5/9/14: The Writing Edge for Business Writers

May 9, 2014 | Better Writing

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 capturing stories and becoming an expert.

From Michael Wade: Lost History

“Science waits to be discovered. History, on the other hand, can be lost. Scan the obituaries and you’ll see brief descriptions of people who had fascinating stories to tell. Most likely those stories were lost.”

Wally’s Comment: Stories give your writing richness and insight. And the best stories are the ones the ones that are different from everyone else’s. Learn how to find those stories.

From Sharlyn Lauby: Being a Subject Matter Expert (SME)

“The truth is we need to get comfortable with being an expert. We need to know what we are an expert at. It’s called knowing what you do well. And we should be able to articulate those things we do well along with what we did to get there.”

Wally’s Comment: As you think about becoming a subject matter expert, remember that writing a book is a way to develop deeper expertise as well as demonstrate it.

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.

The CopyBlogger Blog

Problogger

Digital Book World

jeffbullas.com

Becky Robinson’s Weaving Influence