Why content is an asset not an expense

‘Asset’ connotes ownership by a person or company for future benefits with its monetary value increasing with the passage of time. Now that’s exactly what the right content, does for an organization; giving an overview, providing details and highlighting core areas of competence.

Producing the right kind of content and marketing it to the relevant target audience is a critical investment in terms of creating and enhancing business opportunities and so considering it an expense will only deter its employment at the right time and across the right platforms.

In today’s virtual world, where the digital revolution and the social media have spelt the death knell of distances and opened up a borderless market, carefully crafted content can go a long way in creating perceptions and enhancing the brand salience.

But the question arises as to what is the right content? On a more generic note, it is very difficult to come to a consensus on this issue. Hence, facts as emerging from research and analysis should form the basis of deciding upon the content that is good enough to be an asset to any individual or organization. The first step is identifying the target audience and their expectations through data emanating out of qualitative and quantitative research. Demographics like gender, age groups, cultural background, occupation, educational background, location etc provide ample cues to structure the content.

Once the target audience and its profiling is in place, then each and every written word should be painfully and assiduously evaluated to influence this audience positively and more importantly to elicit a response and initiation of an ‘engagement process’. In marketing parlance, this is commonly known as a Lead Management System (LMS).

In a nutshell, content management is all about getting the basics right. The content needs to be backed either by facts and figures or by a real on ground situation. The most important aspect of content development is that the information should be relevant and valuable for the audience. It should build trust by being genuine and clear. This in turn results in brand loyalty. Credibility with action is the key to successful content development.

Today, we are witnessing a fiercely competitive world as never seen before. Hence, to be user-friendly will create an audience/customer connect which is paramount to building  personal relationships that can be a key differentiator, resulting in open and transparent communication. To relate better with the target audience, use of graphics, illustrations, animation, videos and audios can enhance interaction and induce feedback and engagement.

The power of the written word is ‘magical’ and its inherent benefits immense. This is being put to good use today, as never before. Content development, therefore, has assumed professional overtones. Copy specialists, more often referred as ‘copywriters’ are now in great demand. These copywriters specialise in conjuring up a vocabulary that is in sync with the creativity that goes with it.
Clear and concise language and a customised tone are hallmarks of “productive” content. To treat the audience as friends and give each one of them a unique, special feeling is the magic that good content is capable of.

What writers can learn from Steve Jobs

“I want to put a ding in the universe”- Steve Jobs

Yes, that was Steve Jobs as the world knew him. He was always out to challenge the conventions, always astounding the world with his innovative ideas. A man who changed the way people looked at computers, he was a multi-millionaire by the time he was 25. A giant in the field of PCs, he left behind several valuable lessons for us writers to imbibe.
To leave his fans and dissidents gaping in amazement at his inventions was his way of life. Every time he launched a product, the world went “WOW!”. If we were able to do that each time we set out to write, we would create wonders.

How many times have we all written bland articles because we were uninspired? Many more times than we are proud of, right? But for Steve Jobs his life was about rejecting the various good ideas to pave way for the great ideas. In his words, “Itcomes from saying no to 1,000 things to make sure we don’t get on the wrong track or try to do too much.” It is important that all of us learn how to work on the really good ideas to make it great while writing. Focusing too much or spending too much time and effort on ideas that are not too inspiring will end up in bad articles that have no soul and no readers.

The need for constant improvement cannot be stressed enough.  Steve Jobs always believed in innovating consistently to develop better products that were usually ahead of time.  As he said,
“You can’t just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they’ll want something new.”
This seems very familiar to most of us right? Each time we write, we have to make sure that it is better than the last time. We also have to continuously work on improving our style. It is a fact that the better writers get to write more than the mediocre writers. Definitely that makes them more employable and dependable.

