I think most writers do.
I have conversations with myself in my head all the time. In the car, when I’m alone, sometimes I have those conversations out loud.
Talking to myself helps me clarify my thoughts, come up with solutions to problems, and brainstorm new ideas.
It can also be a tremendously helpful writing tactic.
Next time you’re writing an article, web page, or report, give this a try…
Interview Yourself on the Page
In bold, type in a question you’d like to answer for your reader.
For example, if you’re writing about how certain habits can help women prevent osteoporosis as they age, you might start out with the question, “Why should women worry about osteoporosis after 50?”
Then imagine you’re talking to a friend and type out your answer.
As you do, you’ll convey your thoughts and stories on the matter. You’ll also relate the information you know. And you’ll discover what you don’t know. That’s all helpful in putting you on the fast track to completing a draft.
One Question Leads to Another
When you get done answering your first question, be a good interviewer and tease out more information by asking another question based on the answer you wrote.
In the example above, maybe you mention that one out of two women will experience a bone fracture after the age of 60.
So, your follow-up question might be, “Why is it that older women are at such a high risk of bone fractures?”
And then answer again. Keep repeating this process until you’ve thoroughly interviewed yourself on the topic.
Add Brackets for Research Questions
As you write your answers, you’ll occasionally realize you need to seek out more information. Maybe you don’t know what the role is of aging in women’s bone loss.
In that case, put a note in brackets, like this…
<<Why do women lose bone mass as they age?>>
When you’ve finished your interview, you’ll have captured your thoughts on the topic and created a list of research notes to pursue.
Taking this approach, I find I can get a decent rough draft down in a half an hour or so. The draft needs lots of editing and I’ll still have research to do, but it gets me to a finished product a whole lot faster without hurting the quality of my work.
Give it a whirl!
In Case You Missed It
When you work with a client, one of the things you probably do is study their competition. It’s smart. You learn about things they’re doing that you might not have considered… you discover opportunities for your client to stand out… and because of your research, you’re able to approach the project with more confidence. But here’s a question, have you done your own competitive research? If not, give Jennifer Ayling’s latest Reality Blog a read to see why this is a valuable step and what you can learn from doing it.
Amazon is a giant when it comes to online sales… probably even bigger than you realize. Which presents an opportunity for you as a writer. Lots of companies want to sell their products on Amazon, and many of them want to explore Amazon ads to increase their sales on the platform. They could use a talented writer to help them craft effective ads. Why not you? In her latest column, Zoe Blarowski walks you through the different Amazon ads and how to write for each.
A lot of companies don’t give their email opt-in forms the attention they deserve. A well optimized sign-up form that creates an engaging, clear user experience can bring in way more leads for a company. In this UX Copywriting column, I walk you through what you need to know about crafting an email sign-up form that’s optimized for UX and that can give your client a big boost in how many visitors decide to become subscribers.
Mark Your Calendar
December 14: Join me and Jennifer Ayling for our final Reality Blog Update of the year. We’ll be digging into Jennifer’s method for creating more content for your business faster, her competitive analysis process, and how she approaches personal branding.
December 18: Join me for a live review of sample welcome email messages. There’s a new practice assignment available inviting you to tackle writing an email welcome message. And, as always, you can turn your work in for the chance at having it reviewed during this webinar event.
Also, don’t forget to submit your Practice Assignments by the 14th!
And your Personal Brand statements are due by the 15th if you’d like feedback on them from me.
3 Things I Thought You Might Enjoy
John Carlton delves into the importance of being more than a copywriter and how adding an understanding of marketing to your repertoire will keep you relevant in the age of AI.
If you write search-optimized content, you’ve probably had a client ask how soon they can expect to see an increase in their traffic. Neil Patel explores that topic here.
And finally, here are five solid tips to help you grow your business and your income.
That’s all for now. Have a great weekend!
