Read This – It Ain’t Half Bad

I think I’m a bad writer.

I think just about anyone can write better than me.

There are usually typos galore until my proofreader gets hold of what I write.

The very gentle Martha wrote me just today to help me by letting me know I had 3 obvious typos in my last newsletter.

That’s not so great.

You’re Your You’s Youse – Aaaaaaarrghhhhh

I often muck up the word your/you’re – usually putting you’re when it should be your.

But I’ve written a book that continues to sell beyond my wildest dreams.

• I write a newsletter with 140,000 subscribers.
• I write this blog most day.
• I write content for web sites every day.

I was teaching my daughter a few days back on writing.

I was talking about how you grab the readers attention. And how to hold that attention to lead to you’re your point.

We talked about how people scan rather than read.

We talked about how to use make sections stand out with:

1. subheadings,
2. bold,
3. italics,
4. bullet points,
5. numbered lists,
6. images and more

I said to Laura, “I’ll show you an example.”

So I came here – to this page you’re reading now.

And then I looked at what I write and saw that it’s actually not too bad. Except for sometimes starting sentences with “And” ;o)

Sometimes I Get It Right

• I do sometimes get it right.
• I do grab attention with decent headings.
• I do carry a theme through (But I do tend to crap on sometimes!).
• I do use all those literary tools of the trade I was telling my Laura about.
• I’m actually not too bad at this writing caper.

I Have This Theory…..

I have this theory on people who are good at stuff – whether it’s sport or singing or writing or whatever.

My theory is this:

Whatever comes easily to people is not seen by them as worthy of praise or valuable

It -by “it” I mean whatever it is they’re good at – means very little to them. They don’t see what they do as anything other than very, very ordinary.

So whatever it is you do well – web design, marketing, parenting, bricklaying, whatever – isn’t easy for others.

• If you’re in business selling it, don’t be afraid to charge more.
• If it’s not something you sell (like parenting…..although perhaps kids should pay good parents??!), then accept the lavish praise that should come your way.