However much we try there will be times that we have failed miserably as writers. It would do us good to remember that Jobs’ best ideas came to him afterhe was fired from Apple. We have heard it many times before, but Steve Jobs epitomises the saying “failure is the stepping stone to success.” Not only did he do great work outside Apple, but even after his return to Apple, he changed the fortunes of the company. Yes, we have been down and we have been beat. But we can always stand up, dust off and start all over again as long as we have the will to. For all we know, all the rejections that we faced were probably the best things that happened to us.
“I didn’t see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.”

The most invaluable lesson we can take away from Jobs is genuine passion. All the wonderful work he did, he never did for the money. Yes, money is important but not as much as love for the job.  When we write with genuine passion it is reflected in our writing and if that’s not rewarding, what can be, right?

Jobs once said, “I was worth over $1,000,000 when I was 23, and over $10,000,000 when I was 24, and over $100,000,000 when I was 25, and it wasn’t that important because I never did it for the money.”

Steve Jobs was a rebel. He did things differently. He made technology that his peers thought impossible. He was a marvel and a role model and an inspiration for millions of people all over the world in different walks of life.

How writing for yourself can release a writer’s block

Writers explore their inner world in various ways. To some of them, writing is a humdrum craft, to others it’s a high calling. To some it is a deep mysterious art, to others a painful affliction. Some write to make a living, others write to wage a passionate campaign. Some write from experience, some from imagination and some only after painstaking research.

Writing, fiction or non-fiction, needs an inspired approach. Even the most weathered writers suffer occasionally from ‘writer’s block’.  It is a situation when the writers’ thought processes cease. Either their inspiration dries up and they are unable to conjure up a single idea; or they cannot settle down to the task of writing, despite an abundance of ideas. They run out of ideas, feel distracted and lose concentration. The more they try to write, the more it sounds forced.

If you as a writer have experienced a similar situation, the best way to overcome this mental block is by taking a break and start writing for yourself. Relax, and introspect. It is like discovering yourself all over again. You can write anything- an account of your last weekend, a dream you had recently, the recipe of your favourite dish or the reasons for your inability to write. Anything, as long as it flows quickly. No deadlines, no research, no proof reading or editing, no spell-check and no publishing- it acts as a sounding board for your problem. It breaks the cycle of anxiety and inactivity of your mind and helps you to move forward.

Writing for yourself also means creation of characters and a story line that you can relate to more closely. A carefree plot woven, without the burden of expectations, can turn out to be an exhilarating experience for you and can go a long way in rejuvenating your seemingly lost abilities or interest in being buoyant with the written word. The freedom to express freely without the boundaries created by external requirements helps in regaining your self-confidence in the process.

As quoted by Dale Carnegie, ‘The best things in life are yours, if you can appreciate     yourself ’. Writing for yourself gives you the freedom to play around and listen to your inner voice. It is like giving concreteness to your thoughts and feelings. It instigates your brain to think more and be creative. It helps in exploring your thoughts and trying out the restricted zones without any inhibition. In fact, this helps you to evolve into a better writer.

Writing for self helps you  to become a more proficient and strong writer. It is a deeply therapeutic exercise for the mind and also helps in focusing the mind. You feel fresh and confident to work again. A clearheaded mind focuses better which eventually helps you to overcome the ‘writer’s block’. This freestyle personal writing not only enhances your professional skills as a writer but also helps you introspect on ways and means to carve a niche for yourself.

How to write a well-researched article

Enrique Jardiel Poncela said, “When something can be read without effort, great effort has gone into its writing”. Well, this is almost always true. The article should be precise, clear and captivatingly well written, and one thing very important for this is research. No good article comes without its share of hard work. An article may be funny, captivating and entertaining, but if it is not carefully researched then it will fall flat sooner or later.

