Wednesday, January 15, 2014
THE PANACEA: DO YOU THINK YOU CAN WRITE? ARE YOU A WRITER?
THE PANACEA: DO YOU THINK YOU CAN WRITE? ARE YOU A WRITER?: Multitudes around the world write for different purposes, ranking from leisure, to profit purposes. I for one, I find writing as a means t...
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
DO YOU THINK YOU CAN WRITE? ARE YOU A WRITER?
Multitudes around the world write for different purposes, ranking from leisure, to profit purposes.
I for one, I find writing as a means to express the fact that am so blessed. It is a means through which the thoughts of my heart is conveyed to anyone who comes in contact with my piece, bearing in mind that in that piece lies the potential of emancipation. My writing is a vehicle with which I transport people to a glorious destination. It is an avenue with which I bless and impact lives. For instance, in one of my articles in a dailies, I wrote about cheating as a pestilence that ravages the soul. I live in the west, and someone who lives in the North read my article on cheating. she was grateful that the article came at the time. she mailed me, thanking me for shedding light on the topic. One, I had imparted a life and made an impact, two, I felt appreciated, three, I was fulfilled.
WHY I WRITE?
When I write, I am so conscious of the fact that someone out there is waiting to get an answer to their heart's question. I write as though I am solving a visible problem, because I know I am. Many times, I have gotten mails telling me how the piece I wrote either on a dailies, or on my blog has either shed a light on their path, or how it elevated them to the next level. These make me fulfilled. I makes me know I have a defined purpose for living. These amongst many have kept me going as a writer, in that I am convinced that my writing is a panacea to those who stumble upon it. I am really delighted to know that I can reach out to the world, and proffer solution to the world's problem from my little corner of the world. Writing has become an inextricable part of me, so much so that I find myself doing it all the time.
Writing in fact is more than an art. It is far more than what words can describe or comprehend. it is life itself. I may be amazed at how poorly someone writes, yet, someone else may be appalled at how badly I write, yet, after putting a piece of my mind on paper, I feel so alive and relieved. in other words, writing is the quintessence of life. and to others, reading is the quintessence of life.
there are certain people who cannot do without reading in a day. that is probably because they find solace in reading. they apply some philosophy that they read in a book, to their lives and get amazing result. yet, that may not be the best panacea, but because of their level of understanding, they are able to apply certain rules to their life, and it works wonders for them
HOW TO START A WRITING CAREER?
For me, I began writing as a hobby. When I was growing up, I found out that I was either writing what I read in a book, or what I felt about a particular situation. gradually, I developed a habit for writing poems. then I started writing short stories. it might be interesting to point out that as a writer, I first started reading everything I came across. I was intrigued by grammatical expressions, idioms and sentence constructions.
Writing for me was more than an art, it was more than a flair. It was passion. for me, I found it great to be a reader, reading the supposed experiences of writers and contributors.
Today, am a writer, not because I have a degree in it, nor because I trained as a writer. Am a writer because I was passionate about writing. Funny enough, not everyone can be a writer.
As we go through life, each one of us tend towards different areas, especially during our formative years of childhood. That is when we consciously or unconsciously choose what we become to become in life.
That's when you find out that some of your friends tend towards science, some tend towards fashion, others tend towards arts, yet some others tend towards nature. These cravings have been put in the heart of every new born baby by God. As we grow up, we naturally gravitate towards our passion and innermost desire.This is why you have to get it right from childhood, otherwise you will find yourself in a train full of aliens. you become the odd one out. And then everything around you looks like a mystery.
Life is not really about your survival, nor is it about your educational status; it entails your passion, how you must hone your talents and gift first to reach out to people and make a difference in their life, And then, the profitability aspect will naturally fall into place. Where many get it wrong, and they find themselves swimming in the pool of frustration is when they prioritize material gains over the help their gift and talent is primarily supposed to render. It doesn't mean that you shouldn't expect to live good via your gift and talent, but this shouldn't be your primary goal. Your primary goal should first be to make life a heaven for anyone you come across in any way.
