The fact that I write texts on this website does not make me a writer. You probably noticed I am not a native speaker and I hereby want to express my deep appreciation for the spell-checker. But it is a rewarding challenge to put ideas ‘on paper’ and simply a neccesity to put my thoughts on paper.
I hope you noticed I do not pretend to have a poetic quality in my text. Listst are very acceptable, even preferred online. Everything for the quick read. I wonder if the Grimm fairytales are online point by point “Seven Ways the Wolf Missed Out on Red Riding Hood”. It seems to be that writing for screen/social media has evolved the last years into a fill-in form style construction job. Read more about it in an article by Alissa Walker from which I quote: “I wonder if I’m still a writer, or if I’m a content creator.”
The aspect of the quality or readability of text, beyond the spellcheck, is clearly described Kevin Walshs blog of Copy Unlimited. I love these blogs, so nice of people online to help me out to at least make an effort to become a better writer. If it does not make your notes into a blog, at least you can not pretend anymore you did not know… Awareness is sometimes an acquired taste. You need to have some experience to find your senses.
Did you ever, for example, think about how you handle the copyrights of others? I recently joined Pinterest to see what the fuzz is about and it is a wonderful inspiration platform. Pinterest is created by publishing the images you find on the internet in your own collections. But like Faust you sell you soul to the devil, it seems. All those nice images mainly come from other sources and in copyright law it is the person who created the content, not the discoverer, who decides if it may be published or not. No finders keeper there! And Pinterest knows it because it guards it’s liability well in it’s terms & conditions. There is an ongoing discussion on this so google for more info.
A reason for me to stop being lazy and illustrate my blogs with my own images. And I see it as as an opportunity. When you write your opinion down it is a great addition to illustrate it with an image that shares your values, supports your views. The way you do that, by creation of your own visual style, you can deepen that message. It does costs some time extra, but as I heard a long time ago: Technique can make our lives super fast and lower costs on almost everything but he only thing it can never speed up is ‘brain time’. The time you need to sit down and think up a good concept. No short cuts there, I am sorry. Quality needs your brain. Whenever you see my blog published without an image: Short cut fail on my behalf and a missed chance in life.
Just one tip: what about a reality snapshot style? Does your mobile have a camera? Be in touch with your brand values and snap away on every opportunity life offers you an image that links to those values. That means documenting your bus ride to your client when you are all about eko and sustainability. Proof your point.
I wrote before about storytelling, and what it is worth to a brand identity. There are many views or tips to be found on the internet on what makes a good story, and I would like to point out Aneeta Sundararaj who talks about integrating the elements, the senses into a story to make it come alive. Her focus in general is too ‘spiritual’ for my taste but it does give an angle when you miss a bit of humanity in your story. And it makes you aware as an entrepreneur how you success is linked to the experiences customers have with your product. Even smell… I still remember how that special green plastic shoe of my favorite doll smelled. Horrible to think of in our non-softening-agent society but childhood memory wise there is a market for a parfum there.
“We only have one story. All novels, all poetry are built on the never-ending contest in ourselves of good and evil.”
― John Steinbeck, East of Eden
