So What?

“Man’s ideal state is realized when he has fulfilled the purpose for which he is born. And what is it that reason demands of him? Something very easy—that he live in accordance with his own nature.”

~ Seneca from Letters from a Stoic
I do love those Philosophers' Notes that pop into my inbox every day, and as I thought about the next pearl of writer's wisdom to give you, this one seemed rather appropriate. 

It's that time of year when the students send in their final 'reflective' essay, summing up what they have learned in the module I teach them on writing for the media. One of the first tips I give them is the 'so what?' rule, the question they should ask themselves at the end of every statement to check if it's worth saying at all. And at the end of the module, I ask them to check out the same question, but this time about what I've spent the last 14 weeks teaching them. 

When they answer, in whatever form, that they have realised what they're here to do, or if that's too Universal, perhaps what made the penny drop, I know I've done my bit. Finding out who you are by looking at the words on the page is one of the most exciting moments in a young person's life, and giving him or her the tools to do so is surely one of the most rewarding.

Picture This

I tell stories every day. I use them to explain what I mean, what I want to be and what I do. Stories may be full of words but they only work if they paint pictures. People don't really want to read; they don't really want words - they want pictures. They want stories.

When I ask business people to tell me what they do, there are usually very few pictures knocking around in the words they use. Academics are even worse.  Ask them about the research studies they've spent the last five years of their lives on and they'll give you more words than your brain can cope with, but almost nothing to see.

So tip for the day: if you're struggling with how to put your business idea on the page right now, give it a personality. Is it a Brian or a James? Quentin or Dave? What car would it be? If it were a sound, a book cover, a musical instrument, what would it be? Play with your words until your idea has a character, a name and a star sign. Until you can see it. Now you can tell your story and people will listen.

www.gillysmith.com