Most beginning writers have the same routine problems. And I’m not just talking about spelling and grammar. (In fact, grammar nazis can exit stage right.)
The just-starting-out writer’s writing is all about them. (It’s never about you, even when you think it is.) The work is unfocused, trying to fit in everything at once, just in case they never write again. The work itself is unsatisfying because it lacks depth and development.
But the main reason most writers’ work doesn’t get read is…
Because it’s forgettable. Banal. Dull.
The biggest crime you can commit in your writing is being boring. What’s classifies as boring writing?
Simple. It’s when you sound like everybody else.
Step outside the colossal cloud of groupthink for a moment, and take a deep breath. You have a voice.
A way of showing up in the world unlike anyone else. That’s interesting. Your point of view will never be the same as anyone else’s and coining the language that defines your writing/speaking will make you stand out.
Don’t be boring. Don’t waste our time. Develop your voice.
Start here
I’ve helped dozens of clients develop their brand voice – and here’s one of my favorite tools to help them do it. (But fair warning, only the daring need apply. If you’re not willing to be authentic and vulnerable with your voice, you should look elsewhere.)
Download your Key Vocab Worksheet here.
Looking forward to your next piece.
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Dusti Arab, Fractional CMO
And the founder of the reinvention co, a marketing consultancy specializing in working with personality-driven companies with small teams.
Intense, fun, and relentlessly practical, Dusti understands the lives of small business owners are deeply intertwined with their businesses, and if their marketing is going to be sustainable, it can't get in the way of why they do what they do. (And honestly? It should be fun so they actually want to do it.)
She is the host of Referral Worthy, a podcast for small business owners ready to go from "best kept secret" to the go-to name in their niche.