What do you do if your writing needs to stand out from the rest?

For your writing to stand out from the rest, I suggest a sizzling start - no boring bits. Think like you are doing a Ted Talk speech, movie trailer, or even contemporary film screenplay, and be bold and grab your audience from the get-go so they will at least read your work and not swipe away (metaphorically speaking) - then you need to hold their attention so they'll read the next paragraph. Times have changed, people are busy, actually make that very busy (think about how little time you have yourself) - you have three seconds to make an impact or they move on. Apply this to your writing. Okay this is advising you on the 'what' but not the 'how' - but if I have attention and got you recalibrating, then my work is done. ??

First, take a stand and defend it. Nobody hates vanilla, but no one picks it either. Stand out by standing up. Secondly, make sure your piece is digestible. Don't listen to your college English teacher and stay away from the $10 words. Simple and to the point.

Make it more human. Details matter. So do stories. How a story is told has an immediate effect on the limbic side of the brain – the area that controls emotions, memories and arousal. In business we tend to communicate in a way that lacks humanity, sharing data and abstract information through corporate jargon that’s often uninspiring, difficult to remember, and dry. When told a story, however, it lights up several brain areas. These areas control movement, language processing, imagination and colour. The empathy-inducing chemicals dopamine and oxytocin are released, and the reader is paying attention and, therefore, far more likely to remember what they’ve read.

The most effective way for your writing to stand out is to focus on connecting instead of impressing. Too many people and companies write to show others how smart they are. They share information from their perspective. It's always far more effective to write from the audience's perspective and knowledge level so they grasp the messages and find them useful.

So look, if you want to stand out, it all starts with the hooks. (that's the headline or start of the post) Here's my secret: 1. I make a bold statement. 2. I make the hook easy to understand. 3. I use the hook to setup an elite rehook Okay so that was a very vanilla answer. Here's the truth about catchy hooks, you need to be willing to have an opinion and stand out. Everyone plays it safe on LinkedIn and if you are trying to grow in 2024 you need to not follow the crowd. Take a chance, have a different opinion. Risk saying something worth reading. Where did all the interesting writers go? BRB gonna go drink my 6th coffee tonight.

Write to be understood, not admired. When insecure about their writing, people tend to pile on the fancy words. Don’t. Ressist that urge, shove it down your throat with a cup of coffee, a gluten-free muffin, whatever can get the job done. Remember that people will most often quote others on straight-to-the-point sentences. And to be able to resonate with another person’s writing so much that we want to quote it, we first need to understand it. So write to be understood.

As Ogilvy says, In one dollar, for the audience to read a headline, you have already spent 80 cents. Most of the audience turns up to read your ad copy only if they see a compelling, catchy and standing out Headline.

I write ads for a living. I also do a lot of voice work recording other folk’s scripts. I’m amazed at how many start with the weather report: “It’s that time of year again…” or this construction: [business owner] at [company name] knows [some factoid]. Who cares? Why not entice me with an interesting story? Why isn’t the ad (in the case of radio) a 60-second movie that just happens to sell a product with heroes I can identify with and villains I can vilify? Why isn’t the writing something I’d want to consume a second or third or fourth time? THAT would be writing that stands out from the rest.

All the stories and ideas have already been written. All that remains is your point of view and your voice. How to find your voice in writing? First: Read every day, from novels and stories to advertisements. Second: Gradually find and recognize the patterns of narration and rules. Third: Throw away the rules and patterns. Fourth: Be curious and pay attention to the details of your life, from dreams to words. Fifth: Practice, practice, practice. Tell the greatest stories in your own voice. Sixth: Don't forget to be playful.

This is really simple and not many do it... Write as if you're talking to someone. Then your writing will slowly build up to your personality and who you are! Stop worrying about perfection and sounding like you've just used an English dictionary ?? Please step away from AI (unless it's for some ideas) especially for the comments sections on other people's posts ??♀?

We all have our individual voices which make us unique. People want to know you're the one behind the lovely piece of writing they enjoyed reading. How you pass the message across in your own voice and experience matters a lot. It's essential in building a solid personal brand.

Some of the best writers' writing sounds precisely how they speak. Think of Hemingway's short, concise prose. One of the keys to being a strong writer is adopting a style that is all your own, even if it's realistically cobbled together from various sources of inspiration from your literary life.

Use storytelling, metaphors, and analogies to add depth and resonance to your writing. This approach builds authentic connections with the audience by triggering emotions and making complex ideas more relatable.

Strong writing shines with value and proof. Value answers "why should I care?" by addressing your audience's needs. Proof builds trust with facts, statistics, or expert quotes. Together, they transform your writing from informative to impactful. Readers walk away not just knowing something but also understanding its significance and believing your message.

To make your writing stand out by providing value and proof, consider these effective strategies: Before writing, conduct in-depth research on your topic. Use reputable sources to gather data, statistics, and examples that support your points. Use concrete examples Incorporate real-life examples, case studies, or anecdotes to illustrate your arguments. This makes your writing more relatable and convincing Numbers and data lend credibility to your writing. Include relevant statistics and research findings to back up your claims. Incorporate quotes from subject matter experts or authoritative figures in your field. This adds authority and depth to your content.