CAN I LEARN WRITING?
Intrinsically, writing is inherent, i.e it is a natural gift, which comes with childbirth, though it can also be taught and learned by a willing mind. For someone who wants to learn to write, willingness is a prerequisite. In other words, you cannot force someone to learn writing. It is a process that deals directly with the mind mind. It requires the full attention and pledge of the mind. For those who grew up with a passion for reading and writing, it begins from the heart, then the mind accepts it.
The good news is this; those who are passionate about writing can learn it, and become better writers than those who naturally tend towards writing during their formative years of childhood (those who are talented writers) but never trained further on writing.
TIPS
- Writing is a continuous process, in which the writer learns new and innovative skills each time they settle to write.
- Writing is intuitive as well as formative.
Writing a I earlier said begins with willingness. It is an art that can be interesting and fruitful with each time dedicated to it.
The more you write, the more you tend towards perfection.
TRUTH!
No one can be a perfect writer, though some people can be better writers than others. Fact is that no one can be perfect in the art of writing. Each day as we write, we find out new skills, new grammar and new styles. These help colour your work as well as portray you as a good writer. To be a perfect writer means to know everything there is in the world. Do you know anyone like that in this world? I really would love to meet that individual.
Over the years, people keep telling me that my writing skills have improved. Yet I never saw myself in the light of a writer with increased skills. But as I went back to my early articles, prose, and poems, it dawned on me that I had truly grown as a writer.
The best standard with which to measure your writing skills is to compare and contrast your more recent write ups with much older ones. You will be amazed at the level you have reached. You can achieve a lot in so short a time with constant writing.
If there is a panacea I have given to anyone, or will give for anyone to become a better writer, it is to write often. Write what? Anything at all! Just write. In fact, penning down how frustrated you are about writing could be the best way to write an article suitable for publication. As the reader reads the piece, he is filled with mercy for your inappropriate vocabulary and poor sentence structure, he is filled with compassion for your mood, tone and diction. By doing just this, you have touched a heart, you have registered your name in the papers, and you have written! Well, it could be you alone that will read it. It still makes no difference. The fact is that you have written. Reading your article gives you a clear insight as to what corrections need to be made. As a good writer, make the corrections immediately you notice them. By doing so, you have learned something about writing, something that would boost your next article, prose, poem. Something that will boost your image, and that will stick with you for a long time. Now, imagine that you didn't write, how would you have learned these new things.
Writing as an art that can be perfected by constant writing cannot be over-flogged. Just like the best treatment for an electric shock victim is another dosage of electric shock, the best panacea for inability to write, or what is literally described as writer's block, is to write. The answer to a puzzle lies there in the puzzle; you cannot invent an answer to a puzzle outside the puzzle. It is in you!
It has been a privilege writing on the art of writing. I believe as a writer, I have a lot to learn from you guys. I really will welcome contributions on this article so that we can better each other. Remember, the summary of man's duty here, is, making impact. Correct a notion today, educate a mind today!
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Top 5 Writing Tips For Entrepreneurs
Top 5 Writing Tips For Entrepreneurs
For a long time now, I have been wanting to copyblog, but never found an article suitable for this site, I mean, that matches the standard of this blog. And of course, bearing in mind the the calibre of people who visit this blog to learn new things, contribute, and digest our material.
Two days ago, after writing a short play, I decided to surf the net before going to bed. In the process, I came across something that left a mark in my heart, on Forbes website. I decided I was going to share it with my esteemed readers as I believe it is a catalyst. Enjoy!.
Cheryl Conner, ContributorYou knew I’d love this article, Josh. And I’m so glad you’ve connected with @GrammarAllie – she’s one of my favorite people, of course :) Love their progra [...]
Joshua Steimle, ContributorI did not know that about the founders. That’s interesting because I know that for me, I never learned so much about my native English language as when I l [...]
domino Great advice, author. I used to a stringer reporter for my hometown newspaper before I became a businesswoman, and I will always remember the editor’s cons [...] Joshua Steimle, ContributorGreat comment domino, and thanks for the book recommendation!
