The Writing Edge for Business Writers: 10/20/17

Oct 20, 2017 | Reading Lists

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 articles and blog posts that I think will teach you something or spark an idea or two. The posts are about the intertwined tasks of reading and writing. Some weeks there are more pointers than others.

This week I’m pointing you to pieces on storytelling, letting yourself be awful, and writing style.

From Trish McFarlane: The 3 Little Pigs: A Business Story

“The business world is made up of people who grew up hearing stories. From birth, we train our brains to make connections between data and the world around us. We get a satisfied feeling when we understand the data and are able to react to the story it tells. The problem is, data doesn’t tell a story on it’s own. It takes someone to weave it together in a way that creates interest for the listener. The listener needs to understand what is in it for them, what the impact is, and how their reaction can impact the story.”

From Sarah Payne: The Power of Storytelling: Q&A with Professor Julia Lee

“What kinds of stories are being told in your organization? Do these stories lift people up or criticize and belittle? How can storytelling be used to help teams perform better and even reduce employee stress?”

From Megan Garber: Writing Advice From a Newly Minted Nobel Winner

“Writing is a craft in the way that carpentry is a craft: There’s art to it, sure, and a certain inspiration required of it, definitely, but for the most part you’re just sawing and sanding and getting dust in your eyes.”

From Nathan Kontny: Writing style

“Was there a source for my writing style or was it self discovered?”

Sources I Check Regularly

I find the posts and articles that I share with you on The Writing Edge in many places. But there are a few that provide insightful pieces again and again. Here they are.

Alliance of Independent Authors

Frances Caballo

Jane Friedman

jeffbullas.com

Jerry Jenkins

Joel Friedlander

Joanna Penn

Melissa G. Wilson

Men with Pens

Merce Cardus

Problogger

Daphne Gray-Grant

Becky Robinson’s Weaving Influence