There are many styles in which to write. Browse through Steemit and you will find hundreds of different approaches, each trying to engage the audience, get an upvote, a resteem or follow. I am not the best at giving advice nor am I qualified to give style tips or a rundown of the best way to approach a large group. For me, I try not to think about what will engage the largest audience or what will be popular.
Here I am
I don’t think too much about the best words to use to get this or that across. Occasionally of course, certain things must be approached carefully for some topics carry a lot of emotional weight in people but, all in all, I write the way I speak.
I don’t mean that I speak exactly like this either though, although it is at times conversational, I mean, I write from the heart. When I speak, I speak the same way. This doesn’t mean that I get emotional or speak my mind unfiltered, it means that when I give an opinion or ask a question, it is done with sincerity.
I have found over the years that honesty really is the best policy when it comes to speaking and I have chosen to carry this into my writing too. I am not giving lectures or speaking to a crowded auditorium. I am speaking to you.
Not all of you, one of you.
There may of course be more than one but how I see it is that each set of eyes is sitting alone in front of the screen and I try, to the best of my ability to hold a conversation with them. This is not a conversation through an exchange of words or even through replies and comments.
Consider the space
This is between minds. I try to create create connections between my thoughts and their’s by building a story with which they can relate. It is quite personal for me but I am not actually trying to convince anyone of anything. What I am looking for is consideration.
For me, true consideration requires a depth of thought and telling people what is right or wrong does not generally create this depth. Yes, people can agree or disagree but for sensitive consideration to take place, we must put down our preferences and look at the information objectively.
I don’t know if this is the best way, but for me, when I listen or read and feel the passion in their words, I will consider them longer for the speaker has obviously thought it important enough to invest themselves into. Some people try to mimic this by swearing or using strong language but I find, it often falls flat as the timing is often poor. It seems contrived.
Let me build
To me, if there was advice to be given to engage an audience it would be like the title says. From the heart, into the heart. To get engagement, from me, I do not need the logic, I need to feel it. Once I feel it, I will investigate and build the necessary understanding. Fill the gaps.
Telling me the way it is, and I turn off. This may not be a great process but too often in this world I have been faced with information of the ‘way it is’ only to find out that the information was much less than correct and based on their own agendas. Perhaps it has become a defense mechanism of sorts.
Growing roots
I write in many different styles of prose and not all work out that well but, each one is crafted from my heart to yours. Sounds corny doesn’t it? I am okay with being corny as if it means that you think a little more about the words and find some value, that is all that matters.
Value is important for me and if I have some information that can help you achieve what is important to you, I will give it willingly. So I write and write, I cover many topics, many styles and ask many questions in the hope that you will find a useful seed, plant it and help it grow into something much larger than a simple piece of writing.
Hopefully in this piece too, there is something that hooks into your mind, gets considered and helps you to do whatever you do a little better than before.
Taraz
[ a Steem original ]