It’s Okay If You’re Not A Great Writer
A client of mine recently told me this:
“I learned it’s actually okay that I’m not a great writer.”
We were reflecting on his progress after having written and published regularly with my help over the past 1-2 years.
His comment surprised me at first. I thought, “OF COURSE it’s okay. That’s why I’m here to help.”
But then I remembered how often we are taught to quit or avoid the things we’re not awesome at.
I believe that writing in particular is a sore spot for many. Writing can be a vulnerable, challenging experience at the best of times, so if you struggled with it as a kid it can feel especially daunting.
Plus, I imagine it’s especially challenging if you’re writing in your second language.
And, even if you’re a decent writer, the standards are pretty high these days. The grammar police are hard at work on social media ‘round the clock, and it can feel like your peers somehow became pros in highly-polished, pristinely edited content. (How did that happen?)
The whole situation might cause you to just… do nothing.
Fortunately, you don’t have to be great at writing in order to write and publish.
Say, what? 😲 🤯
Yep, I said it. And I'll say it again.
You can still write and communicate and boldly share your ideas with the world — even if writing isn’t your strong suit.
If you and words go together like “chalk and cheese”, here are 4 tips that might help:
#1 - Above all, be human.
Find the things people can relate to in your story. If you're honest and authentic, people will forgive a lot.
Trust me when I say that genuine emotion and relatability supersede grammatical perfection and eloquence.
If you show people who you really are, you will make an impact.
#2 - Connection, not perfection.
Writing is really about connecting with other people. To connect, we must continually turn our emphasis towards our reader.
To that end: Write with as much empathy and consideration you can muster.
Think about your reader — what do they need your help with? How are they feeling right now? How do you want to help them?
Focus more on your audience and less on whether your work is measuring up. Mastery of the language is nothing without connection.
#3 Think better.
Writing is really the act of turning your thoughts into words.
So, if you want to write better, first you must think better.
In other words — spend more time considering your ideas. What do you really want to say? What does that idea look like in practice? Why does it matter? How could you simplify it or explain it?
This is a practice. A lifelong practice.
Even if you don’t consider yourself a “writer” — consider yourself a thinker. Improve your thinking skills and the writing will follow.
And even if it doesn’t, you can always turn to my next tip:
#4 Ask for help.
You can get help with your writing. Most great leaders do.
Professional editors and writers do exist: as I’ve said before, you can become known for your writing even if you don’t like to write.
I collaboratively write, edit, ideate, and strategize with my clients to help them create industry-changing, award-winning communications. (I’m fully booked right now but you can join my wait list if interested.)
But you can also find writing and editing partners in different ways:
- Ask a colleague to buddy up so you can edit each other’s work.
- Create a mastermind group with a few people of diverse skills and strengths (You can learn from the writers in the group while contributing whatever it is you ARE great at.)
- When growing your team, aim to hire people who are great at writing and/or editing. No matter the job, this is an excellent, multipurpose skill to have on your team.
- Take a writing course, join a writing club, or immerse yourself in books — or free resources like those on my site.
Writing is a skill like any other. You can get better at it. But you also don’t have to do it alone.
On that note, I’ve got a question for you…
I’ve been considering creating a live, small-group writing mentorship program for coaches, freelancers, and independent professionals. I’m doing a bit of research to gauge potential interest and understand exactly what kind of support people like you are looking for.
So, my question is: Are you sick of struggling to create content by yourself, and if so, what is the worst / hardest part for you?
When it comes to creating content, what would you like help with the most?
And – would a mentorship/coaching program related to thought leadership-style content pique your interest?
Please write me or comment and let me know. Feel free to tell me about your writing-related struggles, frustrations, and aspirations! I’m all ears. :) 🌽