“Good work doesn’t happen with inspiration. It comes with constant, often tedious and deliberate effort. If your vision of a writer involves sitting in a cafe, sipping an aperitif with one’s fellow geniuses, become a drunk. It’s easier and far less exhausting.”
-    William Hefferman

For an article to be well-written, it has to be strong in content. To get the content right certain amount of research has to be put in. Here is how you can write a well researched article that will also be well appreciated:

1. The topic: As natural as it sounds, choosing a topic is actually the most difficult and time-consuming part of writing. The topic has to be relevant, sensible and something that readers wantto read. Either you can run all your ideas in your head and see which ones will work or better still let it come to you. Keep your eyes and ears open and it will come to you. It is said that observation is the key to becoming a good actor, we believe it is the key to becoming a good writer too.

2.  Extensive research: Any topic, however well known, needs to be sufficiently researched. This will not only give you an overview of the subject you want to write on, but will also give you various viewpoints and latest information on the same which you can incorporate. J.R.R. Tolkein has said, “There is nothing like looking, if you want to find something. You certainly usually find something, if you look, but it is not always quite the something you were after.”However, do remember to use trustworthy sources before you actually decide on the content.

3. The content: When you have adequate material in hand, it is now time to decide what you will put in and what you will leave out of your article. This is the most crucial part of your writing. The size of the content will often be limited by word limit and you will have to do the best in the given space. So plan the outline of your article.

4. Write: Once all this is done just write! When you are writing, remember its the outcome of all that research so enjoy it. It will at least be educative.

5.    Spice it up: Yes! Spice up your article with well researched statistics, appropriate quotes and proverbs, maybe even some humour!

6. Proofread: Once the first draft is ready, start editing. Ensure that no grammatical errors or typos have crept in inadvertently. See that all the phrases and proverbs have been properly used and all stats are correct. Once you have finished writing, stop looking at it and take a walk. Then come back to it, read once more and if you are happy send it out. Be careful not to overdo the proofreading, overdoing it can simply lead to a never ending attempt to improve your work.

7. Finally:  Stop editing!

Writing an article is definitely not very difficult if you put your mind to it. But it is not as easy as you always think it will be. Lawrence Kasdan has said, “Being a writer is like having homework for the rest of your life.” Well, as long as its fun!

How to create imagery in your writing

The most ordinary word, when put into place, suddenly acquires brilliance. That is the brilliance with which your images must shine
- Robert Bresson

The power of written words when coupled with skillful and expressive thoughts is unquestionably mesmerising. It is imperative that writing creates a perspective and stirs opinions in the process. In essence, this relates to ‘imagery creation’ in your writing which connects the reader, treating fiction towards reality.

Writing is a kind of conscious dreaming. A writer crafts his words in a way that tangible expressions and pictorial phrases come alive. The writer creates a world, painting a vivid picture through words, in which the reader inadvertently finds herself pulled into. It helps in connecting the reader with the story and further making fiction more believable.

Ayn Rand, the famous author says, ‘With the exception of proper names, every word is an abstraction.’ Words can express the exact shade of meaning the writer wants. Creating that abstract world requires imagination. A work of fiction without imagery would be like a painting without colours. It depends, how colourful you want your painting to be.

Donna.A.Favors said, ‘A picture of many colors proclaims images of many thoughts.’ Few add-ons that can create an enriched imagery to your writing are:

1. Use of ‘colour noun’: To make your writing livelier and more specific, you can use colourful (descriptive) nouns than the generic ones.  A thesaurus helps in providing freshness and variety to the text.

2. Use of ‘figures of speech’: Adding similes, metaphors, analogies, personification, hyperboles, understatements etc. goes a long way in giving meaning to the description that the writer tries to portray. These figures of speech bring a semblance in the hypothetical scenarios that a writer creates. It takes the reader’s imagination to an entirely new level, where he/she compares and conjures up the situation, hence placing himself/herself right in the middle of the world created by the writer. Do not overuse them, rather use them judiciously and only where it is necessary. A good style is one that conveys the most with the greatest economy of words.

3. Sensory description:  Human beings are all about senses. The five senses that evoke emotions are sight, smell, touch, hearing and taste. The combined effect of these senses in your writing makes the reader feel as if he/she is standing alongside the character, watching the events transpire. A feeling of involvement gets created, which makes the fiction more realistic. It helps in creating a sense of realism like a 3D movie. Although we suggest using these senses to complement your writing, rather than construct it.

