The secret to being a good writer
One of my first jobs was in hospitality. Not many things prepare you for adult life quite like working with customers on a daily basis. I was around 18 at the time, and far more clueless than I believed myself to be.
The place was just your everyday bar/restaurant. One day, during a quiet shift, a party of four came in. Instead of tea or coffee, as would be the usual order at that time of day, they asked for hot chocolate. It wasn’t a particularly popular choice among our customers. I prepared the drink I was taught to prepare (instant, out of a packet) and brought it to them.
They called me back after a short while and said the drink was too light in colour. Now, I’m not exactly an expert on hot chocolate, but it seemed to me that they were on to something. It was what we served though, so I didn’t think much of it (18 and clueless, remember). I apologised and said something to the effect of: “it’s the only kind we have”. I brought them some extra powder so they could see it for themselves, but there wasn’t much I could do beyond that.
The point is, the guests got what they ordered. Technically, there was no mistake; it just wasn’t what they expected.
When you’re a copywriter, this happens all the time.
A copywriter’s burden
Typically, it goes like this: you get a task to complete, and if you’re lucky, a brief and/or some source information. You buckle down, figure it out, and create something out of carefully selected words. You proofread it once, twice, fifteen times, edit it again, triple check, and when you’re finally ready, you show your work.
Sometimes, the people you show it to point out some issues to fix. Sometimes, they say “thanks”. Sometimes, they say “cut it down”. It’s usually designers, with that last one. And they’re usually right ;)
And sometimes, they say “this isn’t right” and send you back to the drawing (or, more accurately, writing) board. They’ll say that your copy completely misses the point and give you a breakdown of what it should have been like to begin with.
This isn’t a bad thing necessarily, and I will explain why in more depth another time. For now, just know that it happens, and it doesn’t mean you’re a bad writer. It just means you’ve forgotten to use your Super Special Writer Skill: empathy.
Yup. You read that right.
The secret to good writing
It’s very simple, actually. It’s empathy.
Everyone and anyone who deals with marketing will tell you all about the “personas”, “target” or “audience” you need to keep in mind when you write. You’ll need to think of their expectations, fears, problems, and remember that people don’t use logic as much as they like to think they do - they decide with their emotions. So you need to tap into that when you write.
But there is another side to that. You don’t just need to think of the final reader. You need to think of the person who ordered the text. And of their goals. Of their boss’ goals. Think of their expectations, fears, problems, and remember, they don’t use logic as much as they like to think they do. Their emotions matter too.
Anyone who orders and reviews your writing is personally invested in it in some way. If you want your work to truly resonate with them, you need to be emphatic towards all of these people.
Some points to note
Sure, it seems impossible to manage all these expectations. What if they’re mutually exclusive? What if they go against every best practice guide out there, or simply common sense?
Sometimes I get weird requests too. Or what seems like weird requests. And though my artist’s pride may be hurt (much like Ambassador Spock, I am still part human, after all), these are the times when I need to switch on my empath’s sense and work out, where is this request coming from?
There will be a purpose behind it, even if it’s not clear at first. Once I have that understanding (usually by simply asking; I’m not a mindreader - although it would make life easier!), it’s much easier to adjust your work so that it says both what your reader needs to know, and what your client wants to convey. They might not always be the same thing - that’s where you’ll need to use your creativity to bridge the gaps.
There’s also another thing. Perhaps I should have started with that.
I don’t by any means claim to be a good writer :) If anyone considers me half-decent, I’ll take it.
I have been working with text for a few years now, and have picked up a few things here and there. I have certainly made my share of mistakes, too. Or written some things I’m not exactly proud of. So I’m hoping this post, along with those that will follow, might help you avoid some of the mistakes I’ve made. Perhaps they will give you some ideas on how to improve your own writing, even if only by showing you how not to do it :)
Empathise and prosper
So there you have it. If you thought the secret to writing was in some clever use of language, fascinating hooks, brilliant storytelling, I’m sorry to disappoint you. I mean, sure, there is that too. But I believe there’s more.
Many people can write. But not many people can bring out what really needs to be said and understood. Empathy helps you do that. If you have it, you’re golden. If you don’t - keep looking. You might be surprised by what you find.
It’s been well over 10 years since that unfortunate hot chocolate incident, yet it’s still very clear in my mind. It’s a constant reminder that people’s expectations have nothing to do with my idea of them. And you know something? That’s not a bad perspective to have.
Photo by Dan Michael Sinadjan on Unsplash
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