Allison VanNest Joshua, I loved your comments about your dad: “Even though I’m approaching my 40′s, my father still corrects me, and in fact reads all these posts I make o [...]
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Travis: Writing to Reach You (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
THIS IS REALLY AMAZING!
I READ THE BELOW AND AM LIKE 'WOW!' Am amazed at the truthfulness and factuality of the below datum. Enjoy!
Can you be a terrible writer and still be successful as an entrepreneur? Sure. You can also be short and play in the NBA, but it helps to be tall, and you will be a better entrepreneur than you would otherwise be if you can write well. I’ve been told that I write well. I haven’t taken the time to analyze whether that’s true or not, but what I do know is that I enjoy writing, and that I see the value in it for my business, inasmuch as I run an online marketing firm and “content marketing” is all the rage these days, which means lots of writing.
Writing a lot means making lots of mistakes in terms of spelling, grammar, and more ambiguous ways. Correcting spelling is generally easy enough what with spell check, although as anyone knows spell check won’t tell you if “your” or “you’re” is the correct verbiage to use. For checking my work for improvement beyond the simple spelling errors, one of the services I use is Grammarly. It’s an online services that quickly and easily makes your writing better and makes you sound like a pro, or at least helps you avoid looking like a fool.
I believe good writing skills can enrich anyone’s life, but are particularly important for entrepreneurs. According to a recent study from Grammarly there may be a strong correlation between accurate writing and career success. Professionals with fewer grammar errors achieve higher positions. For entrepreneurs, this could mean the difference between gaining or losing a customer—or even succeeding or failing at the business. So I asked Allison VanNest of Grammarly to give me some tips on writing for entrepreneurs. Here are her top five:
- Be brief. As Shakespeare wrote, “Brevity is the soul of wit.” The most effective entrepreneurs are those who can communicate the value of their business succinctly to a variety of audiences. Try using the Paramedic Method, as outlined here, to perform triage on unwieldy sentences. Also, avoid meaningless buzzwords, like “operationalize” or “synergize.” Here are 65 words to cut from your writing.
- Use bullets. Often, bullets help to simplify the presentation of information. One of the easiest ways to highlight the benefits of your product or service is to share the information in short “sound bites” that users can scan quickly. Bullets break up text visually and make it easier for people to read—and don’t forget, everyone loves a numbered list!
- Always use spelling and grammar checking tools. One of the fastest ways to undermine your credibility as an entrepreneur is to make spelling or grammar mistakes in communicating your message. Show customers—and potential customers—that you are accurate, professional, and credible by checking (and double-checking!) your written work. As a business owner, your word is both your bond and a reflection of your reliability. Don’t undermine yourself with sloppy writing.
- Be positive and specific. People respond best to positive reinforcement, so try saying, “please be sure to…” rather than “make sure you do not…” Additionally, it is important for an entrepreneur to be clear. Rather than saying that you will provide information “later,” be specific and provide a date and expected delivery time. A vague disclaimer is no one’s friend!
- Know when to take conversations offline. Written communication is a simple way to loop several people in on an important topic or decision. However, when your team is divided over certain issues, it is integral for an entrepreneur to know when to call for face-to-face interaction. Also, be aware of email etiquette and only hit “Reply All” when everyone on the list really does need to receive the message.
“For many entrepreneurs, your writing is a reflection of your professionalism, your attention to detail, and even your brand,” VanNest says. “Taking care to write accurately is one easy way to move your business in the right direction. Even if you find the (admittedly complex) rules of grammar to be fiddly at best, others will notice when you mix up your homonyms or dangle your participles.”