The most essential skill of a writer is to show, not tell. This is an old adage but holds true as it captivates the reader’s attention like nothing else can. Imagery in writing connects the reader to the fictitious world created by the writer. The idea is to create a visual and aural world through written words, which is as exciting for your readers’ imagination as it is real for you, the writer.

Why Shakespeare is Forever

Is there a literate person today who has not heard of Shakespeare? Is there a student of the English language who has not read Shakespeare? Seems rhetorical, right? His works have influenced many a writer to become better. His stories have been captivating and his capture of human emotion is unbelievable! Indeed, as Ben Johnson has put it, “He was not of an age, but for all time”.
Yes, his writings have been relevant to his time then, as they are to our time now, and they will be for times to come. This is why:

1.    Expression of human emotions: Shakespeare was a master craftsman when it came to creating characters and their emotions. Each and every actor in his play, irrespective of the length and importance of the role was a perfect portrayal of human nature. His perception of humankind and their strengths and weaknesses is unsurpassed. Man will remain who he is and so will his emotions. Every essence of all human nature has been captured by the bard in a very memorable way. T S Elliot has said of him, “I do not believe that any writer has ever exposed this bovarysme, the human will to see things as they are not, more clearly than Shakespeare”.
2.     Mastery of Language: Many a time we end up quoting the timeless phrases of Shakespeare to justify our emotions. His verses have touched millions of hearts across centuries and will continue to do so. His mastery of the language was such that he could write a complex sentence yet could be understood by a layman. It is poetic and yet simple. D H Lawrence sums it correctly, “When I read Shakespeare I am struck with wonder That such trivial people should muse and thunder In such lovely language”
3.    Great and timeless stories: His stories are across genres. He has written on romance as well as jealousy, on revenge as well as politics. The plots and the sub-plots within each story have you gripped even before you know it. His writings transcend across generations and are still loved. Many of his works have been remade into movies with a modern context. His characters all stolen our hearts and captured our imaginations as none other has. They could as well be a walking encyclopedia of human emotions all battling with one other. He is the source of inspiration for many writers. Many have even been inspired by his characters, like the well known Moby Dick has shades of King Lear. Need anymore be said?
4.    Invention of language: He was probably one of the very few writers who felt so limited by the language of his time that he had to invent words and phrases to keep his story running. If there is a “cliché” that you use, it was probably invented by him. Unbelievable? Take a look, words such as ‘amazement’, ‘dexterously’, ‘assassination’, ‘premeditated’, ‘dislocate’, etc. are but a few words that he introduced into the language. If you still feel his writing “is all Greek”, then that is also his contribution. “Without rhyme or reason” if you have been “tongue tied”, then also you are using his words. It is estimated that close to 3000 words and phrases that we use today originated in Shakespearean verses and sonnets. You still think his writing is irrelevant?

If quality of English writing has to be improved, then somewhere along the way, study of classics is inevitable. Classics are classics for a reason. They are timeless and eternal. Their themes and characters will always be special not only to the language but also to the people who read the stories, no matter what era they belong to. Among all classics, Shakespeare stands like a giant. His writings are and always will be relevant, no matter what. As Ralph Waldo Emerson expresses, “Nor sequent centuries could hit Orbit and sum of Shakespeare’s wit”.

Reading Maketh a Full Writer

Writing is one of the most creative expressions. Being literate doesn’t make you a good writer. Developing into a good writer is a continuous and often meticulous process. Some are born writers while others mature as writers. The similarity however, lies in the fact that any writer worth his salt is also an avid reader.

