I had an interesting conversation today. While the topics ran the gamut of marketing “disciplines,” the recurring concept being debated is that of appropriate voice. And I have to admit, the debate continued long after the conversation ended. Because it was somewhat of a lazy Sunday, there wasn’t much competition for my brainwaves, but regardless I couldn’t reach my own conclusion. Instead, I’ll continue my inner debate here.
When I write anything, I aim to get the words out. I want to get the facts on the table and not worry about phrasing, wit, or anything other than the facts. If I’m telling a story, I want to make sure I haven’t missed any of the plot elements.
After this first critical pass, I move on to tightness. I loathe verbosity, and in its face I have the intellectual attention span of a distracted gnat. Making sure I’m saying the most with the least amount of words, is beyond critical to me. I still have memories of a 10th grade English teacher reminding me to “not waste the reader’s time. They have far more important things in life to worry about than your utter pomposity with the pen.” And yes, that’s a direct quote etched permanently into my brain.
Repeated terms drive me batty, and in particular, the failure to use more appropriate words is as epic as the Red Sox loss in the ’86 World Series. No really, it is. I don’t care if they’re “SAT” words. If I force someone to use a dictionary outside of a Scrabble game, I’m quite proud of myself. Go ahead, call me a snob. I know you’re thinking it.
Now this is all fine and dandy for personal writing — that which occupies this blog, occasional rants to Bob Lefsetz, and the hasty comment on an epicurious.com recipe which lacks the critical ingredient. But what about the professional side of things? What happens when I’m actually paid for the words that spring forth from my fingertips?
When writing for others, it’s considered critical to divorce yourself from your personal opinion. You’re writing for them, not for you, and you need to display their style, their voice, and most importantly — their agenda. I’ve become rather adept at letting all of the voices in my head have their moment in the sun. Sometimes it’s the professional, business English befitting a formal press release, and other times it’s pointed, blunt, and blisteringly on point.
Determining the time and place for style isn’t always easy. In fact, I’ve been criticized for being overly formal in the casual settings just as often as the reverse. Usually when that happens, it was intentional on my part. Rather than look horribly uncouth in the face of formal debate, I like to cut through the clutter and simply get to the point in a way that anyone can understand. In doing so, my input stands out — sometimes for the better, and admittedly, sometimes not.
That brings me to another key point of (my) writing: have the courage of your connotations! If you’re going to take a controversial stand, follow through! Don’t back down the second someone disagrees. When your goal is to be funny, then make ’em laugh. Don’t tell a slightly funny joke to see if it works. Trust me, it won’t. Go big or go home! If you’re not able to defend your position, is it really one worth having?
This doesn’t mean you should stick with a failing premise or drive to a weak ending. But remember that consistency and purpose help drive stronger conclusions. I often like to make witty asides or somewhat inside references when I write. It’s just an element of my own style. For the few that pick up on the reference, they get to be part of the “in-crowd.” And for the rest, it either makes them wonder, drives them to contact me directly, or they simply gloss over it heading to a more meaty, approachable section. All of this is perfectly ok with me. Nobody but me has to know that there’s a “Blazing Saddles” reference some where in the post. But if you find it, it’s just a little wink from me to you. It also keeps people reading — maybe he’ll do it again, maybe he’ll up the ante, maybe I’m the only one who notices. Whatever it is, hey, if it works … go for it!
Then there’s the issue of permission. When you write for yourself, you’re the boss. When you write for a company, that’s not always the case. For aspiring copywriters and marketers out there, get a sign off! Sit down with someone who can say “sure, that’s great.” And if they won’t, let them edit, let them suggest, and make sure you get that final approval. Quite often you’ll find that nothing needs to be changed, but the process of approval builds trust in your abilities, and shields you from overt criticism later. The more blunt acronym would be CYA, but this isn’t the place for such blunt language. Or is it? Hmm …
The last, and perhaps most important, piece of advice: know your audience! Who’s reading what you write, and what do you want them to take away from it? As an example, my work at Nimbit centers around driving artists to the website. To that end, I read what I write (in that capacity) to see if the “musician audience” (a blog post all by itself…) would buy what I’m saying. Overly formal? Too jokey? Too inside? Not enough facts?
Actually, one more thing, and it’s one that resonates from deep in my prep school bones: pay attention to grammar! Nothing is less impressive to me than the college intern who still writes like a 6th grader. Or worse, the executive who constantly writes in run-on sentences. In case any past/current interns and executives are reading this, don’t worry — I’m not talking about you! Good grammar is what separates us from chimps. It’s not just about saying something, it’s about saying it correctly! When you’re writing words that thousands of people will read (on this blog, in a press release, on a website, or anywhere … ), it’s hard to criticize perfection, but it’s easy to pick up on the mistakes.
