Practice writing with confidence

Look for ways to edit out the apologies and write in the confidence.  Working on the language can help you do it bit by bit.  And the more you write with confidence (and hear it ringing truly from your words) the more you’ll start to feel that way.  It’s a virtuous circle

9. Check your sources

Your apprehension has probably kicked in because you’re going out of your comfort zone.

It might be a signal from your unconscious mind that something’s not right – and that you need to check something again, or learn something new first, or research another element, or rewrite so it’s more accurate.  In which case: check your sources thoroughly before you publish and send.

Or it might ‘just’be those niggling fears of not being good enough that are getting in the way.

In which case: check your sources.  (Your intention, the inspiration you get from the natural world, the words that light you fire…)

10. Go for it

Who are you not to?

~~~

How have you learned to write without apology?  What made the biggest difference?  What’s the biggest difference you still want to make?

~~~

This is the third in a series on apologetic writing.  Other posts in the series:

Stop Apologising (for the things you’ve never done)

5 Simple Ways to Power Up Your Writing

~~~

Linked Reading:

How to become a fire breathing writing dragon ~ Joanna Young

How purpose beats the inner critic ~ Joanna Young

Stand Out and Stand In ~ Christine Kane

Toot Sweetly: Create Your Own Distinction ~ Rosa Say

Alan Cohen quote found on Twitter

“”Begin at the beginning,”, the King said, very gravely, “and go on till you come to the end: then stop” ~ Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

I could probably share 500 ways to power up your writing, never mind 5… but then I’d be ignoring my own opening line.  So I’m going to keep it simple.

Partly because this is a blog post, not a book (and there are plenty of books out there that will help).

But partly because there’s only so much writing advice you can take in at any one time.  And sometimes the more advice you absorb the more confused you get, and the less confident (and more apologetic) your writing becomes.

So keeping it simple, here are 5.

1. Open and Close

Start with a clear, confident opening sentence.

Finish the same way.

See if you can do the same thing within sections, even within paragraphs.

If it seems like too much of a leap to do that straight away, keep writing the way you normally do, and edit the change in later.  Ease your way into the text with the explanations, the introductions, the justifications and yes, even the apologies.  You might find it an easier way to get started.  Just make sure you go back and cut them out again later

2. Activate

Writing in the active voice will help you:

• cut excess words
• get clear on who’s doing what
• make your writing more readable
• avoid long sentences and complex grammar
• inject confidence into your writing

It’s an easy, simple and effective way to cut excess weight from your writing and make it sound more confident.  Instantly.

Trouble is, you might be over-using the passive without realising it.

And you might not know one when you see one… or have any idea what to do when you find it.

If that sounds like you…

Look for resources (books, articles, guides) on how to write in plain English.  I’ve listed some below.

Listen to your spellchecker.  A Word spellchecker will pick up most passives and ask you if you want to change them.  The suggested changes might be gobbledegook and you don’t need to accept their version – just use it as a prompt to have another look at your sentence and see if you can change it to the active voice.

Ask for help. Ask someone else to read your work – a colleague, a friend, someone whose writing style you enjoy – and ask them to help you hunt for passives.  They might be able to notice  a pattern that you can no longer see.

Once you know what you’re looking for and just want to shift the habit:

Spend a bit more time on the editing of your work.  Focus on shifting from passive to active.  Notice the difference it makes: how much clearer and lighter your words are.

Enjoy the positive feedback you get (People might well start saying ‘well done’ or that they enjoyed a piece of work without necessarily knowing why).

Don’t beat yourself up about still writing that way: focus on the editing after the event and trust that your writing style will adjust over time once you get used to reading your own more confident writing voice.

Caveat: cutting passives doesn’t mean you need to get rid of all of them.  Sometimes a phrase will have a totally different (and incorrect) meaning in the active voice.  You want to get to a point where you’re comfortable writing and re-writing in different ways, and then choosing the version that works best for you and your intention.  (That way you remain active as the subject of the writing verb too )

3. Cut with Confidence

Bold beginnings and endings can look stark.  We add extra words to soften them – and sometimes that’s precisely what we need to do in order to establish rapport, engage with our readers and make the kind of connections that will encourage them to read on.

But extra words are habit forming and can quickly become clutter.  In a business writing setting every unnecessary word soaks up somebody else’s time and mental energy.

Think how much energy you waste wading through vague and cluttered writing. How good would it feel to read something clear, confident, that got straight to the point?  Hold that feeling in your mind as you cut.  Do it with good intention: to make life easier for your reader, to help them get to the point.

4. One Thing at a Time

If you’re starting to feel swamped by advice on what to do: reel back.  Pick one thing.  Focus on that.  Keep practicing until it becomes a natural part of your writing muscle.

5. Ramp Up or Damp Down

We can’t just write ‘the point’ and hope people will get it.  The art and craft of writing means leading your reader to get there with you: to get it, to hear what you’re saying, to see it, to feel it with every fibre of their being.

If you cut too many words you won’t be able to do that.  You need some words that look like padding to create connections, to develop rapport, to emphasise a point, to build momentum.

The trick is to get a feel for those which are adding to your overall effect – and those which are taking away.

There isn’t a grammar rule for this, but a feeling you need to develop when you’re editing your work.

Focus on your purpose again.  The difference you want to make, the truth you want to tell.  Think about that when you’re editing.  Do the ‘extra’ words take away from that message?  Diminish it slightly, or cast doubt in your reader’s mind, or apologise for troubling them with the idea in the first place?

Or do the words add momentum, energy, power and conviction?

Do they help your readers know what it is you really want to say?