Any writing is about passion – the passion to write on a subject, the passion to bring out  ideas in the best possible way, the passion to research every small detail in order to write as an expert. Without passion any writing is dead. But we all know passion alone does not account for success as a writer. Needless to say, as a writer you also need to be fluent in the language with a good grasp of grammar and extensive vocabulary.  Reading helps to develop an appealing writing style that makes for good and easy reading as well. Without being well read though we never will be the great writers that we so want to be.  Here is why:

1.    Expanding knowledge: Our writing, often enough stands testimony to our experiences, don’t they? True, travel would do us a lot of good. But for those of us who have not yet got the opportunity to travel far, books are a wonderful means of seeing new places and learning new things.

“To read is to fly: it is to soar to a point of vantage which gives a view over wide terrains of history, human variety, ideas, shared experience and the fruits of many inquiries.”
- A C Grayling, Financial Times

2.    Information: Well researched, well-informed and educated views are better put across while writing than those without adequate research. It is therefore essential not just to read but also to read suitably and aptly. But remember that reading is also for pleasure and not a task. So when we read for pleasure we enrich our minds and open our hearts to better and newer thoughts. The great Confucius said, “No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.”It is a very ignorant writer who thinks she can write without being at least a little bit of a reader.

3.    Maturity as writers: Not only does reading give us necessary insight into a thought, but it also helps us develop as individuals. The more we read, the more we grow, and the more we mature as writers. The noted motivational speaker, Charlie “Tremendous” Jones said, “You’re the same today as you’ll be in five years except for the people you meet and the books you read.”  Reading books is a shortcut to growing as a person and a writer.

4.    Improving our writing style: The books and authors of our choice determine our writing style to a great extent. We tend to write like the authors we admire or look up to. Their work affects us subconsciously and in many cases we effortlessly write like them. The wider our reading horizon is, the more writing styles we are exposed to and definitely more creative our writing will become.

5.    Better vocabulary and grammar: It is way more entertaining to use newer words each time than to repeat the same word over and over again to convey something, right? Reading improves our word building and vocabulary in a manner unsurpassed by any other means and it is all fun. Who doesn’t like to have fun while learning? Better still, who doesn’t like to have fun while working?

6.    Inspiration: Happy indeed is the man who can make his hobby his profession and enjoy each and every moment of it. However, there will be times when we feel demotivated and not inspired enough to write. That is when books can come to our rescue. Every time we read a good book, classic or the current bestseller, we are inspired to write better. After all, any writer’s block is cured by a bout of inspiration- which may very well come from your all time favorite book!!!

Writing puts us in our element. We constantly try to become better writers and we observe and try to learn from every small thing that comes our way. Though experience and observation lend a great deal to our lives as writers, its reading that maketh a full writer!

The Life Cycle of a Freelance Writer

Writing without effort in essence translates to reading without pleasure. Although writing is a private initiative, it ultimately opens up to public scrutiny and has the power to transcend borders and knowledge barriers. Freelance writing, like other written endeavours, is not only an exciting combination of analytical thinking, creativity, language proficiency, marketing skills and perseverance but as a key differentiator provides better opportunities towards ‘work-life balance’ and multi-tasking.

Not all freelance writers start as beginners but based on broad trends we can presume that most of them are beginners. The lifecycle of a freelance writer and the progression therein makes a fascinating study:

1.    The ‘Introspecting’ freelancer: At this stage the writer as a beginner dwells upon the strengths and weaknesses in her field of interest and gauges her writing style on the following parameters:
a. Genre of writing: This can range from fiction to screenplay to serious writing.
b. Style of writing: Depends upon the target audience that the writer feels will form bulk of the readership.
c. Long term objective: Post establishing as a freelance writer, what is the writer’s outlook in the long run?

2.    The ‘Amateur’ freelancer: This is the stage when the writer starts taking roots and begins to grope her way in terms of finding opportunities and creating a foothold in the literary world. The writer also comes face to face with objective feedback on her writing skills and hence is able to validate her own presumptions with real time opinion . This helps in reviewing the strong and weak points in her writing skills.

