Three Reasons Writing Workshops are not Just for Writers

A word after a word after a word is power."

–Margaret Atwood

Writing isn't just for writers, it's for anyone with a small business to promote. You might think as an author and book editor that most of my clients are other authors. Think again. People don't write new books every month. Many people take years to finish a first draft. If I waited until each client finished her book, I'd be in the red.

Got a Business? Get a writer.

I spend a lot of time listening to the needs of small business owners. If you're a make-up artist, sheitle macher, or yoga teacher, you need a writer, unless you rely completely on word of mouth.

Some of you are thinking you can't write, hate writing, have a bad command of grammar, can hardly manage your family responsibilities with your business, so no thank you to one more task. I hear that and if that's you, then I recommend you consult with a professional writer, at least once to refine your message. Make sure you speak with someone who is familiar with your target audience.

Writing workshops shake-up your routine

You can sharpen your writing yourself and a writing workshop is an excellent way to do it. You don't even have to leave your house. There are many online workshops these days. I've been giving workshops online since 2009 and micro workshops are in, so in four weeks you can get inspired and in turn attract more people to become your new clients or get more work and referrals from your existing ones.

Communication means writing more than ever

All businesses, even ones that consist of one person, a desk, and a computer need to communicate to succeed and that means they need to fill a screen with words for their website or social media.

After years of working with words, ideas can become rusty and recycled, which is only one step away from rejected. This advice goes for copywriters and grant writers, too. We all need fresh ideas.

Your writing skills need improvement if you are:

• A company looking to improve results from their existing activities.

• A company on the threshold of launching a new product.
• A start-up seeking the edge in the marketplace.

• An organization anxious to shine a spotlight on themselves.

Don't throw your time or money away

These situations call for good communications. Because "throwing something together" is usually a euphemism for throwing money out the window. Because mediocre writing says you are mediocre. Excellent writing says you are excellent. Excellent writing helps you increase your sales. Grow your business. Improve your profits. Attract a steady flow of new customers and new clients.

Here are three ways:

1. Brush up on the most common literary devices. I write 'most common' because there are dozens of them and many apply only to specific forms, such as plays or poetry. I recommend these four literary devices to start: foreshadowing, consistency, repetition (not redundancy), and pace. They are all tools that cause readers of successful novels to turn the page and, no surprise, they can be the same tools that get potential clients to click on the next website link or pick up that phone after reviewing your latest grant proposal.
2. Do some short creative writing exercises. There are hundreds you can Google on your own or take a writing class that includes them. If you do them on your own, you might find a friend to give you feedback or incorporate them into your business writing and get feedback from a colleague. Writing exercises force you to answer these vital questions: What is my message? What am I trying to say? Why am I writing this? A brush up and immediate feedback on the clarity and purpose of your message is invaluable, not only to wordsmiths, but to anyone trying to flag down attention, whether on the pages of Amazon or in business.
3. Eliminate redundancy. Redundancy weighs down your prose and weakens your message. Here are seven examples you might recognize: actual fact, very unique, small child, plan ahead, added bonus, present time, free gift.

Remember that different formats require adjustments in your text. Potential clients will tolerate longer text in print than they will on a website (though even as I write this trends are changing and some blogs have moved to longer wordcounts per article). Print does not allow you the luxury of links and sound. Organize your writing for each medium for best results.

Thank you to Jewish Women Talk for posting this blog on their site.