Writing-Resource

Writing Skills 4 - Developing a writing presence - 1

We have already talked about writing with empathy and using all your thoughts and feelings when writing about a subject or an object, but let’s discuss this further.

What does it mean for a writer to be ‘empathic’? It means to get within your reader’s skin, to ‘walk in their shoes’ and to touch a nerve deep within them.

Think about your favourite authors. What is it you like about them? It may be the subjects they write about. It may be their writing style or genre. But I bet part of that liking is because you can identify with them. It may be on a very basic level (perhaps they mention a rock song you like too, or they hate the same politician as you do), or it may be deeper (they have had the same horrible experience as you in some way, shape or form), but every day you read or listen to people and subjects you like, or agree with other people about those you hate, so what is it about this particular writer that gets you saying:

“This guy knows just what I mean when I say ….”,

or: “It’s good to find someone else who has had this happen to them. He knows just what I’m going through.”

The writer had identified with you. He or she has given you examples of why they think or feel this way. He or she has told you exactly how the subject makes them feel.

That is why writing with feeling about that box was so important. If you did it right you got inside the box; you touched it, sniffed it, marvelled at its capacity, provided a ‘home’ for it. In fact, you almost became one with that box! Because you used all of your capacities (thinking, feeling, sensing, seeing, maybe even listening…) and you really got to know your box as a subject.

I bet you could sell many many boxes now. But, of course, the ‘box surfer’ is probably not going to be your main source of readership.

So, think for a moment about the subject or subjects you aim to write about. What is it about those subjects which touches your buttons? It must be something, or else you are probably onto a loser from the start. Or maybe not … but we’ll leave ‘writing about something you know little or could care less about’ for a later lesson. For now we are going to assume that you have chosen a subject you care about.

I say ‘care about’ rather than ‘know something about’, because I do not want to stop you in your tracks. If you care enough about something you will find a way to learn more about it and then you can pass on your knowledge (and even how you found it) to your readers.

What we are concentrating on now is what it is about your chosen subject which hits a nerve with you. Why do you want to write about it? Go on, make a list

How to make out your list? Go back to how you developed your advertising campaign about the box.

• Write down everything which comes to mind and, when you get to the end of that list, write down how you feel about those words. How your head feels, your heart, your gut.

• Why do those words make you feel that way? Did something happen in the past (or is there something which could occur in the future) which makes you think and feel like that? Write it down.

• Then look to the future. What would you like to see happening about (or to) your subject? How does that make you feel physically and mentally?

It seems to me that others who share your interest will feel many of those feelings too. If you get it right and don’t overdo the empathy (they want to share with you, but they probably don’t want you to psychoanalyse them) they will want to return to your blog or site. They will remember you and, because you ‘think like they do’, over time they will grow to respect you.

You’ve got an audience.

“That’s all very well,” I hear you say, “but how do I present myself? How do I develop a writing style that is attractive to my readers?”

We’ll cover that in the next lesson.