Humanize the stories and data in your writing. one of the things that make writing stand out and compelling for people to read is when they feel an affinity with the content. When they feel like the stories portrayed and the figures quoted in the report represent their reality. One way to achieve that is by humanising the findings presented. present the details through a human-angle story and use a relatable analogy to explain the data in the report. It helps prevent your writing from being another distant unrelatable event or one of those big-figure quoting stories that doesn't concern the daily lives of your readers.

Providing value is a great mindset to keep and a great place to start in writing: Why is this worthy of being heard? In order to NOT give the impression that you’re just trying to hit a word count, set aside time on the front end to brainstorm a clear message. Get your message straight before you try to articulate it to anyone else- you’d be surprised how easy it is to forget this step. Taking this time on the front end will drastically reduce the time you spend actually writing, and will transform your writing to storytelling, regardless of the topic. Be clear and concise. Don’t be redundant. Take the time to choose strong, specific verbs and adjectives- notice and eliminate empty words like “great” and “important” from your writing.

? Bad CTA: "Sign up to my newsletter" ? Good CTA: "Join 500+ people in my weekly newsletter" ?? Epic CTA: "Sick of boring content? Join 500+ climate entrepreneurs like yourself in my weekly newsletter where I share no-bs content advice."

Call to Action (CTA) ? Call to value (CTV) ? Call to conversation (CTC) ? Call to benefits (CTB) ? Make it easy for people to engage with you by giving them a CTC Make it easier for them to gain value by giving them a CTV Make it easier for them to take action by attaching a benefit

Here’s a story showing the impact of a clear call to action: I live with my mum and love helping her out. However, there are days I drag my feet on chores or errands, even though I know they're needed. She believes I should act without being told, which sometimes leads to arguments. But when she explicitly tells me what to do, I find myself completing tasks more willingly—maybe it's psychological, or just the power of clear instructions. Like my mum’s direct requests, a well-defined CTA in your writing can drive action. It makes the desired next steps crystal clear, motivating your readers to click, sign up, or engage. Remember, clarity is key to compelling action! Agree? Like this post and follow for more insights!

A clear call to action is essential, but it's important to present it gently, not as someone in a rush to make a sale. Instead, frame the call to action in a way that emphasizes the benefits to the reader, creating a scenario where they can clearly see how taking action is in their best interest.

Make your calls to action (CTAs) value-driven instead of the usual, generic-sounding, placeholder-y CTAs. The simplest way to do that? Lead with what the person gets from that click: be it value, the immediate result of their action, or what they're so close to achieving. Or, if it's in a transactional context, state exactly what happens next... Without trying to be cute or smart. When in doubt, be clear. Be specific. And always consider both the context in which your CTA is going to live – and the audience you're speaking to.

To really stand out means You are doing what 99% are not doing Want write your next post? - Write hooks that call only one or two audience - Write with Clarity and easiness - Write to and for your audience

Write everything you want to write, then cut off the fluff Sometimes this fluff is about 50% of your content Sometimes it's 20% of it Just cut off anything that doesn't take your content forward to the ending All those huh, ha. And remember you should never say it with 3 words if 1 word can say it

Tell stories. Competitors can rarely copy stories especially if they're yours or your company's stories. Share client stories in their own words as nothing beats a testimonial from a customer.

From a corporate communications standpoint I’d say write for the audience not your approvers. Starting with that perspective gives you a chance to end up with something good after all the reviews.

Take a twist on a tired phrase or cliche. Play with words, think of opposites, combine phrases, freshen up old idioms. For example, * "It's not rocket surgery." * "You can't teach an old dog ... new math." * "Home is where your house is." Try flipping it. For instance, if something's back in fashion, say, “Out with the new, in with the old.” Don't strive to be clever, just different. It might take brainstorming with your co-workers or friends to come up with the right twist, but stay at it. Pretty soon you'll build up a bank of possibilities. Don't let disappointment stop you: Your writing can stand out when you "think inside a bigger box."

I would also add the following: No great article comes from thin air - it comes from reading wide and knowing what good content looks like, from asking the right questions, and from doing the right research. Then the storytelling bit comes in. How compelling is this story? What does your voice sound like? Can I read an article and know that it is you that wrote it? For me, I've come to realise that writing from a place of honesty helps. Then of course, there is always the importance of editing and proofreading. It helps to cut out the fluff and give your work some extra punch. Having various people review your work aside from yourself also helps, even if you're an advanced novelist, writer, or journalist.

A tactic I love is finding the question you think is on everyone's mind but no one's actually asking, in relation to your topic or your content pillar. Then you ask it plainly, no bells or whistles. It generally drives engagement with people feeling seen or not alone in what they were wondering about, and is a great way to gather insightful responses that may lead to more content ideas.