~~~

This is the second post in a series looking at ways to stop being apologetic in your writing.

I’d gathered quite a lot of resources while I was researching the topic which I’ll happily share here.  If any of you have any particularly good resources on how to hunt for and get rid of the passive voice please do let me know and I’ll add them to my collection (and the list)

Cutting, Clarity and Confidence

Write Like a Black Belt (guest post by Lori Hoek)

20 ways to cut your words and help to save the planet

KISS excess words goodbye

The day you became a better writer (Dilbert blog)

Passive

A Tip on Passive Verbs (Lynn Gaertner-Johnston)

No Place for Passive Verbs (ditto)

Passive voice (very useful free handout from University of North Carolina Writing Centre)

Business Writing Tips

Manage Your Writing (blog with weekly writing tips)

Manage Your Writing (very useful free pdf download)

Plain English Writing Tips (compilation of tips from yours truly, $10)

How Not to Write: An Office Primer for the Grammatically Perplexed (my plain English bible)

One of the defining features of confident writing is that it’s not apologetic.

Yes, I know it’s good to signal that you’re human, that you’re not perfect, that you have doubts and concerns and things you’re insecure about just like the next person. That’s part of being engaging, warm, human. It’s part of making connections, and writing with rapport.

But we can take that too far, to a point where the writing starts to become apologetic. I seem to have been doing battle with this over the last few weeks, and I’ve been jotting down some thoughts on its various guises:

8 Tell-Tale Signs that You’re Being Over Apologetic:

1. Your writing is littered with verbs in the passive voice (and I don’t just mean a few, I mean littered)

2. There’s an explicit apology in the text (when there isn’t anything to apologise for)

3. You spend as many words justifying what you’re saying as saying it

4. There are too many words: too much wrapping, too many abstract words, too much clutter, all getting in the way of the bit that really matters (the point)

5. You explain what you’re going to do long before you actually do it

6. Your sentences have come out back to front, with the important stuff (the agent, the verb) languishing away at the end

7. You dole out the apologies elsewhere, in the preamble to a post or on Twitter, managing expectations down

8. There’s a missing punch: you’ve backed away before you got to the killer blow, the repetition for effect, the slowing down to an unavoidably measured, significant pace, the delivery of the emotional truth. The ker-pow that you recognise when you read it (and when you write it)

I’m going to explore some ways to shift from apologetic to confident writing in the next couple of posts: one on ways to manage and shift your state before you write (and as you write), the other on changing some of the language patterns you might have got over familiar with.

It’s worth making the effort.  If you can cut out the apologies you’ll find:

• Your writing is easier to read
• You avoid long and complex sentences (and the grammar gremlins that go with them)
• You convey confidence in your subject
• Your writing makes you start to feel more confident
• You stop diminishing what it is that you really want to say

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For any Jam fans out there, yes, the title is from A Town Called Malice, one of my favourite teenage songs.  Once I got the idea to write something on apologising I just couldn’t get the song out of my head again.

Here it is: