As a copywriter, I believe that writing is an honorable and valuable profession. Occasionally I joke around and refer to myself as a “humble scribe,” but that’s pretty far from the truth of how I really feel about what I do for a living. And once, when I heard an arrogant cuss refer to writers as “the bottom of the food chain,” I had to forcibly restrain myself being snarky.
OK, I’m off my soapbox now. This post is really about how writing can help the writer. And I thank John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing for his contribution. Now, I think it’s fair to say that Mr. Jantsch is primarily focused on how being able to write will help you make more money. He is, after all, a red-blooded, all- American small business marketeer. But that doesn’t devalue his point, at least in my opinion. And, I will thank him forever for this quote: “But, the habit of writing also shaped far more than my ability to create meaningful sentences and that’s the reason I believe that everyone in business must write.”
I’ve been in the unenviable position of being asked to critique colleagues’ work or, worse still, “help them out a little bit” in leaning the craft of writing. Not fun when the helpee is resistant and/or embarrassed at being helped, which is pretty typical. And particularly annoying when you hear things like, “Oh, c’mon, writing isn’t really that important. It’s kind of a bore, and I’ve got more important things to do.” Or when you experience heels dug in and zero cooperation.
The whole point is that writing is important. If you’re a better communicator, you will probably end up by making more money. At a minimum, some hapless editor won’t be rolling her eyes as she attempts to tidy up what you’ve so reluctantly created.
So what are the benefits of being a better writer? Mr. Jantsch lists seven (actually, I counted six). Here are those that are closest to my heart:
- Writing makes you a better thinker. Not a big surprise here, eh?
- Writing makes you a better listener. Another “duh” moment.
- Writing makes you a better speaker. Yep. Mr. Jantsch didn’t say it, but I think that you hear the words in your head as your write, and ultimately they inform how you say what you say.
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