CEO TIP: TOP 10 WAYS TO FIND YOUR WRITING SELF

In the words of best-selling author Steven Covey: “One word expresses the pathway to greatness: voice.”

Do you want to be great? Do you want to excel to new heights in your business, in your personal life, and in your interactions with the world in general? Then you must develop your written voice.

Professional writers know the power of a distinct written personality– one that is unique, strong and effective at both communicating their vision clearly while swaying and affecting their audience unlike any other.

But all too often important thought leaders in business don’t take advantage of this dynamic tool to sway customers, colleagues and members of the professional community. Why not? Because most either don’t know about it, or they don’t have access to the training that will enable them to use this tool effectively.

Obviously the best fix is to hire a writing coach/consultant to help you more effectively communicate your ideas within your company, with fellow thought leaders whose business you engage, and within your professional community as well as with the all too important media and mainstream community.

But in the mean time here’s my top ten tips to at least get you started down the road of wise words, tactically turned phrases and finding the story behind everything you do, say, sell and market.

 Chris Benguhe’s Top Ten Tips

1. Don’t Speak Your Words - Let Your Words Speak:

   When a young girl in Australia wrote to me that my book changed her life because it inspired her to go help others with her singer/songwriter talents instead of just trying to become rich and famous, it not only helped her but sharing it with me fueled my own spirits and my career. Sharing that with you goes along way to making the point that speaking and writing aren’t the same. You must figure out how to make the same impact with your writing that your body makes when you speak with someone. For instance a heartfelt smile in person becomes sharing a thought that makes someone smile in writing, kind of like I just did.

2. Use Scene Setters:

   These are powerful one sentence descriptions that tell the reader a tremendous amount about what or who you are writing about. My scene setter in my bio below reads, “I’ve been kicked out of more places than most people ever get into – and I wrote about it all.” That tells you a whole lot about me – and you really want to know more, don’t you?

3. Write What You Know Joe:

   To start writing you need to figure out what to write about. So make sure you know backwards and forwards what you want to write about; obviously I do! If you don’t, scrap it and write about something else.

4. What’s the Point:

   Zero in and sum up what you want to say—it’s the first step to creating a passionate connection with the reader. Don’t waste words – or the reader’s time!

5. Be Honest, Be Real!

   Authenticity and substance are much more important in writing then in speaking or in person meetings because you don’t have the physical tools to sell BS on the page like you do in person. I have already shared so much about me in this piece. Get ready – there’s more juicy honesty to come.

6. Get Naked, Get Intimate:

   Writing is like dating: I am much better at the former being a forty-eight year old bachelor. You are in a very personal relationship with your reader. You must open up in ways you never thought you would or could because the reader is probably alone in a personal setting of some kind when they read. They expect openness from your words.

7. Show Don’t Tell:

   Tell stories to make powerful points. Again in my own bio I explain how I interviewed everyone from the famous to the felonious and chronicled the world’s most provocative stories. But after covering the Columbine story, I had a crisis of conscience and gave up the world of glitz and glamour and life in the limelight to make a difference with my words. That tells you a lot more about who I am, why I do what I do and how talented I am than a whole resume full of information would. Tap into the imagination with the power of real stories that illustrate your point.

8. Structure Is Sexy – Outline it!

   Anyone who says you don’t need an outline is either a fool or purposely sabotaging your writing so disregard them. Anything you write needs at the very least a beginning, middle, and an end. And the best way to make sure it has that is an outline. You can be all over the place while speaking, but it doesn’t work in writing; it loses the reader.

9. Never Fear--Your Writing Voice is Here:

   For working writers, writer’s block is the thing that you attach your rear end to in order to sit down and write. Stop dreading the written word and get used to writing all the time, especially now that you have some tools to get you started.

10. Happy Endings! And one you will NEVER forget:

    A year after I left my job as an entertainment reporter a package of anthrax arrived at the offices I used to work at just a few feet away from my desk. The editor who opened it died. It could have been me if I didn’t leave my job to do what I do now. Always end whatever you write with a bang, not a whimper in a way that stays with the reader forever.

Now go write, or call me for help.

CHRIS BENGUHE has been kicked out of more places than most people ever get into – and he wrote about it all. Now he’s ready to help you.

WRITER ● COLUMNIST● EDITOR ●PUBLISHING CONSULTANT

Internationally published author, columnist, editor and speaker, Chris Benguhe is a former People Magazine writer and tabloid editor for the National Enquirer, the Globe and the National Examiner. He interviewed everyone from the famous to the felonious and chronicled the world’s most provocative stories. But after covering the Columbine story, he had a crisis of conscience and gave up the world of glitz and glamour and life in the limelight to make a difference with his words.  Now he helps others find their inner light through his own books, articles and TV and radio appearances And through his extremely successful editing company which helps others write their compelling stories so they too can transform the world in positive ways.

Contact Chris for hourly or project based consulting at [email protected].

Check out his publishing consulting page at: https://www.executivebookdevelopment.com/