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Do You Want Your Online Presense To Be Taken Seriously? Become A (Better) Content Writer.
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For better or worse, my closest friend, M, and I are both writers. E-mails and late-night phone calls tend to be littered with ideas ranging from random, yet funny, to that which may be considered certifiable. At the risk of sounding narcissistic, we regularly commiserate over a simple shared belief: writing essentially amounts to a lost art form.
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From text message speak (Just for the record, I'm still in my 20s and can't understand most of it!) to e-mails in which the sender seems to believe their, there, and there to be interchangeable, I find myself wondering how even the most basic of writing skills have become a tool of generations past.
Here's the good news: producing quality online content, doesn't mean you need to hold a degree in English or advertising copy. Just keep these few tips to keep in mind.
Tip #1: Practice Makes Perfect.
I know what you're thinking; probably something along the lines of, 'Gee, thanks, Mum...' But come on! You have to admit that to get better at anything, whether it's riding a bike, baking or playing tennis, improving your performance is going to take effort.
If you aren't a regular company blogger, ask the head of the marketing team if they have a topic you can tackle. While they may make some corrections, you'll gain experience and content the company can use.
Tip #2: Be a Bookworm.
When asked to give advice to want-to-be writers, author Stephen King has said, 'if you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.'
Yet the literary giant doesn't stop there. He goes on to caution that if one does not read, they ultimately lack the tools (and the time!) to write. In my (potentially) unpopular opinion, he isn't wrong.
Although there are limited hours in a day and we're all very busy people, think of the time you spend watching television. Not applicable? What about the time you spend surfing the internet at work? Enough said, right?
Tip #3: Shout It Out.
Okay, don't actually shout. Do read online content, blogs, etc. out loud before making them public. I've often noticed phrasing may sound odd in a way I hadn't noticed while reading silently.
Tip #4: Your Best Interest vs. You're Best Interest
You're likely thinking the heading above reeks of condescension (that means I talk down to people). In all seriousness, common grammar mistakes such as you're vs. your or lose vs. loose can quickly make you lose credibility with your audience.
We've all made the occasional typo; unfortunately, these common errors run deeper than a basic spacey-brain moment. A quick search on Google using the phrase, 'most common grammar mistakes', is a great way to brush up on the basics.
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