You’re a businessperson. You may not think of yourself as a writer, but you know that writing well can boost your results and your career. Naturally, you want to do better. Every week I point you to one or two pieces that I think will teach you something or spark an idea or two. This week I’m pointing you to pieces on stories and using language correctly.
From Anthony K. Tjan: The Indispensable Power of Story
“Making your words understandable and inspirational isn’t about dumbing them down. Instead, it requires bringing in elements such as anecdote, mnemonic, metaphor, storytelling, and analogy in ways that connect the essence of a message with both logic and emotion. Almost everyone leading or creating has a vision, but the challenge is often expressing it in ways that relate and connect.”
Wally’s Comment: Stories are the writer’s power tool. Develop the skill of finding great business stories. Consider planning your book around your stories instead of your outline.
From Paul Hebert: My Doctor Said I have an Upset Tummy So We’re Doing Brain Surgery
“Your Doctor went to school and through years of training to be specific and correct in their field. They kinda have to know what they are talking about. The organs, the muscles, the rest of the stuff in your body have specific names, functions, relationships. The Doctor’s job is to know that stuff. Using improper names is a sure sign they may not have a firm grasp on the issues of medicine.”
Wally’s Comment: Paul didn’t aim this post at writers, but there’s an important lesson here, made effectively. It’s important to use language correctly. Sometimes people judge you and your entire post or book based on a small error in language.
Remember: What is the perfect use on language in one context may be perceived as mystifying jargon on another.
Sources I Check Regularly
I find the posts and articles that I share with you on The Writer’s Edge in many places. But there are a few that provide insightful pieces again and again. Here they are.