Your Choice

To write simply is a most difficult task. It requires being passionate about a topic, understanding audience preferences, being able to make a strong connection between the audience and topic, and drawing upon your knowledge bank.

Benny and Baxter, those infamous writing monkeys, would like you to think that words appear without effort. Don’t buy in to it—they are deceiving you! Excellent writing is similar to observing a duck swim. By appearance, there is serenity and focus. Unseen, however, are frenzied foot movements. The reader has no idea of the efforts required to produce the words. And, that’s all right. Excellent writing must appear effortless.

Readers shouldn’t have to struggle to understand intended meaning. They don’t have time or they will give up; the most you’ll get is a 15-30-second glance. So, clear, simple messages work best. Overcome the temptation to write everything you know about the topic or to choose glitzy, overpowering images. Writing simply does not mean that you lack intelligence or that you are shallow about your topic. People love it when you create a writing piece that has purpose (functionality) and is easy to understand (beauty).

Long story, short: Write so that people choose to come back for more.

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Go Easy on Yourself

Sometimes that monkey on your back takes the form of editor—you know, the part of you that second-guesses everything you write. That idea is ridiculous. Your sentence structure is lousy. Your words are trite! Try not to be too overbearing or critical of your abilities.

Every business writer has a writing monkey that can actually block writing flow, undermine confidence, and hinder personal growth if left at-large. Lock up that writing monkey until you have given yourself a chance to act on your own voice. Committing your ideas to computer first, lets you override other sabotaging voices. When you are ready, invite the Lil’ Dickens back to guide you on the finishing touches.

I tend to be a perfectionist and have an eye for detail (which is not necessarily a bad thing in my profession). However, I would drive myself crazy whenever I let that writing monkey editor lose. What helped me was to stuff the editor monkey in the drawer, turn off my monitor and focus on my ideas. I was much more productive when I was imagining and not nit-picking. And the editor monkey had time for a nap, creating a more “mellow fellow” for the rest of the day.

Long story, short: Believe in your writing. Ideas first, then edits.

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With Clarity, Right Actions Will Follow

On this International Day of Peace, Friday, September 21, (www.internationaldayofpeace.org) I found 19 types of events to promote peace during the 11 Days of Global Unity. Talk about ways to communicate!

Clarity and intention are paramount. The United Nations established the International Day of Peace to be September 21, beginning in 2001. It is to be a day of global ceasefire and non-violence.

Actions are a result of thoughts. If we have heartfelt intentions or thoughts, right actions will follow. This is also true of our writing. When we have difficulties with written expression, usually it stems from trying to be too complex in our thinking, too judgmental or too self-important. Express a clear message. Start with a few simple, straightforward thoughts, and clear expression will flow. Then right action will follow.

Long story, short: Let peace begin inside.

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Keep the Writing Monkeys Off Your Back!

Our mascots, Benny and Baxter, champions of monkey business, inspired me to write this blog.  After all, they are the writing monkeys that wreak havoc with writing–they play tricks that interfere with clarity, accuracy and meaning.  These tricks make you want to get them off your back!  Their antics remind me of a story about my own childhood tricks.

“Stop your monkey business,” whispered my grandmother, “and soon you’ll move to the BIG table (seating for adults and babies too small to care) for Sunday dinners.”  This is how she answered my begging to be seated at the BIG table for extened-family dinners.  At nine years of age, I was the oldest grandchild and knew exactly what Grandma meant.

Things like keeping my napkin on my lap, not talking while chewing food, saying, “Please pass the lime green jello,” and, above all, not spilling anything.  It was this last item that always led to my demise!  I remembered my mother telling me that there was safety in numbers.  With this in mind, I was determined to have my younger cousin (by three years) join me at the BIG table.  I tried to keep her from spilling anything, rescued her napkin from the floor and pointed to my mouth when she alternately spoke and chewed her food.   In my zealous attempts, I usually created a bigger mess or she would begin to cry, only to have my actions interpreted as monkey business.

Long story, short:  Stay focused in your own writing, don’t be overbearing, and make no assumptions that your audience                                      will understand a hidden message.