Write to Influence! — Powerful Writing Changes Lives! Part 2

By Carla D. Bass, Colonel, USAF (Ret)

In my previous article, I promised some tips on how to make each word count and every second of the reader’s time play to your advantage.

I teach my students (professionals already in the workforce) that powerful writing is based on five foundational principles:

• You have limited opportunity to make your case and influence the audience.
• Empathize with the audience. Make your product easy to read, understandable, and unambiguous.
• Quantify, using specific facts and figures as needed to make your case. Ensure the product conveys the “so what” of the communication.
• Avoid jargon; what’s clear to you may befuddle the reader.
• Proofread! Presentation and administrative quality are paramount. Bad grammar, incorrect punctuation, and misspelled words lose the audience no matter how compelling the content.

Influential writing must consist of:

• A solid hook to grab the reader’s attention. You have scant seconds to hook the fish!
• Crisp, focused text
• Solid, logical, fact-based information
• A message organized so that you lead the reader, without detour, from the beginning to conclusion of your message

How do you achieve that?

• Determine the goal of your communication and outline the approach to attain it
• Know your audience: its interests in and level of expertise with the material to be presented
• Write to respond to questions the product should answer; anticipate the audience’s questions; respond to those, as well
• Examine the draft from the perspective of the intended audience; adjust as necessary
• Consider the sequence of the material presented. Does if flow logically? Adjust as needed
• Showcase your strongest facts
• Tailor the message proportionally, based on allocated space
• Be objective in presenting the information
• Know how much information is enough and what not to include

My concluding recommendation to my audience: You spent years (and significant funds) establishing expertise in your chosen field. Now, spend a small fraction of that time to strengthen your writing skills to become more effective … and competitive … in that chosen field!

For more information or to schedule Carla for an interview or seminar, visit her website at www.carladbass.com.

Related Article: Write to Influence! — Powerful Writing Changes Lives! Part 1

Write to Influence! is available on Amazon.