Monday, November 3, 2008

Inject Some Passion Into Your Writing

Ask any number of writers and most will tell you they struggle with writer?s block regularly. Some can afford the luxury of waiting for the muse, but if you?re a freelance writer who lives or dies by how many words you produce daily, you need a sure-fire weapon to blow writer?s block out of the water.

I have heard of many techniques - and used quite a few myself - but I keep coming back to a common-sense technique that is often overlooked: Passion.

That?s right. The key to writing about anything is finding the passion. Getting excited about the topic and letting your imagination and creativity take it from there.

Now, if you write for various companies, as I do, you may think it?s hard to get excited about mundane products or dry business services.

Not so.

I have been writing commercially for more than 20 years. And in that time, I have written copy for everything from shampoo (I?m bald), alcohol (I don?t drink) and baby?s clothes (I haven?t got any kids) to Windows PC solutions (I use Macs), plumbing products (OK, I hired one once) and trucks (have you seen my car?).

Can you see what I am getting at?

I don?t use any of those products, but that doesn?t stop me from getting truly excited about them.

So, how do you get excited?

Think about the benefits - that?s ultimately what you?ll be selling in your copy anyhow - think about how, what you are writing about, can enhance and change people?s lives. Put yourself in your reader?s position. Let your mind explore how your life would be better if you had a certain product or service (even if it doesn't apply directly to you).

It may sound simple, but that?s what works for me. I get passionate about my writing, when I know the benefits, when I FEEL the benefits.

You can apply this same principle to virtually any kind of writing, not just commercial copy.

This is a great way to not only kick-start your creativity but beat writer?s block.

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