Unlearning to Write

I minored in English for fun. I also earned a combined undergraduate degree in music and business.

I have expository writing down pat!

So, as a solo-entrepreneur, I have always felt confident in my abilities to write informative, appropriate, and professional letters, emails, and articles.

The problem, however, is that the writing I was trained to do is ineffective when trying to communicate with actual humans.

Imagine receiving an email that begins, “Dear Sir or Madam; I am writing to introduce myself as a professional flutist and instructor, who holds degrees from prestigious. . .”

“Blah, blah, bladdy-blah. . .” Your eyes glazed over, didn’t they?

One of the hardest things I had to learn as a solo-entrepreneur was how to use writing to connect with people.

Two things made this process click for me.

1. Having a business coach unwrite emails I was working on. Hearing my lofty wording in another voice, then hearing a casual option, helped me to loosen up and sound less like a tech manual.

2. Doing live videos. Watching the playback of my live videos was a great lesson in how I actually speak. I now write my emails, letters, and articles in that voice.

Writing for your business can be playful and fun. Think of it as a tool for helping people get to know you and how you think.

Keep it short. Address ONE topic at a time. Write as if you are talking to one actual human.

And, most importantly, be YOU.

What is your biggest writing challenge? Post it in the comments – I can’t wait to compare notes!