Writing short is something I love to do. I find it very hard to write a blog post that is over 500 words and it wasn’t until recently that blogging guru Will Blunt from the Blogger Sidekick told me that as long as people were resonating with my content, regardless of how long it was – that’s a good sign. It was at that point, a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders.
You see, I’m a very visual person. I LOVE graphics, photos and anything artsy. For those that have just met me, my other passion in life is Art. For over 15 years, I’ve been creating art tutorials and sharing the more recent works freely on my blog “My Love Affair with Life” and on my YouTube channel. Being a Helping Artist for DecoArt gives me a great opportunity to share, share and share some more. I can be very casual with my audience when telling a story during the art creating process and if I get too wordy in explaining techniques, my audience let’s me know, but they also appreciate that I’m talking to “beginners”. For B2B, I’m a little more formal and use images to help tell a story.
When creating and sharing, whether it’s a blog post, status update or a Scope, what you say can help you or hurt you. I’m sure you’ve all heard of “using your own voice” and “being authentic”. I have a client who is a Doctor and on his four websites, the information is quite technical and honestly, I don’t understand most of it. But during his Sunday radio talk show, he’s more casual because he’s speaking to his audience. People who are interested in what he’s offering, call in, ask questions and really engage in a conversation with him.
How many times have you read a blog post or status update where the author used mild vulgarity as shock value? Personally, that turns me off immediately. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not a prude, but I don’t believe you need to use vulgarity (even the kind you hear it on prime time TV) to get your point across in a blog post or status update.
If you are a writer that uses “creative language” because that’s who you are and what your audience expects, then you are writing in your own voice. But if you are just adding vulgarity to your posts and status updates just to create shock value, you’re not speaking in your own voice and honestly, if you have to resort to using vulgarity (when that’s not who you are), then is what you’re staying really that interesting?
On the flip side, what about reading a blog post and watching a video of someone where the voices don’t match? Who do you believe? the voice in the blog or the voice in the video? is the person trying to sound smart by using a lot of wordy word words? Confusion leads to mistrust, so write in your own voice and don’t pretend to write like someone else.
Let’s put it this way…when you’ve written a blog post or status update, what would your family and close friends think? Would they say “this isn’t her, why is she talking like that?” or would they say “yes, that sounds just like her”.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on how finding your voice has helped you not only in business, but in day to day life.
My problem with voice is that I have two. My English voice and my German voice. Two different voices. We don’t swear in both languages but I do sometimes get them mixed up.
What I find hard is separating the two, I talk more in German because I live in Germany and write in English because that is my birth language and my favourite.
But because I don’t talk (what I call real English)that often it’s hard to really know what I sound like. Am I really the woman that talks in English inside my head???
Oh no, you’re not the only woman doing that. Joe’s Mom talks have Hungarian and half English and then she gets all flustered. Why not do your blog posts in written English and offer an video or podcast version in German? That way you can get your message across both ways and you are communicating in a way that is natural to you.
I kinda like that idea. That would mean that my friends and other half of the family would then understand what I’m posting about.
Thank you for the wonderful idea.
If you have a voice recorder on your smart phone, that’s an easy way to do this. Or a headset with a microphone. The file sizes would be tiny for your “podcast” and you should be able to easily store and link it onto your wordpress blog. I can get you the name of the podcast plugin I’ve used for the “doctor” client in my post. It’s free. If you need some help, I’d be happy to share my brain with you 🙂
Another huge and I mean huge advantage to creating a podcast version of your blog post in German, you’ll be able use expressive tone. Listeners will hear your excitement, seriousness and any other emotion you have while “speaking” your post.
Well I must say I’m so pleased I wrote on this post. You have no idea how much excitement you have given me right now. I have no idea if my windows phone will do that but I will be having a look to see if it does.
I really like your idea and can’t thank you enough. I will be telling my master mind group all about your idea in a few minutes. Thanks again. I will be back 🙂
Glad you are excited about this. Your windows phone should have a voice recorder built into it. If you can’t find it, you can search for “version of your phone voice recorder” example: windows 8 smartphone voice recorder.
Hi Gisele. Finding my real voice was confusing. I hope I did find it, though. I often read what I’ve written out loud. That helps a lot.
Reading your article or posts out loud is a great way to “hear yourself”. You can also voice record it, so you can listen to it back. If you’re not sure, have someone else listen to it.
