How to create an effective writing process
Whether you want to write product copy, design presentation or create a business plan, the first thing we have to do is not to turn on the computer and start hurriedly searching for available reference materials. I would suggest that you first think clearly about your purpose for producing this content and set a clear target audience.
When we talk about writing process, it is actually nothing more than the traditional process of reviewing the topic, conceiving the idea, selecting materials, arranging paragraphs, and organizing the text. There may also be many friends who will immediately think of the concepts of initiating, inheriting, transferring, and combining taught by previous teachers. However, when you see these complicated things, you may feel that your brain is not clear, right?
Therefore, I will help you simplify these seemingly cumbersome writing processes into the following four useful writing logics: observation, description, speculation and action.
The first logic is observation.
The well-known director and writer [Wu Nianzhen] (https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%90%B3%E5%BF%B5%E7%9C%9F) once said: “Maybe you are not good at words, but you must open up your observation and show [empathy] (https://www.content.tw/writing/speech-reflection), and you will be able to resonate.” In fact, any creation starts from observation, and writing is certainly no exception. We can also often visit department stores, hypermarkets or convenience stores to observe what tricks those fast-paced businesses use to attract the attention and wallets of the consumer public.
I often think that instead of paying special attention to the study of writing skills, it is better to start by observing the changes in people, places and objects, and the needs and feelings of the target audience. In fact, observation is not a simple science. Only with in-depth insight and a certain degree of knowledge and understanding of the true context of things can we use diverse content such as pictures, text, audio and video to express our views clearly to the outside world. Therefore, when writing, please do not rush to write or search for information online. You may wish to observe the surrounding environment and scenes first. In addition to clearly conceiving the writing topic, you can also understand the target audience from different angles.
The second logic is description.
In recent years, because of my teaching, I have not only read many articles written by people, but also helped some students correct their homework. I suddenly found that some friends tend to fall into the habit of keeping a running account when writing. When describing the same thing, a powerful writer can always write new ideas or convey a different charm.
In fact, when writing, it is not enough to just describe the scene or explain the details. We need to spend more time expressing our inner feelings to the readers. For example, you should clearly state why you are writing about this topic? And why do readers need to read your article now? When you convey the importance of this article to your target audience, in addition to using visual elements to assist explanation, you can also make good use of data or expert testimony to enhance the power of persuasion.
The third logic is speculation.
I also find that when many people write, they often only stop at the observation and description stage, but fail to further help readers find the real meaning and information worth reference between the lines. It is actually a pity to say that. It is true that writing itself is closely related to the depth and breadth of personal experience. Therefore, in addition to observing and reflecting on daily life and work, we must also have a deep insight into current events, public opinions and trends. Only in this way can we express the meaning concretely and refine unique perspectives.
The fourth step is action.
Call to action is a method that inspires the target audience to actually take action The purpose of the model is to inspire the public to actually take specific actions after reading articles, images, videos, etc., such as hoping that consumers will purchase goods, make donations, participate in activities, etc. This is also the feedback that content marketers want most. If you want to put an effective call to action into your article, ask yourself what do you expect your target audience to do? Next, how to ensure that target audience knows what they should do? And why do they do this? What benefits and promises can be gained from it?
In fact, it is not difficult to create a powerful call to action. First, you need to grab the attention of the target audience. When writing copy, it is recommended that you write content that is easy to understand and provide clear benefits and instructions in the text, so that readers will take action. In terms of graphic design, we often see that some operators place buttons (such as add to shopping cart) in conspicuous places, and even deliberately change fonts or use special colors to highlight the key points. These intentions are nothing more than hoping to arouse people’s attention.
Overall, when you are writing product copy, please do not rush to sell products or services, but first think carefully: What is the purpose of writing this product copy? What specific target audiences do you want to target? What specific problems do you want to help them solve or bring specific benefits? Then, is your product or service relevant to a specific time, place, or scene?
If you can refer to the four writing logics of observation, description, speculation and action to produce content, I believe you will be able to overcome many problems related to writing, and it will also help you write good and impressive copy! Of course, if you have any questions about writing, please feel free to contact me!
Further reading
- Dan Koe: To build a one-person company business model, how to productize yourself?
- The new era of brand marketing: How to use positioning and self-media strategies to build a successful brand
- Time intersects, fragments of knowledge and memories fall
