It doesn’t matter what kind of writing you do, and a bit of artistry is always a good thing. Think about it. Whether it’s an impassioned political speech, touching personal essay, or even a memorable commercial, there’s nearly always something special happening beyond what is being expressed. There’s an artistry being expressed. If you can bring that same artistry into your writing, you’ll find that what you put on paper will be much more compelling. Here are a few tips to help.
Tell Stories
Whether they’re told in the first or third person, great writing uses storytelling to reach the audience and keep them interested. Storytelling works because it helps people to visualize a scenario, how it develops, the climax, and ultimately the resolution. Even better, storytelling works no matter what your goals are.
Here are some examples of storytelling in action:
- A politician tells the story of a family that has suffered due to unfair policies.
- A website selling dietary supplements tells the story of someone who lost over a hundred pounds and now lives an active life.
- A charitable organization recruits volunteers by telling the story of a family they have helped after a tragedy.
Remember though, stories don’t need to be emotionally wrenching or very long. It just needs at least one character, and to follow the same pattern as a story. For example:
‘Betty tried to book her trip to Disneyland without any help. She paid $200 more than she should have, and she missed out on our free dinner package as well. Next time, Betty will book her trip with the help of the Disney Magic Travel Agency.’
Actively Listen to Music And Spoken Word Artists
Singers, rappers, and poets often do amazing things with word play. They use alliteration and other literary elements. They take advantage of the double meanings of some words and phrases. They use rhythm and rhyming patterns to create a cadence. What seems to be the end of one sentence suddenly becomes the beginning of another.
Spend time listening to music and poetry. Read the lyrics and poems. Go to live shows. If a song or poem resonates with you, or gives you goosebumps, there’s something to that. This is writing that goes beyond being catchy to being impactful. Once you recognize what it is that you find so compelling, you can use that in your own writing.
Evoke The Senses
If you want to paint a picture, and you want to get your audience to truly identify with and understand something, aim for the senses. Use your words to get readers to imagine what they might be touching, smelling, tasting, hearing, or seeing. If you can do that successfully, you’ll have pulled in your reader and won them over.
However, this does take a light touch. Remember that you want people to picture things, and to use their imaginations. Many novice writers make the mistake of being too literal. One trick that can help is to avoid evoking the obvious sense, and instead focus on other senses. Let’s say you’re writing about breakfast. Rather than writing this:
‘The chocolate chip pancakes were sweet with just a hint of bitterness from the dark chocolate. Steve loved the way the salty, smoky bacon, and creamy eggs contrasted with that.’
Try writing this:
‘Steve was excited the second he walked into the kitchen. He knew that telltale sign of chocolate chips and pancake batter meant a real treat. Then he heard the sizzle as the bacon hit the pan. A few minutes later his fork sunk into perfectly cooked, creamy scrambled eggs.’
Make Your Reading List Longer
If you’re already interested in pursuing writing and improving your craft, you’re already a voracious reader. That’s great, but it may be time to expand your reading list. By reading new authors, trying out different genres, and exploring new topics, you can really gain new insights. Don’t forget non fiction writing as well. For example, travel guides do a great job at sharing facts about destinations, and giving practical advice such as finding the best established translation sites.
Now keep in mind that you don’t have to love everything you read. In fact, chances are you won’t. Still, the exposure will be very beneficial for you no matter how you feel about it. In fact, even if something you read evokes negative thoughts and opinions, it can still help you to become a better and more thoughtful writer.
Read Your Work Outloud And Ask Someone Else to do The Same
Catchy writing has a rhythm and cadence. Unfortunately, what you hear inside your head as write may not reflect what the reader interprets. As a writer, you may not catch that. One thing that you can do is read your writing out loud. When you hear what you’ve written, you can gauge whether or not things are flowing as you intend.
Better yet, have someone read your writing to you. This is the best test of all. The person who hasn’t read your piece before, won’t have any preconceived notion over how it will be read.
Resist Esoteric Urges
Artistic and poetic writing should still be accessible. This doesn’t mean you can never use literary or pop culture references. It also doesn’t mean that using a bit of high-brow humor is verboten, or that you should never reach out to your core audience with an inside joke. Just remember to keep all of your audience members in mind. The last thing you want to do is lose people because your writing is too esoteric. Remember that 100% of your readers should understand your message, 75% should get all of your jokes and references, none should walk away feeling as if they aren’t smart enough to ‘get you’.
Improve Through Elimination
Coco Chanel said, “Before you leave in the morning, look in the mirror and take at least one thing off.” The famed fashion designer was absolutely right and her words apply well to writing. Artistic, elegant, impactful writing doesn’t need to be frilly. It doesn’t need complex paragraphs and sentences. It doesn’t need big words. It shouldn’t read as if you’ve pored over the thesaurus to find the most flowery adjectives to use at every turn.
Instead, pare things down. Focus on being direct and to the point. If there’s a less complicated way to make a point, that’s nearly always the best path to take.
Conclusion
Artistry makes writing interesting. It makes it compelling. It makes it enjoyable. Use the tips above, and you can make your writing so much more attractive to your audience.
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