Finding your own voice for writing or speaking or designing might take some time. Yet, it’s worth the search when you feel so much more comfortable with the results.
hi Sharon, yes it does take time, especially when you have multiple audiences.
Interesting topic. I have always been more formal when writing. For example, I use fewer contractions (see, I wrote “I have” instead of the “I’ve” I would have used when speaking). I don’t think this makes me “inauthentic,” it’s just me in different mediums.
As long as you have an honest conversation with fans, followers and readers and it works for you, you’re being authentic.
As a writer (and a fellow artist), I cannot agree with you more Gisele. What is so very important to me is to always write the way I speak. I remember reading a very funny memoir that was a huge best-seller and then when I went to hear the author speak in person at an informal book signing, I was shocked. She was so not like she wrote and yet had a huge following for her blog and book.
I love that you cannot write more than five hundred words, as for me, that is just warming up, as I imagine you already can tell by reading my articles. As all relationships are about communication, listening and conversation it seems counterproductive when you don’t represent yourself exactly as you are. Maybe some people are just better on paper, writing, than they are in person. If authenticity is the keyword, then it does make sense to be who you are both online and in real life. That is what will draw your tribe to you and keep them interested. Thanks for the interesting read! Enjoy it very much.
Hi Beverley, It’s not that I “cannot” write more than five hundred words, I would prefer not to 🙂 If I did a count, all the blog posts I’ve written are way over 500 words. I’m a very visual person and the fact that my other passion is art, I use art journaling as a way of expressing myself with words and images. It’s very freeing.
When you attended book signing, the way she was speaking, did it have a negative or positive affect on your opinion of her?
I too like to keep my blog posts short and mainly because I don’t want to “bore” anyone! But it’s funny, when I am with a client I tend to talk much more & get into a lot more detail. I’m not sure if this means I’m not speaking in my own voice or not. Definitely food for thought.
If writing isn’t your “thing”, but what about doing a podcast instead? If speaking is very natural to you, that might be better than a written blog. What do you think?
This is something I’ve been thinking about a lot, as there are different aspects to my character and I do write differently, depending on the reader. I decided that it’s okay to tone down or dial up my voice, depending on the situation.
If we have different audiences, I think we need to alter how we say things. I break up a main audience into sub-audiences. For example: For one main audience, it could be a home based business. In there, we have a sub-audience that has no technical skills whatsoever, so how we say things will be very basic and in bullet form. Another sub-audience are very skilled and very technical, so how we say things are more detailed in instruction. Another sub-audience has zero design sense, so we use fewer words and more graphics to convey how things look and show various designs.
What we are saying is the same and authentic. How we are getting the message across based on the sub-audience will vary.
Hmmm I see an idea for my next blog post 🙂
I don’t think anyone who knows me would argue that I think my writing voice is pretty much who I am in person. As I always say, I keep things very real but usually in about 1000 words 🙂
Keeping in real…give me a high five!
I love this! I don’t like to write very long blog posts either but I see what you are saying about writing in your own voice and some people resonate with you and some don’t. I totally agree about vulgarity, it can be a turn-off. I’m new to blogging and your post was so timely! Thank you!
Thrilled to hear that you’re new to blogging and understanding about writing in your own voice.
Write in whatever way is “you” and makes you feel good about it.
Really interesting post. Personally, I find it harder to write short than long. I do find it a valuable exercise though to review my blog posts and strip out all the extraneous fluff that I tend to put in. The one thing I have discovered is that people want a sense of you. If you’re writing a blog post or similar article, keep to your own conversational voice and be as authentic as possible. Great tips. I look forward to your next post.
Thanks Clive for sharing your exercise. Editing is the part that takes soooo long to do. Sometimes I get off course, but if I do an outline first, then the editing isn’t too bad 🙂
Great post. I noticed that since I’m writing as I speak, I’m getting much higher open rates for my emails. In terms of length, my blog posts are way over 500, it’s almost the double. Even if I just want to write about a simple topic, I end up with an 800-900 word article 🙂 But that’s what I feel most authentic to me…
That’s a great point.. checking your open rates for your emails. I’m catching up on blog reading today and your blog post listed in SSIC, it maybe double in length, but it’s very well laid out with headings and bold text. Very easy on the eyes.