I owe my passion for writing to my mother who taught me to love reading when I was young, but passion without skill merely results in a bigger mess. Whatever skill I have in the craft of writing I owe to my father who was, and still is, a stickler for proper grammar and clarity when it comes to wordcraft. Even though I’m approaching my 40′s, my father still corrects me, and in fact reads all these posts I make on Forbes and sends me a list of errors he finds, along with suggestions for improving my future writing.Writing has been a blessing to me as an entrepreneur. I use it every day as I send emails, write posts like this one, create content for a client’s website, or send out a tweet. In addition to VanNest’s tips, I would also recommend following websites like Copyblogger and ProBlogger, and investing time in reading the books If You Want To Write by Brenda Ueland, On Writing by Stephen King (yes, that Stephen King), and On Writing Well by William Zinsser. And while you’re at it, it wouldn’t hurt to listen to a bit of Travis’ hit single Writing to Reach You.
How important are writing skills to your role as an entrepreneur? What writing tips have helped you?
About Allison VanVest
A self-proclaimed word nerd, Allison VanNest works with Grammarly to help perfect written English. Connect with Allie, the Grammarly team, and more than 859,000 Grammarly Facebook fans at www.facebook.com/grammarly.Connect with Joshua:
Google+ | @donloper | Facebook | Linkedin | Goodreads | Medium
Cheryl Conner, ContributorYou knew I’d love this article, Josh. And I’m so glad you’ve connected with @GrammarAllie – she’s one of my favorite people, of course :) Love their progra [...] Joshua Steimle, ContributorI did not know that about the founders. That’s interesting because I know that for me, I never learned so much about my native English language as when I l [...] domino Great advice, author. I used to a stringer reporter for my hometown newspaper before I became a businesswoman, and I will always remember the editor’s cons [...] Joshua Steimle, ContributorGreat comment domino, and thanks for the book recommendation! Allison VanNest Joshua, I loved your comments about your dad: “Even though I’m approaching my 40′s, my father still corrects me, and in fact reads all these posts I make o [...]
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You knew I’d love this article, Josh. And I’m so glad you’ve connected with @GrammarAllie – she’s one of my favorite people, of course :) Love their program. I got connected with Allie when she was pitching me about older/younger entrepreneurs. She’d proposed I write about the company’s young founders, but I was far more intrigued that neither are native English speakers, yet they created the top ranking grammar program. At any rate, nicely done and these are excellent points.
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- AuthorI did not know that about the founders. That’s interesting because I know that for me, I never learned so much about my native English language as when I learned my second language, Portuguese. I also think in learning Portuguese as a second language I saw some things more clearly than the Brazilians I was living with, who “just spoke” but didn’t have to think about what they were saying. Perhaps it’s the same with Grammarly’s founders. I’m not sure we truly appreciate our first language the way someone else learning it as their second can. Thanks!
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Great advice, author. I used to a stringer reporter for my hometown newspaper before I became a businesswoman, and I will always remember the editor’s constant refrain: “Writing is thinking”.
It took me some time to truly comprehend what he was saying with three short words, but I am happy to say I finally did.
As a businesswoman, writing business plans to attract investors is job one. One needs to be articulate and a good writer to help others understand your vision. Texting your business plan will not work.
As an employer, I am often dismayed at the lack of basic writing skills of applicants. Many cannot print legibly let alone construct a simple sentence. My favorite grammar book is E. B. White’s “Elements of Style”. It was given to me by one of my co-workers at the paper. I treasure it still.- Called-out comment
- AuthorGreat comment domino, and thanks for the book recommendation!
I too am amazed at the poor writing skills I see so frequently. I’m afraid we’ve let our standards slip much too far. I am often impressed when I read the words of people from 200 years ago at how eloquent and gifted they were with words, beyond anything I see today in our private or public discourse.- Called-out comment
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Joshua, I loved your comments about your dad: “Even though I’m approaching my 40′s, my father still corrects me, and in fact reads all these posts I make on Forbes and sends me a list of errors he finds, along with suggestions for improving my future writing.”
If our parents look critically at our writing, it is so easy to see that others’ are doing the same — employers, partners, vendors, VCs. Except when you jump on the phone with your dad you can explain why you wrote what you did; in the workplace, you may not get that chance.
Thanks for a great article!- Called-out comment
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