Not so long ago, I had the pleasure of chatting with Dana Van Nest on the Marketing for Good podcast. You can listen to it here or read it here, whichever floats your boat!
Dana knows her way around words. She writes. A lot. And really well. She works with clients on a mission to make the world a better place.
The idea of words as tactical instruments sprung forth during our conversation. (You can practically see the words springing forth in service to your mission, can’t you?!)
Writing can sometimes come across as blob-like. A bunch of words. On a page. Milling about.
But if you think about words as tactical instruments, that’s a different (and I believe more actionable) way of thinking about writing. It shifts things so you’re focusing on the power of each word to advance you toward a specific goal.
If the end game for a newsletter, annual report, website, speech, or mission statement is to move someone–a donor, volunteer, client, customer, etc–closer toward a specific goal–donating, volunteering, or being served, to name just a few–each word counts. And each one has the power to get you one step closer to that goal. And those goals advance you toward your mission and your vision for making the world more awesome.
When used as tactical instruments, words become willing and loyal pawns in the chess game of making the world a better place.
How flippin’ cool is that?!!!!
If picking each word that carefully makes your palms sweat, here’s what you do: look at the verb in the first and last sentence of whatever you’re writing. Verbs are action words. Will the verbs in those two sentences get you closer to your goal? If so, super. If not, get some word-spiration from the Wordifier.
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