Write Well Me

Beacons

2010-07-08T18:34:18-04:00

I'm getting ready to write about beacons in one particular concept (writing), but I realize how many ways one could use that concept. So, forgive me if this rambles a bit as I get hit with 238 ideas at once.

I was working with a client in my Get Started Now program last year, and she was having a hard time figuring out what she wanted to write about. However, one theme that kept popping up for her was that she was passionate about people's stories being told. "There are all these stories out there, and they just need to be told!" she'd say over and over.

It was pretty obvious to me that telling other people's stories was what she needed to write. At first, she didn't agree; "That's not good enough. It needs to be bigger."

Really? Isn't that what a lot of books are about, in one form or another? Telling others' stories?

That idea, that passion, was a beacon for her. And as such, she should use it to help guide her. Not so much as a sign post far ahead that she would move toward, but more as a lamppost that shines its light and guides the way.

I took that concept and applied it to my From Idea to Ink workshop I held this spring. As my writers worked through their book ideas, some beacon would come to light for each of them. It was easy for me to see, and not for them. Probably because these concepts and passions were such a part of them that they couldn't see them.

Talking with a client this week about writing website copy for her new website, I mentioned the idea of a beacon - why she was passionate about her business and what she wanted to convey to her potential customers.

And then there's the idea of personal beacons that guide us. I call them core values, and they serve as my guide in life. I can look at them if I'm conflicted or needing to pick a direction. They light my way.

What are your beacons?

Audience - Again and Again and Again

2010-06-28T07:47:00-04:00

The most important consideration when writing is who your audience is. What you write, including your message, your style, the language you use, the concepts you mention or explain, is all determined by who your audience is. Writing is not about you at all. Sure, you're the conduit, and it might be your unique message you're conveying. But it's the audience who matters. You're connecting your message to them.

So, you always need to be asking yourself these questions about your audience:

Who is my audience?
What do they already know?
Do they need to know what I'm telling them?
Are they familiar with this concept?
Do they need more background information?
Have I given too much background information?

A virtual assistant writing website copy about her social media services needs to understand how social-media savvy her audience is. How much jargon can she use? Does she need to explain terms like hashtags, tiny URLs, and Tweets? This means she might need to do more research into her audience (in this case, potential clients). Have they just heard about social media, know they need to get involved, and need her services to do so? Or are these potential clients already involved in social media and just need someone to take over their social media campaigns? The answers to these questions and others help the virtual assistant decide exactly how she'll present her services.

A business coach writing a book on marketing needs to understand her main audience. Are they male or female? At what stage of their business are they? A brand-new business owner has different marketing needs from a business owner who is in her tenth year in business.

A business owner working on her website needs to be creative in writing headlines. An "About Me" or "Welcome to XYZ Business" is *not* about the reader. The business owner needs to get into her reader's mind and speak directly to her reader's needs. What is the reader looking for? What problems does she have? How can the business owner solve those problems?

An author writing an article on veiled babies, or babies born with a caul, needs to know the publication's audience. If this was a publication specifically about this medical issue, the author may not need to explain or define veiled babies or caul. However, if the publication and/or audience is more general, then some definition is in order.

What this means is that you might have to make some pretty concrete decisions about your audience. Yes, we would like to say that anyone can read your book, benefit from a marketing product, or peruse your website. The truth is that it's actually easier to write when you have a concrete, detailed picture of your reader. It's much harder to write for everyone. That doesn't mean that other people can't read your book or buy your product. What it means is that your words, style, explanations need to fit one specific reader. Then everyone else can just follow along.

Letters to a Pig

2010-06-25T07:47:00-04:00

As life has changed for me and the girls, I find it interesting how each of us deal with the major life changes we're undergoing.

Anastasia is a funny little thing. Kathryn and I can be having a serious conversation about how we can make the weekly transition from their father's house to mine, and Anastasia is crying over the fact that the pig from last year's agricultural fair probably won't be at this year's fair because it's been slaughtered for bacon.

She's also the same, big-hearted girl who created a photo album for the two little girls who were moving into our old house. She filled it with description of things they could do in the house, the yard, and the creek, as well as great hide-and-go-seek spots.

Once we knew we were going to sell the house and move, Anastasia figured out what toys, clothes, and stuffed animals would go to my house and her dad's house. She split up her stuffed animals and had some criteria for which stuffed animals would go to which place.

So, how does she deal with living in two houses and having her parents be separated? Stuffed animals at one house write letters to the other stuffed animals at the other house.

Dear Boy Lion,
I've missed you so much! You know, town houses are really super-dooper cool! You can always tell if the pool's crowded, and it's near the road. How are you? I just can't wait to hear all about the town house.
Love,
Orange Lion
P.S. How's my handwriting?

Dear Soft Pig,

We miss you so much! I hope that you and Charles are having a great time. I think it's great that you're not so shy anymore.

Love,
Wilbur

Dear Soft Pig,
I miss you, too! How's living in an apartment? Are twin beds really bad?
From,
Small Fat Pig

Dear Princess,

Hi! How are you? You know that being really super big alone is sad? I hope you're making friends. How's Bilbo? I hope you two are just dandy. Giraffe has been really nice and understanding, but it's just not the same without you.

Your Best Buddy,
Big Dog

Dear Pinky,
How have you been? Life here is pretty cool, but it's just too different. I miss the old house. How about you?
Love,
New Pig

Dear Pinky,

Just wanted to say hey to my second best bud! I've missed you a LOT. I'm not good with change.

Love,
Snorky

Dear Ducks from Cows,
How are you guys? I hope you guys have a fantastic honeymoon! We are going to have a dinner in blacklight! I think, since you have a balcony, you should have a dinner beneath the stars. By the way, how is little jr.?

Dear Boa,

Hi! I know we are not best friends yet, but I think it would be special for you to get a letter especially to you. Did I use the word right? Oh, well. Do you get to sleep with Anastasia? We just got out of the box, so we're waiting til tonight.

Bye!
Snake

Life in the Chaos Lane

2010-06-23T21:47:46-04:00

I haven't written much about the things going on in my life over the past few months. Some of it is because life has been so busy I haven't had time. Heck, I went a month without even writing in my journal. It's also because when I was in the thick of things, I didn't really know what to say.

Recapping the last few months....

I've survived a somewhat tumultuous selling of my house process with buyers who were being very cautious about purchasing their dream house. At least, in my kinder moments, that's how I framed it.
I've packed up a house I've lived in for ten years. Not only did it house (ha ha) ten years' worth of stuff, but when one lives in a big-ass house, one doesn't concern herself with minimizing. She just stores it - because she can.
I've reduced, sold, given away a ton of stuff to downsize to an apartment the 1/4 of the size of my house.
I've painted rooms and done what I could to prepare the apartment to move into - and give my girls a warm, loving place that wasn't sterile white.
I've moved. If you've ever moved, then probably 'nuff said.
I've had to ask for help. Big, big, big deal for me. As tough as these last few months have been, I probably would have had more meltdowns and more problems if I hadn't had people help me pack, move, unpack, paint, call utility companies, set up my phone service, find moving companies, hang bathroom cabinets and shower organizers. And then there's, of course, the emotional support I had from the people who love me.
I've entered the realm of soon-to-be-divorced mom who shares custody of her girls with her soon-to-be-ex-husband.
School has ended, and summer has started. Yet more transition and change.

Life has been a series of changes, one after another. I've had so many phoenix rising moments that the ground must be littered with dead phoenixes.

Now that I'm outside the majority of the chaos, I can start to make sense of it and really see the impact and the lessons learned.