Writing can seem like a chore when you are not sure of the reward you’re seeking for your reader. How will you know your words made an impact?
Everyone yearns to have that feeling of fulfillment through their work. Dancers must practice endlessly to impress the crowd. Photographers must take hundreds of photos to capture their subject’s story through their eyes. Speakers must write and go over their speech plenty of times to hold onto the audience’s attention.
Those moments are what makes their hard work worthwhile.
Ask yourself, “Why do I do what I do?”
Think about the people you serve and how you impact their lives through your work. You may be a creator of programs, live events, or a radio/TV host. You discovered a way to reveal your audience’s pain points and compel them to work with you.
When you write, envision your reader with their eyes glued to the screen, hanging on to your every word without a single blink. Use your words to give them inspiration, entertainment, and education to rope them in closer and closer until you have reached their deep hidden feelings.
Here are a few exercises you may want to try to harness your writing’s power and receive deeper purpose and fulfillment for yourself and your readers:
Stop reading and just write. If you are like me, you read a lot and you have books galore. You are also subscribed to numerous newsletters because you want to know what is happening. Stop. Spend 20 minutes a day free writing. Write whatever comes to mind. Write with no filter. Do not go back and edit. Just let it flow and write freely. Save your work in a special place and go back and read it periodically for writing inspiration later on. It’s liberating.
Share a personal experience. You are filled to the brim with stories to share. Think about an event that changed your view about something. Take your own experiences and relay them to your audience. And if you aren’t ready to reveal yourself as the main character, write it with a fictional character.
Visit a nursing home. Speaking of great stories, these wisdom-filled individuals will tell you their stories from dawn to dusk. They will tell you exactly what they feel with no hesitation. Ask questions, be inquisitive, and find out what they learned through their many years. Also, spending time with them is good for the soul.
Become a teacher. People are starving to learn. Find ways to make their work easier, tools to streamline their business, and share concepts with your audience without sounding purely authoritarian and dictatorial. According to Dale Carnegie’s Leadership Master Course, when you speak from a place of authenticity you will reap more successful results. Be sure to do your research and give your readers an experience from your writing.
Write from your heart. Haven’t we all heard this before? Do you run from your feelings? I was guilty of this until recently when I recalled why I started writing. I wrote when I was younger to escape my reality of living in an abusive home. Be open to share your most vulnerable feelings. When you are angry, write out what made you angry, why you are angry, and how it made you feel. Do the same when you are sad or happy.
Be someone’s pick me up. Bad news smothers us with every turn we take. It breeds on social media, on the television and even on the radio. People love to hear stories of inspiration. Give your readers a heavy dose of motivation and love. Be the vehicle that share goodness instead of doom and gloom. Allow your writing to mirror the warm souls who make a difference.
Share your mistakes. When you give your reader permission to make mistakes, you give them hope and let them know you are human, too. Often times business leaders make everything appear seamless and without flaws.
What will your legacy be? How will you leave your mark on the world?
From my fingertips to your eyes