3.    The ‘Professional’ freelancer: This is where freelance writing actually becomes the ‘bread and butter’ option for the writer. The writer is able to carve a niche for herself. Stabilising her stand in terms of better reach and equity with relevant stakeholders like clients, publications etc. helps the writer in taking up freelance writing as a full time career.

4.    The ‘Expert’ freelancer: The writer has matured now in terms of her standing in the literary world, is seen as an opinion maker in many cases and is in a position to create new business opportunities and revenue streams due to her freelancing skills and networking over the years. The writer also has the ability to impart her knowledge and be a guide or mentor to the ‘introspecting’ or ‘amateur’ freelance writers.

5.    The ‘Transitional’ freelancer: This stage may or may not overlap with the life cycle of a freelance writer and hence is optional. Here the writer may switch from being a freelancer to a full time paid professional depending upon myriad factors like the need for change, a feeling to do something different, a tempting career offer or the association with a big brand.

Freelance writing is catching on as a phenomenon slowly but surely. People with the right skills are increasingly looking at it as a full time career option, especially those who have constraints of time and movement. They would love to work on their own and from their homes.

No wonder, the world of freelance writing is witnessing a more structured marketing approach by freelancers in terms of creating visibility for them through networks, websites, blogs, word of mouth etc. It is hence not surprising that today a good number of young freelance writers across genres and writing styles are making a mark and name for themselves.

How to write a magazine article

A periodical publication such as a magazine can either be multi-purpose or based on specific genres like fiction, non-fiction, politics, travel, entertainment, celebrity profiling, special features etc. With majority of the magazines focusing on specific genres and hence an equally specific reader profile with a certain age-group & similar taste, it is imperative that writing articles should be backed by intensive research.

However, no matter the amount of research required for an article, it is always preferable to pick subjects you care and feel for, as it will give more credibility to your article. Familiarity with the magazine and its publications is equally important. Magazine articles allow more space to develop a story. Every magazine has its own set of guidelines regarding its tone, style, theme and format.

Hence, a few guidelines to write a magazine article can go a long way in making it a more enjoyable experience for you, perhaps as enjoyable as reading the article:

1. Conceptualise: As you decide the topic, read the magazine you want to write for. Go through the writers’ guidelines from the masthead or the website of the magazine. It is necessary that you become well acquainted with the magazine’s format and framework. If you are not directly working with one of the staff members and are writing for the first time for that magazine, write a query letter to the editor. The query letter sells your story idea, so it should be precise, clear, error free and depicting the right approach.
2. Materialise: Follow the story idea with broad initial research and come up with a catchy and thought provoking headline. It acts like a salesperson to your article. Depending upon the topic, you can either be ‘conversational and affable’ or ‘professional and technical’. Write the article in such a way that it shows your passion towards the subject. Always remember that your article should answer the five ‘Ws’ and one ‘H’ and follows the golden writing rule of ‘Show, not tell’. Stay on your goal, do not wander. Be creative with an open mind and feelings. You can be descriptive but don’t take too long to come to the point. You can pick a quote and give anecdotes to make it interesting. Use subtopics and illustrations if needed as they tend to catch attention. Wrap it up in such a way that it leaves an impression on the reader’s mind and makes them ponder.
3. Publicise: Timely submission of the article is very important if you do not want to be blacklisted in the eyes of the editor. Before the submission, ask a friend to read it and give you feedback. Check and recheck your article. Meet your deadlines without fail. Submit it with a cover letter which explains familiarity with the magazine and provides synopsis of your article, again, this is if you are not working directly with a staff member. Do not exaggerate but show a willingness to make changes. Your flexibility will prop up your professional stance as a writer to get future assignments.

Finally, do not be offended if your article is rejected or returned for modifications. Rewrite with a fresh mind and without any baggage. Learn from the feedback and give it your best shot. Perseverance is an essential trait in a writer. Just ensure that your article is always original, truthful and exceptional.
Writing is just not a hobby or the means to a livelihood, it is an art par excellence that has the power to enthrall millions.