I definitely feel I write the way I speak and find it’s much better for people to get to know they real me from the start.
All comes down to authenticity also here…so you need to be yourself, and express that voice in whatever you do, etc.
When I started weekly blogging over a year ago I wrote the way I speak, as if I was sharing one of my stories with a friend over a cup of coffee. Several people told me they enjoyed my conversational style and I was happy because I could be my authentic self. And about 6 months ago we decided to add more content to our blogs requiring research on interesting topics, like color, holidays, fashion, trends, famous quotes, etc. I was somewhat out of my element however over time, with the skills of my artsy partner-daughter,I am finding a new voice. I draft, she edits and our readers seem happy. We both prefer a visual expression, but finding words to convey a topic is interesting and challenging. I am still more casual or conversational and she more formal. Somehow we are making it work.
It’s fantastic that you can make the blogging with, especially with a family member. Sometimes that alone can be challenging.
I have to often remind myself that when I am writing a post and that I am not writing a college term paper, but I have never thought of writing like I am talking to my family and friends. Thanks Gisele!
Puts some honest personality in your writing 🙂
Like your post Gisele. Enjoy your writing.
Thanks LeAnn
Great article. Writing has always been something I shy away from as English was never my strong point at school. However, I know that blogging is a great way to help more people so I decided to give it a go. I’ve just written my second post and I’m actually starting to enjoy it. As far as reading other people’s content goes I’m like you I don’t like vulgarity or bad language.
When you find something you’re truly passionate about, writing will get easier. I dreaded writing my first b2b post. I’ve only ever blogged about my art passion. But now, it’s getting much easier as I just imagine my ideal reader sitting next to me and I talk to them 🙂
One of the best compliments I’ve ever gotten was when I met a client in person and she said that I’m exactly like how I am on my blog and videos. I try to write like how I would talk to a friend.
and I 100% believe that!
I have a personal voice and a business voice. Or I did, until one of my friends saw a business post and said, “Where’s Jackie?” Ticked me off…which was the first sign that there was something going on. I thought about and started loosening up my business voice and, yes, it does include some mild vulgarities. Which are toned down, believe you me. I blame covering crime for 30 years in the newspaper business. You hear it — and say it — all then.
Gisele, I love the fact that you CAN write a blog in 500 words. To me, that is a major accomplishment! I feel pretty confident that I have not been “accused” of sounding fake in either my writing or at work. Glad you posted this, and I hope others realize an “authentic voice” is usually more successful for everyone around. 🙂
Hi Liz, I blew that 500 word count in my most recent post LOL!!!
Girl.. I am telling you… many many times I have set out to write a quick (<500) blog and next thing you know… 1000 words later… I guess I write like I talk… a LOT! lol
That’s what happened with a post I wrote last Monday 🙂
This article came at the perfect time. Every where we look someone is telling us what our blog should or should not be. You affirmed that I need to write in my style because it attract my IT factor.
Ginny, it does get irritating when someone tells you that your blog must have this and must have that and you must write like this. Poo Poo on them. If you write naturally and say what’s on your mind, the people that “get” you will enjoy and engage.
I am so happy you brought this up. One of the main issue in social media management is when entrepreneur have someone commenting for them on their post as oppose to doing it themselves That’s not genuine because people take the time to comment and the least you could do is show appreciation and comment yourself.
I agree that for a small business, yes, the entrepreneur should be answering the comments. For a large company, the person that wrote the post should be the one answering the questions. I know some companies have an internal or outside social media team to look after all their engagement, but there is a fine line there and it’s their credibility on the line if the outside agency gets it wrong.
I had an experience a few months ago with our “expensive” stove, we were getting nowhere with Maytag (yes I’m using their name) and we went through weeks and weeks of repair people coming out, no call backs, excuses etc. etc. Finally, I got so fed up when they said “your stove turns on so it works”. I went to the Maytag Facebook page, posted a transcript of my problem. I was contacted within minutes asking for information. This person may have been part of an agency, I’m not sure. I was then contacted by phone by someone from Maytag which blew me away. He was very polite and actually “listened” to what I had to say. 8 weeks ago, I had a brand new top of the line stove delivered. I reading the FB page for Maytag, there are a lot of unhappy people posting and I feel bad for the person that has to sit there and answer all of these posts.